The Start button is back, just not as you know it

on Microsoft, Windows8

So by now you’ve probably heard that Microsoft is bringing back the Start button in Windows 8.1. This follows some of the backlash that Microsoft has received since the removal of the Start button/menu in Windows 8. Whether or not this is an important change I guess this is debatable. However, I think the important distinction to make here is that the Start*Menu* is NOT coming back! The start menu that you’re used to from previous editions of windows is gone for good. I just wanted to put this out there just in case people…

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Windows 8 Modern UI Apps: Choosing between XAML/C# vs. HTML5/JavaScript, what would your pick be?

on Development, Windows8

Since the wrap-up of Tech.Ed Australia last year I’ve been meaning to get started learning to develop a Windows 8 Modern App so as to embrace the future of Windows software development. I think Windows 8 provides a huge opportunity for developers to tap into Windows’ market share with their own apps. There are some limitations of course but the changes Microsoft has made over the past year should not be something that gets overlooked by those in the Microsoft software development field. One of my favourite reads throughout 2012 was Paul Thurrott’s WinSuperSite so if you…

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Steven Sinofsky: Other reasons why he left Microsoft

on Microsoft, Sinofsky, Windows8

The news of Steven Sinofsky leaving Microsoft is a week old now. However since then I’ve been thinking about some possible reasons why he actually left and whether there could be another reason despite what’s been speculated by many last week. I think I’ve found one and below are my thoughts on this. The way Sinofsky’s departure was handled would certainly indicate that there were a lot of internal politics involved. If you’ve read some of the articles from last week you will know that many people noted that he is a difficult person to…

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Windows 8–Why the Start button and menu are gone

on Microsoft, Windows8

With the public release a few days ago many users may – or probably will – be frustrated when they find that in the Desktop mode there is no longer a Start button or menu. The start button has long been a subject of discussion/criticism from a usability point of view and has had minor changes over the years. With the introduction of the live tile screen in Windows 8 and the removal of the start menu from the Desktop view it’s time to step back and think of why Microsoft have gone with this approach and specifically why is…

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Windows 8: Where's my start button?

on Windows8

A few years ago I blogged about the History of the Windows Start buttonand with the releases of the Windows 8 Developer preview and the Windows 8 Consumer preview I thought it’s time to revisit the start button again. As you may have read in my previous post about the start button one of the main issues with it from a usability point of view is that users click on the ‘Start’ button to start everything they have to do such as launching programs and they also have to do the same to ‘End’ what they have to…

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