Windows 8.1 may include a straight to the desktop setting
There are two main points of criticism in regards to Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system. First the missing start menu which has been more or less replaced with the start screen, and then that the operating system loads in to the start screen interface after log in with no setting to change that behavior so that it boots into the desktop interface instead.
Both issues can be corrected quite easily with free and paid applications such as Classic Shell, Start8, Start Menu 8 and numerous other programs. Most Windows 8 users new to the system should not have any issues finding and installing those programs, considering that news about their existence has been spread throughout the Internet and magazines.
Businesses on the other hand may be reluctant to install third party software to add the functionality back to the Windows 8 system.
Windows 8.1 or Windows Blue will be out this year if things go along as planned, and one of the changes that users may see in the upgrade is an ability to go directly to the desktop interface to bypass the start screen. How we know that? The guys over at Microsoft Portal have discovered a function that hints at it in one of the operating system's files.
The CanSuppressStartScreen option in twinui.dll hints at that possibility. It needs to be noted though that we are talking about a development build and not the final version of Windows 8.1. A lot can happen until the final version is released and it can very well be that Microsoft is just experimenting with a set of features that may or may not land in Windows 8.1 later on this year.
My opinion? I think Microsoft can silence many critics of the operating system if they implement this behavior, and maybe even add an optional start menu back to the operating system as well. While the latter seems unlikely, the option to bypass the Windows 8 start screen would certainly be a step in the right direction. (via Caschy)
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If it don`t it will flop like Windows 8 did…
This would be great for my HTPC as this barrier prevents me from booting straight into Plex.
Not effin good enough, give back the sane intrusive central control menu like start menu instead of that kindergarten doodle they call interface.
I’m a bit worried that the “Metro silliness” will be seen as the future of personal computing (and not only by Microsoft)…
As seen by the indian astroturfers MS paid to shill on the web? sure.
By majority of PC users? the trend so far says no.
I’d consider upgrading? to Windows 8 if I NEVER had to interact with that “metro” silliness.
For my part, it seems to me that this is one of your compatriots, Martin, who gave me the solution : http://www.wesnext.com/login-directly-to-desktop-bypass-metro-ui/
You know that saying: “Too little, too late!”…
desktops are not TABLETS!
Some PC manufactures, like Samsung.. add the start menu and skip Metro screen tweaks in their PCs. What Microsoft really needs is an option to remove metro during installation of Windows 8.
@ilev “What Microsoft really needs is an option to remove metro during installation of Windows 8” I wonder if we can achieve this with WinReducer (http://www.winreducer.net/download.html) without braking down the system,what you think ilev?
This is a main impediment to enterprise adoption.
Microsoft is under great pressure and it will happen.
Desktop should be the default for desktops.
Metro/Modern for touch screen devices.
Any system with the option to switch.