Microsoft has revealed that it is giving in to one of the most consistent demands for Windows 8: the start menu is finally coming to Windows 8. It will not be the entirely traditional start menu, but a hybrid between Windows 7 and 8, an attempt to bring the best of both worlds to devices running the operating system.
The upcoming start menu has the normal pop-up bar that extends along the left side of the screen when you click the icon, but also displays live tiles alongside the menu. These tiles are customizable and are likely the same ones you can pin to the separate Metro screen.
Microsoft is further return to its roots by allowing any Windows 8 app to also run in a traditional window on the desktop rather than only in the Metro mode.
A major update to Windows 8.1 is coming later this month, but these new features won't make it in time for that. Expect them to be part of the next, future update that Microsoft rolls out to Windows 8.1 devices.
Windows 8 has struggled with adoption rates, with most users sticking to Windows 7--even Windows XP still holds a higher percentage of the PC market. The operating system attempts bridge the gap between touch-based tablet devices and PCs, but is generally perceived to have missed the mark.
Many users think the Metro interface just does not lend itself well to the traditional PC experience, though Windows 8 does still offer the normal desktop. A Microsoft employee who helped design the UX for Windows 8 took to Reddit a while back explaining what their thought process was, and how it was meant to cater to multiple user segments.
Source: The Verge