Online Connections News

  • Subscribe to our RSS feed.
  • Twitter
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Facebook
  • Digg

Thursday, 29 November 2012

Windows 8 tip number 1 - The Start Screen

Posted on 19:26 by Unknown

One of the big issues people will have with Windows 8 is it is so different to what they are used to. For me, not being able to go direct to the Desktop, no Start button and no Start menu, was certainly a shock to the system and a productivity killer.

However all you need to do is to change the way you think about things just a little and the whole problem just vanishes.

Think of the Start screen as a very big Start button.

That’s all really. Once you think of the Start screen as the Start button then the Start Menu is the contents of the Start Screen, or at least your most commonly used items.

People generally either start a program by clicking on the program in the Start menu, double clicking on a shortcut on their Desktop, and some may even start the program they have pinned to the Taskbar.

Normally when your computer starts in Windows XP through to Windows 7 you see the Desktop and start a program. Now with Windows 8 the Start screen appears and to start your program you click on a tile for the program. Move your most popular programs to the left of the Start screen and you have almost instant access to your main programs. The Desktop will automatically open and the program run.

 

You can still create shortcuts on your Desktop and pin programs to the taskbar and that can help make things move along quicker. But if you haven’t, a single press of the Windows key when in Desktop mode flips you to the Start screen. Press the Windows key again and you’ll toggle back to the Desktop. The only time this doesn’t work is when you haven’t first started the Desktop.

Until I thought of the Start screen as a really big Start button to me it was a nuisance and just got in the way. Once I changed how I thought about the Start screen the issue disappeared. Nothing needed to be changed except how to view things.

Yep the Start button is gone from the Desktop (you can move your mouse to the very bottom left and the Start screen image will appear for you to click) but pressing the Windows key to me is faster anyway.

We all tend to hate change and grumble when faced with it. But look back and if you’re a Windows 7, Vista, or XP user, just remember you once used Windows 98, 95 and Windows 3.x, and the fact you don’t even think about them now is the same as you won’t think about Windows 8 user interface in the near future, you’ll just use it.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding suburbs.


Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest
Posted in | No comments
Newer Post Older Post Home

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Popular Posts

  • MyAnswers: How I saved a family member $500 on a Dell computer after the special had finished.
    The following MyAnswers solution 2409 is now available: Saved $500 for a family member who wanted a Dell computer but the special had finish...
  • It you're a software developer and thinking about developing an app keep these figures in mind.
    I've heard a couple of unconfirmed figures in terms of the sales of apps.   1. The top 20 apps represent 50% of app purchase...
  • Office 2013 Home & Business locked to computer it is installed on.
    Microsoft is certainly making changes to push people to their subscription pricing. Previous versions of Office when purchased retail, could...
  • Adobe Flash Player 11.6 update Chromes users
    One of the things I constantly find when assisting clients is they've installed software they don't want or need and they don't ...
  • Petrol Calculator - Calculate the cost of petrol for a given distance.
    The Petrol Cost Calculator is now available at http://www.petrolcostcalculator.com.au/ . Use the calculator to determine the cost of petro...
  • Why has Microsoft crippled the Windows Surface RT tablet?
    I kept thinking today, when something doesn’t quite make sense there is a hidden reason I’m not seeing. I was thinking about Microsoft’s Win...
  • MyAnswers: Does the PayPal Here credit card scanner work with the Apple iPhone 3GS?
    The following MyAnswers solution 2239 is now available: Does the PayPal Here credit card scanner work with the Apple iPhone 3GS? Click here ...
  • Chrome Firefox market share on Windows
    Based on my site log, Chrome has now overtaken Firefox to be the second most popular browser for Windows users in Australia. This isn't ...
  • In the site log for one of my sites today I noticed Google image robot (Googlebot-Image/1.0) trying to access images that aren't even on my site.
    I recently set up the site www.PetrolCostCalculator.com.au as a calculator for others to access and determine the cost of petrol for a give...
  • Alert: Qantas Booking reference 47648830 - Seat Select Fee Receipt
    Over the last hour I've received five fake Qantas emails for seat selection fee receipts. The booking reference number changes a...

Blog Archive

  • ►  2013 (251)
    • ►  December (6)
    • ►  November (18)
    • ►  October (6)
    • ►  September (25)
    • ►  August (22)
    • ►  July (27)
    • ►  June (18)
    • ►  May (21)
    • ►  April (23)
    • ►  March (25)
    • ►  February (41)
    • ►  January (19)
  • ▼  2012 (201)
    • ►  December (29)
    • ▼  November (29)
      • Microsoft Surface with Windows Pro release date an...
      • Internet Explorer 10 - The preferred Australian En...
      • Origin 25% (25 per cent) off Gas & Electricity offer
      • Windows 8 tip number 1 - The Start Screen
      • MyAnswers: How to remove your credit card details ...
      • Alert: Jetstar Flight Itinerary - Your Itinerary i...
      • Alert: Malware FedEx Shipment Notification from re...
      • Alert: PayPal Balance Summary - Notification of pa...
      • Alert: Vodafone PXT (picture message)
      • Apple Australia one day sale.
      • Microsoft's attempt to lock people into their serv...
      • MyAnswers: PDF icons go black on Windows 8 Desktop
      • Is it the beginning of the end for OpenOffice?
      • New site for The Preferred Australian English spel...
      • MyAnswers: Free eBooks for Android, PC and Apple i...
      • MyAnswers: How to save a PDF in Internet Exploer 1...
      • Skype free unlimited worldwide telephone calls for...
      • MyAnswers: Problem Ejecting USB Mass Storage Devic...
      • MyAnswers: How do I scan a file for malware under ...
      • Alert: Telstra - You have received a new message
      • ASUS Nexus 7 32GB tablet now available in Australia
      • Has Apple made a mistake with the iPad Mini?
      • MyAnswers: Windows 8 Mail won't work unless I have...
      • MyAnswers: WordPress blog infected and cleaned, bu...
      • MyAnswers: Add Notepad to the Send To context menu...
      • MyAnswers: Windows 8/IE10. Script Error. An error ...
      • MyAnswers: How to resend an email in Outlook 2010.
      • MyAnswers: How I removed System Progressive Protec...
      • MyAnswers: Windows Media Center not included in Wi...
    • ►  October (19)
    • ►  September (21)
    • ►  August (7)
    • ►  July (18)
    • ►  June (13)
    • ►  May (10)
    • ►  April (18)
    • ►  March (19)
    • ►  February (16)
    • ►  January (2)
  • ►  2011 (48)
    • ►  December (5)
    • ►  November (7)
    • ►  October (24)
    • ►  September (12)
Powered by Blogger.

About Me

Unknown
View my complete profile