Should you reinstate the Start Menu in Windows 8?

For the last day one of the hot topics circulating online is the news that a hack has been found to reinstate the Start Menu in Windows 8.  Doing so is just a simple registry hack too.

Open RegEdit from Windows 8 search by just typing it with the Start screen showing

Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

Change the value of RPEnabled from “1? to “0?

The thing is that this hack also disables the new Start screen completely so you’ll never see it.  In returning to Start menu to Windows 8 you make the default interface the traditional Windows desktop.  So is this something you want to do?  Let’s have a look here at the pros and cons.

Many people, especially Microsoft, are saying that as Metro is no new and so bold (and also so devoid of apps currently) that turning it off isn’t giving it a fair go.  It is very bold and something that will be too much of a change for some people and a shock to others.

Probably the biggest factor in deciding whether or not to turn off the new Metro interface will be your PC type and your screen size.  I have three PCs on which I have Windows 8 installed.  A desktop machine with a 23 inch non-touch monitor, an 11 inch tablet and a laptop with a 17 inch multi-touch screen.  On the desktop, and your opinion may be different to mine, Metro is too large and difficult to use.  When I use Internet Explorer for instance it will always take up my full screen.  This means I can’t quickly and at a glance see what tabs I have open and switch between them, and that text on many websites stretches far too wide.

With the other apps and programs I use regularly, none are built into Windows 8, so I’ll always be dropping to the desktop to use them.  On this PC I will be disabling the Start Menu and using Windows 8 in what I shall call ‘traditional’ mode.

On my tablet however its a no brainer that I leave the Metro interface turned on as, frankly, I’d be a bit of a dummy not to.  Because my laptop has a multi-touch screen I’ll leave it turned on here too, I also need to get to grips with it properly for my job, but I’m reserving judgement about whether I’ll leave it there permanently.

You may have experienced a similar issue in that on large screens Metro can look too big and intrusive, and without touch it’s difficult to control things as simple as switching your PC off.

Then there’s the question of what type of user you are.  Here I can thoroughly recommend that if you use your PC for light web browsing and social networking you should give Metro a go.  This goes double if you have a small laptop or netbook as you’ll probably love it.

If on the other hand you’re a power user or a business user who spends most of their time in software such as Microsoft Office, Photoshop or Visual Studio then perhaps switching the Start Menu back on is the right thing to do.

I completely understand why people are saying, don’t switch Metro off, you need to give it a chance.  The interface change is bold and brash and can look intimidating.  It does have its merits though, especially for non-technical people for whom the new interface, especially with the new simplified Control Panel, will be a blessing.

I also understand though why people might make their mind up quickly that Metro isn’t for them, and it’s easy to see why they might come to this conclusion.

In the end it’s a personal choice.  My advice would be to turn it off on your desktop if you want to, but try and live with it on your laptop where it might be more at home.  Changes will inevitably come and Microsoft may make this type of switch an option (especially for business users), but for now don’t just say no, say maybe.

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