Windows 8 Retro UI - Using Start Screen as a Desktop

[Ridhwan]

I found out that Retro UI is a good app as a start menu. The reason is that it allows you to still use the start screen if you want to and adds a task bar at the bottom of your start screen. So, you can use the start screen as an improved desktop. I could be wrong so please correct me if I am. Start screen is like a desktop but better; your shortcuts in the start screen have a chance to be organized (headings on top of each column) plus there are live tiles. All that's missing is a task bar and start menu which is provided by Retro UI.

My questions are: once we install Retro UI, do we have the option of booting straight to Start Screen when we turn on our computers? If not, do you know of any apps that add a Start Menu and task bar, and allow boot to Start Screen? My last question is, does using an app that adds a start Menu use up a significant amount of computer resources like cpu power and ram?

Thanks in advance everyone.

 

[Jimbo22]

From what I can tell, RetroUI is the same as Classic Shell and Start8 that only brings the start/program list functions like windows 7. See here.....I personally use Start8 on my laptop.

http://retroui.com/_documents/RetroUI v4 Feature Overview.pdf

 

[Ridhwan]

Thanks BassFisher for the pdf presentation. It is informative. But what that presentation is missing is that RetroUI allows you to have a task bar even if you are away from your desktop and on the start screen.

Watch this video:

Seriously, Microsoft should have changed the desktop to the start screen layout instead of the start menu to the start screen layout (keep the start menu). (And people should have an option to pick between classic desktop and the new start screen style)

Here is another video:
It seems that we can start the pc with the start screen but the task bar is no where to be seen. Once we enter and exit the desktop, we see the taskbar (with start menu button). I can live with that. However it would be nicer if RetroUI shows the task bar right when we start the computer.

If anyone has more answers to my original questions or more comments, please put them up. Thank you.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

I use Classic Shell and Modern Mix.

Classic Shell lets you have pretty much any Windows interface going back to Windows 98 and Modern Mix allows Windows 8 apps to run in Windows with a minimize button etc.

You can still change back to Metro by clicking the Windows Button.

I use it in conjunction with Rocket Dock another application that I've used for years.
It lets you put all your commonly used applications on a taskbar on the desktop where they are one click away.

I don't really see an advantage to having a taskbar in the Metro interface as opposed to just working on the desktop.

I find almost all of the Windows 8 apps to be pretty much useless other than the weather forecast.

I can't even use the Mail app with my email account.

The biggest problem for me when working with Windows 8 is not being able to run multiple applications side by side.
This is something that I do a lot.

As far a using resources I don't think that using any of the alternatives to using Metro has any real effect on computer performance.

Mike

 

[Ridhwan]

Thanks Mike. Especially for telling me that start menu apps will not impact computer performance .

When you said Windows 8 can't run multiple applications side by side, are you talking about split screen? Here is a video that shows how to use multiple applications. It may help.



Thank you Mike.