Today Microsoft announced that “later” this year they will be adding a new Start Menu back into Windows 8 as part of an Operating System update. If you would like to hear more about the announcement you can in this article by Paul Thurrott. I’ve also included a screenshot below of what it is proposed to look like.

I am not surprised at all by the news that the Start Menu is coming back to Windows, and neither should anyone else really. We always expected it to return since the criticism about the lack of the Start Menu as a navigational platform on the desktop never subsided, even after the Start Button returned in Windows 8.1. I personally love Windows 8 and I am hoping that the reintroduction of a Start Menu encourages more people to upgrade to the new Operating System.

What does this mean for Start Menu Reviver?

As I have mentioned in other blog posts, the original reason we developed Start Menu Reviver was because we knew that the lack of Start Button and Start Menu in Windows 8 would cause great frustration for its users, and ultimately negatively impact its adoption. Since our philosophy here at ReviverSoft is to help our customers “love their computer again”, we embarked on fixing this problem.

Our objective with Start Menu Reviver has not changed. Our goal is to make the best possible Start Menu for Windows 8 (and Windows 7), and make it available to anyone who chooses to use it – after all it’s free. Most importantly, our users LOVE Start Menu Reviver, and so we will continue to develop and support the product. Here are a few comments from them:

Thanks for this excellent free program, something that M$ should be putting in Win 8! – Phil W

THANK YOU. You made Win 8.1 usable. Best product out there for this. – Richard B

I very rarely provide any product feedback but I downloaded and installed Start Menu Reviver on a new laptop I use yesterday and it is truly a god send. Working with the Windows 8 system is a nightmare. I don’t think this product should be free…. Thanks for a great product..! – Micheal M

I actually like Windows 8.1 and like the concept of a dashboard when I log in. It is cool. I didn’t really miss the old start menu, I was OK without it. HOWEVER, I decided to try your product, and I am truly impressed! It is a hands down improvement over any start menu/screen I have seen to date. Does it work on Linux too? :) – David H

Your start menu looks like the way MS should have imagined it in the first place. A portal between desktop and modern interfaces with the modern tile look, with settings, desktop programs and apps alike. Genius. I wish the best for you. Thank you. – Sean

I am using start menu reviver on Windows 7 and it is very good, much better than the Standard Windows Menu. This software is a must have and I highly recommend it to anyone whether they are running Windows 7 or Windows 8 platforms. – Ian W

This feedback goes on and on. I especially like the last comment. Ian is using Start Menu Reviver on his Windows 7 computer and he’s not alone. Nearly 10% of our users are using Start Menu Reviver on Windows 7. They are replacing the traditional Start Menu with Start Menu Reviver!

The new Start Menu in Windows 8 is definitely a move in the right direction by Microsoft. It will alleviate a big pain point for people considering upgrading to Windows 8, especially business and enterprise users. That being said, I believe that today Start Menu Reviver is a better Start Menu, and from what I’ve seen of the proposed Start Menu Microsoft will be launching later in the year, Start Menu Reviver will continue to be a better Start Menu for the foreseeable future. It allows for greater personalization, it works better with touch, and if one day I decide that I don’t want to use it I can just close it down and turn it back on if and when I choose. Finally, I also think it looks better (oh, and did I say it’s FREE too).

The great thing about the Windows Operating System is that you have the ability to choose how you use it. If you don’t want to use the default security software included with Windows, you can install something else. If you aren’t happy with the disk defragment utility in Windows there are alternatives you can use. Heck, if you want to turn your cursor into a cat you can do that too.

So if you are currently unhappy with Windows 8 because there is no Start Menu you can use Start Menu Reviver and if, after Microsoft releases a Start Menu back into Windows 8, you want a Start Menu that allows you more personalization and versatility you have the choice to try out our software (or someone elses) to see if you prefer that better.

Choose wisely :)