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Comment by Spooky23 | Hacker News Reader

I think that they're right on this one. Since Windows 7, I may have traversed the start menu a couple of times a month. I use pinned apps on the taskbar or Start menu front page for frequently accessed stuff, or use search.

Keep in mind that for most users, they are not running many applications anymore.

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The issues are most likely to appear with users who go straight from Windows XP to 8. They are not familiar with the ability to search among applications and files, nor with the concept of pinning shortcuts to the taskbar.

Considering the marketshare XP still has, and that these users are likely the ones most resistant to change, this may turn out to be one of the largest problems Microsoft will face with Windows 8.

I am not saying that legacy-concepts should delay innovation, but it can't be denied that Windows has many users who aren't interested in learning new ways to work with their computer.

xp had this concept too, it was just disabled by default. In fact, I remember it being enabled by default in windows 98. My memory may be tricking me.

XP had the Quick Launch bar, which I find a lot handier than pinned applications (they take up less room). I guess it depends on the user, but I operate wearing a lot of different hats (and, unfortunately, a lot of similarly-named applications), and the XP start menu is a lot handier for me than either Win7's version or the Win8 preview I tried.

I know: that's "anecdote", not "data", but if anybody had bothered to ask me, they'd have a firm data point telling them that the lowest common denominator (no need to be pedantic, the phrase has acquired a different meaning outside of mathematics) should never be the only way. I can barely tolerate Win7 on a day when I'm feeling of a particularly generous spirit; I'll be giving Win8 a pass.

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