I use the start menu a lot. It is usually the best list of programs except under certain conditions. I use the file explorer a lot considering Gc kind of demands it. Not sure what I use more file explorer or control panel. Though I definitely use the task manager more.

I plan to stay with Win 8.1 until support ends, which should give me ample time to learn Ubuntu, Mint, etc, etc.... cos there is no installing 10 on any machine of mine.

I recommend 7 over 8.1 why are you a diehard 8 when it sucks so bad.

I'm a diehard 8 because 2 fours are 8.... and 44 is my lucky number.

I dunno......I got 8.1 and its pretty cool.

Yup, 8.1 is pretty darned good.

Really it lacks the user friendliness of 7. It messed up the desktop, taskbar, and the start menu. It has a pointless user interface which it tries to force you to use which is all right not if you only run programs, and none thing ever happens which computer's religiously seem to follow murphy's law which is not a problem for those who have umpteen million dollars which is not me. The only reason the user interface was made was because the cell phone is to small for the desktop never because it was in anyway superior. Also besides renaming things which is a problem with every operating system Microsoft puts out. Turning the start menu into a hot key is never a good move it people are starting to use computers which leaves me to conclude that Microsoft doesn't want new customers. Also with other operating systems Microsoft is playing hide the files with users. In case we are also playing hide the programs. If anyone asked me computer is superior to user accounts it is more strait forward. But here isn't just the problem because everyone was used to having a start menu and a control panel. Microsoft gave an illusion that if you wanted to use the desktop you were going to have to settle not having a start menu, control panel, or a list of programs for user accounts which doesn't replace those. And remember; besides, not being able to find your list of programs easily like computer comparing programs vs computer, or user accounts computer has umpteen folders you have to go through before you find the right runnable programs. You also have a lot of programs you don't need if all you want to do is run your program. On the all programs in the start menu the most one program takes you to is one list of other programs, or runs. If you click on any program in this list it at least runs as long as it works. In the user accounts more files don't work if you click on them than do. One doesn't replace the other that is my point. Another thing that doesn't make sense I don't have enough icons I am running on my desktop to go off screen why does the user face do. I don't have enough programs in any of my lists to run off the screen the user interface does. This is even assuming I want it. On a phone or tablet this makes sense they are too small to fit on a phone/ This is ridiculous on a 17 1/2 inch monitor. My guess you like these problems, so enjoy.

I agree the interface of 8 is terrible. However, with the simple addition of Start8 you can't tell the difference between 7 and 8.1. I haven't seen any of the crappy MS approved interface of 8 since installation.

With that you also get the under-the-hood improvements of 8.1.

Win 10 on the other hand.... still not trusting it enough yet to make it my everyday operating system on any of my main systems. Still waiting to here from the experts over an extended time period to see just how much intrusive crap MS has put into that OS that we still have no idea about. I do have it installed as a dual boot with Ubuntu on an extra machine, just to keep somewhat up to date with the changes it undergoes. And honestly, if they didn't have the "carrot" of DX12 attached to that OS, I probably wouldn't even be checking it out at all at this time.

I'm not trivializing under the hood, but lets be honest very are more concerned with under the hood than what they can do. Let's see you have windows 8 plus, or you could have windows 7, and only. This doesn't sound better. To be hones as far as most people are concerned the only reason people buy new operating systems is because they obsolete the old one, so there programs wont run. I'm sure those who upgrade, and customize disagree. But how many people you meet buy new computer vs upgrading or making their own. Used computers also count in this scenario. I almost never see anyone buying an operating system other than out of necessity. Only Microsoft counts in this scenario.

I have 8.1 and it just plain works. I have zero problems. With Windowblinds and Start8 it is a beauty.

Exactly, and so much gooderer than anything before it.  Win 7 was okay, but Win 8.1 is the bees knees of OSes... hence my sticking with it.

i pinned the file explorer to the taskbar and usually rightclick on the start menu button if i have anything to do with that button. (not many program that i use.. the usual ones i just use shortcuts on desktop. and the frequently used ones pinned to taskbar)

well.. ok.. i do go through start menu to shutdown..

hate win 8/8.1 in the few times i had to use it on someone else's labtop (hate the touchpad thingy on laptops too). always having the metro screen popup when i don't want to have anything to do with it. guess i'm just not used to it.

reason for having win10? new machine. might as well. in any case, it's easier than to fiddle with win7 iso to make it installable on skylakes.

Having played with W10 for a while as an upgrade, a nice new 500Gb SSD arrived yesterday, so, it was time for a clean install.

I created a USB boot media. Booted from that and installed windows to the new drive. All well and good. Except I needed to change the boot sequence once that was complete so install booted from the new drive.

Had the old drive connected still so Windows would activate ok. All done ok.

All done, fresh, clean install of windows. Of course now, as the old drive was still connected, W10 offered me a choice of which drive to boot from.

Disconnected the old drive and... it wouldn't boot. So I put the USB back in, booted from that. Thankfully there's an option to fix boot issues (I bet they knew what would happen) and that fixed it.

So there we have it. I have a clean install of W10 on my new drive and everything is super speedy

It didn't take me long to find the start menu either. That's in C:\Program Data\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs - I usually add the 'Programs' folder as a taskbar toolbar so I have that nice fly-out menu, missing since XP's demise.

Backed up my SSD, installed a new, larger one. Went ahead and started the Win10 upgrade intending to dual-boot like I do the one I upgraded many weeks ago. Either I missed it or the option to install to another partition is gone.

I was disappointed and concerned but the upgrade seems OK. Control Panel doesn't have any unknown devices. GeForce Experience and the GeForce GPU drivers were a mess, though. Downloaded the latest Win10 versions of each and installed. Will fire up some games soon.

They want me to think Windows Defender's all I need against the world as MSE doesn't work on Win10. Interesting.

Told the system I didn't want to use Cortana but it's still running. Impossible to uninstall via Control Panel. I'll let it live for now. I have no interest in command-line-based solutions to uninstall it.

Hilarious that it has all kinds of "Hot Spot" detection and usage settings turned on when I have no wireless adapters. *Shrug*

And no, Edge won't be my default browser.

Older games like UT2004 and UT3 run better than they did on W7. Still more to install though.

Edge is ugly and useless. No thanks.