Windows 8.1 start menu won't be the start menu you're used to

The start menu that will likely re-appear in Windows 8.1 (Blue) but will not be the start menu you're used to. According to well informed Microsoft watcher Mary Jo Foley will the start menu button look like the button currently used in the Windows 8 'charms bar' (see below). This means a somewhat monochrome version of the Windows logo that will appear in the left bottom corner.

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The new start menu will be enabled by default but can be disabled if you like. In the desktop the start menu will appear where we've all been used to from Windows XP and up, but is not visible in the Metro menu unless you hover over the bottom left of the screen.

Once the start menu is clicked it will show a list of available applications with icons and their names, without any tiles. The menu will be full screen and apps that are used most will be displayed most prominent.

Foley has also revealed some additional details on Windows 8.1. According to her source,  Microsoft would make it possible to share the background of the desktop in the Metro interface. This way when you  move from the desktop to Metro it will be less of a change. As already became clear from leaked versions of Windows 8.1, there will also be an option to boot straight to the desktop instead of to Metro, which is currently the only option.

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