Wow, since the release of Windows 8 I have seen so many variations of Start Menu’s for Windows 8 that it is mind boggling. You may ask why? When you get to the desktop level of Windows 8 you will immediately notice that there is no Start Menu. To some, this is a crisis! As a matter of fact my first look at Windows 8 made me second guess this to the point that I even wrote an article Seven Alternatives To Restore The Start Menu In Windows 8. Following that article, I found at least three more variations of third party start menu replacements.
Folks, listen to me… Once you get settled in and learn how to use Windows 8; the Start Menu, as we have know it, really does not matter. I have tried all of these Start Menus and to tell you the truth, once I got a handle on navigating Windows 8 and punched through the learning curve, I do not use them.
If you are looking for a way to slowly wean yourself from the Start Menu, or you are missing the Start Menu, I encourage you to give Power 8 a try. Why is this any different than the other third party replacements for the Start Menu? Well, Power 8 may be what the doctor ordered to help you through your Start Menu crisis. Power 8 is available as a portable app, which means it will not mess with your system.
- No system files patching;
- No hooks over system objects;
- No app-init DLLs;
- No additional services, drivers, etc;
- No trash in registry;
- No installation – just unpack and launch
Power 8 is really designed with Windows8 in mind: however, it also works under XP SP3 and Se7en SP1 as well.
Power 8 features a long laundry list of features:
- Launches 🙂 and positions itself in the Taskbar opposite to Show Desktop button. For XP, it places itself over Start button;
- Styled similar to Show Desktop button (as in Developer Preview);
- Power and session features:
- Shutdown;
- Sleep;
- Hibernate;
- Restart;
- Log off;
- Lock screen (start screensaver);
- Lock Windows;
- Displays expanding “All Programs” menu as it was back in old good XP&98 time:
- With real icons;
- With real descriptions (from desktop.ini);
- Click to launch item;
- On main button right-click:
- Allows to toggle auto-start;
- Allows to enable automatic check for updates;
- Allows to block Metro corner mouse rectangles;
- Allows to show About window;
- Allows to exit application;
- Context menu over menu items (Open folder, Open common folder, Run, Run as Administrator, …):
(screenshot taken under WindowsXP SP3 RU, take a note on how Power8 uses system localized elements); - Activated by hot key (Alt+Z) (see details here);
- Checks for updates (see details here);
- Has dedicated special menued folder buttons: open folder or show the menu with contents(see details here);
- Can search your PC and Internet 3 different ways (see details here):
- Immediate All Programs and Most Frequently Used (MFU) applications search;
- Windows Search returned results;
- Support for internet search (like “w driver”);
- Shows MFU history taken from system (see details here);
- Shows Jump Lists for MFU elements (see details here):
- System Jump Lists for Windows 7 and 8, when obtainable;
- Elements from internal JL engine for all supported OS.
- Allows you to pin/unpin MFU elements;
- Localized (see languages list above);
- Allows you to configure various settings in the settings window (see details here).
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