One of the most striking features of Windows 8 is the new Start Menu. When you launch the operating system, you’re greeted with a grid filled with images and icons representing programs that you can launch. You can still go to an old-fashioned desktop-and-taskbar view, but when you want to open a new program, you’re dumped back to the new full screen Start Menu.
While the new view makes a lot of sense for tablets and other computers with touchscreen displays, you might not want to use it all the time if you’re using a traditional laptop or desktop computer. Unfortunately, the Windows 8 Developer Preview that’s been released to the public doesn’t offer a way to disable the new Start Menu.
BluePoison does. It’s a free app available from the folks at Italy Windows 8, and it offers access to a bunch of features that are hard to find in Windows 8. You can also use BluePoison to change the Windows 8 theme and background colors or alter other settings.
The app is available as a free download from Italy Windows 8.
via Addictive Tips
I would prefer if Microsoft had a way to disable the start screen, this is not promising. Looks like, in the haste to imitate Android and iEverything, they are forgetting about regular laptop and netbook users. C’mon Microsoft, wake up, you won’t get very far if you abandon your most loyal customers !