There is a petition going around that some of you GOG.com users might be interested in:

"MS: Allow an Option to disable Metro UI in Windows 8."
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/disable-metroui-option/

Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/MS-All...98856980216349

If you tried out the Win 8 consumer preview, you know the traditional desktops "start" button is gone and the Metro UI disabling registry hack for the Dev preview no longer works. Let Microsoft know that we want an OPTION to disable Metro UI on desktops.

Here is the text of the petition:

"As many computer enthusiasts know, Microsoft has developed a new user interface for Windows 8 called Metro UI. This is a gigantic departure from traditional desktop functionality.

While this new UI seems perfectly suited for tablet PCs with touch screens, many people believe it hinders normal desktop and notebook use via a mouse and keyboard.

This petition is to show Microsoft that there is a huge community out there that want the OPTION of having a traditional desktop experience, start button and all. We simply want a setting capable of disabling or re-enabling the Metro UI."

Sign up and 'Like" if you agree!
Thanks Guys!

Hahahahhaa. :D

I wonder what will be next, EA to remove all sex scenes from ME, Guetta to stop making terrible 'music', rabbits to start eating chocolate?

Considering that most of those that will sign this petition, don't even get the idea behind Metro, I'd say, go away!

EDIT: If you're so called, 'computer enthusiast', which I believe these days refers to people who are a bit more knowledgeable than the average Facebook idiot, and not somebody that thinks he knows how stuff works in operating systems, you wouldn't be making this petition, instead discussing with devs on MSDN to improve the system.

EDIT2: You should face it, sooner better than later, the old Start Menu code is gone from Windows Explorer.

If you want to use a UI that was built for a tablet on your Desktop, than go right ahead. I'm trying to show Microsoft how many people would like the OPTION of a traditional desktop experience. Nothing more, nothing less.

I'm not part of the MS developer network, mainly because I'm not a developer. I am a computer enthusiast however, and don't want the thing I love ruined. To see how many other true enthusiasts agree, see my original thread at Overclockersclub.com:
http://forums.overclockersclub.com/?showtopic=190709

Hmm...

'Traditional desktop experience' is not available in Windows 8?

I must be running another OS, because I'm currently using IE10 on the dekstop, virtualizing Fedora through VirtualBox, and testing Zune and Visual Studio 11 beta.

Has the OP actually used the beta? Because I'm somewhat doubtful they have.

I am running the Consumer Preview that was released a few days ago right now.

I'm running it on a partition on my main computer too, not a VM.

So what's the complaint then? You can still run your applications and do your work. Are you actually having trouble launching things? I seriously don't get it. Most of the griping I hear boils down to "it's different!" Yeah, that's sort of the point, did we want to pay for the same damned OS again? I didn't, did you?

People always complain about a lack of innovation until someone dares to innovate. Then all hell breaks loose.

I'd call this a traditional desktop experience... and yes, I am also virtualizing Windows 8 inside Windows 8, don't mind me.

It seems similar to the Unity pushback in Ubuntu. You do something new and people freak out.

You don't have to use it. At all. Also think about this, if Start is removed, what will you do to launch applications... put hundred icons on your desktop (the old start menu code is gone)?

Nevermind, I'd rather watch you post screen grabs. It does a better job than anything I could say. Nope, not at all. What you want is called Windows 7.

Folders on the desktop differentiated by type (Games, Work Applications, etc). Inside those folders are the launch icons for my programs alphabetized by name.

Metro is ugly and clunky. I don't like it on my 360 and I don't want it on my computer. I have no use for the "cloud" bullshit nor do I have any desire to relearn how to do basic stuff.

To be fair, in typical Canonical style, they did themselves no favors by not making it stable. I can see the stability complaints, but that's different from the design itself.
That's kind of ironic since the whole point of Metro is to keep you from having to learn a new way to do things on every platform and device you have...

I've been sitting in desktop 'mode' for ~two days now, use Start (Metro) only to check my mail and messages (very few applications available right now).

Instead of keeping mail.live.com open or constantly running Windows Live Messenger to get email and chat notifications, I just need to have Mail and Messaging installed in Start (Metro). Then, I receive a kind of push notifications for new messages / email. These notifications also appear on the desktop. Even if you don't see the notifications, by going in Start, you'll notice the live tiles showing up the message / email that you've received.

It is very effective once you try to use it a bit. It takes less time to do things than 7, and you waste less system resources.

And, exactly. There is nothing wrong with sticking to Windows 7 if you don't like Windows 8. But please, there are some that like how Windows 8 is.