# What's Microsoft's reaction to Windows 8 **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 11, 2013, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-microsofts-reaction-to-windows-8/655421 "2013-04-11T17:15:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-microsofts-reaction-to-windows-8/655421/61 "2013-04-20T23:30:53Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > This is what I did: [Tip: How to place the “Show Desktop” icon in Windows 8 or Windows 10 taskbar. - WinTips.org](http://www.wintips.org/how-to-place-show-desktop-icon-windows-8-taskbar/#more-1718) > > I wanted a single-click solution to getting to my desktop, not clicking on the Desktop menu, scrolling to the “show desktop” icon, and clicking on that to get my desktop to appear. > **[Windows help and learning](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows)** > > Find help and how-to articles for Windows operating systems. Get support for Windows and learn about installation, updates, privacy, security and more. Windows 8 does the same. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-microsofts-reaction-to-windows-8/655421/62 "2013-04-20T23:40:43Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > [Windows help and learning](http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/help/better-stronger-faster-the-windows-7-taskbar#section_2) > > Windows 8 does the same. I do not have that “show desktop” box on my screen on the lower right of my taskbar. On the right of my taskbar, I have the word “desktop” followed by “\>\>” slightly raised above the baseline. If I click on the word “desktop”, nothing happens. If I click on the “\>\>”, it shows all the programs that are on my desktop, including a “show desktop” icon, which I must then click to get to the desktop. By following the directions in the link I posted earlier, I now have a nice simple “show desktop” icon the left side of my bar, which by clicking on once, I immediately return to my desktop. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-microsofts-reaction-to-windows-8/655421/63 "2013-04-21T00:06:03Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I do not have that “show desktop” box on my screen on the lower right of my taskbar. it’s not delineated in Windows 8, but it’s still there. > [@](#): > > On the right of my taskbar, I have the word “desktop” followed by “\>\>” slightly raised above the baseline. If I click on the word “desktop”, nothing happens. If I click on the “\>\>”, it shows all the programs that are on my desktop, including a “show desktop” icon, which I must then click to get to the desktop. > > By following the directions in the link I posted earlier, I now have a nice simple “show desktop” icon the left side of my bar, which by clicking on once, I immediately return to my desktop. ah. you have the “Desktop” toolbar turned on. I don’t; it’s not on by default. Sorry you got led into using the most complicated solution possible. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-microsofts-reaction-to-windows-8/655421/64 "2013-04-21T00:52:06Z")
PC sales are hurting because you can no longer sell a thousand dollar computer to someone who only wants to use the internet and check their email. Making the PC look like a tablet is not going to change that. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-microsofts-reaction-to-windows-8/655421/65 "2013-04-21T02:42:56Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > PC sales are hurting because you can no longer sell a thousand dollar computer to someone who only wants to use the internet and check their email. Making the PC look like a tablet is not going to change that. Nice summary of the situation. A tablet acts like a tablet because it’s a tablet. It’s efficient for that type of device. I don’t mind that my tablet acts like a tablet, but I don’t want my PC to act like a tablet. ---
**Author:** ![Carmady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@Carmady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carmady)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-microsofts-reaction-to-windows-8/655421/66 "2013-04-21T06:02:28Z")
It’s actually pretty funny how 3rd parties are making money selling people missing Windows 8 features that were blindingly obvious and essential. Turns out it is very, very easy to have both a start menu and the app screen. That means jump lists are back (disallowed on the app screen), unified search is back (disallowed on the app screen), boot to desktop is back (disallowed on the app screen), non full screen search and start menu pinning is back (disallowed on the app screen), pop up blocking in non-Metro programs is enabled (disallowed by Microsoft), and so on. And the app screen is still there, best of both worlds. It’s almost unbelievable that Microsoft disabled all these features. ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2013, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-microsofts-reaction-to-windows-8/655421/67 "2013-05-13T15:09:30Z")
I find Microsoft’s new commercial interesting; it seems to be saying: “If you don’t want to get with the program and use our tablet interface you can use this computer as an actual computer by plugging in a keyboard and using Office on the old desktop that’s still there.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-microsofts-reaction-to-windows-8/655421.md?page=3)