We don’t know if the start button or boot to desktop will be features, but at least it is free!
Windows 8.1 is an opportunity for Microsoft to address the inadequacies perceived in Windows 8 and eliminate these barriers from the buying equation. Are users really skipping Windows 8 because of issues such as the Start Button missing in action and the lack of a boot to desktop option? (This is more to do with the post traditional pc dynamics taking place. For example, instead of desktops and laptops, the form factors that are experiencing growth are tablets and smartphones.)
Truthfully, these features are not needed to use the operating system. However, many users are too accustomed to these legacy features and were not ready for the shock of these go to mainstays not being there. Supporting boot to desktop does not help Microsoft’s initiatives surrounding apps, but this along with the start button will at least serve as good PR.
