Windows 8 Can't Boot Straight To The Desktop According To Reports

With Windows 8 finally released to manufacturing, we are set for the official launch of the new operating system in October. Microsoft has also set a very reasonable price for upgrades to Windows 8 and virtually guaranteed that hordes of computer users holding on to XP, Vista, and Windows 7 will be upgrading. Many people in the enterprise world already have their hands on official versions of Windows 8 and tidbits about the operating system are surfacing.

One tidbit that surfaced, which is sure to irritate many people, is that Windows 8 will not allow users to boot directly to the desktop. Not allowing users to boot directly to the desktop is a tweak Microsoft made since the last public test build was offered. The last public test build allowed users to boot directly to the desktop using shortcuts. As it is now, all users will have to boot to the Metro screen (or whatever Microsoft changes the Metro screen name to).

On the last Windows public test build, users had the ability to create a shortcut that switches to the Windows 8 desktop. That shortcut could be set up to be activated immediately after a user logs onto the operating system, sending them directly to their desktop. I think this is what most people will want when they boot into Windows 8. Having to hit the Metro screen and then choose desktop will get old very quickly.

I'm rather surprised that Microsoft made a change like this considering that fast boot up is one of the hallmarks of ultrabooks and notebooks and one of the reasons many people switch to SSDs. It's also worth noting that reports indicate even in an enterprise setting the Metro start up screen will have to be viewed by users. Apparently, system administrators can't use Group Policy to send users directly to the desktop. I'm betting this causes a significant uproar and Microsoft changes this.

[via ZDNet]