I now have a functional machine, and I have a desktop pretty much set up as described last time. But, I wanted my START button back, and to boot to the Desktop instead of the Metro Start Page. I looked in the link that gave options on the START button.
Installed, and bingo, I had a new START button, a pretty shell-covered button; and in the "right"/usual place, bottom-left on the screen.
I never thought I would one day look with thankfulness to see a START button, but there we are, thanks to the interface design errors being made by MS. Key clue, folks in Redmond: give us choices and reasonable ways to use familiar approaches, while inviting us to use whatever latest greatest features you have dreamed up.
That way you avoid alienating folks who actually want to use their computers with a minimum of fuss, flying feathers and bother.
First job: mission accomplished.
Next job, how do I boot directly to the Desktop, especially on a Windows 8 machine (it is easy with Windows 8.1).
After scratching around a bit, I learned that Classic Shell does so, and when I powered down and restarted, lo and behold, the Metro tried to pop up for maybe 1/4 second, but then bingo, there was the Desktop. It is an option for Classic Shell, with a check box which came checked when I installed. Smart.
(And BTW, make sure to log in to your machine locally, not through the Microsoft Account MS makes you create. No need to keep the busy beavers in Redmond informed where you are and what you are doing when unless you want to. I guess, sometime I will go over to the walled garden MS Apps store and see what is on offer.)
So, I guess the fuss and feathers part is over, I just need to sort myself out on the oddities, ins and outs of the new OS. END
