Comments on: Why Have a Start Button to Shutdown Windows? http://www.followsteph.com/2008/08/03/why-have-a-start-button-to-shutdown-windows/ Follow Steph through his real estate and business journeys Sun, 07 Mar 2010 20:28:39 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Quote of the Day — Raymond Chen on shutting Windows down via the “Start” button - taking the red pill http://www.followsteph.com/2008/08/03/why-have-a-start-button-to-shutdown-windows/comment-page-1/#comment-63057 Quote of the Day — Raymond Chen on shutting Windows down via the “Start” button - taking the red pill Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:39:53 +0000 http://www.followsteph.com/?p=550#comment-63057 [...] Raymond Chen (via) You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, [...] [...] Raymond Chen (via) You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, [...]

]]> By: Billy Bragg http://www.followsteph.com/2008/08/03/why-have-a-start-button-to-shutdown-windows/comment-page-1/#comment-60975 Billy Bragg Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:01:05 +0000 http://www.followsteph.com/?p=550#comment-60975 The bit I can't work out is why is this question being asked now? The start button has been in Windows since Windows 95. http://www.guidebookgallery.org/screenshots/win95 The bit I can’t work out is why is this question being asked now? The start button has been in Windows since Windows 95.

http://www.guidebookgallery.org/screenshots/win95

]]> By: pji http://www.followsteph.com/2008/08/03/why-have-a-start-button-to-shutdown-windows/comment-page-1/#comment-60771 pji Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:53:21 +0000 http://www.followsteph.com/?p=550#comment-60771 I guess some of you have not seen that Vista no longer carries the "Start" next to the Windows symbol. So after 13, or so, years the UI design team gathered that we know what to do. David's point is now irrelevant. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Windows 7 will continue with the same guideline. If I recall correctly, many default themes for gnome and KDE in the 90s had "Start" buttons. I guess some of you have not seen that Vista no longer carries the “Start” next to the Windows symbol. So after 13, or so, years the UI design team gathered that we know what to do. David’s point is now irrelevant. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that Windows 7 will continue with the same guideline.

If I recall correctly, many default themes for gnome and KDE in the 90s had “Start” buttons.

]]> By: Scott Kane http://www.followsteph.com/2008/08/03/why-have-a-start-button-to-shutdown-windows/comment-page-1/#comment-60747 Scott Kane Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:02:26 +0000 http://www.followsteph.com/?p=550#comment-60747 > Star Trek fans smile LOL! As would "Take us out." ;-) > Star Trek fans smile

LOL! As would “Take us out.” ;-)

]]> By: StCredZero http://www.followsteph.com/2008/08/03/why-have-a-start-button-to-shutdown-windows/comment-page-1/#comment-60745 StCredZero Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:53:28 +0000 http://www.followsteph.com/?p=550#comment-60745 "Make It So" would take up twice the real estate. But it wouldn't seem oxymoronic for shutdown and it would make the Star Trek fans smile. “Make It So” would take up twice the real estate. But it wouldn’t seem oxymoronic for shutdown and it would make the Star Trek fans smile.

]]> By: Bart http://www.followsteph.com/2008/08/03/why-have-a-start-button-to-shutdown-windows/comment-page-1/#comment-60743 Bart Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:25:45 +0000 http://www.followsteph.com/?p=550#comment-60743 I do not understand the discussion. "If you want to shutdown you have to start somewhere" I would be very very surprised if anyone actually thought that (thought they might come up with it as an explanation after the fact). What I really think the argument should be is that there is this button, you use it for lots of things, after clicking it once you see quite a bit of what it does, the only time you have never clicked on it yet is when you are starting out. Seems a reasonable explanation. Of course, after that you should give the user some options to change the configuration. No more need for the word, and since it is in a corner you really can make it very small indeed. I do not understand the discussion. “If you want to shutdown you have to start somewhere” I would be very very surprised if anyone actually thought that (thought they might come up with it as an explanation after the fact). What I really think the argument should be is that there is this button, you use it for lots of things, after clicking it once you see quite a bit of what it does, the only time you have never clicked on it yet is when you are starting out. Seems a reasonable explanation.

Of course, after that you should give the user some options to change the configuration. No more need for the word, and since it is in a corner you really can make it very small indeed.

]]> By: James http://www.followsteph.com/2008/08/03/why-have-a-start-button-to-shutdown-windows/comment-page-1/#comment-60729 James Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:58:19 +0000 http://www.followsteph.com/?p=550#comment-60729 Everything must have a begining, even the end. Another word that comes to mind is 'begin' 'Begin Shutdown' sounds better, right? But how about 'Begin Programs'? And you are forgetting something else - do is a word that only English-speaking people understand. In my country (in East-Europe) everybody knows what a start is - because of sports or car engines or something. Everything must have a begining, even the end.
Another word that comes to mind is ‘begin’
‘Begin Shutdown’ sounds better, right?
But how about ‘Begin Programs’?
And you are forgetting something else – do is a word that only English-speaking people understand.
In my country (in East-Europe) everybody knows what a start is – because of sports or car engines or something.

]]> By: Day 56 - Cutting Down The Tree | The Recursive ISV http://www.followsteph.com/2008/08/03/why-have-a-start-button-to-shutdown-windows/comment-page-1/#comment-58454 Day 56 - Cutting Down The Tree | The Recursive ISV Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:19:36 +0000 http://www.followsteph.com/?p=550#comment-58454 [...] “The morale of the story, be careful before you start trashing user interfaces, there might ju... [...] [...] “The morale of the story, be careful before you start trashing user interfaces, there might ju… [...]

]]> By: Scott Kane http://www.followsteph.com/2008/08/03/why-have-a-start-button-to-shutdown-windows/comment-page-1/#comment-58357 Scott Kane Wed, 06 Aug 2008 01:46:42 +0000 http://www.followsteph.com/?p=550#comment-58357 Thanks for the article Steph. My hobby is studying UI design. It's not an easy process, one of my favourite books on the subject (and one I frequently disagree with too) is Principles of User Interface Design. It's getting a bit long in the tooth now though. Regarding "Do" as opposed to "Start". "Do" does not a nice button size make, for starters. Balance is also part of UI design. In addition "Do" is requires framing within a context. You can't say "Do Shutdown" in anything except broken English. However "Start Shutdown" is gramatically OK. Probably not a lightening bolt moment for the designers, but most probably a part of the decision. In addition "Start" has a deeper conentation for action that is "easy" and "rewarding" than "do" which tends to sound a little more utilitarian. In the case of Windows 95 this would tie in with the fact that MS were marketing to a section of the community who previously did not get it in relation to computers and Windows UI's in particular. Thanks for the article Steph. My hobby is studying UI design. It’s not an easy process, one of my favourite books on the subject (and one I frequently disagree with too) is Principles of User Interface Design. It’s getting a bit long in the tooth now though.

Regarding “Do” as opposed to “Start”. “Do” does not a nice button size make, for starters. Balance is also part of UI design. In addition “Do” is requires framing within a context. You can’t say “Do Shutdown” in anything except broken English. However “Start Shutdown” is gramatically OK. Probably not a lightening bolt moment for the designers, but most probably a part of the decision. In addition “Start” has a deeper conentation for action that is “easy” and “rewarding” than “do” which tends to sound a little more utilitarian. In the case of Windows 95 this would tie in with the fact that MS were marketing to a section of the community who previously did not get it in relation to computers and Windows UI’s in particular.

]]> By: Steph http://www.followsteph.com/2008/08/03/why-have-a-start-button-to-shutdown-windows/comment-page-1/#comment-58284 Steph Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:13:23 +0000 http://www.followsteph.com/?p=550#comment-58284 Hi Anthony, That's a good question, is "Start" the best word? I suspect they tried more than one word, but I can't know for sure as I wasn't there. The only way to know is to try it. For me personally, it doesn't make sense to have a Start button to shutdown a PC, but the data from the usability tests show otherwise... Hi Anthony,

That’s a good question, is “Start” the best word? I suspect they tried more than one word, but I can’t know for sure as I wasn’t there.

The only way to know is to try it.

For me personally, it doesn’t make sense to have a Start button to shutdown a PC, but the data from the usability tests show otherwise…

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