Start8 doesn't add any important new functionality, so users are essentially paying $5 to have what was bundled with Windows 7. Classic Shell Some users don't like change and believe that if it's not broken, it shouldn't be fixed. These are the users who held on to Windows XP for as long as they could, and they're the users least likely to be amused by Microsoft's UI shake-up. For these users, we present Classic Shell as the solution. This freeware program can enable a legacy-style Start menu and Windows Explorer interface. Users can even have the Windows 7 menu back! But why stop there? Windows XP and Windows Classic menus are available as well. The Classic style will be a comfort to anyone upgrading from Windows 98. The classic Explorer settings can also transport users into the way-back machine, and users can now have the simple Windows XP style back that they know and love. Users can also apply one of several different skins to the Start menu, and can change some of the options that impact either Start or Explorer. Most of these are small, fidgety choices that the average user won't care about, like the ability to change what the Windows key does -- but enthusiasts will appreciate the detail. Be careful with Start menu downloads We tested a number of different Start menu options while working on this article, and we can safely say that the three listed are the only ones we recommend at this time.