While it looks like Microsoft will indeed put in a Start button for the upcoming free Windows 8.1 upgrade later this year, it will not signal a full return to the Start menu UI that many desktop Windows 8 users would still like to have. Thankfully, there are a number of third party applications that offer their own versions of a Start menu replacement for Windows 8.
One of them is RetroUI Pro from developer Thinix, and this week the company announced it was offering a new version of the program, RetroUI Free, for anyone who has a Facebook account. After signing onto Facebook account, users then have to "Like" the RetroUI Facebook page. After that"s done, they surf to the RetroUI website, while still logged into Facebook, and fill out a form with their email address. Download links to both the 32- and 64-bit copies of RetroUI Free, licensed for use by one PC, will then be sent to that address.
Thinix is still selling RetroUI Pro, which has a few more features than the free version, for $4.95 for use on one PC, or for $9.95 for a license to use it on three PCs. RetroUI Pro also has a seven day free trial version but RetroUI Free has no expiration date.
Source: RetroUI | Image via Thinix