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SAN FRANCISCO (CNNMoney April 4,2014) — At its Build developers conference in San Francisco on Wednesday, Microsoft announced a trio of new features for Windows 8.1 that had a decidedly “old-school” feel: First, Windows will get a bunch of tweaks that make it easier to use with a keyboard and mouse. Second, Microsoft announced that Windows 8-style “Modern” apps will run in a window in the traditional desktop interface. Third, the Start menu — the ultimate signifier of “old” Windows — is eventually coming back.
But the tweaks are less about Microsoft (MSFT, Fortune 500) running away from its controversial Windows 8 redesign and more a concession that the company tried to transition traditional PC users over to the radically different design of Windows 8 too quickly.
And if anything, Microsoft’s decision to cater to these unconvinced users isn’t a step backwards — it’s a ploy to reel them in.
Related: Microsoft makes Windows 8.1 more mouse-friendly
Despite the changes, Microsoft isn’t phasing out or decreasing the presence of Windows 8’s new design. In fact, these forthcoming features will actually make the Modern design more visible throughout the operating system.
