Windows 8.1 Start button makes cameo in Server 2012 R2 Preview

It's back! Yes, what you're looking at
above is the Start button (plus
matching options) that's been rumored
to return with Windows 8.1 (formerly
"Blue"). Yesterday .NET developer
Robert McLaws tweeted a series of
screenshots of Windows Server 2012
R2 Preview (build 9431) which show
the new Start button and a revised
"Taskbar and Navigation properties"
dialog -- among other things.
Microsoft faced massive criticism last
year after shipping Windows 8 without
the Start button -- prompting third
parties to create replacements (like
Start8 and Classic Shell) -- so this is
a welcome change. Stay tuned for
Build 2013 (the company's developer
conference) which starts Wednesday
in San Francisco -- we're likely to find
out more about Windows 8.1 and the
Start button in short order.