Figured this was the one u meant and yea quite a few users have requested it. IVO's official response is that there is no API to work with live tiles. IE if he were to do it, the tiles wouldn't be animated, and it would still be ALOT of work, to enable features like drag/drop.

There have been several request to allow for 'links' on 'emblems' which could match this look, but would hardly be customizable (unless users knew how to modify a .skin)

It can't be a 3rd-party recreation of the features - the apps provide their live data in a way that only Windows understands, and Windows must in turn send that information to the live tile. I suspect the data will be extremely hard to get, if at all possible.

If your list-style menu spans multiple columns, you can use Ctrl+left and Ctrl+right arrows keys to move to the same row on the next column. Also, the list-style menu supports keyboard accelerators so you can select an item by pressing its beginning letter. You can also use Home/End.

I think adding Large icons in the menu in a different left-most column dedicated to pinned items might be a good idea. But I wouldn't get rid of text labels at any icon size - small or large. Tiles are just square Metro icons, although some apps display graphical images. Live Tiles on the other hand - forget them.

Also the column for pinned large icons needs to be the left most because jumplists and submenus open to the right.

Compatibility with existing skins needs to be maintained

I wouldn't want any more core Start menu styles added either - Classic, Classic with two columns and Windows 7 style are more than enough for me. The expanded pinning area can be an optional addition to these 3 styles.

I was talking about tiles in general.

Yes there is more to that specific menu, but having tiles is the primary obstacle in obtaining any windows 8-10 style...

Aside from tiles, and the location of the power button, what else is there that classic shell can't already do?

(and It can actually do the start button, by replacing the user picture frame, and giving it a custom link)

the user picture can have a link to any app correct? you can place the user picture anywhere, or any size you want correct? so you could make the user picture 1 pixel, and the picture frame to look like a shutdown button.. with a link to the shutdown dialog...

n the classic/2 column style recent items and folders can both be on the left already...
Im guessing the menu you are referring to has cascading left column though?

Either way, we should not be developing for specific styles, but rather a more powerful tool capable of re-creating those styles with ease...

adding features allow you to further customize a menu to your needs.

adding a new style (aside from being considerable work) locks you down with a specific feature-set and limited customization.

I like the look/feel of the windows 7 style Out of box; however, because it's not as customizable I always find myself going right back to classic with 2 columns. (though even the windows 7 style is more customizable than most of the competition

Yes adding complex features would be harder to incorporate than to fork into their own 'style' but because of customizability it would be better. and in the long run (with more features added) it would take longer.

look at new features since the 4.0 series.. most of them aren't related to the start menu itself. I suspect this is because fragmenting the program means Ivo now has to 'double code' (well a lot of copy, and paste, and more compatibility testing)

Why would it worry you.. you can turn the features OFF and it would be the same as them not existing?

your right.. if your goal is to 'perfectly' match a specific menu for whatever reason...your not going to see it without a specific style.

The issue here is.. If IVO were to choose any windows 10 style to match.. it would probably be the most popular one.. (which I'm not so sure your style is)

so you would probably actually get closer to your style by having more customization, than a pre-defined style...