Windows 8.1 was a "step back" from the radical Windows 8. It brought back the Start button (though it just opened the Metro screen), but it never shook the stigma of being designed for touchscreens first.
The story of the Windows 8.1 to 7 Transformation Pack is one of a digital "resistance" movement against Microsoft’s push toward tablet-style interfaces on desktop PCs. When Windows 8 launched with its polarizing "Metro" Start Screen and the removal of the iconic Start button, users felt alienated, leading to a golden age of UI modding. 1. The Great Start Menu Rebellion windows 81 to 7 transformation pack