Easier shut down of Windows 8

I quite like Windows 8. I'd describe it as Windows 7.1, with a variety of small improvements throughout. The task manager is vastly improved and the file copy window keeps me entertained with its real-time data-throughput chart. On my desktop PC without SSD the start-up and shut down times are noticeably better. However, this does lead on to one rather annoying change, the increased difficulty of actually instigating a shut down. Luckily, there are solutions.

In Windows 7 pressing the Windows key, with keyboard or mouse, immediately presents some shut-down options. In Windows 8 the Windows button opens the Windows Start Screen, with no obvious way to shut down. What you have to do is move the mouse to the extreme top right or bottom right of the screen, then on the Charms bar click Settings, then Power, then Shut Down. Another option from the Desktop is to press Alt-F4 to bring up a shut-down menu. Neither of these is particular friendly or easy to find.(Update: 2 further options are 1. Ctrl-Alt-Delete, then press the power button in the bottom right corner, and 2. Win-I then click power.)

I have a Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000, which has a surfeit of non-standard buttons. One which I don't ever use, but which is easy to find without looking, is the calculator button, highlighted in blue in the picture right. I used the customisation options in Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center to make the calculator button shut down windows, using the built-in command shutdown /s /hybrid /t 0. There are lots of shutdown options, which you can see from shutdown /? at the command prompt. This works very well, and is now easier to shut down than Windows 7 was, though I could have done something similar in Windows 7 had I been motivated to do so.

I suspect that part of my fondness for Windows 8 is due to the negative reactions is seems to have engendered in so many reviewers and general users. However, with the shutdown inconvenience solved I personally have few quibbles remaining.