Companies make bad decisions all the time. Some of those decisions do irreparable harm, but others—like forcing users to boot to the new Modern interface in Windows 8, and taking away the Start button—can be reversed. Microsoft needs to ask whether it makes sense to backpedal.

There is new speculation that Windows 8.1, known as Windows “Blue,” will allow users to bypass the Modern interface and boot straight to desktop mode, complete with the Start button.

Retronaut

Once upon a time in 1985, a carbonated beverage called Coca-Cola was by far the dominant leader of its market. However, Coca-Cola’s corporate geniuses decided to scrap the guarded, secret recipe to launch something called New Coke.

It was one of the most spectacular debacles in the history of product marketing. (New Coke makes Microsoft Bob, 10 years later, seem brilliant.) After a customer backlash, Coca-Cola brought back the original recipe under the new name of Coke Classic, but stubbornly hung on to New Coke for awhile, even rebranding it as Coke II. Many credit the return to Coke Classic for saving the brand from complete meltdown.

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