The latest test version of Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8 software is missing one crucial button - the Start button and menu, an iconic part of Microsoft's operating system since it was introduced in Windows 95.The button evolved to become the operating system's 'launchpad', offering access to software, files and search functions. Earlier test versions of Windows 8 had flattened the recognisable 'orb' - but the new build removes it altogether, according to leaked screenshots from tech site The Verge. Microsoft has not announced a release date for the new operating system, built to work with touchscreens as well as on conventional PCs, but it's widely expected to release in the second half of this year.
