Change Win7 look

[Jeff Layman]

On 23/01/2011 08:59, Alias wrote:
(snip)

You haven't named one so far. I rarely use the start menu. I have the
programs I use a lot either pinned to the task bar or with a short cut
on the desktop. With Linux, I have all my programs pinned to the top
panel. You'd like Linux as its start menu doesn't get changed unless you
want to change it.

You can't have it both ways. If you like Linux because the Start Menu
doesn't get changed unless you want to change it, why criticise those
who want their Win7 Start Menu the way they want it? If they want it
like 98 or XP, then why shouldn't they have it that way? It was
Microsoft who changed the Start Menu design completely, not the user.
And they made it impossible to change back to something with which the
user was familiar.

There are some confusing issues in this thread. How something looks
might or might not affect how it works. You correctly point out that
"user friendly" is not the same as "user familiar", but in most cases
what is "familiar" is "friendly". Of course, neither might be what
someone else might describe as "functional". Why drill down through
many layers of the Start Menu to find something when you can click once
on a single icon on the Quick Launch bar (or something pinned to the
Taskbar in Win7). That, to me, is an example of improved functionality,
but maybe some people wouldn't like the look of a Quick Launch bar on
the Taskbar.

I happen to use something similar to the XP-style Start Menu mentioned
by several others here - Classic Windows Start Menu
(http://coreaffinity.megabyet.net/classicwinstartmenu.htm). I found
both the design and functionality of the Win7 Start Menu unacceptable (a
lot of wasted space, and no auto-expansion of the program menu), so
installed something I found worked for me. I like the design and the
function of CWSM, so why should I accept anything less?

 

[FooAtari]

I happen to use something similar to the XP-style Start Menu mentioned
by several others here - Classic Windows Start Menu
(http://coreaffinity.megabyet.net/classicwinstartmenu.htm). I found
both the design and functionality of the Win7 Start Menu unacceptable (a
lot of wasted space, and no auto-expansion of the program menu), so
installed something I found worked for me. I like the design and the
function of CWSM, so why should I accept anything less?

While I don't mind the new Start menu in Windows 7, I do prefer the
classic start menu. It never even occurred to me to look for software
that would allow the use of the classic start menu. Thanks.

 

[choro]

If you have 10 years of experience with a given system (Win98 in this
case), "user friendly" is what is familiar to you. For example, I want
my Start Menu items to stay put, not be rearranged automatically
according to some algorythm of "recent use." Nor do I want the
distractions of "aero effects," transparent icon labels,
high-resolution wallpapers, etc. There are lots of advantages to using
the Classic Start Menu and old-style Windows Explorer.

No matter how many positions we adopt or adapt from Kama Sutra, we
always go back to the old Missionary Position, don't we?

Yessss, there is something comforting about doing things the old way.

I too am pissed off by the new useless re-arrangement of everything in
W7. Why don't they leave well alone?

 

[Char Jackson]

Or, take it one step farther, and install ObjectDock, and place icons
for your most commonly used programs on it instead.

This is what I do, and then I only use the Windows Start menu for my
system maintenance tools (Things like Mike Lin's Startup.exe, EaseUS
ToDo Backup, Auslogics Defragger, etc.) I hardly ever need to even go
into the "All Programs" menu folders.

This way, I can also turn off the desktop icon clutter, keep all my
apps full screen, and call up my programs by having the icons come to
*me* by popping front simply by moving my mouse pointer to the top
edge of my screen, and when I'm done selecting my program, the
Objectdock icon dock simply goes away. With all that desktop icon
clutter nonsense gone, I can now finally see that beutifal desktop
wallpaper in it's >entirety<.

Entirety? Since you keep all of your apps full screen, how do you see
any of your desktop?

 

[Gordon]

+1. I *detest* that stupid Win7 Start menu!

Why? What's wrong with it?

 

[FooAtari]

+1. I *detest* that stupid Win7 Start menu!

Yeah I'm not a huge fan of it, or Windows Explorer in 7. Luckily
ClassicShell fixes both.

Less bloat in the start menu. I like it compact and quick to use.
Expandable Program Folder rather than browsing the program folders
folders in the same pain. And I don't need links to Document folders,
Pictures etc etc. A quick Win+E and I have access to everything in
Explorer. Talking of explorer...

ClassicShell among it's many features, adds a tree view, which I really
missed and proper directory paths in the location bar.

I also disabled Areo completely and replaced the theme with a custom one
as soon as I got 7. I don't want or need all the visual effects.
(Although Areo is a huge improvement over what XP looked like out of the
box. Who the hell through bright blue was a good idea...)

I don't think Windows 7 is a bad OS. It just adds a lot of features that
are worthless to me. Personally I just want a quick and responsive OS.

 

[Gordon]

If you have 10 years of experience with a given system (Win98 in this
case), "user friendly" is what is familiar to you. For example, I want
my Start Menu items to stay put, not be rearranged automatically
according to some algorythm of "recent use." Nor do I want the
distractions of "aero effects," transparent icon labels,
high-resolution wallpapers, etc. There are lots of advantages to using
the Classic Start Menu and old-style Windows Explorer.

Then PIN items to the Start menu.

 

[Lewis]

Yeah I'm not a huge fan of it, or Windows Explorer in 7. Luckily
ClassicShell fixes both.

Less bloat in the start menu. I like it compact and quick to use.
Expandable Program Folder rather than browsing the program folders
folders in the same pain. And I don't need links to Document folders,
Pictures etc etc. A quick Win+E and I have access to everything in
Explorer. Talking of explorer...

I agree. The start menu is 7 is damn annoying. On the other hand, it's
one of the finest examples of programming ever when compared to Windows

ClassicShell among it's many features, adds a tree view, which I really
missed and proper directory paths in the location bar.

I also disabled Areo completely and replaced the theme with a custom one
as soon as I got 7. I don't want or need all the visual effects.
(Although Areo is a huge improvement over what XP looked like out of the
box. Who the hell through bright blue was a good idea...)

I don't think Windows 7 is a bad OS. It just adds a lot of features that
are worthless to me. Personally I just want a quick and responsive OS.

Explorer in Windows 7 is just dreadful though. I mean, first of all, if
I want to see the directories on the left (which I don't usually want,
but sometimes) I have to go click on that stupid drop down. Then, I have
all this white space over there and these completely useless Libraries
that I am never EVER going to use. But tough, because they are there to
stay. Ugh.

Seriously, explorer in W7 is easily the worst thing about W7.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Entirety? Since you keep all of your apps full screen, how do you see
any of your desktop?

Transparency - works wonders

 

[Docster]

Hey Henry,
Since you paid for it make it look any way you like.
Some of these guys need to get a life................not all people have
time to spend fiddling around with Microsoft's obsolesce features. What they
have produce works no better than what they just obsoleted. Some people
forget the mission is to get work completed not to learn new Microsoft
systems.
Seems like you fell in with a bunch of bored people who don't have lives and
who think a computer is all there is in the world.
Like I said make it look any way you want and make it convenient for
yourself.
Let the rest sleep with their computers!!


Are there some steps to make Win7 "look" like Win98. I could do it with
WinXP so I hope there is a way to do it in Win7. My opinion is that Win7 is
not user friendly.

Thanks

Henry

 

[Char Jackson]

Explorer in Windows 7 is just dreadful though. I mean, first of all, if
I want to see the directories on the left (which I don't usually want,
but sometimes) I have to go click on that stupid drop down. Then, I have
all this white space over there and these completely useless Libraries
that I am never EVER going to use. But tough, because they are there to
stay. Ugh.

There to stay? One of the first things I did after installing Win 7
was to remove the Libraries.

Seriously, explorer in W7 is easily the worst thing about W7.

Agreed, it's pretty darn bad. ClassicShell helps, but doesn't fix
everything.

 

[Char Jackson]

Transparency - works wonders

Thanks, Gene, you've lifted a veil from my eyes.

 

[Justin]

"Henry" wrote in message
Are there some steps to make Win7 "look" like Win98. I could do it with
WinXP so I hope there is a way to do it in Win7. My opinion is that Win7 is
not user friendly.

Thanks

Henry



Get a Mac.
W00t!

 

[FooAtari]

Then you want http://www.linuxmint.com/, not any flavor of Windows.

Heh, I use Linux Mint on my main PC. Windows 7 is on my gaming PC

 

[FooAtari]

Seriously, explorer in W7 is easily the worst thing about W7.

Yeah, It's hard to believe after all these years they haven't been able
to come up with something better...

 

[Bob Henson]

Explorer in Windows 7 is just dreadful though. I mean, first of all, if
I want to see the directories on the left (which I don't usually want,
but sometimes) I have to go click on that stupid drop down. Then, I have
all this white space over there and these completely useless Libraries
that I am never EVER going to use. But tough, because they are there to
stay. Ugh.

Seriously, explorer in W7 is easily the worst thing about W7.

Have a try with Freecommander. It has a nice old-fashioned, split-screen
layout that is very efficient.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Thanks, Gene, you've lifted a veil from my eyes.

OTOH, you made me laugh 'til I cried

Thus a veil of tears (I couldn't resist - but I didn't try too hard!).

 

[Leon Manfredi]

As good as old Qfiler by Ken

Have a try with Freecommander. It has a nice old-fashioned, split-screen
layout that is very efficient.

 

[Dick Baker]

Seriously, explorer in W7 is easily the worst thing about W7.

My sentiments exactly. I'm new to Win7, having just bought a laptop with
it (still hanging on to XP for desktop), and I'm just aghast at all the
things wrong with Explorer.

 

[Heather]

My sentiments exactly. I'm new to Win7, having just bought a laptop
with
it (still hanging on to XP for desktop), and I'm just aghast at all the
things wrong with Explorer.

Ditto here as well Dick. Typing this in OE on my desktop and the laptop
is just a month or two old and lies here closed beside me.

I will be putting a) Thunderbird on it and b) using that link for the
Classic Shell Source Forge program which will change it to an XP
interface, they say.

I wonder if there is any place I could get the prior version of Windows
Live Mail. I will check www.oldversions.com and see. Nope.......but if
anyone has any info, it might be of interest. Not quite sure which way
to go re mail and ng's.

Cheers....Heather