hi Tom.
The only thing is, as I said, if I'm going to be turning off all this stuff
in windows 7, ---- then why have it? that's not exactly a point in it's
favour.
i will admit the pinning applications to the task bar sounds useful, ----
though once again I've pretty much done that in xp with shortcut keys for
desktop icons and using shift alt tab, though I will admit windows and
number keys would be less keystrokes.
Beware the grue!
Dark.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Thomas Ward" <[email protected]>
To: "Gamers Discussion list" <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2012 4:34 PM
Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Monopoly
Hi Dark,
Well, I actually have my own Start Menu laid out pretty much as you
describe. Under Programs I have a menu for Games that has GMA, PCS,
Draconis, USA Games, etc all divided up by developer and game. I have
another option called Office where I have Jarte, Microsoft Office, Adobe
Reader, etc all devided up the same way. All of my Development tools are
under a subdirectory called Development just like Games and Office
programs are. Just because I'm using Windows 7 doesn't mean I can't
organize the Start Menu as you described. You still have a great deal of
ability to customize how you want your Start Menu to look.
For example, you mentioned the fact you really don't like all the
automated stuff where it puts the last used and recommended apps at the
top of your Start Menu. That's no big deal. You can go into Start Menu
properties and turn it off as well as various other settings for the Start
Menu. Its not quite as simple as the classic Start Menu setup but the
point is you can still customize it to a certain degree.
For instance, I really do not like the Control Panel in Windows 7, and
prefer the classic Control Panel from XP. Well, there is a way to reach a
compromise on that issue. In Windows 7 if I go under Start Menu properties
I can have the Control Panel display in a menu rather than as a web page.
That's almost as good as the classic Control Panel because my Control
Panel shows up as a menu in the Start menu with several icons for Programs
and Features, Users, Display Settings, etc. Windows 7 still met me half
way on that issue.
That said, there is a feature in Windows 7 I personally like that doesn't
even require the Start Menu. In Windows 7 you can pin icons to the Taskbar
and asign them to Windows+1 through Windows+0. If I pin Firefox to the
Taskbar I can use Windows+1 to launch it, and if it is already open
Windows+1 will bring Firefox to the foreground. What's cool about this
feature is I have Thunderbird and Firefox open at the same time I can
switch between apps with Windows+1 and Windows+2 because they are pinned
to the Taskbar and are assigned to those hot keys. This I think does
justify the automation added to Windows 7 because I think it makes
launching and switching between common apps better. At least for me
anyway.
Cheers!
On 3/11/2012 10:40 AM, dark wrote:
For me, the reason I prefer the classic start menue is simply that it is
static.
for instance, over the past 10 or so years I've been on the net, I've
worked out a system of subfolders in my start menue. I have an audiogames
folder with games index by developer, a text games folder for eamon
deluxe and if interpreters, a freeware games folder for my graphical
games, a useful programs folder for avg, 7zip, winamp and other handy
stuff etc.
I just much prefer having my stuff liked this, layed out like books in a
library than having context sensative this, last used that, and
recommended the other.
For instance, if I want to play gma tank commander, it doesn't matter
when I last played it, I know! i'll find it under audio games/gma games.
Indeed, I might not actually want! to play the last game I played.
Yes, I could use the search box, but just like brousing a set of book
shelves, I like brousing my game directories and thinking "hay, It's been
ages sinse I last played alien outback, why not give that a bash"
Same with favourites in fact. I have folders for work books, audio games,
online brouser games, online books such as darker projects, scifi
resources with subfolders for Dr. who and startrek etc.
I actually enjoy! individually organizing and collecting them, rather
than having the process automated.
That is why I prefer the classic menue in xp, and would use classic shell
in windows 7.
the other thing I found in windows 7, is that windows explorer was far
more annoying to use, in the way it didn't just put you inside folder
subgroups when you click on a folder, it seemed to have random silly
buttons everywhere, and looking at a folders contents was near
impossible!
Just like in my favourites, I have my audio books in folders by author,
and music genre and artist folders that I've organized myself.
When I want to play one, I just wander into my c:\music directory (I
never use my music in my documents, I prefer all my actual music in the
one place), find a folder or a track and play it in winamp.
Indeed sometimes I just bang my entire 70 gb music folder on shuffle in
winamp just for the heck of it :d.
I think this is really my problem with modern ui. I treat my computer as
a literal virtual environment that I myself wish to organize, just the
same way I might organize books or dvds on a shelf, with catagories,
subcatagories and the like that I can quickly reach. Where as microsoft
(and from the sound of it the ubuntu lynux developers), what everything
looking flashy with a bazillion buttons all over the place offering you
automated access to lots of stuff that the computer recommends without
having to leave a single screen, the idea having as much information in
the one place and on the one screen as possible, ----- though from what
my sighted friends say about the ui it doesn't sound like many of them
like it much either, though there are some that go for convenience over
organization it is true. However if this is the case, why couldn't
microsoft just have variable ui settings? The way in xp you could choose!
classic or modern menues.
But no, microsoft, the big company is always right as usual.
Beware the grue!
dark.
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