Windows 7 Application: Classic Shell

Andrea it doesn't matter what type of connection your using. The simple fact is your at risk by not using AV where ever you are and whatever connection type your using.

This thread is getting somewhat out of hand, we all have to make sure no one is subjected to personal attacks. We can disagree and even try to educate but no attacks please.

nmsuk said:

Andrea it doesn't matter what type of connection your using. The simple fact is your at risk by not using AV where ever you are and whatever connection type your using.

This thread is getting somewhat out of hand, we all have to make sure no one is subjected to personal attacks. We can disagree and even try to educate but no attacks please.

Click to expand...

There are several of these threads with Andrea and nobody has changed her mind yet on AV or some of her other strange ideas.
Joe

This thread's topic was asked and apparently answered within the first page and five posts with a good exchange of information between the OP, Elmer and Old Timer. It has subsequently gone off the rails and off topic. I would invite any member who has other information regarding Classic Shell to provide any such information here and get this post back on topic, but would suggest that perhaps if other topics regarding AntiVirus solutions or discussions of the virtues or short comings of various operating systems and associated hardware need to be covered, maybe starting another thread in the appropriate subforum might be a better approach and method for such discussions.
Your understanding and cooperation regarding this matter is sincerely appreciated.
Kind Regards
Randy

I got a copy of Windows 8. I installed Classic Shell on it. This is my notice that I am going to start a thread about Classic Shell on the Windows 8 forum.

As we often agree upon in information technology and software development, there is no such thing as a bug free program. However, this program has proven to be useful to those who liked the old menu. Be sure not edit dynamic link library files, including shell32.dll in your exploration of this software. If Windows 7 suddenly undergoes a major upgrade, it is safe to say you generally do not want to have programs like this installed on your system, simply based on principle alone. Windows Service Packs for instance, not only include a roll-up of all prior updates, but often include updates to concepts like the Windows shell, display, and other areas. We saw this particularly this year with FRAPS and got the bug fixed by the development team quickly because we had the build. Of course, this software edits no major system files, and I am under the assumption that Classic Shell operates in the same way. You can see in the VMWare Unity Feature how easy it is to render an extra Windows Start Menu above the old one (I personally love this feature so much).

Personally, I don’t have any need to recommend the software, but I doubt there is much to worry about. Avoid any third party modifications that would modify your system files – this is where the problems always begin and end with desktop customization software. For example, the Object Desktop Suite from Stardock is beautifully crafted and wonderful. They worked with Microsoft on the Windows theme system itself. It is crafted in such a way that it is a dream for icon developers and theme builders. But often times, it destroys the Windows icon cache for an account irrevocably. Don’t ask me why or how – it just happens. In the past, Windows Updates would destroy the entire program, or operating system, but they worked heavily to make it more modular.

I still like ObjectDesktop, but I simply can’t afford to run it on my production systems. There are too many things that can go wrong. So not to go off topic, but you see what I am saying? Just avoid changing the Windows system files at all costs. It will become a major problem in the future.

Windows, however, has become quite scalable in how developers can do things. The fact that you can implement this menu without much difficulty really Is a testament to all of the hard work that goes into software development both on the open source end with Classic Start Menu, as well as the commercial development end with Microsoft Windows. Billions of dollars are likely spent developing this operating, and while it won’t solve everything, programs like this show that users still very much have control of Windows functionality. I would consider this a great example of how the open source community benefits Windows. I use many open source applications like FileZilla in Windows to perform FTP duties. Further, anyone who knows about logging into Linux terminals will know of PuTTy.

While not a user of the program, consider me an enthusiast. Let people make Windows look and work the way they want it to.

I agree with everything you said, except for the need for classic shell. I can see it and other software like it, being a training wheel for the new start menu. Install it until you get your start menu 100% usable to you, then you can get rid of it. That kind of thing. Every thing is till set up like in previous Windows installs. So I am wondering how the new start menu is supose to work from the get go. There wasn't even a Media Play shortcut in the start menu. Boggled me for a while. But getting off subject. I will post my review and thoughts on the Windows 8 forum.

NaiyaShamiso said:

I got a copy of Windows 8. I installed Classic Shell on it. This is my notice that I am going to start a thread about Classic Shell on the Windows 8 forum.

Click to expand...

You Installed Windows 8? You are very brave. From what I have seen of it it's nothing like the Windows we know and love,Windows 7 or Windows XP.

The good thing about Windows 7 is that you can run all of the software,web browsers and chat messengers that you run on Windows XP and Windows Vista. Advanced browser,Windows Live Messenger for Windows XP and others all work on Windows 7. Even though they were made for Windows XP.

But I don't think we would be able to run our Windows XP,Windows Vista or Windows 7 software on Windows 8. And then there is that horrible metro theme as they call it. The tiled desktop and no start menu. It is confusing and ugly and the whole Windows 8 operating system is Alien to me and most people. And from what I read on the How to Geek website-is it true that you have to have a password on Windows 8? Unlike on Windows 7,Windows XP and Windows Vista,where you don't have to have a password if you do not want one.

That is why I never want to use Windows 8.It is not like Windows 7 and it does not even look like Windows 7 or the other versions of Windows we know,Windows XP or Windows Vista.

If they stop making Windows 7 and we are forced to buy Windows 8, when our computer wares out. I will have to give up using a computer.

But does Classic Shell work on Windows 8? If you are going to use an operating system like Windows 8,with not even a start menu. Then you will need a software like Classic Shell. But I think it is a mistake to give up your Windows 7 for Windows 8. And if I had to choose between a Windows Vista computer and Windows 8. I will choose Windows Vista. I tried out Windows Vista recently in a shop that sells second hand computers. And Windows Vista is the same as Windows 7. Windows 8 is not, and not only that,it is not like Windows. Andrea Borman.

A good article on this phenomenon with Windows 8 can be seen here: Why the Windows 7 Start Menu is Going Out of Fashion

There is no indication as to "why" it may have been considered necessary to completely change things around, just because a study found people were using a new feature. The study shows that people used the Windows 7 "pin" feature for the taskbar. Before this feature was around, those of us who used the Quick Start Toolbar did the same thing. I think most power users will turn it off, but this remains to be seen.

I and most Windows users who are average computer users are used to a Windows with a start menu. It is true that Windows 2000 looks different from Windows XP and Windows 7. And Windows Vista and Windows 7 have the Aero transparent theme, but Windows XP does not. But all the versions of Windows have a start menu,so that you can find all of the settings. The Windows Vista and 7 start menu looks different from Windows XP,but it's a start menu.And so does Windows 2000,98 and 95 have a start menu.

Windows 8 does not have any start menu, and from what I saw on the web, is different from all of the other Windows. And everybody has gotten used to Windows 7 and likes it. So I see no need for a Windows 8.When we have got Windows 7 and it does everything we want it to. And we know how to use it. If I had to have Windows 8 I would be lost on there.

And because of my limited experience with computers,using Windows 8 will be as bad as it was trying to use Linux. If they are going to make Windows 8 like Windows 7 in appearance with a start menu. And take away that horrible tiled theme and give us a normal Windows desktop like in Windows 7,fine. But if not I do not want to go on Windows 8.

And I don't think they should make a Windows 8 at all. Why not just work on improving Windows 7. Although it does not need improving as I am quite happy with Windows 7 the way it is. Andrea Borman.

Windows 8 does not have any start menu

Click to expand...

Windows 8 does have a start menu you just have to enable it. You also get a normal desktop so there nothing to worry about. As for having to have a password that's true but your machine should have a password.

And I don't think they should make a Windows 8 at all. Why not just work on improving Windows 7. Although it does not need improving as I am quite happy with Windows 7 the way it is.

Click to expand...

I'm sorry but everything needs improving as technology gets better UI changes and the like are going to be more prevalent. As for windows 8 the developer preview is stable and I'm finding on my machine slightly faster than 7.

NmsUK

Well,for a start ,the whole appearance of Windows 8,those big tiles,they call it the metro theme is ugly. And there is no way to get rid of it. And on the How To Geek website,they say there is no start menu. Also from what I read on there and saw in a video on Windows 8 forums.It looks like you do have to have a password on Windows 8. And that puts me off for a start, as well as the appearance of Windows 8.

But on Windows XP and Windows 7(I have got Windows XP Home Edition) you don't have to have a password if you do not want one. On Windows 7,when you first set up Windows you just have to put in a user name and where it says password,if you don't want one you just leave that bit blank. While on Windows XP it asks you for a user name but does not even bother to ask you to put in a password on first time set up.

And another thing is on Windows 7 and Windows XP,even if you create another account on the same computer,another administer account or a standard account,you can create those without a password as well. So you can log into multiple accounts on the same computer without a password. That is how free and easy Windows XP and Windows 7 is. And I recently got the chance to try a Windows Vista computer,when I went to a shop that sells reconditioned computers. The computer I looked at had Windows Vista on it. It was a big laptop,not a netbook. But to my surprise it was fast and Windows Vista is exactly the same as using Windows 7. So if you have got Windows 7,you will feel at home on Windows Vista. And you don't have to have a password on Windows Vista either.

I could get a Windows Vista laptop or netbook but I have got Windows 7 and both are almost exactly the same.So there is no point. And also because Windows 7 and Windows Vista are so much alike,you can run all of the great Windows Vista apps on Windows 7. You can run Windows Movie Maker 6 for Windows Vista,Windows Calendar,Windows Vista Sidebar,Windows Mail and Windows Movie Maker 2.6 on Windows 7. And I have got all of the Windows Vista software on my Windows 7.As well as many of the web browsers for Windows XP,Advanced browser,Deepnet Explorer and Windows Live Messenger for Windows XP. They are all running on my Windows 7.

Now can you say that about Windows 8? I bet that on Windows 8,you cannot run the software you want like you can on Windows 7. And you are forced to have a password.I don't know if Classic Shell would work on Windows 8 to give us a start menu,which we need or get rid of that ugly and confusing desktop.

So if in the future they are planning to stop selling Windows 7. So that when our computer wares out we are forced to buy Windows 8. To avoid that we could stock up on several Windows 7 laptops now and put them in the cupboard. So that when the ones we are using run out we can use those and avoid Windows 8.That way we will have enough Windows 7 laptops to carry on using Windows 7 for the next 20 years. Or we should just protest and complain, and just refuse to buy Windows 8. If nobody bought or used Windows 8,they would have to keep Windows 7 for us.

A lot of people did not buy Windows Vista,probably because they were used to Windows XP.So they kept on selling Windows XP in the shops for a long time until last year.When they stopped selling Windows XP and Windows Vista. So now it is difficult to find a Windows XP or Windows Vista laptop.

But Windows 7 was the first operating system I used when I got my first laptop,a netbook last year. And I had no problems with it. And now I have got two Windows XP netbooks as well.But Windows 8 is not like the other versions of Windows 8, so I would not know how to use it. And I would not like it the way they are going to make it.

Windows 7 users should stay on Windows 7, as you are better off. And Windows XP and Windows Vista users should also avoid Windows 8 and just get Windows 7.Andrea Borman.

Firstly there is a start menu. Secondly the tiled ui can be disabled giving you a standard desktop and start menu. Andrea may I suggest you get your facts right.

nmsuk said:

Firstly there is a start menu. Secondly the tiled ui can be disabled giving you a standard desktop and start menu. Andrea may I suggest you get your facts right.

Click to expand...

And how exactly would you disable the tiled ui and get the Windows 7 start menu back in Windows 8? It did not say anything about that in the articles and videos I saw on the web.

And also can you choose not to have a password on Windows 8,just like on Windows 7,where you don't have to have a password if you do not want one?
Or is there no choice on Windows 8 and you have to have a password?
I don't have a password on any of my Windows 7 and Windows XP computers. So I would not want one on Windows 8.

But I still think we are better off staying with Windows 7. It has everything we want, and more important, choice, of how we run our computer. Just like Windows XP and Windows Vista has. But Windows 8 does not seem to have that. Andrea Borman.

And how exactly would you disable the tiled ui and get the Windows 7 start menu back in Windows 8? It did not say anything about that in the articles and videos I saw on the web.

Click to expand...

It's a simple reg edit or even simpler to use util called metro ui tweaker. I'm posting this by the way from Windows 8 DP with metro off and a start menu. As for sticking wit windows 7 because it has all we want. Not at all windows 8 has some simple additions like being able to mount iso\vhd files that make my plans to upgrade to 8 worth ditching 7.

Link RemovedLink RemovedLink Removed

Well, above are the screen shots of my Windows 7 netbook.
First with the default Windows 7 Aero theme,with the original Windows Vista Sidebar. Which I downloaded from the web and it works on Windows 7.
The second picture is of my netbook on Windows Classic setting.
The third picture is of my netbook theme I customised myself on Windows Classic. By changing the desktop and start menu and taskbar color. And the pink desktop and pastel blue taskbar and start menu are the end result.

But from what I read,they don't have the Windows Classic theme on Windows 8. Just the Windows 7 Aero like theme. But the Windows 8 that you and some other people have, is only the developers build. Not the final version. And I bet that a lot of web browsers and software is not working under Windows 8 now.

But it could be when they do release the final version of Windows 8. By that time they may make it more like Windows 7. So you don't have to log in with a password or have one if you don't want one. And maybe they will make the desktop and start menu like Windows 7.

But from what I read it does not seem that way. That's why I don't want Windows 8. Andrea Borman.

Sorry for my long absence. I was working a lot, then I got fired for a stupid reason. Then I was sick for the last week and a half. Been a little strange the last couple weeks. Andrea, I have said it before and I will say it again. You have got to stop listening to these apparently stupid people on the geek tech net forums. They take what little they know about computers and run with it like it is all the same. Just that that Justin what's his face, they guy that "made" Just Use Linux. There are so many things going around about this and that. Take the advice from some one using it. I am on my second install of 8. The tiles that you talk about being so ugly, that is the start menu. It is brought up the same way as in any other Windows. Click on the Window flag icon at the bottom left of the screen and there if pops up. The only difference is that this one is full screen. Also there are separate independent task bars for each monitor that is being used on the system. So if you have Firefox opened on monitor two, the icon will only show on the monitor two task bar. Very cool idea from the get go. Classic shell works on 8. Well the start menu portion, did not install the rest of it, I wanted the everything else to be intact since I am looking for screw-ups in the OS. Passwords are a hugely different story in 8. In previous OSs, there where two different major user types. Local and remote. Remote users are stored on an active directory server some where on the network. This is mostly used in business and extreme dorks that have lots of money to buy servers to do this with. I envy them LMAO. Then there are local users. This is a user stored on that computer alone. If it be through remote desktop or physically at that workstation, you have to interact with that computer to use that username. With these two types of users the passwords are governed by its individual set of rules. Now with 8 it adds a new user set, remotely local, for a lack of better words. This user is stored on the Microsoft servers, that are acting like an active directory for average users. So you use your Microsoft .net passport, now called your Windows Live ID/Microsoft Live ID/MSN ID, what ever you want to call it, it is still a Microsoft .net passport. This is the reason why 8 will not let you use a password less user name, because it is your .net passport. Accessible to any and every one on the web. If you don't have a password on that, well, it would be best if you stopped using computers all together. With the situation about software not running on 8. AOL messenger and Sign on assistant for Games for Windows Live are the only two that I have run into that will not run. AIM installs, but gives me a network error. GWL will install, just wont run at all. The information that I have gathered and presented here are with my own experiences. Not from what some doofus on the net said about it. I'm not brave for installing Windows 8 on my system. I am and knew I would be fully able to run this OS just as if I had been running it for years. I am not a newbie to computers and have not been for over a decade. This all boils down to a simple fact, one that can not be sugar coated. Either you have the ability to learn new technology, adapt new technology to your liking or stick back in the old technology. There are the three choices, and there is no compromise.

But on Windows XP and Windows 7,you don't have to have a password if you do not want one. You only have to have a user name which is the computer name,for example Andrea. And to log into windows you just click your user name box with your mouse and that's it. On Windows XP and Windows 7,you don't have to have a password at all to use it if you do not want to. So I don't have a password on Windows XP or Windows 7. And what's more you can even create other accounts on Windows XP and Windows 7.And you can log into those without a password.I have tried it.To log in you just click the user name of that account. And they don't even ask you for the user name,it is there on the computer screen. That is the great thing about Windows 7 and Windows XP,it is flexible.

But is it the same on Windows 8 or do you have to have a password to log in and use Windows 8?

I don't want to use an operating system that forces you to have a password like Linux does. And there was no way to remove the password either on Linux. Andrea Borman.

The same user set up exists in 8. You can make local users the same as any other Windows. They work just the same as any other Windows. The difference is that Microsoft added the integration of Microsoft .net passport into the user authentication. So in laymen's terms it uses your email as a user name. When you set up 8, it asks you if you have a Live ID, that is the Microsoft .net passport. If you choose it provide one it uses that passport as the user name. Being that emails wont let you have no password, then your computer will require you have a password. So if you give it name@hotmail.com the password will be the same password as getting in to your email. This is a neat feature, it keeps browsing history from Internet Exploder and uses the picture from that profile. Also I see them making better use of the sky drive as well. Password and other things tie into the .net passport. Though if you do not provide a .net passport then it will set up a local user that can be set to no password. That is because it is not accessing features outside of your computer.

So you can still log into Windows 8 without having to have a password, just like you can on Windows 7? At least that's some thing. But the problem is that Windows 8 looks nothing like Windows. And a lot of Windows users, including me will have problems using it,with that Metro,tile theme. That is what has turned me against Windows and and that is why I don't want to use it.

In England they stopped selling Windows XP and Windows Vista computers and laptops and you can now only buy Windows 7. Although some shops do sell Windows XP and Windows Vista but very few. I hope they don't stop selling Windows 7 when Windows 8 comes out. And then we will be forced to buy Windows 8. And that is one thing I and other Windows users should be worried about.

See this post here I found on the PC World website Why You Should Ditch Your Windows XP Laptop Right Now | PCWorldWhy You Should Ditch Your Windows XP Laptop Right Now | PCWorldHe says,"But if you insist on holding on to that XP laptop, you will have something to worry about that's far, far worse than a new drive that won't work: if you don't buy Windows 7 now (if you are not a Mac or Linux user-and if you're reading this, you likely aren't), you'll probably end up stuck with the disaster that will be called "Windows 8." What's going to be wrong with Windows 8? Well, pretty much everything. The interface is as ugly as hell. Unless you really, really like the Office ribbon. That task bar? It'll be a space-hogging ribbon in Windows 8. Not only that, but the ideas for the platform are to be shared with Microsoft's OS for phones. Do you really want a tiny phone-OS-like operating system powering your laptop computer with its heavy, obnoxious ribbon?"

He is right. But a lot of people don't like Windows 8, not just me. So why do we not do some thing about it. Complain to Microsoft or put up a petition against Windows 8? Or have a street march against Windows 8? If enough people complained then if they did make Windows 8,they would have to make it like Windows 7. With a start menu and normal desktop like the other versions of Windows. And I don't think they should have stopped selling Windows XP or Windows Vista either.As a lot of people still use those versions of Windows. It should be out choice what version of Windows we use. after all,Linux user can choose what version of Linux to use. So why can't Windows users?

On Windows 7 they have the Aero theme which I don't like,but only because it is loud.So I use Windows Classic and then change the taskbar and start menu and desktop to a color of my choice using the color picker. But Aero is only the look and if I have the Aero theme.I have a start menu,and a normal Windows Desktop I can use. Not like on Windows 8,where you get no start menu or not a Windows one,anyway. And that horrible and difficult to use tiled desktop. That does not work like Windows at all.

I gave up using Linux because on Ubuntu they don't have a start menu and they have tiles on the desktop. And I could not find the settings. Now they want to make Windows look like Linux or Mac.That's why I don't want Windows 8. But if they make it like Windows 7,fine. But why do we need Windows 8, when they have only just made Windows 7 two years ago, and everybody who uses it is happy with it? People have gotten used to Windows 7 and some have spent money on Windows 7.

A few weeks ago I got the chance to look at a Windows Vista laptop in a shop that sells reconditioned laptops. And I was surprised to find it worked as good as Windows 7. In fact Windows Vista and Windows 7 are identical to one another. So much that all of the Vista software works on Windows 7 as well as Windows XP's.I have got Windows Movie Maker 6 and 2.6 for Windows Vista as well as Windows Mail,Windows Vista sidebar,Windows Calendar and more all run on my Windows 7. And also Windows live Messenger for Windows XP runs on Windows 7.Well if you read the small print Windows live Messenger for Windows XP is for all versions of Windows. And is last years version of Windows Live Messenger before 2011 version.

Can Windows 8 be as flexible and user friendly as Windows 7 is. No,I don't think so. And I would not be surprised if you could not run all of your Windows XP and Windows Vista software on Windows 8.Like you can on Windows 7.And maybe you can't run Windows 7 software either.

A lot of people complained about Windows Vista,but to me it seems the same as Windows 7. and if I had to choose between Windows Vista and Windows 8. Of course I would have Windows Vista. As it is like other versions of Windows. But Windows 8 is not. Andrea Borman.

Well one, Microsoft is not going to change something just cause people complain. They are a business company and if all home users stopped using windows it would kill maybe 25% of all users. My math may be off, but not by much. Microsoft cares very little about stand alone computers and users. Their focus is business computers and networks. There you go listening to some moron. He is right about the ribbon interface, that is a little much. The task bar? There is no different than in any other Windows. For your reference I have included a screen shot of the Windows 8 desktop. Please notice the extreme similarities with any other Windows OS. Please forgive the formatting of this post. Internet Exploder wont let me put in a line return into the post. As you can see in this screen shot there is a desktop and there are two separate task bars. One for each monitor. As for the cross platform computing, that is a much larger discussion.Link Removed