Windows 7 Classic Start Menu

[HaloFX]

But that is the problem. I want to use it!!
Microsoft has made some excellent advances in the software.
The network support is wonderful! Seven registers new machines on a domain so
fast it will make your head spin!!! It is just unfortunate that they have made some
poor decisions in the UI.

Kind of like taking a Ferrari and giving it a crappy paint job and crummy interior.
It is super fast and handles great, but looks bad and is uncomfortable to drive.

Fix a couple silly UI things and 7 could be bad ass!

If the old menu was programmed so badly, then just fix the code like they did to
the rest of the OS.

Generally working in 7 is nice, it is just the Menu and Explorer are awful, and the
Control Panel and the huge icons...

 

[stueycaster]

and the huge icons...

If you're talking about the huge desktop icons it's easy to fix. Push the control button and scroll your mouse wheel and they go to whatever size you want. If you're talking about something else then I'm sorry I wasted your time.

 

[HaloFX]

I had found the "Small, Medium and Large", but that is a cool trick!! Thanks!

Don't suppose you know a way to modify the grid size??

 

[reghakr]

I had found the "Small, Medium and Large", but that is a cool trick!! Thanks!

Don't suppose you know a way to modify the grid size??

Are you referring to the size of the space between the icons?

 

[HaloFX]

Are you referring to the size of the space between the icons?

Yes. I remember being able to tweak that way back in 95 or 98...

 

[reghakr]

You'll have to hang on a while.

I'm tweaking that section now and have found a way to make transparent icons so they display correctly with a white or dark background color.

The icon spacing is in that section also, but it's a trial and error hack where I have to continuously restart for the changes to take effect.

 

[reghakr]

I have located the spacing details.

Are you familiar with the registry ?

Would you like to make them further apart?

 

[stueycaster]

Maybe this will adjust the size of the grid. It worked in XP.

Personalization - Window Color - Advanced Appearance Settings

In the Item box click on the down arrow and there is " Icon Spacing Horizontal" and " Icon Spacing Vertical" . There is an adjustment for the size of each.

I haven't tried these in W7. They might be worth a try.

 

[reghakr]

stueycaster,

That's only available in Windows 7 Classic or Basic scheme.

My registry hack works with Aero enabled.

 

[stueycaster]

Ok cool. Like I said I hadn't tried it. I'm using the Aero Theme.

 

[HaloFX]

Registry is no problem! I would prefer they be closer together.

Thanks!!

 

[reghakr]

OK,
Here's a few things you need to know.

Windows 7 is rather weird at importing registry scripts. So, when you save the lines in between the quotes in Notepad, choose all Files and make sure ANSI is set as the Encoding method. Save the first file as iconspacingcloser.reg and the second file iconspacingcloserundo.reg. You have to restart your machine to have it take affect.

The default settings are -1125 for both entries, lowering that number places the icons closer together.

You also need to make sure Align to Grid is unchecked and move your desktop icons to different positions on your desktop, not next to each other as they are know.

The first script puts the icons closer together and the undo script changes it back to default. if you want them closer together just decrease the 925 entry to a lower number.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics]
"IconSpacing"="-925"
"IconVerticalSpacing"="-925"

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics]
"IconSpacing"="-1125"
"IconVerticalSpacing"="-1125"

After restarting you can now move you icons around and choose Align to Grid

Let me know how it goes.

 

[HaloFX]

Cool! That works. Wish it was in the GUI, but I will only change it once.
I only had to log off, not restart for it to work, BTW.

 

[reghakr]

Glad to hear it and thanks for posting back

 

[theshowmecanuck]

Change For The Sake Of Change Is NOT Progress... If It Ain't Broke Don't Fix It

There is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY IN WINDOWS 7 TO MAKE THE START MENU BACK TO CLASSIC. THE NEW START MENU IS FAR SUPERIOR TO THAT OF OLD AND MICROSOFT KNOWS THAT.

You are either trolling or an idiot. ]

luccidreamer3 posted this:

Dude, it's about the USERS experience. WHAT THE USERS wants to experience. If I, as a user want to have the classic start menu, I should have the opportunity to have the classic. I should not be FORCED to use something I don't like.

This is a smart response. Programmers and system admins have NO RIGHT to tell people what they want to use. I like the old menu. It is clean and uncluttered. It has the bare minimum and goes where I want right away. If there are more programs than what it can show at the beginning, IT EXPANDS TO SHOW ALL OF THE PROGRAMS!!! and doesn't force me to scroll anywhere first then select, UNLIKE THIS NEW POS. And if you try to tell me you can launch a program faster by typing its name, good for you... but I DON'T HAVE TIME TO MEMORIZE EVERY PROGRAM NAME, I WORK FOR A LIVING AND USE THE DAMNED COMPUTER AS A TOOL. And I don't get off on memorizing stuff like that. I used to be a programmer... a very senior and good programmer. One reason I was considered such is that I listened to my customers and/or end users.

If they want to make it look G-Wizz Bang Cool using the new GUI libraries then have at it. Just provide the same clean, bare bones minimum menu that expands as the number of programs added to it increases. Make it work just like the classic menu and I am fine with how it looks. Stop talking for everyone because you aren't that smart. No one is. This one topic has many, many pages so it is evident that not everyone likes this new POS. And it IS a piece of S**T. In my eyes and many others. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and many see beauty in the 'classic' version.

 

[Kylethedarkn]

You are either trolling or an idiot. ]

luccidreamer3 posted this:

Dude, it's about the USERS experience. WHAT THE USERS wants to experience. If I, as a user want to have the classic start menu, I should have the opportunity to have the classic. I should not be FORCED to use something I don't like.

This is a smart response. Programmers and system admins have NO RIGHT to tell people what they want to use. I like the old menu. It is clean and uncluttered. It has the bare minimum and goes where I want right away. If there are more programs than what it can show at the beginning, IT EXPANDS TO SHOW ALL OF THE PROGRAMS!!! and doesn't force me to scroll anywhere first then select, UNLIKE THIS NEW POS. And if you try to tell me you can launch a program faster by typing its name, good for you... but I DON'T HAVE TIME TO MEMORIZE EVERY PROGRAM NAME, I WORK FOR A LIVING AND USE THE DAMNED COMPUTER AS A TOOL. And I don't get off on memorizing stuff like that. I used to be a programmer... a very senior and good programmer. One reason I was considered such is that I listened to my customers and/or end users.

If they want to make it look G-Wizz Bang Cool using the new GUI libraries then have at it. Just provide the same clean, bare bones minimum menu that expands as the number of programs added to it increases. Make it work just like the classic menu and I am fine with how it looks. Stop talking for everyone because you aren't that smart. No one is. This one topic has many, many pages so it is evident that not everyone likes this new POS. And it IS a piece of S**T. In my eyes and many others. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and many see beauty in the 'classic' version.

Ok hold on a minute there's a difference between an inefficient forced upgrade and someone who is too stubborn to learn to use a new menu. For one you can get to any program through the search box just by knowing part of its name, which is the same amount of information you would need for the classic start menu. You can't find a program without know at least a part of its name.

We have all used both menus and personally I see the new menu as an improvement. Not everybody knows how to use it to its full potential yet and that's why so many people dislike it I think.

For example say I wanted to open something simple as notepad, all I would have to do is Windows Key>type notepad>Hit enter and tada, notepad. Easier then going through a menu. This menu is especially good if you only know a little bit about a program. For example I was looking for a converting program the other day and so I searched converter in the start menu and it gave me a list of all my conversion tools. Very simple and easy to navagate and beats search though 200 something program folders in an expandable menu.

Its all about how you use it.

 

[HaloFX]

I look at it the other way, most people I know don't utilize the Classic menu to its true ability. The Classic menu can be completely customized to your liking. I use the Classic menu to move and reorganize almost every item in the menu. I throw away the junk I don't need, like IM, compatibility wizards, and outlook express. Then I regroup things into folders based on how I use them. Items are also reordered based on how I use them. I still have not found away to reorder the new menu, awful. Scrolling is a JOKE! Search is a JOKE! Searching just means the UI attempt has failed and they don't have any better ideas in my opinion. A well designed UI should not need a search. This is one reaon I almost never need the Windows Search feature. All my files on my servers are organized in logical ways, so that I can easily drill down to the info, quickly and efficiently, without having to search for it.

I have spent many hours trying to make the menu work, it is just too hap hazard. It could be a very powerful menu, IF it could be customized to the same extent as the classic menu. The abaility is there, it just isn't utilized. I have been able to repurpose the side buttons (music, movies) for other purposes, but their behaivor is sporatic.

The desktop icons is a prime example of the UI oversights. The ability to scale the icons with the mouse wheel is super cool!! But requiring registery hacks to modify the spacing is a glaring oversight. The spacing should automarically scale also, or be able to be adjusted just as easy.

Ultimatley I have dumped 7 from my dual boot and only play around with it on a VM. The main killer for me now is the clunky Windows Explorer, it is even worse than the Start Menu.

 

[reghakr]

OK,

I'm not going to get started on the Classic Menu again, but here's an excellent search utility I have used since 1997

Fast, Powerful Search Utility Enables Hidden features
In a previous post I mentioned Link Removed. It also enables the hidden feature of CopyAsPath and extends the SendTo menu to include many more folder options which was only previously available with a certain keyboard combination. Locate the pdfind.exe file in the C:\Program Files\Vcom\Powerdesk directory and drag a shortcut to the desktop. Powerdesk also blows away Windows Explorer.

It's File Finder feature leaves Windows Search in the dust.

You can search using wild cards, including multiple wild cards, such as lf*12*.dll. this will locate all occurrences of Lead Tools graphic viewers that require version 12.

My initial search took 2 minutes, the C:\winsxs folder taking the most amount of time.

The initial search is the slowest, but still far superior to Windows Search. This search went through two partitions containing 87,500 files and 5,700 folders. the subsequent search only took only 15 seconds

You can append file result searches

You can limit search by path or drives

You can search by attributes

You can search by Date, Time, and Size

You can filter by any file type. As an example, I have ACDSee installed on my system. You can select ACDSee bmp image and it will return all bitmap files.. You can search for specific Video Lan Player files.

Link Removed due to 404 Error
Link Removed due to 404 Error
Link Removed due to 404 Error

 

[vmcgowan]

Gotta agree with aluciddreamer03 - it should be about the user's experience, not what MS thinks we should do. For example, for several years now I have been accustomed to (as a keyboard kinda guy who hates the mouse) using a Ctrl+Esc+<key> combination to initiate programs (Ctrl+Esc+1 for Visual Studio) and shutdown (Ctrl+Esc+U). Or there was this option: Ctrl+Esc (Start Menu) then P (Programs) then O (Office) and the W (Word). Well Ctrl+Esc still activates the Start Menu (thank-you), but I can't actually activate anything with the single <key>...instead I get a list of things I *may* want to activate...none of which are shutdown. Apparently Microsoft thinks we have to get accustomed to not just a new Start Menu, but to also using the mouse even more.

 

[willbeeching]

No one is forcing anyone to change.

As i have been scanning through some of the posts on this thread, i have seen plenty of arguments about the start menu, both have their advantages. I personally love the new start menu, it organizes everything perfectly.

As for people who are saying that they are being forced to change, this is a complete untruth. You are not being forced to change, i didn't hear that windows 7 or vista was a 'forced' upgrade. Microsoft have only said that they will be discontinuing Windows XP. You will still be able to use it, just not have support for it, if you don't like the new start menu, then don't use it and stick with xp. Microsoft have gone to please the majority as Vista did not take off as well as they had liked, so they had to make a big difference with Windows 7, they will make more money selling a 'faster' OS than they will with selling one that is easy for the generation that is to stubborn and naieve to change.