Classic Shell: Forum

Let's discuss the Windows 10 Start Menu which in typical Microsoft fashion, omits many key features of the Classic Start Menu but adds some interesting options of its own. The poll lists some of the new features of the Windows 10 Start Menu. Which of these are of interest to you? Is there anything new which you noticed?

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Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and did Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

I feel that live tiles are mostly just a waste of processing power. (for example, does the 'xbox' tile really need to be animated, or is it just a way for Microsoft to steal your attention...) I would understand its use for something like weather, or unread emails (but I feel that is better integrated into cortana anyways)

I would say that I love tiles in general, both from a visual, and a functional point of view.. (I seem to be able to find what Im looking for quite quickly, even with 40~ tiles)

Its nice to have a direct list of newly installed programs, because this allows you to organize, and pin what you want without having to search for it.

I do like the idea behind uninstalling directly from the menu, however I feel it shouldn't be so easily accessible.. because re-installing isnt (especially if whatever program doesn't preserve all your previous settings on uninstall) Maybe a power-user option like holding control, while right clicking to add an 'uninstall program' option to the context menu (similar to how windows adds a "open command window prompt here" when you hold shift and right click in a folder, or on the desktop)

I really like the idea behind continuum and having your phones layout sync with your computer, creating a truly unified experience

I also feel live tiles are just a gimmick to draw the user's attention for promotional purposes. There is already the notification area in Windows since forever if the OS really want to inform something. Don't need more ways to do the same thing.

I don't think mixing touch and keyboard/mouse driven interfaces is a good idea. Tiles are good for touch. For mouse, they take up so much space. I hate scrolling due to excessive space taken by huge, oversized UI elements.

Another issue I have with the implementation of tiles in their Start "menu" or the Start screen is that they don't support keyboard accelerators at all! In the Windows 10 Start Menu, even arrow key navigation is poor and keyboard indicators are horribly designed!

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and did Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

I would argue that small tiles, dont take up much space, and in-fact are less space consuming than a menu item in 1-2 rows (since you get 8 columns)

Also I would agree with you on live tiles, and was going to post that in my response but decided not to

Not that I dont enjoy widgets, and rainmeter.. they serve a totally different purpose.. When your in the start menu its because you have buisness.. not because you need to be distracted (like when your sitting there staring at your desktop)

Yes but small tiles don't show any text label so that is not a fair comparison to a menu item. You must recognize them from their icon only and you can't even easily change their icon.

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and did Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

It is a fair comparison because you should basically know whats in your start menu without labels..
yes labels add more information, but In my opinion it is redundant if they have a good icon... (and I personally prefer the feel of a menu without labels, and 4-6 columns)
and they still have scroll-over text.

I agree that the difficulty to change them is undesirable... but it is still possible, and something I am willing to do to get the menu I like (not that Im leaving classic shell for windows 10's default)
Givin easily recognizable, and color coded tiles however, I simply find it easier to find what I need

I even prefer tiles over 'icons' because of their professional appearance (The distinction I would make is the background image being mostly covered, and a unified square theme)

The clickable letters were one of the primary reasons that I gave up on the Windows 10 start menu and switched back to Classic Shell. I'm hoping that at some point Windows 10 lets you not have them.

Right click uninstallation was kind of nice, although the fact that I found it so useful says something in of itself.

shell infrastructure host in win 10 is a fake startmenu i found it most unusable when deleted from my system classicshell works perfectly better then the shell infrastructure crap they call startmenu also cortana is gone improved speed and performance on my pc . The main problem with win10 is that driver installing is spyware bundled nowadays

1. Bigger area (more space) available for pinning by expanding horizontally

This is great, if in fact in can get bigger than Classic Shell, such as having 3 or 4 columns, but I doubt it, just voted for this because more space is always better.


2. Organizing pinned items into Groups

Not interested at all in letting Windows figure out how to group things, I'd rather do it all myself, like I can do in Classic Shell - No Vote


3. It shows "Recently installed" app

Hasnt windows done this since forever, by highlighting the new apps? I dont see how grouping them will improve things much - No Vote


4. Can uninstall apps by right click

This would be great, provided it completely wipes the program from the system, scorched earth, I'll vote for this, because like Jothki I, too, find need to uninstall everything, particularly when the installed programs become more malicious than they originally were, via updates, or don't perform as promised or expected, or are just secretive or tricky or anything else


5. Alphabetically sorted app list with clickable/tappable letters

I don't get this, its already alphabetical in the programs list. Alphabetical sucks imo, I much prefer the quicklaunch, putting icons where they go based on use and my own criteria, rather than random letters

I have lots of little programs installed, that I need installed, that I rarely ever need to use, I dont want them popping up every time I want to access something I use daily - No Vote


6. Live Tiles

Hate tiles and want them to die an awful death - No Vote


7. The Windows 10 menu can search EXE names of program shortcuts and do approximate string matching

If this means indexing I'm definitely against this crap - No Vote

Microscoff doesn't grasp the concept of the technology world, at all.

they should be creating different OSs for different reasons.

For example:


Windows 10 Ultimate Workstation - no windows 8 or 10 crap, basically just 7, well-maintained.

Windows 10 Barista Edition - swipey tile crap like Windows 8, for people who use their Windows on a tablet mostly, at cafes, mostly.

Windows 10 Control Center Edition - Cortana crap, and integrated voice & touchscreen controls for Music, KTV, Movies, Entertainment, Lighting, Kitchen Appliances, Household HVAC etc..

Windows 10 "1337" Edition - For hardcore Gamers & Programmers, leaned down, bare bones, no extra running processes, fastest start up, no resources in constant use, built with gaming and programming as its only purpose, for full-screen gaming, controllers, gaming peripherals, also the skilled Hackers Preferred Choice of OS

Windows 10 Atelier Edition - Built with creative designers & artists in mind only, and for that purpose alone. Bundled with Adobe Creative Suite, Fabric & Clothing Design, Sewing Learning & Resources, etc. Optimized for Drawing, Sketching, Painting, Rendering, etc..

Windows 10 CAD Edition - For Engineers, Architects, Inventors, CAD designers etc.. bundles with industry resources, industry networks and subscriptions etc.. built fr 3d CAD programs, etc..

Windows 10 Scholarship Edition - Reference-based, Built with integration with the nations largest University & educational resources, online study, medical references, LSAT Materials, Lawyers References, International law, etc etc.. used for Students, for people wanting to learn, and by professional doctors, dentists, nurses, lawyers etc.. using all free resources maintained in archive at MS's own servers

Windows 10 Corporate Edition - Made with security as a top priority, comes as a bundle with hardware USB encryption devices, can connect securely only to other computers operating Corporate or Administrative editions of Windows 10.. Used for Office, R&D, Design etc.

Windows 10 Administrative Edition - Built for Management, Accounting, Statistics, Hospital Administration, School Administration, Corporate Administrators, etc.. bundled with various Productivity tools, educational resources, etc.. Connects Securely with Corporate Edition

Windows 10 Government Edition - Built for Private Networks, each OS is custom built to work with a specific set of government machines only, and only within a specified Government. Various levels of security classifications for various machines, word filtering, word reporting, keystroke recording, etc.. ability to designate specific computers as Level 10 Security Clearance, which can only communicate with other level 10, then separate Machines that are level 9, level 8 etc, each with their own network. The OS itself would available as "Windows 10 Government Edition - Level 10 Clearance" and "Windows 10 Government Edition - Level 9 Clearance" etc.. Each machine or user needing a specific hardware USB Key, which is plugged in to a scrambler every 24 hours. The OS works with specific Windows 10 Mobile Tablets and Phones, also needing a hardware MicroUSB Key, providing a more secure platform than Blackberry was

Windows 10 Backend Edition - For Network Administrators, IT Professionals, Database Management, Corporate Website Management, etc.. bundled with Learning Resources, Software, Network Tools, etc that every IT Admin will need for any given company

Windows 10 Big Wave Edition - Web-based, for people who don't mind living in the unsecured cloud, and really only into Surfing the Web, Chatting, Blogging, Pinning, Memeing, 9Gagging, etc, can also run Web apps such as Instagram. Useful for G+, Social Networking, Advertising Companies, etc. Integrated with Wordpress, Blogspot, Blogger etc..

Windows 10 Family Edition - Simple stuff for your grandparents and kids, easy simpleton interface, basic functions for people without any technical interest or ability, much as windows 8 & 10 seem to be made for currently.. (although my own grandparents are hardcore windows users that make me look bad, and kids in my family are as well)

Windows 10 Portable Edition - Upgrade to WinPE, Installable on a Bootable USB Key. Can only Install Portable Versions of Programs on the OS, and the OS can make most available Programs install as Portable, internally. Works also with Portable Solid-state Drives, From 8GB Flash Drives up to the Samasung 2.5" 16TB SSD Drives. Also can be used within existing booted Windows OSs as a Portable Interface that overrides the current configuration on the machine to allow you to use your own Desktop, Startmenu, file settings, and USB Heirarchy. It can rewrite drive letters and paths as dynamic to change with the environment, so that it can always access its own USB drive data



That's what should be happening.. which would drive sales as people would get different computers for different reasons, uses, & family members.. it would increase tablet sales, desktop sales, etc.. as people would own multiple machines

You could actually boot into one of any of the OS's from the same drive.. Because they fixed their OS.

Windows 10 would still be free, making it cheaper to buy computers and tablets..

Then they could offer "Bundles" such as Windows 10 Ultimate Workstation, bundled with MS Office, for a price, or Scholarship edition bundled with various professional resources, for various prices, or added USB Keys to Security systems in Corporate & Administrative Additions only. or USB Keys for design systems in the Atelier or CAD versions only, etc, and each for individual or corporate prices

Each version comes with free subscriptions of to various Approved & Certified Professional Magazines & Newletters, etc.. related to that edition of Windows 10 and its user demographic.

and each OS would be maintained for life. Guaranteed.

instead, those little pea-brains over at Microshove get a tiny little idea in their dumb heads and think its the new world order.

its silly really.

and will never be me

Agree with your every word Tenzen. MS don't get that people use their technology for different purpose and if you actually want to work on your computer, you need something clear and straightforward, no clutter.

Thank goodness for ClassicShell. Thankyou guys!

Any way to expand the pinning area in Classic Shell? I want to pin many more things