Classic Shell: Forum

My Windows7 sp1 laptop, using Classic Start Menu 3.6.8, uses Start Menu Style Windows Classic. I like that style VERY much, and am not willing to give it up.

But the illustrations at http://www.classicshell.net/gallery/ suggest to me that the 3.6.8 Windows Classic Start Menu Style is defunct in version 4.0.2. Is that correct?

I would very much appreciate the answer, because I have put a lot of effort into customizing 3.6.8's Classic Start Menu (a main folder column plus two alternative second folder columns; no third folder column), and I don't think I am willing to give it up, despite the 4.0.2's additional technical features (although mostly for Windows 8.x instead of Windows7sp1).

A second question is: If I do decide I want to install version 4.0.2, do I first need to uninstall version 3.6.8?

Thanks for any relevant information.

R.N. (Roger) Folsom

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P.S. Comment: Despite Microsoft's belief that most computers are used by multiple people with different preferences (instead of my case and my wife's case, where we each have our own computers, each with Administrator and Standard User accounts), it sure would be convenient to install Classic Start Menu in All Users.

You can upgrade to Classic Shell 4 without uninstalling 3.6.8. It will perform an upgrade installation. Nothing is removed or defunct in Classic Shell 4 but the styles have been renamed due to the addition of the new exact-looking Windows 7 style with the inline treeview. In Classic Shell 3.6.x, the Start Menu had Classic style, Windows XP style and Windows 7 style. However the Windows 7 style didn't exactly look and work like the original Microsoft menu.
So in Classic Shell 4, both XP style and Windows 7 style of 3.6.8 were merged under a single style called 'Classic with two columns', plus the new exact looking Windows 7 style was added. The skins now vary depending on the style you have selected, but the 3 core skins, named 'Windows 8', 'Windows Aero', and 'Classic' are available in all 3 styles of the menu. The skin tab lets you change the skin after you have picked the initial style.


In your case, when you upgrade, you need to select 'Classic with two columns' style to retain the 3.6.8 behavior. It also has the Windows Aero skin. The only thing is doesn't have is the inline-treeview and search results being listed inside the main menu, which the new Windows 7 style has.

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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.

GauravK:

That was an amazingly prompt response! Thank you. I came back to correct my post. (My original post referred to columns, but I later realized that I should have written folder columns, which I now have done.)

I gather from your detailed response that Classic Start Menu Style (as in 3.6.8) basically is NOT defunct.

One additional question: You wrote that "When you upgrade, you need to select 'Classic with two columns' style. It also has the Windows Aero skin." In Windows 7, at Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Personalization, I have rejected the Aero themes in favor of the Windows Classic theme. "Skin" and "theme" are different words --- spelled differently and pronounced differently <grin> --- but nevertheless, I wonder: Will 'Classic with two columns' style require me to use an Aero skin? (I have no idea what that would look like in a start menu, but I am willing to install it and find out.)

A more important question to me is, would installing 'Classic with two columns' style automatically require an Aero theme?

Thanks for the help!

R.N. (Roger) Folsom

The Classic style is not defunct by any means. In fact it's more powerful than the Windows 7 style (because it allows you to add subitems). I assumed you might be interested in the Windows Aero *skin*, so I recommended it since that's what 3.6.8's *default* Windows 7 style applied. The skins for the Start Menu are designed to match the Windows theme you use, but you can pick any skin you want.

On Windows 7 with the Aero *theme*, the Windows Aero skin of the Start Menu looks more appropriate. If you are using the Windows Classic theme, then you can use the Classic skin of the Start Menu. If you are using Windows Basic theme, then you can use the Basic skin of the Start Menu.

Neither the skins, nor the style are locked to the Windows themes, you can mix and match but they may not give the best results. For example, Windows Aero *skin* of the Start Menu will look weird with the Classic Windows theme.

Since Classic Start Menu focuses on giving the user unparalleled customizability, you can also turn the Windows 7 style menu into a cascading menu if you want that. To do that, after you set the Windows 7 style, go to the Main Menu tab in settings, and set "All Programs style" to "Cascading sub-menu". This gives you inline search results in the main menu and also retains the cascading submenu for All Programs.

In Classic with two columns style, search results are displayed in a submenu.

_________________
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.

GauravK:

You have answered all my questions, and I have downloaded version 4.0.2. I will install it later this week.

I appreciate your help very, very, much. Thank you.

R.N. (Roger) Folsom