Start-Menu

rixto003 said:

cool stuff Ivo... does it have options to choose witch customizations want or does it apply all? (just want to make sure since my box is kinda overcustomized and i wanna do it more-more-more until it blows so i would get a new one finally )

Yes, pretty much everything can be turned off. If you have any more questions please post them in the Source Forge forums or in this thread: ANN: new Classic Shell versions 1.0.3 and 1.9.0
I don't want to hijack this thread to talk about Classic Shell.

Lordbob75 said:

Richard, have you perhaps tried using the search bar?

When I made the switch to Vista (a year or so after it came out) I was in the same boat; I hate that stupid search bar.
Then I realized that you can search for programs from there, and instead of taking 15 or 20 seconds to navigate all the folders (especially if you don't remember where it is) I can just hit the windows key and type in the name and hit enter.
So starting iTunes for instance, it is just Win key, iTunes, enter and it starts!

I ask that you at least try using it for a little while. You may find you like it.
You may still decide you don't like it as well, and in that case, we can keep trying to figure out how to remove it.

I have to say, I have never heard of this being possible, so you may be disappointed.

~Lordbob

i installed Ivo's start menu (classic looking start menu), and no more search box. I don't like the search box because I prefer using the keyboard's shortcuts to go through the start menu. I'm fairly quick with the shortcuts anyway. It takes me less than 10 seconds to go through the start menu with either the mouse or the keyboard. Plus that search box always had "priority" with the typing icon flashing in it, which I didn't like either.

I also didn't like XP's, Vistas or Windows 7's start menu because it has so much crap on it, that I don't want all that crap cluttering up my start menu. I just wanted a single column with the Programs List, My Computer, and a few programs at the top. Everything else I just found annoying and unneeded.

Also, speaking of customizing: Is there a way I can do a "quicklaunch" like in XP and 98 with the small icons? (like minimizing all my windows at once and looking at the desktop, instead of right clicking on the bar at the bottom and clicking "show desktop").

Another thing that effects it all is I have "High Functioning Autism", which means I like having easy access to things, or having little routines that make things easier to do. Which is why I prefer the keyboard shortcuts in the start menu because I find it faster.

Here's how you add quicklaunch: Quick Launch - Enable or Disable
One thing I noticed is that often it goes away after a restart. Fortunately it takes me just a few seconds to restore it when it disapears, so it's not that big a deal. I hope they fix it in the service pack though.

Lordbob75 said:

Yup:
Quick Launch - Enable or Disable

I LOVE the QL toolbar. I hate pinning.

That makes sense richard, thanks for telling us why. Most people just complain. :)

If this helps, you can hit the win key, then press the up arrow to highlight All Programs. Will that work for you?

~Lordbob

Nah, classic start menu works pretty well for me. I just prefer the old style Windows 98. I started using computers 17 years ago (I was 10), Windows 3.11 (and DOS) was what I started with, then started using Windows 95/98, and the look and use of them just stuck with me, and I prefer it, in all honesty. It's easy to use, I can get to the menu's quicker, and my start menu isn't cluttered with other menus I prefer not having on it. I'm pretty picky when it comes to that. And I also prefer having My Computer on my desktop, too.

Thanks for the Quicklaunch thing.

Edit: And I also have a password for my account logon into Windows 7, so it doesn't just login when it starts up. Hoping it'll stay there, lol.