One thing I would change: I assume you recognize the icons of apps you put in QuickLaunch, so explaining name strings are not needed. De-selecting Show Text in QuickLaunch gives you more space to use for icons, showing only the icons without name strings.
Right click an empty spot of QuicLaunch to show context menu, choose View submenu and uncheck Show Text. Notice that View menu item in QuickLaunch context menu is not visible if Taskbar is locked.
Kari
I like it with big icons, too, without name strings. You can see in the screenshot I posted a few posts ago that I have 29 apps in QuickLaunch; it makes the QL toolbar quite a big but using a vertical Taskbar it still leaves me more space for open apps than most users using Taskbar traditionally at bottom have. It also eliminates need for a third party dock, leaving more space on desktop.
Kari
I'm wondering how long it will be until these threads end up with an instant ban for the thread starter.
Just because some things have changed from XP, doesn't suddenly make Windows 7 bad. Microsoft has to make an OS for hundreds of millions of people...not just you. If you want an OS that is fully customized out of the box exactly the way you like it, no one, I repeat, no one is stopping you from recompiling your own Linux kernel.
I'll borrow your car analogy. If you buy an Accord, and 8 years later you buy a new one...many things will change. New features and technology are added, so naturally the dashboard will change. So will the ride feel in the car. Is that a reason to get your underoos all in a bunch....or does it just mean you need to get used to what's new? That "what's new" is what makes Windows 7 so great.
We're here to help, for free, volunteering our time...so please don't insult us by asking how much we are paid to defend a great product. If you truly don't like Windows 7, then there's no reason why you can't create your own Linux distro...and I'm being completely serious.
Sorry for the rant, but you've been one in a long line of people to play this card. Nothing riles me up on here except people getting made over points that don't warrant the anger, and then making it difficult for those volunteering to provide assistance. Hopefully, now that you've been told about those threads, we can dispense with the crap and get all your questions answered. If you have more, keep asking.
Ah, there goes my blood pressure...falling.
Hello Sp3c5,
I too came to Win 7 x64 directly from XP. At first I was "horrified" with what appeared to be unnecessary features, tons of overhead and complications, and I wasn't a happy camper.
But 6 Months later, after a little practice and studying, I now think the Win 7 X64 operating system is the best OS in the world (just my opinion). I will admit that to enjoy Win 7 x64 you will need to load a few useful (and usually free) utilities and I will admit that in general the "hardware requirements" for a nice Win 7 system are greater than what was required for an XP System, the REWARDS, once you get over the "hurdle" are very well worth it.
At first, I felt lost, going from XP to Win 7 x64 but now I don't want to use anything else. Trust me on this - it just takes time and a bit of effort. There is a lot of free help on this forum. Good Luck and I hope you stick with it :):):)
I wonder how many of us loved XP right out of the box?
I can remember dreading doing a clean install because it seemed to take two weeks before I had every single last thing back the way I wanted it. (I didn't deal with disc images much in those days, though I don't know why.) To me, any untweaked OS wears like an off-the-rack suit; it'll do, but it's not so darn comfortable.
I find it quite hysterical that your threat was no move away from MS and go to Apple then.
All in all, Windows is a commercial operating system there to satisfy millions. There is more or less 1 way and 1 standard. While you do have ability to modify it somewhat, you don't have complete and total control of the environment. For those who want complete and total control, there are many linux distros out there and they don't decide a whole heck of a lot for you. But then again, there are hundreds of distros, with multiple desktop managers, and no standards. Which makes it a bit confusing and difficult to use when everybody is doing or using something completely different.
Overall, I like Windows 7 a lot better than XP. It looks nicer, it's far more stable and it doesn't seem to fall apart after weeks, months, years of use. Does this mean that I adore every single aspect???....no. But I can deal with a few annoyances for the whole lot of improvements that I feel that I get.
The Libraries feature I actually like. I use it, I find it convenient. It allows me to easily aggregate a few different areas together in one view so that I don't have to navigate all over.
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