Is window 11 similar to windows 7?

[Dynentan]

Just curious. I tried windows 10 but i didn't really like it, so i went back to windows 7 again. If im going to upgrade to a newer version of windows, its probably going to be windows 11. Is it similar to windows 7?

 

[Bree]

Just curious. I tried windows 10 but i didn't really like it, so i went back to windows 7 again. If im going to upgrade to a newer version of windows, its probably going to be windows 11. Is it similar to windows 7?

No, windows 11 is much like Windows 10 but with a redesigned start menu and the taskbar icons centred rather than starting from the left.
If you want Windows 11 to look like more Windows 7 then you'd need to use one of the 3rd-party solutions like Open Shell, ExplorerPatcher, or purchase StartAllBack.

 

[Dynentan]

I already use classic shell.

 

[flavallee]

Dynentan:
You did not provide a description of your computer and what hardware it has.
Depending on its age and what generation it is, it may not support the use of Windows 11.

 

[MisterEd]

When I installed Windows 8 on a computer I immediately installed Classic Shell because Windows 8's GUI was pathetic. That computer now has been updated to Windows 10. I didn't put Classic Shell on it this because it wasn't needed.

Now all my computers that had Windows 7 on them were updated to Windows 10. Since I had extra licenses for Windows 7 I used them to dual boot with Windows 10 on two of them.

Sure it wasn't easy to transition from Windows 7 to Windows 10. Just like it wasn't easy to transition from Windows 3.11 to 95, 98 to XP, or XP to 7. Like it has been said...resistance is futile.

I eventually accepted the inevitable and learned to live with Windows 10 without any training wheels. I have a desktop that has Windows 10 and updated it to Windows 11 for a short time. I didn't like it so I reverted it to Windows 10. Note this computer fully meets the Windows 11 requirements.

I just bought a new laptop with Windows 11. I could install something like Open Shell on it but have decided not to. I am determined to learn how to use Windows 11. I think when I am confident enough I am going to go back and upgrade that desktop to Windows 11 again.

To answer the original question "Is window 11 similar to windows 7?" I say no but I also say it doesn't matter. If you want to use a interface modifier like Open Shell I say that is your choice. However, I think it is better to just take the plunge and learn the new interface. You will thank yourself in the end.

 

[erpster4]

If im going to upgrade to a newer version of windows, its probably going to be windows 11. Is it similar to windows 7?

absolutely NOT

win11 is most likely similar to win10 just with a different UI, so in some cases win11 might be worse than win10 & win7 for some people

 

[siliconbeaver]

no,
completely different.

there have been many discussions on the difference.

here are my experiences. because of huge securities setup changes, many apps on Windows 7 cannot work well on Windows 11 any more. when my MSFT Office/excel macros run on Windows 11. often got pop up, such as below one.

If debugging, nothing wrong. but the breaking point stops macro running.
hence, I have left these macros on Windows 7. my computers run 7-11. i.e. Windows 7, or 11 (if apps run no any problems on Windows 11).
to reduce maintenance burden, no Windows 8/8.1 10 anyway.

 

[MisterEd]

no,
completely different.

there have been many discussions on the difference.

here are my experiences. because of huge securities setup changes, many apps on Windows 7 cannot work well on Windows 11 any more. when my MSFT Office/excel macros run on Windows 11. often got pop up, such as below one.
View attachment 422444
If debugging, nothing wrong. but the breaking point stops macro running.
hence, I have left these macros on Windows 7. my computers run 7-11. i.e. Windows 7, or 11 (if apps run no any problems on Windows 11).
to reduce maintenance burden, no Windows 8/8.1 10 anyway.

I haven't worked with Excel macros in a long time but can sympathize with the problem of trying to run these macros on a different version of Windows. When a macro didn't work I had to try to figure out what changes had to be made to make the macros work again. I was usually successful but sometimes it took a lot of effort.

 

[GeekBear80]

I did install Windows 11 on a VM and no, I don't think this has much to do with "learning" or not "learning" but rather that there are changes, especially in terms of the Start menu and context menus that are annoying since they require extra clicks. The "Settings" is an improvement over Windows 10, however.

It is possible to even run Classic Shell 4.3.1 on Windows 11 after running ExplorerPatcher and it works well enough but I have simply reached the conclusion that I get things done faster in Windows 7 and/or 10 or Linux than in 11 even if the latter does become pretty OK after tweaking. What is not OK is all the "glitchiness" I have noticed including downright crashing in comparison with W7 and W10 LTSC 2019 and 2021.

Another major issue is all those problematic updates being pushed out - I very much prefer Patch Tuesday updates only, thank you very much Microsoft.

So I decided to give Windows 7 another go since almost every application I use can run there without issues and my only conclusion is that I will start to run a W7 Ultimate VM as a daily driver with Windows 10 LTSC 2021 as a "backend" and simply wait for further development on the side of Windows 11, which can live in a VM as well for testing.

I never had any "issues" with OS upgrades for many years including Mac OS 7.x to 8.x (new Platinum interface), Mac OS 9.x to X (new interface) or the huge change with "Explorer" in Windows 95. The "issues" started with Windows 8.x because that was a change too far and every time I see Server 2012 in action, I kind of cringe. Windows 10 was a major improvement but not as good as 7 (can be made pleasant, though) and 11 is perfectly good on a tablet/2-in-1 but far behind 7 on a desktop with mouse and keyboard.

So I have decided to embrace virtual machines and simply use the operating systems and applications that allow me to be efficient. I have been living with Windows 10 for a long time and even if it is perfectly fine, I very much prefer 7 Ultimate. It looks and works beautifully on my 32" monitor.

Edit: I am running Classic Shell on Windows 7 too since I very much prefer the customization it offers and it runs perfectly well.

It is also pretty ironic that this system from 2009 feels "next gen" compared to 10 and 11 (before WindowBlinds) kind of remind me of GEM of the 80s or very old versions of Macintosh System (6.x) in terms of being "simple" and "plain".

 

[MisterEd]

I did install Windows 11 on a VM and no, I don't think this has much to do with "learning" or not "learning" but rather that there are changes, especially in terms of the Start menu and context menus that are annoying since they require extra clicks. The "Settings" is an improvement over Windows 10, however.

With Windows 7 you mainly did your setting using the Control Panel. Windows 10 dumbed down settings with the introduction of their new Settings. The problem was you couldn't do everything in Settings and had to occasionally call up the Control Panel. Windows 11 dumbed down the Settings even more. You really needed the Control Panel but for some reason Microsoft did their best to hide it.

In older versions of Windows you could get help directly even if you didn't always understand the help. I was perplexed when Windows starting telling you to go to Start and search for some setting. To me they were saying that was easier than telling you what menu to pull up to get that setting. Has Windows settings become too complicated or they just hiding most of the setting from us?

t is also pretty ironic that this system from 2009 feels "next gen" compared to 10 and 11 (before WindowBlinds) kind of remind me of GEM of the 80s or very old versions of Macintosh System (6.x) in terms of being "simple" and "plain".

GEM brings back memories of two computers I had in the late 80's and early 90's.

• Atari 1040ST
• Atari Mega STE

They both ran Atari TOS which Atari developed from GEM.

Apple sued Digital Research the original developer of GEM because Apple claimed GEM was too much like Macintosh. It is ironic that Apple ignored Atari's Atari TOS because maybe they didn't consider them serious competition.

 

[Jody Thornton]

When I installed Windows 8 on a computer I immediately installed Classic Shell because Windows 8's GUI was pathetic. That computer now has been updated to Windows 10. I didn't put Classic Shell on it this because it wasn't needed..

How on earth did you find Windows 10's Start Menu MORE like Windows 7? Windows 8 with a Classic Shell looks like a modern, flatter Windows 7. I don't understand how people see Windows 10 and 7 as being similar. Windows 10's Start Menu is like the native Windows 8 Start Screen with tiles, just miniaturized.

Here is my Windows 8 desktop with a Vista look-a-like visual style:


And Now with an optimized flatter, modern look:

 

[ian50]

I have three (3) laptop PC's in a small home-based network. My 1st choice of OS was Win7 Pro, which is remarkably stable by now. This website (sevenforums) has an enormous amount of useful information. BUT - the push & nudge from various browser developers, changing hardware with no drivers for Win7, and now the encroaching threat from critical websites such as banks to use new browser technology (only available in Win10/11 updates) has finally caused push to come to shove ...

I've now rebuilt one of the three machines using Win11, with the other two still on Win7. After some persistent hacking (mostly gleaned from freeware Winaero Tweak and the elevenforums site), I've sorted Win11 to look and act more or less like the previous Win7 installation. Heresy, I suppose, but it seems to work ok. All the devices have properly functioning drivers, the desktop is "carbon copied", almost all of the accumulated programmes work perfectly - which was a pleasant surprise, as the built-up data libraries are still maintained - and there is a definite increase in the speed of programme load flow.

Win11 issues for those interested ? No full aero (ok, it has a heavy overhead but it is a very useful attribute in Win7 for many reasons), it has an annoying habit of losing some settings on each reboot, and the out-of-box "security" is extremely annoying. Persistent hacks reduce this to tolerable and with patience most of the intrusive spyware can be disabled - actually there's quite a lot of that. Even after 6 years of development, Win11 still has stability problems that Win7 does not. It can be made to work ok though, and it has some powerful additions that Win7 lacks.

 

[MisterEd]

How on earth did you find Windows 10's Start Menu MORE like Windows 7? Windows 8 with a Classic Shell looks like a modern, flatter Windows 7. I don't understand how people see Windows 10 and 7 as being similar. Windows 10's Start Menu is like the native Windows 8 Start Screen with tiles, just miniaturized.

Here is my Windows 8 desktop with a Vista look-a-like visual style:

And Now with an optimized flatter, modern look:

I didn't say "I found Windows 10's Start Menu MORE like Windows 7" at all. I actually said that when I went to Windows 10 I didn't need the bandaid I put on Windows 8 to make it useable. I made no comparison between the Windows 7 and Windows 10 GUIs. Since you insist on bringing it up I will now.

After I used Windows 10 for a period of time I got used to it. I still have a couple computers with Window 7 that I need to use from time to time. After using Windows 10 I find the Windows 7 GUI quaint and old fashioned. Why would I want to cripple Windows 10 by making it look like Windows 7?

My new laptop has Windows 11 on it. I will use it as is. I have no intentions on putting something like Open Shell on it making it look like something it is not.

BTW, I have several computers. They have the following operating systems on them: DOS 6.22, Windows FWG 3.11, Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 10, and Windows 11. I deal with each operating system in their native environment.

 

[ian50]

Well, I did specify those who are interested. One of the guaranteed aspects of open sites is that some people will not read the full text that they choose to reply to. Straw men abound.

I've built a Win 11 installation honed to my work flows and aesthetics. Uncrippled and very fast, even on a budget PC with sufficient specs. That this may upset some people for unknown reasons is really not my problem, I think.

For those interested, moving from Win 7 to Win 11 without large ugly changes is ok if initially one has a bit of patience. Particularly if maintaining technical libraries such as mapping, operations scheduling etc (built over many years) with purchased programmes is a requirement. It can be made to work with the end result being a familiar environment, both technically and aesthetically, and upgraded with suitable hardware drivers.

Win11 is still somewhat buggy but has compensations - especially ensuring access to critical websites as these move to browser aspects that require Win10/11. Win11 is also more civilised about enforcing updates than Win10, although it has been said that MS can change that if it wishes.