Superbar... love or hate?

[manpacker]

Just seeking everyone's opinion:
After trying out the RC for weeks, i've found it hard to get used to the superbar. I love the way it works for most programmes, but on certain occasions, it is just plain headache.

1. Multiple MSN conversations
I have to do a 2 point click, first the messenger icon, then the respective chat window (which can be on the other edge of the screen). Try doing it 5-10 times a minute and you'd know how headache it can be. I also can't tell which conversation's on alert without hovering/clicking on the icon, thus unable to ignore the less impt conversations. Alt+tab/flip3d doesn't highlight the alert windows too, and its annoying especially when one has to cycle through so many chat windows to get to the right one. I hope MS re-thinks how messenger should work on superbar.

2. Multiple tiling
Yes.. aero snap is touted as a usability upgrade, but it only works for 2 window comparisons. What if i want 3? 4? or tile a whole page of windows? I can no longer use the ctrl-select-tile windows method on this new bar.

Anyone find the above problematic? Care to share your experience in getting used to the new UI?

Thanks!

 

[ten]

At first I loved it...oh look at these cool previews! After a while it got annoying since it took 2 clicks instead of one.

 

[manpacker]

exactly! and messenger itself has its own button on the taskbar (instead of the notifications section) that just takes up space...

 

[Brink]

Hello Manpacker, and welcome to Seven Forums.

This can show you how to have the Windows Live Messenger icon in the notification area instead.


http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3794-windows-live-messenger-taskbar-notification-icon.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[DocBrown]

Thanks, I learned a new trick with Live Messenger

 

[copernicus]

If you select to stack of side by side with multiple windows/programs open it will tile all of them.

 

[swarfega]

Im still loving the new taskbar. Its much better than what went before. I have msn in vista compatibility mode so that it appears in the notification area.

 

[Victek]

I don't know if this would help the OP, but I've changed the default taskbar setting from "always combine, hide labels" to "combine when taskbar is full". This at least makes it immediately obvious which apps are actually running instead of having to hover over an icon and see if a window preview appears.

 

[OEM]

What I like about is Programs assigned to it don't open a new window. It combines quick luanch and tasks. That saves space and I find myself keeping more programs open than before. I didn't like it when the old taskbar was full and cluttered with programs actively being used and others that I want to keep open, but aren't used that often.

 

[manpacker]

If you select to stack of side by side with multiple windows/programs open it will tile all of them.

May i know what you meant by this? Is there a way to select multiple windows/programs?

 

[copernicus]

Right click on the taskbar, you have options to "show windows "stacked" or "side by side".

Stacked tiles the windows top/bottom. Side by Side does them left/right. If you have more than two open it will tile them.

 

[Uber Philf]

If you want it old vista style, where it says combine, change it t6o never combine and it goes like it used to, and tick the use small icons to make the taskbar small.

Correct me if im wrong, im at school, and using Xp

Ill edit if its wrong when i gets home

Enzo.

 

[aln688]

I suppose once I checked the "Use small icons" box, the new taskbar became more likeable. As it was from a fresh installation, it was way too big. I also instruct Windows 7 to show all my icons instead of hiding them, if I don't want an icon to show I'll edit the properties of that particular program. Other than that, nice.

 

[napilopez]

Honestly, out of everything 7 brings, IMO the superbar is the best reason to upgrade, perhaps second to speed improvements, though vista wasnt unbearable on my rig.

I don't ever do the two clicks things, i just click once on the preview. You can also tweak the speed of the previews to become instant via the program mentioned here: Lifehacker - Xdn Tweaker Updates to Tweak Windows 7 - windows 7

I can't live without the superbar anymore, lol. I actually find it most useful for MSN/Live Messenger, where I can quickly check on someones messages via aero peek, without the orange glow dissapearing, so I can remember to respond later. It's also pretty easily customizable to be more old-school if you want.

Oh, and the reason the Superbar is so big is because Windows 7 has much better touch support than vista, and big icons are easier to hit that a skinny taskbar. I also personally find the big icons to be more aesthetically pleasing than the small ones, but that's just me. I do miss the way the orb would stick out of the taskbar though

 

[bhuulo]

You can also tweak the speed of the previews to become instant via the program mentioned here: Lifehacker - Xdn Tweaker Updates to Tweak Windows 7 - windows 7

7127 not supported

 

[anders the gamer]

The only thing that annoys me with the new Taskbar is that it has become a bit more tedious to minimize windows when windows are combined. For instance if I only have one Word window open I can simply click the Word icon on the taskbar to minimize/maximize it (as done in the old taskbar). But if I have two or more windows open, I first has to select the specific window I want to minimize and then click in the top-right corner, or I can right-click on the thumbnail itself and select minimize. In the first case I have to move the mouse more to minimize, in the other I have to click an extra time to do what only takes one click normally.
What I would've liked would be that when you click the thumbnail of the currently selected window it would minimize it (as if it had been a program on the old taskbar).

Am I missing a smarter way to do this? (I know about the Windows-key shortcut, but I can't use that since my keyboard doesn't have any Windows keys).

Otherwise I really like the new taskbar, its much nicer to have all ones open programs grouped together so they don't clutter the taskbar as they easily did with the old one. Also the jumplists are a great feature, they've made it much easier for me to continue work on the latest documents opened in Word and such. I also like how they've added functionality to the thumbnails, when compared to Vista where it was just a gimmick.
So overall I like it a lot!

 

[mogeansai]

overall, i think this taskbar is much better than xp/vista, its like a hybrid between a dock and a taskbar, which is exactly what i want,
BUT it does cause some headaches, this Separate certain Taskbar buttons even when "Always combine" is enabled - Windows 7 Taskforce would be the perfect solution.

 

[Uber Philf]

I think its really handy, as what Napilopez said, its easy to check on your conversations, and i dont mind having to do this extra click, im young, i gots plenty of time, no rush

Enzo.

 

[manpacker]

overall, i think this taskbar is much better than xp/vista, its like a hybrid between a dock and a taskbar, which is exactly what i want,
BUT it does cause some headaches, this Separate certain Taskbar buttons even when "Always combine" is enabled - Windows 7 Taskforce would be the perfect solution.

That would be a killer idea! Just hope MS would see and implement that!

 

[bhuulo]

Not going to Happen now....