THE START MENU

[ZippyDan]

ive had this question since like Win98, but i never thought to ask it:

the normal Windows Start menu from Win95 to WinXP shows all your programs, folders first in alphabetical order, followed by programs with no folders in alphabetical order

if i install a new program with a start menu folder, its inserted in its appropriate place as it should be...

...for like the first six months of use

somewhere along the line, start menu program folders start ending up at the end of the start menu program list AFTER all the programs with no folders. after this point, every new folder seems to end up at the end of the start menu. in Win98 i seem to remember it just added it to the very end of the start menu, regardless of alphabet. now in WinXP its doing the same thing to me except it seems to be creating an all new list, alphabetically

so now i have

Alphabetic Folders A - Z -> Alphabetic Programs without Folders A - Z -> Alphabetic Programs New A - Z -> Alphabetic Porgrams without Folders New A - Z

i know how to realphabetize my start menu and fix the problem, that is not my question

the question is:

WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE

 

[mechBgon]

The Start Menu is an enigma to my mom, too.

mechBgon: ok, when you're done using the computer, you can shut it down by clicking Start and th--

Mom: But I don't want it to Start.

mechBgon: No no, you click Start and then you click Turn Off Computer!

Mom: That doesn't make any sense. If you want to turn the computer off, it shouldn't say Start, it should say Stop. I can tell men designed this.

mechBgon: *sensing a losing battle* Ok, another way is to push this round button on the front of the computer. See, like that.

Mom: Wait! *begins writing this down step-by-step*

mechBgon: :roll:

Didn't get my computer genes from that side of the family, I guarantee

 

[theAnimal]

I wish that programs wouldn't assume that you want their start menu folder to go under All Users.

 

[ProviaFan]

Originally posted by: theAnimal
I wish that programs wouldn't assume that you want their start menu folder to go under All Users.

Generally, that is what I want, and programs that don't do things that way force me to log in as Admin (for security reasons, I have a Power User account for myself, and a User (limited) account for other family members) every few months to "fix" it so some other account can access a program that's been installed but is not showing up for them.

Edit...
LOL @ Mech's computer conversation transcription... My parents have been beyond that level for some time, but sometimes my mom still does the thing where she intends to click on something in the quick launch bar or Start menu, but ends up holding down the button for a second while failing to hold the mouse still - I finally figured out that's how we have several copies of Outlook on her desktop.

 

[Sunner]

Originally posted by: ZippyDan
ive had this question since like Win98, but i never thought to ask it:

the normal Windows Start menu from Win95 to WinXP shows all your programs, folders first in alphabetical order, followed by programs with no folders in alphabetical order

if i install a new program with a start menu folder, its inserted in its appropriate place as it should be...

...for like the first six months of use

somewhere along the line, start menu program folders start ending up at the end of the start menu program list AFTER all the programs with no folders. after this point, every new folder seems to end up at the end of the start menu. in Win98 i seem to remember it just added it to the very end of the start menu, regardless of alphabet. now in WinXP its doing the same thing to me except it seems to be creating an all new list, alphabetically

so now i have

Alphabetic Folders A - Z -> Alphabetic Programs without Folders A - Z -> Alphabetic Programs New A - Z -> Alphabetic Porgrams without Folders New A - Z

i know how to realphabetize my start menu and fix the problem, that is not my question

the question is:

WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE

Right Click -> Sort by name

But yeah I agree, it's one of those little annoying things that annoy you more and more.

 

[oog]

isn't the order you're seeing due to some icons being in the "all users" start menu and some icons being in this specific user's start menu? they're just combined with one of them appearing after the other, unless you sort thing.

 

[Alex]

just right click and sort the friggin thing

 

[ZippyDan]

Originally posted by: oog
isn't the order you're seeing due to some icons being in the "all users" start menu and some icons being in this specific user's start menu? they're just combined with one of them appearing after the other, unless you sort thing.

oooooooo that is a good theory for WHY this happens. ill have to look into that. but it only explains WinXP which has this all user/multiple user setup. Win98 had no such thing and it happened there too