Windows 7 classic start menu

[alyarb]

The default windows 7 start menu is fine. One press of the window key on your keyboard brings up the start menu with an insertion point in the bottom search box. type the first couple letters of the program or document you're looking for, press enter, and it is launched immediately. It's far faster than any clickable menu I have ever used because it literally requires no mouse/touchpad or any action from your right hand at all. beginning with the left thumb, and leaving the fingers free to type what it is you're launching, getting programs or documents to launch (whether they are in the start menu or a library or not) has become a lightning fast, single-handed action. Clicking through menus, or even having to click "search" in order to get an insertion point there, is totally wasteful compared to how the windows 7 start menu is configured out of the box.

By having the insertion point ready for searching the moment the start menu is loaded, it ensures you can quickly get to what you want no matter how poorly organized you are. If you have been with windows since the 16-bit era, you're probably comfortable setting up menus. Maybe because of muscle memory or something you feel like clicking through your personal menu template may be faster (but if this is the case, you should know that keystrokes are far faster than hand gestures on a touchpad or mouse). Of course, you can also drag and drop your commonly used apps to the front page of the start menu, program hotkeys, quick launch, etc. If you prefer to use your right hand there are numerous ways of loading a program with a single fluid action. Browsing a menu, however, is not single-action unless the item you want is guaranteed to always be at the top of the list (and this is where spotlight and search come in).

For example, this is how my menu is configured (not with any recent apps or anything, everything is static drag-and-dropped):

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/594924/1.png

to start microsoft word with this menu, your "combo" would be Window key + down + down + enter, and can be done very fast.

or you can hit the window key and simply type "wo" since that is enough for the search to put "word" at the top of the list of matches:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/594924/2.png

The start menu search is faster than spotlight in my experience and I find that I can type part of the name of a program and the right result is given immediately.
When you have dozens of content creation apps loaded on the same machine I imagine using the search function is far faster than clicking through menus no matter how organized they are.

 

[Griffinhart]

After trying many alternative start menu replacements I have found one that works great , is free, and doesn't get in the way. It gives me back what I missed from the old start menu.

http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/

I'm sorry, but that screenshot is the very definition of getting with the way. If I wanted to change power options, for example, I would need to hit start, hover over control panel a second, then scroll through a mess of icons until I found the right icon. I much prefer hitting the Windows key and start typing power options. It's faster and far less cluttered.

 

[Modelworks]

I'm sorry, but that screenshot is the very definition of getting with the way. If I wanted to change power options, for example, I would need to hit start, hover over control panel a second, then scroll through a mess of icons until I found the right icon. I much prefer hitting the Windows key and start typing power options. It's faster and far less cluttered.

Then don't use it. I posted this for people that want the classic menu, if you don't then move along.

 

[thedosbox]

Then don't use it. I posted this for people that want the classic menu, if you don't then move along.

He's trying to encourage you to move on from your ingrained habits and adopt a better way of doing things. You can obviously choose to ignore him.

 

[Modelworks]

He's trying to encourage you to move on from your ingrained habits and adopt a better way of doing things. You can obviously choose to ignore him.

Better is relative.

 

[thedosbox]

Better is relative.

Taking a hand off the keyboard, then making four precise mouse movements

versus

hitting the Windows key and typing?

Ah well, old dog, new tricks, blah blah.

 

[jjmIII]

I like the Toolbar in Windows Explorer feature!

 

[Modelworks]

Taking a hand off the keyboard, then making four precise mouse movements

versus

hitting the Windows key and typing?

Ah well, old dog, new tricks, blah blah.

Depends on your work flow. Mine is 95% mouse, very little keyboard. To move hands back and forth from the keyboard and mouse to type is awkward. Typing also doesn't solve the inability of search to show programs in sub menus unless you know their names which a ton of programs do not .

If all you do is type all day then search might be great, but try working with graphics all day and it is a pain.

And as I said , the program allows you to keep both menu systems, but I doubt many people even tried it so how would they know.

 

[Modelworks]

When you have dozens of content creation apps loaded on the same machine I imagine using the search function is far faster than clicking through menus no matter how organized they are.

Did you even try the program ?
Search function is not faster because when using content creation applications you almost always have a hand on a mouse or tablet. That leaves you with using arrow keys or mouse wheel to find a program or leaving the mouse and coming back to the keyboard, launch the program , then go back to mouse.

 

[Chaotic42]

Taking a hand off the keyboard, then making four precise mouse movements

versus

hitting the Windows key and typing?

Ah well, old dog, new tricks, blah blah.

Well, it depends on what you're doing. I use the keyboard relatively little.

 

[Modelworks]

I like the Toolbar in Windows Explorer feature!

I like the free drive space status. I can't believe MS left that out.

 

[StinkyPinky]

I just pin all my common programs to the taskbar. That's what it's there for. I barely even touch the start menu

 

[lxskllr]

Here's my solution. I normally keep the docks hidden. I unhid them for the screenshot...

 

[thedosbox]

And as I said , the program allows you to keep both menu systems, but I doubt many people even tried it so how would they know.

Do you realize it's possible to increase the number of "recent programs" displayed when you hit the windows button?

Even on a relatively small 1280x1024 monitor, that will allow 20 programs to be listed vertically. I find it hard to believe anyone uses that many programs on a daily basis.

 

[Modelworks]

Do you realize it's possible to increase the number of "recent programs" displayed when you hit the windows button?

Even on a relatively small 1280x1024 monitor, that will allow 20 programs to be listed vertically. I find it hard to believe anyone uses that many programs on a daily basis.

And still doesn't solve the original issues.

 

[Modelworks]

I just pin all my common programs to the taskbar. That's what it's there for. I barely even touch the start menu

The problem with doing that is it takes up space from displaying running programs. If you open 8 or 9 applications and have a couple programs pinned to the bottom you end up with little blocks for each program that can be too small.

What they really need is the hotbox from Maya. The interface in maya allows an artist to use the program using just a mouse and two keys on the keyboard. You can do just about anything with that combination anywhere in the program . If you watch some of the videos of artist using the program they can do task so fast that some of the screen capture software has trouble showing it all, they have to slow the video down so people can see the actions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d92sN3-zcuU

 

[Lorne]

Off the topic, Sorry.

I'm pretty sure that Aero has similar performance with classic because Aero uses the GPU for most of the effects and so computer performance shouldn't effected much, if at all.

Its kinda funny, The Win7 Classic mode turns Areo off (Not the classic start menu OP) and is suggested if you use the system for 2D rendering as there is a return in speed, This is due Vista/Win7 D2D API Errata, And has nothing to do with the GPU.

But if you Have an Authentication issue pop up it stays in Classic and forces Areo back on, Just another odd tidbit that popped up on my workstation.

Back on topic

As for the OP topic I think its great, It allows both types to be used at the same time, That was what really cought my eye.

The other issue about the Search option is true about having know the exact name of the file searched and not the icon name, This also goes along with the idea you know the name of what your looking for and not the image of that program in your head you looking for.

Tried the search field tactic to bring up Explorer, didnt work tried to see if it would list the games I have on the system in a games folder and I got a massive list of all the MP3s and pictures but nothing on the installed video games so have no idea how to use the search field the way you describe, Some people just have different tactics on accessing programs and files on there system to there needs.
Yes there are those that have found better ways of doing this and those that can still be shown new tricks but there are still some things that work better the old way (Not saying the classic style is better of course).

 

[Lorne]

Here's my solution. I normally keep the docks hidden. I unhid them for the screenshot...

Nice looking, This is where I could say Im old school,,, All those icons and I wouldnt know whats what without actual words, I would have to hold the pointer over them and wait for the popups of what they are.

Clock redundancy?

 

[lxskllr]

Nice looking, This is where I could say Im old school,,, All those icons and I wouldnt know whats what without actual words, I would have to hold the pointer over them and wait for the popups of what they are.

Clock redundancy?

A lot of it's muscle memory. I keep everything grouped according to function, so I can get with in 2 icon spaces of any of my programs. Also, I'm very visually oriented, so the picture, and location makes it easier for me.

2 clocks? :^D

The one in my sidebar is my primary clock. I usually use my apps maximized, so I can't see the desktop. The Kit Kat clock is there just because I like Kit Kat clocks :^D I really don't see it much, but if I'm just playing music or something, I'll minimize the window, and I can see the Kat for a little while.

Edit:
I guess I still didn't really answer the "Why 2 clocks?" question. The Kit Kat takes up too much room in the sidebar. I have 2 pages of sidebar items, but the ones on the first page I consider essential. The Kit Kat would push too many things to the second page.

 

[Scotteq]

Wouldn't work for me, I have way to many applications that I have to run concurrently. Pinning stuff to the toolbar takes up space I need for the running applications....

Not arguing, nor attempting to make you somehow 'wrong' for finding ways to make Windows do what you want it to... UI interaction is definitely an area where "Different Strokes" applies. In my case, digging around in menus and submenus had long ago become tiresome. I want to launch an app, or find a document without having to be bothered memorizing paths. You've VERY clearly become quite comfortable with that and have learned to organize it to your liking.


Having said that: When you pin a program to the task bar in Win7, it 'runs' in the exact same spot you pinned it to. There's no need to leave room, since it's always in the exact same place. Multiple windows (or tabs in your browser) also occupy the same spot. Mousing over will give you a pop up to select the one you want. Also: Using the Windows key plus the number corresponding to the item's location on the toolbar will either launch the app, or switch directly to it (depending on if it's running at the time) For example: In my case, Excel is the 5th app. [Windows 5] launches or switches to Excel, and my hands never have to leave the keyboard. And being a veteran of an IBM lappy with 'little red nub' navigation, I've long ago become deeply fond of keyboard shortcuts. And for a mouse user: Muscle Memory quickly takes over since a given program is in the same spot every time.

This is different from the 'Quick Launch' behavior, since when you create a Quick Launch bar it's considered separate from the toolbar so you end up with two icons on the Task bar. Perhaps you hadn't known the new behavior.


Of note: With a large format/widescreen monitor, I've found that moving the toolbar from it's usual position at the bottom and up to one of the sides is the preferable compromise for vertical versus horizontal space. With 16:9 and :10, I've found this arrangement to be much more efficient. Right click, set small icons and "merge when full" in the preferences, then you can adjust the size of the toolbar to give you enough text to read. Again: the app itself will always be in the same spot once pinned.


(I use the right side of my 'main' {left hand} monitor, so the toolbar is in the center of total viewable area. The one thing it took some time to get used to was having the 'start' orb in the upper right, instead of the lower left where it's been for the last decade. But like I said: I'm a keyboard shortcut junkie, so....)

 

[Modelworks]

Having said that: When you pin a program to the task bar in Win7, it 'runs' in the exact same spot you pinned it to. There's no need to leave room, since it's always in the exact same place.

What happens when you have multiple programs pinned but the applications you are running are not any of those pinned ? It uses up the taskbar.

 

[Scotteq]

What happens when you have multiple programs pinned but the applications you are running are not any of those pinned ? It uses up the taskbar.

I don't leave icons on the desktop for the same reason: I don't like the clutter. So I do understand what you're talking about.


Your patterns are obviously different from mine. But I have 7 programs I use to perform the great majority of my work - Browser, Office suite, Citrix, etc. With the vertical orientation of the task bar and small icons, those 7 take up maybe 3 inches of vertical space out of a 24" widescreen monitor. The Windows key and typing gets me the rest.

With this arrangement 'Using Up The Taskbar' is simply not an issue for me. Not even close. And that's with a completely clean desktop.

Having said that: With the toolbar at the bottom and large icons I could see where having large numbers of programs pinned could get in the way - Certainly if it were the case where you have some 10's active.

 

[shortylickens]

I admit I didnt like the layout of Win 7, especially since I skipped over Vista and was pretty used to XP.
But I think I'd rather relearn the new way as opposed to hanging on to the old way. Overall it will be more efficient. Especially when Microsoft makes an ACTUAL windows 7 instead of a patch to Vista, they will probably update the UI again. Better to jump one stage at a time, instead of two stages.

 

[thedosbox]

And still doesn't solve the original issues.

To be honest, I'm having a hard time understanding what these "issues" are. It's not described in your original post, and others have responded to the points you have brought up later on.

But hey, I'm sure you can find someone to recreate the Windows 3.1 shell if you really want to go old school.

 

[thedosbox]

Tried the search field tactic to bring up Explorer, didnt work tried to see if it would list the games I have on the system in a games folder and I got a massive list of all the MP3s and pictures but nothing on the installed video games

Assuming the games have a start menu shortcut, you'll need to ensure search is configured to index the start menu.

If the games don't have a start menu shortcut, you'll need to index the "games" directory. However, in that case, search won't be as effective as you'll be searching for filenames that won't necessarily match the game name.