Argh, having to go W11 :-(

Neil_Jones

forgotmyname said:

HillStreetBlues said:

MattMattMattUK said:

I am not sure anyone would want to make W11 more like W7, W7 was fairly awful. Use W11 as is.

The OP does 

Me also, but I got a step further and my desktop looks more like windows 98 than 7.  

I hate it when software changes for the sake of change, they move menu's and change layout and thena while
later someone decides it needs to be refreshed and some things change back to the way they were and others
just get rearranged again.

But everything changes, its called evolution and revolution.  If it didn't we'd still be writing on cave walls, wandering around naked hunting animals and wondering what the frig this round thing is.

The Windows equivalent is sticking with the way it looked in Windows 1.0, which was basically DOS with a WIMP interface on it (Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointers) or GUI interface:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-SuAaYDZIk

Realistically the biggest change in Windows was probably from Windows 3.1 to 95 when the Start Menu was first introduced.  And the purists hated that, but here we are 30 years later and now we can't live without it - in hindsight it was pretty much a fuss about nothing:

https://betanews.com/2020/08/24/windows-95-is-25-today/

Personally I thought Windows 7 was the best version of Windows they ever released.  It ran on practically anything.  Used to sell computers with 7 on them, and it ran beautifully on some single core processor that we bought wholesale cheaply (brand new I must add!) and only 1Gb of RAM on the mainboard.  Well it ran beautifully for that spec but that's what they wanted so that's what they got.

People go through the whole "I hate the new Windows" thing pretty much every other version.

HillStreetBlues

Neil_Jones said:

But everything changes, its called evolution and revolution.  If it didn't we'd still be writing on cave walls, wandering around naked hunting animals and wondering what the frig this round thing is.

The Windows equivalent is sticking with the way it looked in Windows 1.0, which was basically DOS with a WIMP interface on it (Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointers) or GUI interface:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-SuAaYDZIk

Realistically the biggest change in Windows was probably from Windows 3.1 to 95 when the Start Menu was first introduced.  And the purists hated that, but here we are 30 years later and now we can't live without it - in hindsight it was pretty much a fuss about nothing:

https://betanews.com/2020/08/24/windows-95-is-25-today/

Personally I thought Windows 7 was the best version of Windows they ever released.  It ran on practically anything.  Used to sell computers with 7 on them, and it ran beautifully on some single core processor that we bought wholesale cheaply (brand new I must add!) and only 1Gb of RAM on the mainboard.  Well it ran beautifully for that spec but that's what they wanted so that's what they got.

People go through the whole "I hate the new Windows" thing pretty much every other version.

The start menu was at the bottom as that was the simplest program wise, then in further versions it could be moved, now it's back at being fixed at the bottom, that's regression.

B0bbyEwing

Neil_Jones said:

WIAWSNB said:

With 10 about to lose support, and old PC beginning to creak, I've had to jump.
New PC is, of course, W11. Even my old PC was insufferable with W10, so I had Classic Shell installed to make the interface like '7'.
There's a way to make the 11 more like 7, isn't there? What have folk used?
Ta.

Realistically I can't see the point of things like Classic Shell and whatever else.

These are fine as long as they get updated however you may come a cropper when Windows 11 turns up for example on a work computer.  You're probably not not going to get Classic Shell on that so you might as well look at trying to work with the stock installation if you're going to potentially end up in that sort of situation.

Windows 11 is going to get some changes to the Start Menu in due course, whether its a standalone updated or through the major 25H2 update.

Details here: https://www.windowslatest.com/2025/04/04/windows-11s-start-menu-is-getting-a-big-redesign-without-recommended-feed/

Your mileage may vary.

Of course the Start Menu isn't the be all and end of launching stuff - desktop shortcuts and pinning things to the taskbar are still a thing.

Hear me out here but.... 

What if the OP has absolutely no chance of working with Win11 for work purposes? Some people out there don't work in an office setting. 

What if they just access the computer at home & want it set up how they want it set up because that's what they like, it's their preference. 

Just a wild suggestion. 

B0bbyEwing

Neil_Jones said:

forgotmyname said:

HillStreetBlues said:

MattMattMattUK said:

I am not sure anyone would want to make W11 more like W7, W7 was fairly awful. Use W11 as is.

The OP does 

Me also, but I got a step further and my desktop looks more like windows 98 than 7.  

I hate it when software changes for the sake of change, they move menu's and change layout and thena while
later someone decides it needs to be refreshed and some things change back to the way they were and others
just get rearranged again.

But everything changes, its called evolution and revolution.  If it didn't we'd still be writing on cave walls, wandering around naked hunting animals and wondering what the frig this round thing is.

The Windows equivalent is sticking with the way it looked in Windows 1.0, which was basically DOS with a WIMP interface on it (Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointers) or GUI interface:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-SuAaYDZIk

Realistically the biggest change in Windows was probably from Windows 3.1 to 95 when the Start Menu was first introduced.  And the purists hated that, but here we are 30 years later and now we can't live without it - in hindsight it was pretty much a fuss about nothing:

https://betanews.com/2020/08/24/windows-95-is-25-today/

Personally I thought Windows 7 was the best version of Windows they ever released.  It ran on practically anything.  Used to sell computers with 7 on them, and it ran beautifully on some single core processor that we bought wholesale cheaply (brand new I must add!) and only 1Gb of RAM on the mainboard.  Well it ran beautifully for that spec but that's what they wanted so that's what they got.

People go through the whole "I hate the new Windows" thing pretty much every other version.

Except that's not the windows equivalent. I'd say we're getting a bit out of hand trying to make irrelevant points. 

I've been with Windows since 95. Actually 3.11 but that was school so I don't count it. I know others of you will have been around much before even that. 

I know many like 98 & XP but my personal preference was Win7. So when I switched to W10 (very late) I made it look like Win7. 

Not Win98, not WinXP or any of those. Win7 as that was my preferred look. 

Maybe OP is similar. 

WIAWSNB

Tee-hee - thank you, everyone
I know, I know, I'll get used to it - and I have, on other folk's '11s'. 
To clarify some points - I don't need to be familiar with proper W11 on anyone else's PC, but can cope with it ok. Yes, I just don't like change.
I love the neat simplicity of the 'start' icon bottom-left, and a jump-up menu (that I can clad in beautiful brushed-metal surrounds if I wish) that contains everything I could wish; docs, pics, progs, My PC, settings. 
I set up my new PC last night, and plugged my phone in to transfer photos from it. 'Ding' - my Pixel was recognised. Whoosh - my phone's photos appeared. And... what do I do now? Ah, I can tick on each one to 'select' it - and, um, let's have a look see, uh - ah! 'Import'!
Soooo, it's 'imported', but where are they? No bludy idea.
Where did I finally find them? Under the 'files' folder which - guess what - is about the only thing that still looks like '7'. 
I'll check out 'Open Shell' and see if it's compatible.

As I said, I can cope. But I'll soon have the same task to carry out on mil's PC, and I'm fearful...

I'll have a good look through the suggestions made, and check them out.

Tbf, now that I have - for the first time in my life - managed to 'synch' my Mozilla, my new PC is nigh-on the same as the old one. I suspect I have been protesting too much :-(

IvanOpinion

Neil_Jones said:

forgotmyname said:

HillStreetBlues said:

MattMattMattUK said:

I am not sure anyone would want to make W11 more like W7, W7 was fairly awful. Use W11 as is.

The OP does 

Me also, but I got a step further and my desktop looks more like windows 98 than 7.  

I hate it when software changes for the sake of change, they move menu's and change layout and thena while
later someone decides it needs to be refreshed and some things change back to the way they were and others
just get rearranged again.

If it didn't we'd still be ... wandering around naked ...

Now that we have work from home, where do I sign up

forgotmyname

Neil_Jones said:

But everything changes, its called evolution and revolution.  If it didn't we'd still be writing on cave walls, wandering around naked hunting animals and wondering what the frig this round thing is.

Yes evolution,  connectivity has improved greatly over the years. I remember where devices were fussy about having the driver or
the software installed first and other devices didn't matter.  Connect it and it prompted you to install the driver/software.

These days  stuff mostly just works when you connect it.  But then you get change for the sake of change.

Cannot remember what the issue was but Firefox changed something and their reason was they want it that way even though
its WORSE!!!   I bet they are puzzled to this day why the number of users dropped dramatically after the changes.

B0bbyEwing

forgotmyname said:

Neil_Jones said:

But everything changes, its called evolution and revolution.  If it didn't we'd still be writing on cave walls, wandering around naked hunting animals and wondering what the frig this round thing is.

Yes evolution,  connectivity has improved greatly over the years. I remember where devices were fussy about having the driver or
the software installed first and other devices didn't matter.  Connect it and it prompted you to install the driver/software.

These days  stuff mostly just works when you connect it.  But then you get change for the sake of change.

Cannot remember what the issue was but Firefox changed something and their reason was they want it that way even though
its WORSE!!!   I bet they are puzzled to this day why the number of users dropped dramatically after the changes.

Wonder what it was because I've been with Firefox for about 20 years or so now. 

I have Chrome installed and use it for a few reasons. 
1) annoyingly some websites don't work as well with Firefox. It's not many but it does happen. 
2) Google accounts. Sure I can switch I suppose but I'm just signed in to one account with Firefox and another account through Chrome so when I need the chrome one then I just put up with chrome. For everything else I use Firefox because I just like it better. 

Neil_Jones

The Firefox thing was almost certainly the change to the way extensions worked in Firefox Quantum, v57 and later.  This broke a whole bunch of legacy extensions on Firefox, but bought it into line with the way extensions worked on other browsers.

forgotmyname

It was more the layout issue around the time they moved the search into the URL bar, the issues were overcome by
tweaking the flags but they later removed those and blocked them being added back. Caused a few headaches and
it pushed the need for the new software to be brough forward.

The firm was in the process of a major system overhaul and did away with Windows and external browsers. And as it
later came to light most of the staff in several smaller depots.

Some things are good and some seemingly change for no reason other than to make it look different even if different is worse.
I use Windows 11 in a VM and because it's only used 2 or 3 times a week I don't bother changing any settings. I very rarely
shut it down, just save to the current state.