Windows 10: Windows 9: Virtual desktops get a video tour

I'm real fan of small "Do one thing but do it good" programs. Those large ones, that promise everything but to cook lunch and wash windows and I don't use 10% of their possibilities just take space and are expensive. Only one like that I use is MS Office and even that' s only because of Publisher and because it was forced on me and payed by somebody else. I also like to have couple or more, small specialized programs of the same type for a bit varied conditions. If a program like that is also portable, even better. It adds up after awhile and collection of them get's updated if anything better comes up. Let's say that I have to clean up some pictures, I fire up a program just for that, don't need whole Corel Draw or Photoshop just for that. Have to cut up a video file ? there's program that does only that and another one to put the parts together, I use that one, don't need a multi GB program you need a university degree to use to do simple things like that. KISS is what I like. Some of those large, complicated programs is like using Queen Marry to cross a creek.

 

Very well put! I use Publisher 2007 because I really don't need all of the tools that the latest MS Office supplies and I have both a copy/key of it. For my Office needs I use Symphony 2009(IBM) and I love it. It just has the things I need. Word processor and a nice spread sheet tool. Just enough to get the things done that I want, all thriller and no filler!!

And I live by the KISS method. Simple and small is far better than huge and complex. IMO.. YMMV..
Jeff

 

MS Publisher is fantastic program, I'm using it since v 1.0 and now am on 2013 version, can replace Word and many other programs. Published many things with it, from simple fliers, restaurant menus, small and large catalogs, machine and other manuals and even few books and all of that without using Word or anything like that. Last versions can do PDF and since few versions ago even small internet sites. It's actually smaller, faster and simpler than anything else I have seen.

 

That is why I have "Category" folders in my Start Menu.

 

Categories which are completely arbitrary and grouped by what was programed in to programs itself, mostly full of stuf that didn't need to be there at all. For a while I used to make my own, TOOLS for instance, where I would put system and other tools like Ashampoo burning studio, HP Usb format etc. Than I had TESTING folder with test programs, MULTIMEDIA with players and sound and video programs etc. That's the kind of grouping I'm talking about and would like to see. Just the main program in the right group and easily visible with recognizable icon and it's name.

 

So do we.






Man that Start Menu is ugly!

 

Even that is on almost same lines, I pared it down to only essential programs in each category, for most used programs I use Start screen like this:



and this:



But all of that is still spread over too much. Pity that that screen can't be as customizable like main Start screen.

 

Most think that the Start Screen replaces the Start Menu. It does not. The Apps Screen does. How many clicks will it take him to reach his program?

I agree. It should be customizable. Perhaps in 9 or future OS it will be.

The Start Screen is your personal screen set up with your personal items of interest. At-a-glance info that the Start Menu simply doesn’t give you.

Here’s mine zoomed out to show customizable columns. It’s 4 screens long with a 19” monitor. I use Page Up/Down, Home/End keys, and then arrow keys to get to a tile. A simple three-inch roll (no button) of the mouse get me to the end. It all works well with keyboard and mouse. Anyone that says it's for touch only doesn't know beans.





Here’s my first screen with news tiles at the right, so when I’m there I briefly scan headlines. Email and calendar at left to glance, but I do get notifications.

 

Of course, I think I wold have more trouble using fingers on touch screen than I have with the mouse. Touch screen I would like for other purposes, like working with graphics etc.

 

It is! The All Program screen is exactly the same as the App Programs menu in Windows 7. You just go into the folder where the shortcuts are stored, and change the names, remove icons, create folders to your liking.. etc... Only limitation is no subfolder under the folders (only one level of folders), which is annoying, but I suppose hard to show in a flattened view like that.

 

So, it would be at: C: ProgramData /Microsoft /Windows /Start menu /Programs and than it's sub-folders with links in them. ?
A while ago I deleted unnecessary links and cleaned it up a lot but any changes I make to folder names do not reflect in All Apps and any new folder doesn't show up.

 

Deleting unnecessary items and hiding items is immediate, moving items and creating new folders needs an Explorer restart, renaming folders, (in Program Data), takes a reboot.
In AppData does not require admin privileges.

 

I did restart of course but no changes.

 

Hmmm...,

So..., just to confirm, if you do this in here:




you don't get this?:

 

Understand that Windows combines the links from Program Data with the links from your User profile as well. It may be that your user folder was overriding the system links.