Microsoft "Destroyed Development Culture" at FASA Studio, Jordan Weisman dishes the dirt Options

[Stahlseele]

Oh man, I hate the Start Menu in Vista. That's the first thing I change on every computer I have to work on.

Jump into the Start menu. Go to Control Panels, and pop it over to Classic View. Now go in Task Bar and Start Menu.
In the Task Bar tab, make sure Quick Launch is enabled - it should be enabled by default, and mine currently displays Show Desktop, IE, and Outlook - none of which disappear if I minimize the windows, so it's possible your install is doing crazy wacky shit.

Now go to the Start Menu tab. Change the radio button to Classic Start Menu. Presto, you're running a Win2K start menu, thank god. You may also want to click Customize, scroll to the bottom, and uncheck Use Personalized Menus, which is a goddamn plague on usability. I do not need programs hidden just cus I haven't used them in 2 days.

Yeah, but that does not work with 7 . .

[Adarael]

It should. I'm pretty sure that's how I disabled it on my other machine.

I'll check when I next have the chance. Sound good?

Edit: Okay, I'm wrong. You used to be able to do that, but the newer builds have locked that out. Shows what I get for not updating. Damn, that sucks.

[Stahlseele]

Yeah, the Beta and RC were basically just a bit buffed up Vista.
RTM is something else entirely <.< . . This is production Model.
They had to do SOMETHING to make it different enough to users.
Else they would go:"Why should i buy this? It's still the same!"
I do so hope that someone will be able to unlock this again . . . .

[tarbrush]

i miss my little button to show desktop,

That's now the tiny little rectangle in the bottom right of your screen next to your clock.

Bizzarre placement and horribly signposted, I know, but at least it still exists.

[Wounded Ronin]

Wait, so now there's no "classic mode" for Win 7?

[Stahlseele]

Nope, no classic ANYTHING . . You can make the Window Style and Colours ook like 2000, but the complete haptics are fucked up beyond any repair right now.
Until somebody figures out a way to unlock the classic style <.<

[Chrysalis]

Apparently they have disabled the classic mode of windows 7. They have a free installation software to make windows 7 run in classic mode and there is this:

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-7/m...ows-xp-or-vista

[Stahlseele]

If the yonly disabled it and did not delete it, someone will find a way to enable it again. I hope. ^^

[TBRMInsanity]

This is why I like Linux. If I really don't like the way my desktop looks and runs, then I have FULL control to change it to EXACTLY the way I want it. Too bad Linux is a "cancer" according to Balmer.

[Adarael]

If Linux ran the things I want it to run - it already runs the things I *need* it to run - it would be much more compelling. Stupid games.

Well. Everything I need it to except CS4. Stupid Adobe.

[Adam]

You know, a company isn't "stupid" just because they don't do something that is convenient for you. With the exception of telephone tech support people, everyone I've ever dealt with at Adobe is classy, friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful.

[Adarael]

Adam, let me ask you a question. Given that I use adobe products daily, ALL DAY, and that I'm generally posessed of a wry sense of humor when I do show humor on Dumpshock, do you think I'm actually calling them stupid? Or perhaps that I was just being silly, given that I also said "stupid games."
The statement should be read in a Homer Simpson voice, because it's just me being petulant I can't eat my cake and have it too.

Seriously, I didn't think it would be that hard to tell I was being ridiculous.

[Adarael]

Stupid double post. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[TBRMInsanity]

If Linux ran the things I want it to run - it already runs the things I *need* it to run - it would be much more compelling. Stupid games.

Well. Everything I need it to except CS4. Stupid Adobe.

While not quite up to the standards of commercial games on Windows, I do find the following games are additively fun:
Ubuntu Gamers Arena

[Adam]

Adam, let me ask you a question. Given that I use adobe products daily, ALL DAY,

A fact which I was not aware of.

and that I'm generally posessed of a wry sense of humor when I do show humor on Dumpshock, do you think I'm actually calling them stupid? Or perhaps that I was just being silly, given that I also said "stupid games."

[...]

Seriously, I didn't think it would be that hard to tell I was being ridiculous.

Sorry, totally didn't think that was your tone at all, and, well, I just don't find that type of name-calling funny, at all.

Even though Adobe does things that drive me mad [working on a blog post right now about how the CS4 Updater leaves a bunch of extra files on your hard drive in OS X ...] that doesn't mean that the individuals that work there are stupid, or that the company as a whole is -- and if I want those people to take me seriously and treat me well, I have to afford them the same respect.

[Adarael]

Sorry for not making it clearer - I had assumed it was implied given that I said linux could run all the programs I *need* to have, except CS.

Differences in humor, I suppose.

[Adam]

Yeah, if you work all day in CS, that's a pretty big gap for an operating system to miss out on. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Wounded Ronin]

For the love of all that is good and holy, what is Microsoft's problem? They already failed, with all their power, to force Vista onto the world as a whole, and now they think it's so important that Windows 7 doesn't look like XP that they disabled "classic mode"? They'd rather increase the probability that someone doesn't use Windows 7 because of the interface?

It's also how all the newest Office products are trying to force you to use the "ribbon" and have it be Vista-style. It's just petty and asinine and I have to wonder if the people making decisions at Microsoft are just moronic control freaks with no grasp on reality.

[Adarael]

I actually like the Ribbon, wierdly.

My guess as to why they want you to use the new interface is this: their UI and UX teams firmly believe that their research indicates that you will be better off using that interface. And by golly, they're gonna MAKE you use it.

Because that's pretty much how Xbox-land and Office-land make their decisions, and as far as I can tell, that's how it happens across the board, for good or ill.