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Flip Flopping between macOS and Windows
- Thread starter LiE_
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Start11 from Stardock Software is my go-to for making the Start Menu useful again. (ironically, my wife is fine with the Windows 11 Start menu, but I absolutely hate it).
This is my Windows 11 Start Menu with Start11:
There are actually a few useful utilities from Stardock that I use (so I actually purchased Object Desktop): Multiplicity, Groupy, and Fences are the others that I have on my machine (also used to use Deskscapes, but that one had a nasty memory leak problem, so I uninstalled it).
Damn that's pretty. You're an evil bastard, making me want to spend more money this soon after Christmas!
Only thing that I kind of don't like (but only kind of) is that they've gone full tempered glass for the right-side panel like everyone else. I get that that's what sells for enthusiasts (so I can't blame them), but I'm klutzy as **** and I just know I'm going to wind up shattering the thing the first time I go to install an upgrade. So I've tried to look for cases that are mostly metal (the HAF 932 has some glass on the right-side panel at the top, but it is only a small window - most of the side panel is taken up by a big freaking' fan).
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The W11 start menu is not that awful, once you have pinned/unpinned the apps to your needs.
But the W11 settings menu really sucks.
Many settings just disappeared or are hidden behind several levels (e.g. audio mixer) some really got weird (mouse settings, keyboard)
Why changing working stuff that was OK for everybody to something completely confusing?
Just because Apple began with that stupidity first?
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See and I find that the new settings app makes more sense - I just wish Microsoft wasn't so half-assed about moving stuff in there (though I also know that there is a lot of legacy stuff they have to keep from breaking). It was a bit confusing at first, but especially if you're searching for a specific setting, I find it easier to find what I'm looking for.
You just have to type what you're looking for in the search bar.
You have to do the same thing in macOS too as they seem to move things around with every version and they keep adding things.
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I wish that choosing between OSes these days didn’t feel like picking the least bad option.
Started researching into a build using the NCASE M2. Just a hypothetical for now.. Briefly curbed the idea asking my self what's 5 games I really want to play on PC right now and not having an answer. Been playing more PoE2 on PS5 and missing the mouse for targeting abilities and more keys. Justifying the idea, while I may not always have a game I want to play, it's there when I do want to. I'm happy to use either OS not attached to one, but will need to change from iCloud/Photos/Notes.
Do I regret selling my previous build, a little, but it would not drive 4K120 well for the monitor I'm wanting. Do I regret getting the Air, no it's a really nice computer, I just miss PC gaming.
NCASE M2 Grater
M2 VGPU Kit 90D
Angled 15mm Feet
Sapphire AMD GPU ?
ASUS Nvidia GPU ?
ASUS ROG Strix B850-I
G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo DDR5-6000 C30 64GB
G.Skill Trident DDR5-6000 C26 ?
Samsung 990 Pro 2TB
ASUS ROG Loki 1000W
NZXT Kraken Elite 280mm Black ?
Arctic Liquid Freezer III 280mm ?
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 Mini ?
Noctua NH-D12L ?
ASUS ROG Swift PG27UCDM
Do I regret selling my previous build, a little, but it would not drive 4K120 well for the monitor I'm wanting. Do I regret getting the Air, no it's a really nice computer, I just miss PC gaming.
NCASE M2 Grater
M2 VGPU Kit 90D
Angled 15mm Feet
- GPU compatibility 359x148mm 4 slot or 359x175mm 4 slot in vertical config.
- NZXT Kraken Elite 280.
- Side radiator bracket with 120mm fans with adapters, horizontal GPU, front SFX-L PSU.
- Top panel radiator, vertical GPU with kit, front SFX-L PSU.
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 280.
- Side radiator bracket, horizontal GPU, side SFX PSU.
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 Mini.
- Horizontal GPU, front PSU up to ATX.
Sapphire AMD GPU ?
ASUS Nvidia GPU ?
ASUS ROG Strix B850-I
G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo DDR5-6000 C30 64GB
G.Skill Trident DDR5-6000 C26 ?
Samsung 990 Pro 2TB
ASUS ROG Loki 1000W
NZXT Kraken Elite 280mm Black ?
Arctic Liquid Freezer III 280mm ?
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 Mini ?
Noctua NH-D12L ?
ASUS ROG Swift PG27UCDM
I don’t understand people’s obsession with hating the windows start menu. I literally hit the windows key, type the first couple letters of the program, and hit enter. In fact, it’s actually faster than using Spotlight in macOS because I just have to hit windows key and not Cmd+spacebar
And you were able to do that with the Windows 10 Start menu as well (and I think Windows 8 as well, though it's now been long enough that I don't remember).
The difference is that previous versions of the Start menu (really, dating back to the original Windows 95 Start menu) also allowed you to organize your most-used apps into a logical menu that you could just open and click the app you want without having to do anything else. The Windows 11 Start menu neutered that capability pretty severely without really adding any useful functionality in return. I would actually rate the Windows 8 Start menu as better than the Windows 11 one, because even in Windows 8, you had the ability to do some level of custom organization. Not really the case with Win 11.
I prefer the old style Windows 2000/XP start menu style and therefore use OpenShell (former ClassicShell).
It supports classic, two columns and Windows 7 style start menus with full customization.
[edit] Runs on Windows 10 + 11!
[edit2] I only use the start menu, not the explorer extension.
[edit3] Warning!
Open-Shell is not compatible with Windows for ARM. If you install it on a Windows for ARM installation (ex. using Parallels Desktop on an Apple Silicon Mac), you will no longer be able to log into your account the next time you reboot. Please refrain from installing Open-Shell on Windows for ARM.
It supports classic, two columns and Windows 7 style start menus with full customization.
[edit] Runs on Windows 10 + 11!
[edit2] I only use the start menu, not the explorer extension.
[edit3] Warning!
Open-Shell is not compatible with Windows for ARM. If you install it on a Windows for ARM installation (ex. using Parallels Desktop on an Apple Silicon Mac), you will no longer be able to log into your account the next time you reboot. Please refrain from installing Open-Shell on Windows for ARM.
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That’s hilarious. First thing I install on my windows machines is powertoys so I can get the same thingie when I hit CMD + SPACE BAR
Actually I hit alt spacebar and win key alone (I use a windows keyboard for both Mac and Win—a Keychron K15 Pro set up for Win)
Does anyone know if it's possible to still have the taskbar "use small icons" and no grouping, like this?
I've always preferred this to the dock-style of grouping everything into one big icon. This way I can go directly to any application window.
I've always preferred this to the dock-style of grouping everything into one big icon. This way I can go directly to any application window.
So, the holy graal is to run Windows on a Retina Mac.
Which, by the way, is crisper than MacOS.
That isn't direct -- I have to mouseover and wait or click on the icon first, then find the window and click that.
With my setup I can just click on the windows directly on the taskbar, as each one has its own spot (that doesn't change). I don't want a thumbnail as that makes it even more messy.
If I just worked with one window per app it wouldn't matter but when some apps have 5+ windows, I need to be able to move through them quickly and without thought.
There's no longer a "use small icons" option that I can see, however there is still the ability to show windows separately on the task bar:
The setting for that can be reached by doing the following.
1) Right click on the task bar and select Taskbar Settings:
2) Expand the section that says "Taskbar behaviors":
3) Then finally, set the "Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels" setting to either "Never" or "When Taskbar is full":
How to Make Your Taskbar Larger or Smaller on Windows 11
Experiment with the taskbar sizes Microsoft doesn't want you to see!
www.howtogeek.com
Not sure if this still works/plays nicely. When I used before the time/date got a little cut off, but otherwise had a smaller taskbar.
I have settled on a pretty nice combination that seems to work well for me. I really don't like the direction that Microsoft has taken windows. I LOVE the hardware vendors and their creativity--not too mention RAM and SSD pricing, but I can't stand the OS and its overall direction. And it isn't just AI. It started when they fired all their quality control staff like a decade ago.
At this point I am probably going to get my wife a Studio or maybe even a Mini (professional photographer) and switch her from her custom AMD PC when it dies.
So, M4 Mac mini (16/512) for everything but remoting into work and gaming), Acer Predator Helios Neo 16" 17-13700HX RTX 4060 32/2TB (for remoting into work and gaming), M1 1Pad Pro 12.9", iPhone 15 Plus.
The baby monitor on the left is a $60 cheapy off Amazon - I'll upgrade eventually, I have a KVM to switch between my mini and laptop, and the main monitor is an Acer Predator XB273K 27" 4k Gaming Monitor (160Hz).
At this point I am probably going to get my wife a Studio or maybe even a Mini (professional photographer) and switch her from her custom AMD PC when it dies.
So, M4 Mac mini (16/512) for everything but remoting into work and gaming), Acer Predator Helios Neo 16" 17-13700HX RTX 4060 32/2TB (for remoting into work and gaming), M1 1Pad Pro 12.9", iPhone 15 Plus.
The baby monitor on the left is a $60 cheapy off Amazon - I'll upgrade eventually, I have a KVM to switch between my mini and laptop, and the main monitor is an Acer Predator XB273K 27" 4k Gaming Monitor (160Hz).
