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To: Leaning Right; Spaceman61; cva66snipe
My question: Is there an option with the newer machines to make their desktop behave like an older one?

Yes indeed, as answered here many months ago (look for latest versions of the well-regarded software:

Like the the over 200 tweaks available in Ultimate Windows Tweaker 5 class="icon_svg-stroke" stroke="#666" stroke-width="1.5" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round">(quicker download here from Major Geeks) for Windows 11 from the Windows club (Windows 10 users should use Ultimate Windows Tweaker 4.8).

Add to this Right-Click Extender (add items to many right click menus),

Also, there are the many Winaero features of the Winaero Tweaker (but best to leave those dealing with color alone).

Plus Open Shell (click on Releases>Latest on middle right side) to replace the Windows 11 start menu (though in W/11 22H2 right clicking for properties in the start menu stopped working for me), and Explorer Patcher (look for Releases on the right here) that restores the Windows 11 taskbar to be exactly like Windows 10, and with it I use the Windows 7+ Taskbar Tweaker which provides more customization.

Resulting in these expansive quickly accessible layouts (composite image of desktop view in Windows 11: Start and Right-Click menus, default Device manager; task bar via Explorer Patcher. Thank God for such — to be used for good — and those who provide them):

Versus these examples of more limited, less compact, if scrollable, menus (and the sparsity of the Mint right click is not worth showing - Puppy is better) of Mint (equivalent start “Menu’ and ‘System Settings”)

But which is far better than the Windows 11 default Start menu

Even under “All apps:”

You can also turn off telemetry in Windows 10

Meanwhile T-Clock Redux works in W/10 far better than the default Windows clock, or any I have seen for Windows or Linux, but does not work for me in W/11 as yet.

Then there are free utilities such as AutoHotKey which does involve finding out some basic coding to create scripts which will do such things as remap (due to much typing and operations with stiff arthritic fingers) Caps Lock to ctrl+c, and Esc to ctrl+v ; NumLock to Esc and the middle mouse button to ctrl+x:

CapsLock::^c

(NumLock::Esc

Esc::^v

mbutton::^x

Also, I like more right click options on files, and even menu shortcuts:

And being able to quickly see and actually go the source of program executables in Windows via a right click on the menu icon, hit Properties and Open file location and go there.

Why? For one, because we should be able to. One of the first things I do in Windows is go to folder options and select Show hidden… and deselect Hide extensions… And I also sometimes want to edit something in the folder of programs.

Note that you can also create a Quick launch menu for your taskbar, either for a custom folders or the default Quick launch (buried in %UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch) . Right click on your taskbar and hit Toolbars and then New Toolbars and navigate you the folder of your choice,

You can also make and send folder or program shortcuts to the Send to folder (%UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo), whereby you can send files as images or documents (such as web pages) to be opened by these programs, which may be better than the default Open with or navigating dialogs.

To do so, click on the Send to folder in %UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\ and then place that shortcut in the folder itself. Then you can right click on program shortcuts such as to image viewers, editors, and send them to the Send to folder, and then if you want to open up an image or document in one of a program designed for it other than the default then you can right click on it and point to Send to and one of the programs you placed there for such.

.

I thank God for the tools we have, and those who create and improve and provide them. May they only be used for good, expressing God, the source of all that is Good.

37 posted on 05/16/2023 4:07:47 AM PDT by daniel1212 (Turn to the Lord Jesus as a damned+destitute sinner, trust Him who saves, be baptized + follow Him!)
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To: daniel1212

Thanks for all the info. Lot to go over there, it might take me more than one cup of coffee!


44 posted on 05/16/2023 7:56:14 AM PDT by Leaning Right (The steal is real.)
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To: daniel1212

Bless you.


62 posted on 05/17/2023 11:33:56 PM PDT by Salamander (Please visit my profile page help save my beloved dog's life. https://www.givesendgo.com/G2FUF)
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