I like what you said about sticking closer to the basic Windows experience. Way back when I used to use a lot of custom stuff, for example, I loved Norton Desktop and used it to replace the Windows desktop. In the long run though, it's simpler to keep things clean and less complex.
I do have some favorite tweaks; the first thing I do with Windows is turn off "Hide extensions for known file types" and turn on "Show hidden files, folders, and drives".
Yup, that also makes it simple to set up new PCs -- and sync between desktops and laptops. Built-in things are also less likely to be buggy and broken. (I'm excited a native option for moving the taskbar may be returning to Windows 11 soon!)
Chris: you sound like my doppelganger...I don't do games, so no game machine. I have 2 ASUS Zenbook laptops; main one in my little corner of the bedroom (my 'man cave'?) and a 10 year old Zenbook in the living room for Chromecast (Ubuntu). I have a 32" Samsung TV as my 2nd monitor in the man cave.
8 months ago I got pissed off at MS and made the switch to Ubuntu Linux...I just love it. I have a single legacy app for Windows/Java that was written for me to manage my insulin injection locations (made a motorcycle racetrack around my torso, aptly called TORSO, cause I'm nuts for MotoGP), so I still need Win11!@! I installed Vmware Workstation, with a Win11 virtual machine just for this. But it also gives me a play ground for testing other OSes. Like Zorin...
I have an Alexa setup for lights and fans primarily, cause I like that I can just shout over my shoulder at her...works great.
I like your attitude and the content you provide (will you ever do a Linux column?). I just signed up to support you for a year. Keep up the great work.
I've used the horizontal task bar in Windows since Windows 95, and I still do today. I dual-boot Windows 11 25H2 Pro with Garuda Linux, an arch-based distribution that uses the KDE Plasma desktop, and I
keep KDE's menu bar horizontal and at the bottom too. Anything else would just feel wrong (muscle memory?). I prefer LibreOffice over Microsoft 365, and the only customizations I do in Windows is to limit the adds as much as possible. I use mega.nz as my cloud storage provider because their free plan provides 20GB as opposed to OneDrive's 5GB, they have true end to end encryption with the private key stored locally, on my computers and they don't incessantly badger me to use their backup service. I also keep an eye on my CPU's temperature, using a system tray icon, courtesy of CoreTemp a small app I found from https://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/ and, finally, I keep my computer's hardware clock set to UTC time with a registry hack so my GNU/Linux distribution of choice doesn't have to accommodate Windows. There's probably a lot more, but I don't remember most of them off the top of my head, but I do have notes on everything I need when/if I have to recover from some catastrophy or mistake I make during one of the many experiments I frequently engage in.
Chris, not a question, but a suggestion. My keyboard is a 101-key IBM Model M "clicky" keyboard. Excellent feedback when I hit the keys, both physical to my fingertips and aural. To me, any other keyboard pales beside the Model M. It has an old-style PS/2 connector, so I have a PS/2-to-USB adapter. (Some name-brand workstations still have PS/2 connectors.) Never any wear and tear or wearing out of keyboard caps, which are also removable for cleaning. The Model M on my tower computer here was manufactured in 1994. They do not wear out. I type far more slowly with other full-sized keyboards and my laptop.
If you want to try one, I have a stack in my garage. They normally sell for over $100 when you can find one. I can do better plus cost of shipping... Ben Myers
Chris, re: moving theTaskbar. It is happening. I was in Taskbar Settings this week, and out of nowhere were two options to move it to the right or left vertical. The settings were marked “(experimental )”. I moved the Taskbars to vertical on both of my monitors. I then wanted to change one back. I went back into Settings, and I could not find those options again.
I assure you I am not imagining this thing. My Taskbar is vertical just as in the Win 10 days. Someone at MSFT let something slip fora brief moment?
I like what you said about sticking closer to the basic Windows experience. Way back when I used to use a lot of custom stuff, for example, I loved Norton Desktop and used it to replace the Windows desktop. In the long run though, it's simpler to keep things clean and less complex.
I do have some favorite tweaks; the first thing I do with Windows is turn off "Hide extensions for known file types" and turn on "Show hidden files, folders, and drives".
Yup, that also makes it simple to set up new PCs -- and sync between desktops and laptops. Built-in things are also less likely to be buggy and broken. (I'm excited a native option for moving the taskbar may be returning to Windows 11 soon!)
Chris: you sound like my doppelganger...I don't do games, so no game machine. I have 2 ASUS Zenbook laptops; main one in my little corner of the bedroom (my 'man cave'?) and a 10 year old Zenbook in the living room for Chromecast (Ubuntu). I have a 32" Samsung TV as my 2nd monitor in the man cave.
8 months ago I got pissed off at MS and made the switch to Ubuntu Linux...I just love it. I have a single legacy app for Windows/Java that was written for me to manage my insulin injection locations (made a motorcycle racetrack around my torso, aptly called TORSO, cause I'm nuts for MotoGP), so I still need Win11!@! I installed Vmware Workstation, with a Win11 virtual machine just for this. But it also gives me a play ground for testing other OSes. Like Zorin...
I have an Alexa setup for lights and fans primarily, cause I like that I can just shout over my shoulder at her...works great.
I like your attitude and the content you provide (will you ever do a Linux column?). I just signed up to support you for a year. Keep up the great work.
Bruce Jamieson
Coquitlam BC Canada
Thank you, I really appreciate it! I used to write about Linux, and I'd love to write about Linux more -- that's for sure. I'm considering it!
They finally found out what you use out of everything you write about. 😃
I've used the horizontal task bar in Windows since Windows 95, and I still do today. I dual-boot Windows 11 25H2 Pro with Garuda Linux, an arch-based distribution that uses the KDE Plasma desktop, and I
keep KDE's menu bar horizontal and at the bottom too. Anything else would just feel wrong (muscle memory?). I prefer LibreOffice over Microsoft 365, and the only customizations I do in Windows is to limit the adds as much as possible. I use mega.nz as my cloud storage provider because their free plan provides 20GB as opposed to OneDrive's 5GB, they have true end to end encryption with the private key stored locally, on my computers and they don't incessantly badger me to use their backup service. I also keep an eye on my CPU's temperature, using a system tray icon, courtesy of CoreTemp a small app I found from https://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/ and, finally, I keep my computer's hardware clock set to UTC time with a registry hack so my GNU/Linux distribution of choice doesn't have to accommodate Windows. There's probably a lot more, but I don't remember most of them off the top of my head, but I do have notes on everything I need when/if I have to recover from some catastrophy or mistake I make during one of the many experiments I frequently engage in.
Ernie
Chris, not a question, but a suggestion. My keyboard is a 101-key IBM Model M "clicky" keyboard. Excellent feedback when I hit the keys, both physical to my fingertips and aural. To me, any other keyboard pales beside the Model M. It has an old-style PS/2 connector, so I have a PS/2-to-USB adapter. (Some name-brand workstations still have PS/2 connectors.) Never any wear and tear or wearing out of keyboard caps, which are also removable for cleaning. The Model M on my tower computer here was manufactured in 1994. They do not wear out. I type far more slowly with other full-sized keyboards and my laptop.
If you want to try one, I have a stack in my garage. They normally sell for over $100 when you can find one. I can do better plus cost of shipping... Ben Myers
Thanks for the reminder, Ben! I've known people who swear by them. I owned one when I was young. It may be somewhere in my childhood home right now!
Chris, re: moving theTaskbar. It is happening. I was in Taskbar Settings this week, and out of nowhere were two options to move it to the right or left vertical. The settings were marked “(experimental )”. I moved the Taskbars to vertical on both of my monitors. I then wanted to change one back. I went back into Settings, and I could not find those options again.
I assure you I am not imagining this thing. My Taskbar is vertical just as in the Win 10 days. Someone at MSFT let something slip fora brief moment?
Which version of Windows are you using, 24H2 or 25H2?
25H2
That's extremely surprising! I haven't heard of that feature even making it to Insider builds yet, but Microsoft does do A/B testing.
Options like that are available in tools like Start11 and ExplorerPatcher, however.
Chris,
It might actually be Start11 that is giving me that option. I did not know it was activated on my system. It is marked as an "experimental" feature.