Start Menu to change (again)?

MS looks to categorize your apps in tiles on "All Apps" Screen

Saturday, August 17, 2024 by DrJBHL | Discussion: Personal Computing

Why don't they leave well enough alone?

Answer: They can't. So, thank heavens there's a Stardock and a Start11. 

So, MS wants the turn the programs on the start menu into tiles in the "All Apps" view...o.k. MS also wants to categorize your apps to help you. Thanks but no thanks. It seems their definition of similar apps differs from what you might want. Again o.k. as long as you can modify that. Also, the program names are missing.

This is being tested in the latest beta version (Build 22635.4010) (Insider Program), but isn't turned on by default. That might very well mean it hasn't been finalized just yet...I hope, but the new layout could be available as part of the Windows 11 24H2 Update that is reportedly releasing this Fall.

Take a look at the article on gHacks. I assembled a combo view of the current start menu and the proposed one from the pics on gHacks.

 

pelaird
Reply #1 Saturday, August 17, 2024 7:12 AM

And there's also the Grid option. This is reminiscent of the Windows 8 Start menu.

DrJBHL
Reply #2 Saturday, August 17, 2024 8:31 AM

From the article:

"In my opinion, the Category view sort of looks like the home screen on a mobile device. In fact, this is exactly what the iOS App library looks like."

So, should we blame Apple...or, as Will said in "Good Will Hunting", "You like apples? I got her number! How do you like those apples?"

 

pelaird
Reply #3 Saturday, August 17, 2024 8:38 AM

DrJBHL

this is exactly what the iOS App library looks like.

That was my first thought when I saw the "Category" option. As you said, thank God for Start11. I have my fingers crossed that MS doesn't do something to screw that up!

PhoenixRising1
Reply #4 Sunday, August 18, 2024 2:51 AM

I wouldn't call Windows 11's start menu "well enough"

But, of course you also can't fix a start menu that looks and functions too much like a phone menu by making it even more into a phone menu.

DrJBHL
Reply #5 Sunday, August 18, 2024 3:00 AM

PhoenixRising1

I wouldn't call Windows 11's start menu "well enough"

But, of course you also can't fix a start menu that looks and functions too much like a phone menu by making it even more into a phone menu.

I agree...I was using an expression to convey 'don't louse it up even more'...but then, that's what MS is sooo good at, no?

PhoenixRising1
Reply #6 Sunday, August 18, 2024 3:36 AM

DrJBHL

that's what MS is sooo good at, no?

Depends. Windows 10 got the start menu right when they took the windows 8 start menu and made it look less like a phone menu and more like a traditional start menu. I think this is basically what Windows 11 should do.

Pretty much this is what start 11 does in many ways.

DrJBHL
Reply #7 Sunday, August 18, 2024 4:06 AM

PhoenixRising1

Pretty much this is what start 11 does in many ways.

The reason so many people like the app.

As pelaird wrote, "I have my fingers crossed that MS doesn't do something to screw that up!"

c242
Reply #8 Sunday, August 18, 2024 7:50 AM

PhoenixRising1
Pretty much this is what start 11 does in many ways.


And still most people here only use it to switch back to windows 7 startmenu-style. And this will remain 'til the end of days unless WindowBlinds finally is able to skin other menu-styles and skinners using that. 

 

PhoenixRising1
Reply #9 Sunday, August 18, 2024 2:01 PM


And still most people here only use it to switch back to windows 7 startmenu-style. And this will remain 'til the end of days unless WindowBlinds finally is able to skin other menu-styles and skinners using that. 

This is very true in the skinning community. But, I think for productivity start 11's windows 10 / 11 style has it beat. It would be nice if we didn't have to choose between the two in this way though.

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