The Old Joel on Software Forum: Part 4 (of 5)

Win XP vs Win2K

Hi,

When I had used Win2K, it by default would hide items in my start menu that I hadn't used in a while. Under XP this doesn't happen. Does anyone know if I can configure this to occur under XP, I though it was a cool way to hide programs that I don't use on a regular basis.

Kevin

Kevin Moore
Thursday, February 12, 2004

http://computing.net/ << This is a really good place to find help with that type of stuff.

michael sica (michaelsica.com)
Thursday, February 12, 2004

I do not have XP on hand right now....but there is an options in the configuration someplace called "Use Personalized Menus" which you have to check to get this behavior

Code Monkey
Thursday, February 12, 2004

http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/513/

Code Monkey
Thursday, February 12, 2004

Is there a way to permanently delete My Folders from EVERYWHERE within Win2k? No matter how often I try to delete them on the Exploring window, it would always pop up AND be the default folder to open, no matter where you used to be.

Man, I miss WinNT's way of doing things like this.

T.J.
Thursday, February 12, 2004

Kevin -
You and I are two of the few people who actually liked this feature. It's still there in Windows XP, but only if you switch to the "Classic" style Start menu.

I think if you switch to the "Classic" menu, this feature is on by default. Otherwise, you have to go into Properties, select the Customize button, and then enable the "Personalized Menus" option.

Zahid
Thursday, February 12, 2004

Just goes to show you that it takes all kinds.

It seems to me that making a UI element change in what it contains when you look at it is not the height of good design.

"Ok, I need to do X. Ok, I think it was in this menu--where'd it go? Oh yeah, that hiding thing. Ok, select the little, tiny arrows that are a small target (maybe missing the first time), wait, wait, and then look at the expanded menu, with its distracting embossed/notembossed look. Where's the menu item? Oh, must have been a different menu..."

But maybe it's just me. :) I can certainly see the opposing point that too many unused options may annoy people. The moral of the story is that you gotta test, and undoubtedly they did. I don't know what ensued; all I know is I hate 'em. But you, gentle reader, probably figured that out.

Rich
Friday, February 13, 2004

You get used to the hiding thing fairly quickly. I prefer the new Win XP start menu, and when I'm on an XP machine I'm always peeved to find my half-dozen most used programs don't show up automatically.

I didn't know I could get the self-hiding though. I may try it. I find it OK for the start menu where I have dozens of entries, but incredibly irritating for Office menus. Menu bars should allow you to see EVERYTHING that is there at a glance. It's part of the learning process.

Stephen Jones
Friday, February 13, 2004

I might like the hiding feature for home, but at work, I definitely do not like it.

Almost every software I have installed on my work machine will be used at least once a month.

So I turned off the auto-hiding. Plus the menu's autohiding was quickly disabled too -- you have no idea how much of a pain in the ass it is to find a stupid option in Microsoft Word.

T.J.
Friday, February 13, 2004

I think the auto-hiding in Office could have been a good idea...if they left it off for a month or two, and _then_ offered to turn it on after it had learned what you wanted to see. But somehow the great minds at Microsoft didn't think of this. *sigh*

Kyralessa
Friday, February 13, 2004

Or do what I do and add an "other" folder and put all rarely used program shortcuts there.

AEB
Friday, February 13, 2004