That's a little better

[johnridley]

I got fed up and found the spot in Windows 7 to turn off all of the damn animations-the stuff where windows "zoom" up and down instead of just appearing, all the glass window crap, a bunch of other stuff like that. It looks kind of like I'm using an actual operating system again. I did a little work on the taskbar yesterday, it's looking better too.

I'm not really happy with Windows Explorer, that's going to get some work soon too and see what I can do about making that make some kind of sense, hiding the useless crap and bringing up actual useful tools.

What would be perfect would be a Windows 2000 skin, but apparently they've done their best to make that impossible.

Functionally, Windows 7 is a very nice OS, but I really don't like all the window dressing and dancing clowns they've added to it.

EDIT - bonus, I just found how to shut off all the rounded edges on windows and glowy buttons and misshapen system buttons in the upper right corner.

Comments

[qnofhrt.livejournal.com]

Please do tell how you got rid of the zoom-y windows and other dancing clowns. They drive me nuts.

[johnridley.livejournal.com]

Control Panel - System - Advanced System Settings - Performance/Settings

Start unchecking stuff, click apply, see what it does. Here are the highlights:

Animate controls and elements inside windows
- this shuts off the goofy movies that they play when copying files, and other such wastes of resources.

Animate windows when minimizing and maximizing
- this shuts off the zoomy windows - Honestly, this is the one thing that I HAD to shut off, it was driving me absolutely bonkers.

Animations in the taskbar and start menu
- don't know, but I'm sure it's useless.

Use visual styles on windows and buttons
- turning this off shuts off a TON of stuff - you get proper square windows and buttons instead of fisher-price, it turns off the "frosted glass" window frame, disables the "aero peek" stuff on the taskbar (preview of windows when you hover over their icons in the taskbar), the windows-tab tilted selection, and probably other stuff. I actually am not sure whether I like this on or off.

Windows 7

[jvanhare.livejournal.com]

Good luck with it, me, I am looking forward to Ubuntu 9.10 to be released in 10 days!

Re: Windows 7

[johnridley.livejournal.com]

I use Linux exclusively at work, and have used Linux since Slackware 0.x releases on floppy. It's great as a server, but it just doesn't work for me for the desktop. I've tried many times to switch my desktop to Linux but it never works out. There are several things which I just can't find reasonable apps under Linux, even using WINE.

I can't even count the number of hours I've spent trying to work through dependency trees, hand installing libraries that are required by some app that isn't in the package manager, manually building, finding that I need to update my kernel, etc. I've had enough. If people like doing that kind of thing, more power to 'em. I just want apps to run, that's what computers are for.

Bottom line is that I don't give a damn what OS I'm running, as long as it allows me to get my work done. Windows does, Linux does not.

Re: Windows 7

[jvanhare.livejournal.com]

I hear ya brother, I have spent hours compiling programs under older versions of linux, slackware, and trying to resolve conflicts and library dependencies. Ubuntu just adds the depencies to the download list when you add new software. They have changed the way new software installs, to some sort of a software center type concept. I hope it works as well as 9,04 did at installing new software. Slackware was the coolest/most troublesome if I recall. I like the Ubuntu philosophy, and it is based on Debian, which means lots of apps. I went to Ubuntu precisely for the reasons you described, i.e." I spent 16 hours, but by God I got minesweeper to run" It just works. I have Ubuntu 9.04 Netbook remix on a Dell mini 9 and it works great, and also on a desktop and my old Dell B130 notebook. Rather than dump old systems, I tend to turn them into my linux box, every time Microsoft upgrades their OS and Office, it seems like something I own becomes obsolete. This notebook is running Vista, which has a thick cream cheese feel to it. I hear Windows 7 is more like whole milk, maybe you can turn it into skim milk when you remove all that fat, animations, zooming windows, etc. I am pretty sure I will be buying Windows 7 at some point. I can't wait for all the security/bug fixes, and finding my system awake after a reboot after it installed all the fixes for me. "Crap, wished I had saved my calender updates"

Re: Windows 7

[johnridley.livejournal.com]

I've been on Ubuntu for desktop experimentation for the last 2 or 3 years. Still doesn't do it for me. The software just isn't there. Sure, I can replace Photoshop with Gimp, except that Gimp isn't Photoshop, it isn't even close unless you're using maybe 1/50th of Photoshop. I haven't found any good, full featured non-linear video editors that have a nice range of predefined menus, transitions, titles, etc, and support my HD camcorders formats. I haven't found a replacement for TMPGEnc's MPEG editor. That latter runs under WINE, but only sorta. Dialog boxes are so wonky you just have to know what they are asking, because you can't read them.

And the Ubuntu dependency tree manager only works if you have a package that is IN a repository. I'm often looking for things that aren't.

I never loaded Vista, I wouldn't touch it with a 12 foot cattle prod. So far, Windows 7 is working quite well, I just had to turn off a few of the more irritating animations. I do wish I could get a sensible start menu back again.

I don't run MS Office at all, OpenOffice does everything I need there. Actually I do run Outlook because it's required at work.

Re: Windows 7

[jvanhare.livejournal.com]

I use Open Office too, but we did get the Office installs when Deb needed it for school, and got a discount, when she was doing her BSN.
Vista came pre-installed on this notebook, and it works. It came from Dell Outlet, a refurb, I am cheap, LOL I think we paid $359 for it...
I figure let Dell fix it right, like it should have been when it first shipped, and I will buy it after it has passed the more stringent quality control testing for the refurbs :p Better product for less!
As for Browser/Email, I am a Firefox/Thunderbird guy, regardless of platform.

Re: Windows 7

[johnridley.livejournal.com]

I've been on Ubuntu for desktop experimentation for the last 2 or 3 years. Still doesn't do it for me. The software just isn't there. Sure, I can replace Photoshop with Gimp, except that Gimp isn't Photoshop, it isn't even close unless you're using maybe 1/50th of Photoshop. I haven't found any good, full featured non-linear video editors that have a nice range of predefined menus, transitions, titles, etc, and support my HD camcorders formats. I haven't found a replacement for TMPGEnc's MPEG editor. That latter runs under WINE, but only sorta. Dialog boxes are so wonky you just have to know what they are asking, because you can't read them.

And the Ubuntu dependency tree manager only works if you have a package that is IN a repository. I'm often looking for things that aren't.

I never loaded Vista, I wouldn't touch it with a 12 foot cattle prod. So far, Windows 7 is working quite well, I just had to turn off a few of the more irritating animations. I do wish I could get a sensible start menu back again.

I don't run MS Office at all, OpenOffice does everything I need there. Actually I do run Outlook because it's required at work.