"ALL PROGRAMS" menu too long

[Jerry Schwartz]

My All Programs menu has gotten so large that it doesn't show all of the
entries. In particular, those applications (such as MS Word) that insist on
sitting alone, rather than in a folder, aren't all showing. I can get to
them with the arrow keys, but it's a PITA. Is there any way to get the menu
to scroll, or wrap better?

--
Regards,

Jerry Schwartz
http://www.writebynight.com
e-card JerryS https://ecardfile.com/

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

Right click the Start Button and select Properties, Customize. Check Scroll programs (this is on the Advanced tab if you're using the new Start menu). Alternatively, re-arrange the sub folders of your All Programs folder to take up less space.

 

[T. Waters]

My All Programs menu has gotten so large that it doesn't show all of
the entries. In particular, those applications (such as MS Word) that
insist on sitting alone, rather than in a folder, aren't all showing.
I can get to them with the arrow keys, but it's a PITA. Is there any
way to get the menu to scroll, or wrap better?

You can turn off scrolling:
Right-click the Start button, select Properties.
On the Start Menu tab, select "Customize."
On the Advanced tab, scroll down the box almost to the bottom.
Uncheck "Scroll Programs."
Another enhancement you can add, if your Programs menu takes up too much of
the screen, is to rename any of the shortcuts to programs on the Programs
menu that have long names. Sometimes one long name causes the menu to be
very wide.

 

[Jason Haynes]

Right click start and select explore. Open the programs folder and create
folders and arrange shortcuts as desired. Then right click start and select
explore all. Arrange shortcuts for all users there.

 

[R. McCarty]

After not creating a default "Downloads" folder, this is second on
my list of Windows inefficiencies. Having to scroll through the list
and the affect of "Personalized Menus" makes accessing programs
difficult.

I still use the "Classic Theme" and disable all the GUI enhancements.

For frequently used programs, I'll put them onto the Quick Launch
Bar. For second-tier use programs, I put on the Classic Start Menu.
I also categorize all the remaining programs into just 5-7 main groups
in the All User top level folder.

This capability will probably vanish with Longhorn as I seem to
have read that "Classic Theme" won't be a part of the next Windows
or be supported with "Avalon".

Supposedly, the GUI in XP had a great deal of Usability testing. I
guess it was a trade off between being Easy or being Efficient.
Personally, I just don't care for the colors, effects and layout that the
default XP theme provides. I'll take performance over appearance.

 

[T. Waters]

Ditto.
And I have to ask, usability testing by whom? Beta testers?

 

[R. McCarty]

No, I remember reading an article on how Microsoft used PC
user focus groups and "Test Subjects" to monitor how they used
and worked within Windows.
The Downloads just mystifies me. I guess the Desktop is a easy
place for people to find what they've just downloaded. It's very
seldom I'll work on a Windows PC that the desktop doesn't have
at least 15-25 random items on it. One of the 1st things I'll do is
create a Downloads folder in the Root of the System drive and
run a download to set the pointer to that location.
Maybe Microsoft should come out with a new XP offering called
"XP High Performance - For Advanced Users & Gamers". A
version without Eye Candy and Customized for Speed.

 

[Jerry Schwartz]

I found the tip (renaming the extraordinarily long entries), thanks.

--
Regards,

Jerry Schwartz
http://www.writebynight.com
e-card JerryS https://ecardfile.com/

 

[T. Waters]

The "eye candy" aspect of Windows just kills me. The last place I need to
decorate is the operating system! I am trying to do something *via* the OS,
not be entertained by it. Remember the cars from the 1980's that talked?
Same deal.
In the book "Windows XP Inside Out," (MS Press), seven pages are devoted to
the "important " topic of customizing the Media Player's appearance. Yet the
sfc \scannow command is not mentioned once! The problem is so endemic with
MS. Remember "Bob?"