Why do people ignore the Start Menu?

[Pop`]

My darkest fears have been confirmed. So much for the high-tech
society facade!

Brad

Not true; most users are simply following the example set by MS, good, bad
or indifferent.

 

[Pop`]

.... What do the homes of these users look like?

Toys and junk all over the floor?

Brad


(sense of humor, please)

Well Brad, it could be said that, that's what makes a house a home, too.
Like your question, it's all a matter of degree and preferences.

 

[RA]

The "logical explaination" is, "Because they can."

Exactly.

 

[DanS]

(e-mail address removed) wrote in @m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com:

Can someone explain why they don't use the Start Menu for program
shortcuts? Why dump icons all over your Desktop when it cuts off their
names and forces you to minimize running apps? It also covers up
wallpaper photos.

I can see putting a handful of icons on the Desktop, but not a whole
%#@! hard-drive's worth. At work, how many people regularly use more
than 4 or 5 programs, and how many monitors have 30 to 50 icons all
over the screen? I don't get it. Just stick the rarely-used ones in the
Start Menu. That way you'll be able to read their full names when you
try to remember what they're for. You can also put them in handy
categories.

I'd like a logical explanation for the general shunning of the Start
Menu. It's been around since Win95 but many crowded Desktops still
resemble the Win 3.x era. What do the homes of these users look like?
Toys and junk all over the floor?

Brad


(sense of humor, please)

Hey Brad, I can't believe some of the tones of the responses either !!!!

Lighten up people !!!!

I agree with the first poster (I believe it was the first) that people
just don't know they can modify the start menu, or how to put new
shortcuts there, or even how to clean it up thru explorer.

Since almost every install puts an icon on the dektop, it's easier for
people to just use those. Add to that, that they can never find the Start
Menu entries anyway, because they've installed sooooo much that there are
pages of items in the start menu. Item of things un-installed too. Also,
the way install packages add to the Start Menu it's several levels deep
just to find anything, usually preceded by a software publishers name
first, then programs under that. Who remember's the software's
publisher's name ?

I share the same opinion as you, very few icons on the desktop. People
will spend hours finding full screen wallpapers they like, then set it,
and it's covered with icons anyway, what's the point.

You might actually like my windows shell replacement. The desktop is
completely clean, nothing on the desktop...no icons and no taskbar. The
Start Menu, is a custom menu that pops up with a middle click, wherever
the mouse is, over any program. You never have to move anywhere to get to
the menu, it's always at the cursor and only one middle click away. There
is a taskswapper and system tray as well right there too. It DOES NOT
NEED TO BE SET AS THE SHELL EITHER. You can just run it on top of
explorer.

You can check it out: http://users.adelphia.net/~thisnthat/ddt_v.0.0.3.0
_beta.zip

This is NOT the latest version, and DOES NOT set itself as the shell by
default. There is a very light manual in the zip file if you want to at
least look at that.

My e-mail you see is valid, after removing all .'s, except for the one of
the double's at the end.

Regads,

DanS

 

[bac6567]

Hey Brad, I can't believe some of the tones of the responses either !!!!

Lighten up people !!!!

I agree with the first poster (I believe it was the first) that people
just don't know they can modify the start menu, or how to put new
shortcuts there, or even how to clean it up thru explorer.

That's what I've always suspected. I've even known high-level engineers
who do it. People seem to be very good at one or two things and
mediocre about the rest. ;-] We live in an "I don't have time to learn
THAT" society.

Since almost every install puts an icon on the dektop, it's easier for
people to just use those. Add to that, that they can never find the Start
Menu entries anyway, because they've installed sooooo much that there are
pages of items in the start menu. Item of things un-installed too. Also,
the way install packages add to the Start Menu it's several levels deep
just to find anything, usually preceded by a software publishers name
first, then programs under that. Who remember's the software's
publisher's name ?

I share the same opinion as you, very few icons on the desktop. People
will spend hours finding full screen wallpapers they like, then set it,
and it's covered with icons anyway, what's the point.

Yes, why crowd out a nice photo of Mt. Rainier with 50 icons, of which
only 10 get used more than once. It's like covering a card table with
every deck you own.

You might actually like my windows shell replacement. The desktop is
completely clean, nothing on the desktop...no icons and no taskbar. The
Start Menu, is a custom menu that pops up with a middle click, wherever
the mouse is, over any program. You never have to move anywhere to get to
the menu, it's always at the cursor and only one middle click away. There
is a taskswapper and system tray as well right there too. It DOES NOT
NEED TO BE SET AS THE SHELL EITHER. You can just run it on top of
explorer.

You can check it out: http://users.adelphia.net/~thisnthat/ddt_v.0.0.3.0
_beta.zip

That sounds almost eerily efficient and I will try it. But there is
utility in having at least one folder on the Desktop you can drag stuff
to. When I'm not installing things, I have only the Recycle Bin, My
Documents and sometimes a "temp" folder. My wallpapers tend to be
scenic vistas so I can pretend I'm not really at work, or at home.

Brad

 

[bac6567]

LOL - You're incredibly ______ (fill in the blank)

I was going to write something, but decided not to waste my time on you.

But for the global warming, yes, it's an issue more complicated than your
simple mind could possibly comprehend. In fact, it's us who are living in
the developed countries screwed it up first, and thus, should carry more
responsibilities than those who are still struggling for foods on their
dinner tables. It never occurred to you, right?

Clean Desktop = simple mind? This is getting off-topic, but what makes
you think I don't agree with you on that point? I never even brought up
that angle. At least you don't seem to be an poorly-advised "skeptic"
so let's call it a day.

You can misuse and misinterpret my words as much as you want to, but you're
the only moron here, and it's self-evident.

Get over yourself, already. Cluttered Desktops speak of a peculiar
laziness and/or ignorance that puzzles me. I don't really care THAT
much - I just wanted to learn why.

Brad

 

[bac6567]

I don't even display my desktop; how's that? Nothing there but the task
bar. Start Menu's empty, too.

A completely non-functional machine - that's a new twist!

Brad

 

[bac6567]

But for the global warming, yes, it's an issue more complicated than your
simple mind could possibly comprehend. In fact, it's us who are living in
the developed countries screwed it up first, and thus, should carry more
responsibilities than those who are still struggling for foods on their
dinner tables. It never occurred to you, right?

Clean Desktop = simple mind? This is getting off-topic, but what makes
you think I don't agree with you on that point? I never even brought up
that angle. At least you don't seem to be a poorly-advised "skeptic" so
let's call it a day. Critical thinking is my main deal.

You can misuse and misinterpret my words as much as you want to, but you're
the only moron here, and it's self-evident.

Get over yourself, already. Cluttered Desktops speak of a peculiar
laziness and/or ignorance that puzzles me. I don't really care THAT
much - I just wanted to learn why.

Brad

 

[xfile]

Hi Brad,

Critical thinking is a good thing and you should be complimented for that.

But my points are:

(1) people are not always doing things based on logical reasons - it took me
many years to learn and appreciate this, and

(2) without a well-planned and well-conducted research, it’d be too easy to
become a “generalization” which then leads to prejudices and biases.

People have given you some answers here, but please bear in mind, those are
only possibilities.

Good luck!

 

[bac6567]

: DandyDon wrote:
:
: > 1. It takes less time-load desktop-click icon vs load desktop-click
Start
: > Menu-scroll down start menu-click icon.
:
: Not if you have a bunch of apps already running and have to
: minimize-all to get to your Desktop. *That's what I really don't
: understand.*
: Brad

Well, Brad.............. You said it. Apparently you *don't understand*
that you can put a "Show Desktop" icon in the Quick Launch Bar and get to
the desktop with only one click, even with "a bunch of apps already
running."

I've been doing that for ages. It's still an extra step, plus
double-clicking a Desktop icon (3 clicks vs. 2 "my" way). That's why
they invented the Start Menu in the first place. It was supposed to be
an improvement over Win3.x - and it is if you give it a chance. I like
reading full shortcut titles, also. Lots of other subtle reasons for
it.

I suppose my number one reason is that I like looking at unfettered
wallpaper. I wouldn't put sticky notes all over a living room window..

Brad

 

[bac6567]

1. Right-click anywhere on the Task Bar and "Show the Desktop"

See my previous post. That takes an extra click (3 vs. 2 w/Start-Menu)
unless you set Desktop icons to open with a single click, which can be
impractical for several reasons.

2. Turn on the Desktop toolbar in the Task Bar and have instant access to
any Desktop icon whenever you want no matter how many apps are running.

A lot of people mention that, but if you're going to have a "fly-open"
menu of everything on the Desktop, why not just put it all in the Start
Menu to begin with? Isn't that the whole point of the Start Menu?

3. Why are you obsessing about how other people manage their lives?

It's not an obsession, just another of life's curiosities; like why
people throw trash on the floor of their car when it would take so
little effort to throw it in a pouch. It just creates more work later.

"I don't get people." (Grissom, from C.S.I. episode)

Brad