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Lead Developer of Popular Windows Application Classic Shell Is Quitting

Posted by msmash on from the good-run dept.

WheezyJoe writes: Classic Shell is a free Windows application that for years has replaced Microsoft's Start Screen or Start Menu with a highly configurable, more familiar non-tile Start menu. Yesterday, the lead developer released what he said would be the last version of Classic Shell. Citing other interests and the frequency at which Microsoft releases updates to Windows 10, as well as lagging support for the Win32 programming model, the developer says that he won't work on the program anymore. The application's source code is available on SourceForge, so there is a chance others may come and fork the code to continue development. There are several alternatives available, some pay and some free (like Start10 and Start Is Back++), but Classic Shell has an exceptionally broad range of tweaks and customizability.

11 of 97 comments (clear)

  1. Hope someone picks it up by p51d007 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Only way I'll have Win10, is for classic shell putting it back to look like Windows 7

    1. Re:Hope someone picks it up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I hit the win key and start typing the name of the application I'm looking for.

      This is the retarded fuckery of Windows 8 & 10.

      The whole point of a GUI operating system (e.g. Windows) is NOT having to type the name of every program you want to run, like you did back in the days of MS-DOS.

      Nothing like going backward 25 years.

    2. Re:Hope someone picks it up by tlhIngan · · Score: 3, Insightful

      This is the retarded fuckery of Windows 8 & 10.

      The whole point of a GUI operating system (e.g. Windows) is NOT having to type the name of every program you want to run, like you did back in the days of MS-DOS.

      Nothing like going backward 25 years.

      No, it's good UI design.

      If you don't want to type the name of the program, you never have to. The start menu/whatever it is lets you find the application visually like you always could.

      But the search bar method lets you accelerate getting to the commonly used programs you use. For example, it's far quicker for me to hit Windows and type "calc" then Enter, than try to find Calculator by going to Start, All Programs, Accessories, Calculator. It's not much different in time - maybe one second by typing versus 2-3 using the menu, and maybe I only save a minute total every day, but it feels quicker that way.

      UI fuckery is forcing a person to use one way over all else. For example, the first Mac back in 1984 had a keyboard that lacked cursor keys. You were expected to use the mouse instead. That's awful. It's also bad if keyboard accelerators didn't exist - why do we use Ctrl/Command-Z/C/X/V for undo/copy/cut/paste? Why shouldn't we just use the Edit menu? Why not go File..Save instead of Ctrl/Command-S?

      Now, I don't do this with all programs - only the few that I use often enough that I learn their names. I wouldn't do it to start Word since I don't launch Word dozens of times a day.

  2. Re:Closed source since Windows 8.1 or 10. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    The source has been updated to the latest version which supports Windows 10 Creator's Update.

    It's still not a good reason to use a pile of shit like Windows 10.

  3. Is the author finally switching to OS/2 ?? by martiniturbide · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You are welcome, very welcome at OS2World. We need open source OS/2 developers !!! :)

  4. Well, that sucks ... by thomst · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I fully understand the guy's frustration.

    Every time M$ releases a new iteration of Win 10 - even a relatively minor one - it breaks Classic Shell. That has forced him to play a continuous game of whack-a-bug, to the detriment of adding and refining features.

    And practically no one (including me) has donated even small amounts of money to him for his effort.

    If I wasn't dependent on so many Line6 and Digitech patch editors - none of which run properly under Wine - I'd kick Redmond to the curb without a second thought ...

    --
    Check out my novel.
    1. Re:Well, that sucks ... by DidgetMaster · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Something tells me that if even a modest amount of money had come his way for his efforts, he would have put up with the hassle of keeping the software current. Money has a way of motivating lots of people to do things that they don't necessarily like (because it tends to let us buy things that we do like). It amazes me how many people want all their software for free and then complain when someone like this guy doesn't want to work for free anymore.

  5. Re:Diminished need by coastwalker · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Anyone with a lot of software and hardware benefited from the ability to organise program shortcuts into folders. I have dozens of camera software links associated with different cameras for example. It helps being able to keep the Cannon raw file converter separate from the Sony one and to group both sets of software in their own folders. Of course modern users only need facebook and a full frontal lobotomy so won't be needing customiseable start menus. I expect I will have to create folders of shortcuts to replace this functionality once the cretins at Microsoft break Classic Shell. It was great having a full featured graphical user interface in Windows whilst it lasted but times change and the era of the general purpose computer for the public is drawing to a close. You can fcuk off if you think I am going to use an App on a smartphone to edit video. Cretins.

    --
    Facts are history now plebs have politics for religion on social media.
  6. Ivo, we appreciate your work by frist · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This program has been the reason Win 8 and 10 are tolerable. Underneath they're decent OSs but that Metro monstrosity and the horrible "modern UI" is just garbage. I install classic shell on every PC I touch since Win 8 came out and I'm up and running. It's been a godsend.

    Thank you Ivo Beltchev for your work these many years.

    I just went and donated. I wonder how many Slashdot users also use Classic Shell. Maybe we could change Ivo's mind.

  7. Re:Diminished need by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    All the start menus beyond Windows 7 are garbage, and Windows 10 seems FAR worse than Windows 8.x ever was.

    Windows 10 kept the tile garbage, but now added Bing results that have a negative value to the default search results. I remember searching for the control panel once... The first result (which was helpfully titled "Control Panel") opened Edge (yuck), which opened the first hit from Bing (no...) which was a page that said to search for it in the menu by typing. Yeah, so fucking helpful! It seems like everything they do just removes further value with every new build...

    Metro/Modern/UWP/name-of-the-week appy apps remain crippled junk made for cretins that have no use for a computer.

  8. Hm... by xlsior · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Classic shell doesn't just restore the old style menus, in the process it also gets rid of all the dynamic built-in advertising and links to bundled junk like candy crush, xbox live, headline news, the windows store, etc. -- cheaply and quickly gets rid of a ton of clutter in a corporate environment.

    I'm sure that's the main reason that Microsoft will never restore the old style start menu on their own.