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Microsoft Releases Windows 10 Build 18290 With Start Menu Improvements (betanews.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the new-and-improved dept.

DarkRookie2 shares a report a report about Windows 10 Build 18290 for Insiders, which comes with a number of improvements and additions. BetaNews reports: The most noticeable change is to the Start menu which gets a touch of Fluent design, making it look more attractive. Icons have also been added to the power and user menus. The Search and Cortana areas have been given a bit of a cleanup as well. Also new in this build is an option in the Date & Time Settings that will let you manually synchronize your clock with the time server. If you suspect your PC clock might be showing the wrong time, this will let you check and correct the problem if you're right. You can now also check to see which app is using your microphone (just hover over the microphone icon to see), and when your PC has an update that requires a reboot, you'll now be informed via an orange Windows Update indicator in the system tray.

23 of 205 comments (clear)

  1. Call me when they roll it back by Shaitan · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The start menu has gotten worse and worse with each release and peaked somewhere around XP pro. 7 was the last functional one.

    1. Re:Call me when they roll it back by reboot246 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Yes, "improving" the Start menu on Windows 10 really is putting lipstick on a pig.

    2. Re:Call me when they roll it back by grimthaw · · Score: 3, Informative

      Besides having a weird time delay (experienced on many systems) where the OS doesn't pick up the first couple of letters in the password field, start menu, etc. So you have to 'wait' for it to catch up after pressing alt-ctrl-del when logging in, pressing start to search, and all number of actions that should be quick and thoughtless...

      It also has a search that doesn't work as good as windows 7s. Someone it has gone backwards. Want to quickly get Notepad++?

      Press start button (on keyboard) and type note... wait it didnt pick up the n, so its got 'ote'.. it worked out you wanted "Notepad" and every file indexed on the system with 'ote' in it, but no other application on the system with the string 'ote'. NotePad++ is picked up with 'ote', and Windows 7 doesnt have a stupid delay after pressing hotkeys.

    3. Re:Call me when they roll it back by PsychoSlashDot · · Score: 4, Interesting

      7 was the last functional one.

      So you never learned how to use the Start menu in Win8/Win10. Got it. Works just fine for me, but I learned how to use it to the fullest.

      Bullshit. Press the Windows button, then type "cmd". Don't be slow about it. Type it like you know what you're doing. Doesn't always find it. Try the same search for "Windows Update". Doesn't always find it. Repeat with pretty much anything that's installed on your computer. Doesn't always find it.

      Sure, it'll search the web to make suggestions, but actual programs that are local, on the actual "Start Menu"... not consistently.

      Again, sure, if you. Type. It. Slow. Ly. Be. Cause. You. Do. N't. Know. Wha. T. You. 're. Do. Ing. It. Works.

      Screw off, system-wide search. Screw off, Cortana. I'll just keep a command prompt open at all times and memorize all the MMCs, CPLs. Hell, with tab-completion I can get into c:\progra~1\micros~1\office ##\winword.exe faster than it can be searched on the Start Menu.

      --
      "Oh no... he found the .sig setting."
    4. Re:Call me when they roll it back by sexconker · · Score: 3, Interesting

      90% of the time it can't do a simple search.

      For example, I'm remotely connected to a box that brings up only web searches and unrelated store apps for:

      D
      De
      Dev
      Devi
      Devic
      Device
      Devices
      Devices
      Devices a
      Devices an
      Devices and
      Devices and
      Devices and P
      Devices and Pr
      Devices and Pri
      Devices and Prin
      Devices and Print
      Devices and Printe
      Devices and Printer

      But returns the expected result for:
      Devices and Printers

      This same box will list Adobe Acrobat DC as a tile when I open the start menu, if I'm lucky fo rit to be chosen. But if I open it and it's not chosen, or if I open it and start typing Adobe Acrobat DC, it will not be shown.

      And I've encountered the "Start menu won't open; programs won't run; reinstall, bitch." bug on fresh, clean installs plenty of fucking times.

      Windows 10 is shit.

    5. Re:Call me when they roll it back by sexconker · · Score: 5, Funny

      Besides having a weird time delay (experienced on many systems) where the OS doesn't pick up the first couple of letters in the password field, start menu, etc. So you have to 'wait' for it to catch up after pressing alt-ctrl-del when logging in, pressing start to search, and all number of actions that should be quick and thoughtless...

      You have to wait for the "telemetry" service to wake up sometimes.

    6. Re:Call me when they roll it back by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The start menu has gotten worse and worse with each release and peaked somewhere around XP pro. 7 was the last functional one.

      IMNSHO, the Start menu peaked at Windows 2000. It was basic, utilitarian, and functional. RIP WIN2K.

    7. Re:Call me when they roll it back by hudsucker · · Score: 5, Insightful

      For one thing, the Windows 10 Start Menu doesn't allow for program subfolders.

      For example, if you had something like a "Microsoft Office" group, containing the key applications at the top level, but the lesser used utilities in a subfolder "Microsoft Office Tools", all of that nice structure is gone. It just throws all of the program icons into the single folder allowed per application.

      Microsoft's answer is, apparently, to redesign the application so it doesn't use the Start Menu for program links. But what happens when you have an application that was designed for Windows 7, which has a perfectly functional Start menu, that supports subfolders? It is just a horrid mess.

      And what possible reason is there for this limitation? Oh yeah: it is because Windows 8 was designed for tablets, not computers, hence the whole "metro" interface. For some reason Microsoft didn't bother to fix the Metro-emphasis in Windows 10, so we're stuck with limitations that make no sense.

    8. Re:Call me when they roll it back by WhoBeDaPlaya · · Score: 3, Informative

      As someone who actually organizes and extensively uses keyboard shortcuts with the Start Menu, this writeup hits home : http://www.classicshell.net/wh...

    9. Re:Call me when they roll it back by Tyger-ZA · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Classic Shell still working for me, Win10. Developer may not be able to keep up with MS constantly trying to defeat it. If not, now may be the time to give up on Windows completely and learn how to Linux. Damn. Damn it all to hell! I miss the old days of computing of freeware...

      There's been enough shit going on with operating systems that I'm now thinking about signing up on Patreon for the first time to support Linux Mint. The only OS that still works the way I like.

      I guess Microsoft's plan for an OS subscription is actually happening for me, the only difference being that their efforts are making me want to ensure that a viable alternative remains alive and well

    10. Re:Call me when they roll it back by AbRASiON · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Yes it's quite broken.

      I love how I install a new App, let's call it Chromulus I dunno
      I click start, type Chro - up comes Chrome browser and then Chromulus is underneath, I open it.
      5 minutes later, I hit start, type "Chro" only Chrome comes up, wtf?

      A day later, I try again, it's there.
      A day later, it isn't

      This is literally an installed Application in the start menu with a traditional .LNK file which should be indexed and god damn prioritised first in search results.

      NO, I do NOT want to search the web for Chro.

      This has occurred enough time over enough apps on enough installs of Windows 10, that I'm with you 10,000% - that search menu is terrible and worse of all, is sloppy inconsistent code
      Broken is ok - I'm ok with broken. Inconsistent is the true sign of poor work to me.

      That start menu is truly a mess.

    11. Re:Call me when they roll it back by AmiMoJo · · Score: 4, Informative

      My experience of Windows 10 has mostly been blighted my the forced restarts, until I found out how to turn them off.

      For reference go to %windir%\System32\Tasks\Microsoft\Windows\UpdateOrchestrator, rename the "Restart" file and create a folder called "Restart" so that Windows can't re-create it.

      Other than that it's okay. Multiple desktops are nice, although it resets the order of items on the task bar whenever you switch. It's janky crap like that which never gets fixed that erodes what little faith I had in Microsoft after Windows 7 was actually kinda good.

      The start menu is still a crap way to organize apps.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    12. Re: Call me when they roll it back by Voyager529 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      the telemetry *should not be in there*. It is slowing things down and invading my privacy.

      The alternative to telemetry is Microsoft ceasing to maintain features on which you rely and subsequently removing them because Microsoft can't tell that you or anyone else relies on them.

      So, you're arguing that Microsoft would have kept Windows Media Center for all the people like me using it as a DVR if only telemetry was enabled?
      You're arguing that Microsoft would have kept the Windows Photo Viewer instead of forcing the appy-app version if only telemetry was enabled?
      You're arguing that Microsoft would have kept Paint and Solitaire instead of forcing the appy-app version if only telemetry was enabled?
      You're arguing that Microsoft would have let me keep my Synaptics control panel applet rather than forcing the generic 'Settings' touchpad config area that is missing half the functions I need if only telemetry was enabled?
      You're arguing that Microsoft would have kept Aero themes if only telemetry was enabled?

      You're arguing that Microsoft is going to stop auto-downloading appy-apps because they can see I uninstall as many as I can if telemetry is enabled?
      You're arguing that Microsoft is going to make all the OOBE options opt-in if enough people disable them all anyway if telemetry is enabled?
      You're arguing that Microsoft is going to leave Acrobat Pro as the default PDF reader if enough people undo its switching back to Edge if telemetry is enabled?
      You're arguing that Microsoft is going to stop nagging Chrome users to use Edge instead if telemetry is enabled?
      You're arguing that Microsoft is going to stop advertising OneDrive in File Explorer by default if telemetry is enabled?

      Forgive my skepticism.

    13. Re:Call me when they roll it back by Voyager529 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The start menu is still a crap way to organize apps.

      They tried to get rid of it, but that went over so well with the users.

      Functionally the current start menu isn't really better or worse than in the past, only different...

      Amongst the things that the Win7 start menu did well was to give a number of options. Preferred applications can be pinned, the entries can be searched, and the complete index can be browsed if needed.

      The single biggest issue with the newer iterations of the start menu is the lack of information density. 48 entries per column, and six columns, fit on a 1920x1080 screen. That's nearly 300 entries before a scroll mechanism would be required. The Win8 start menu could fit 48 entries on the same screen size...but for what? I'm not touching my screen, and I'm not sitting ten feet away that I need the large type, and there's no way to increase that density. There is zero improvement to be had from the tile paradigm. Even live tiles with their whole "at a glance" defense means that tiles don't look the same when you're looking at them. If a dashboard was something worth pursuing, then developing widgets and the sidebar was really what MS needed to do.

      Moving on from sheer information density, admittedly not the most intuitive means of doing so, but a whole lot of the common control panel applets are two clicks away. Network connections, system information, drive mapping, and printer adding were all very simple to access. Perhaps there's a case to be made for right clicking the start menu to get to several of them, but the appy-app Settings options are still not at 100% feature parity from the Control Panel, even ignoring third party entries like nVidia or M-Audio or Rane.

      Finally, let's talk about search. There's no cue to enter text; I cannot count how many times I've been on a support call when I've been like "just type...I know it doesn't look like you can, but trust me, you can...just type...I promise it will work...JUST. TYPE." The search bar in the taskbar is dumb because it takes up space for running program entries. But anyway, the biggest issue is that searching for applications means the machine also searches the file system for things, and Bing for internet searches. Sorry, zero defense on that one, either. Bing searches on the start menu? That make application searches take longer?

      There is not a single change to the Win10 start menu that is an objective improvement over Classic Shell. Not once has anyone been able to say "this function is better". If you like it, and I mean this 100% sincerely, I am happy for you. I simply haven't been able to share in your affinity for the changes.

  2. So, let me get this straight... by IWantMoreSpamPlease · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The latest patch fucks up your data, messes with dark theme, wipes out god only knows what else....and their solution is to make some icons shiny?

    Do I have that right?

    --
    So rise up, all ye lost ones, as one, we'll claw the clouds.
    1. Re:So, let me get this straight... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Not only that, Edge currently breaks the network filesystem, system wide. Windows really has dropped below the usability threshold. Upload a file from a network drive to a website from Edge, and Edge locks that folder view across the entire system until all Edge instances exit. Windows explorer will show files that are not there anymore, update the files on the network share from another machine on the network and the Win10/Edge machine can only see the files that were when it uploaded a file. That's shamefully broken. After this, I can trust nothing Win10 does.

      Just today I reinstalled a laptop for a client that had their user profile data and files wiped because windows and hp silently dropped support for the HP Validity fingerprint scanner. If a user is using the fingerprint scanner for login and you remove the driver their profile gets wiped, login user files, the works. So windows update in the October update ever so helpfully decided to silently remove the driver. Poof! Your login and files are gone! Isn't that so much better now? Microsoft: "I'm helping!".

  3. Re:Hell's teeth by Luckyo · · Score: 3

    It's easier to do than try to address more serious problems.

    Also it doesn't impact MS' bottom line.

  4. Busted RDP client by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    First thing I noticed this morning (after the surprise restart) is the the RDP client was "improved" - Old version had been removed, when I clicked on it the new one downloaded.

    All settings and ~ 200 saved sessions gone.

    No actual improvement (actually removed functionality)- just so they could throw some lipstick onto the thing.

  5. Fluent but Ugly by mcswell · · Score: 3, Funny

    "...the Start menu which gets a touch of Fluent design, making it look *less* attractive."

    There, fixed it for you.

  6. Re:windows 7 had a start menu by northerner · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I wish Microsoft had supported and accommodated Classic Shell rather than break it with every new Windows 10 release.

  7. Classic Shell by toejam13 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Call me when they include a classic shell option. I absolutely hate the new Windows 10 start menu. Yes, there is a third party utility that can provide such a menu, but the author has complained about how each new version of Windows makes it increasingly difficult to keep the utility functional.

    1. Re:Classic Shell by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      It's funny because it took a *long* time to get that good. Classic shell is basically the culmination of years of UI design work to get the best balance of function & display, ie: the "layered window manager" with grippable frames and typically some persistent panel/dock. Intuitive, grandma can use it, etc, etc.

      They threw it all away because the restless idiot hipsters they hire would rather play interior decorator instead of doing real work like making their OS stable and reliable.

  8. Change != Improvement by schwit1 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    If MS really wanted to improve windows 10 they would start by moving PC Settings back to Control Panel. And don't install so many services and apps until the user starts them for the first time.