Rick Charnes wrote:
> I know it's almost 2 years since Win95 was released, but even after a
> year of almost daily use I'm still trying to get used to it and I hope
> someone can offer words of wisdom: I still prefer the Win3.x way of
> finding and then launching programs from pretty icons in group windows
> in Program Manager rather than, as we do now, with multiple layers of
> pure text menus (Start | Programs | many submenus, etc.) I don't like
> the length of time it takes to wade through these submenus, and I
> particularly don't like the excessive hand/mouse activity it involves.
> I especially don't like not having a Program Manager which I can easily
> Alt-Tab to in order to get to these icons.
> I know I can minimize my open apps to get to my desktop icons, and I
> know there's Power Toys which will allow you to access your desktop via
> a text menu, and I know there are other workarounds for this issue.
> What I don't understand is why the developers felt that this new way is
> an advantage. Can someone please help me see this?
Rick:
You can use Program Manager instead of Windows 95 explorer and start
menu's if you want. However, I think you are missing some of the
features built into Windows 95. First, you can have a very program
manager like feel right in Windows 95, without the limitations of the
Program Manager. At the time Windows 95 came out in beta, my Windows
3.11 machine was maxed out. I could no longer add program manager
groups, or program icons. To install a new program, I had to delete some
of my old program icons, and then add the new ones I wanted. Plus, I had
to continuosly switch between Program Manager, and File Manager.
Windows 95 places both of these on your desktop for you. Personally, I
lie the organization that the start button gives you. Sure, it takes a
little getting used to, but once you understand how it works, and get
your hand eye coordination down, it is much faster, and more intuitive
than the old Program Manager. I store my program in the start menu by
groups. Each of these groups may have a sub group. To get to the item I
want, I just start at my general idea, and work to the more specific.
With tons of programs to wade through, this sure makes my lfe easier.
Next, use the desktop! Here at work, we have a network. The network
drives are backed up for us on a daily basis. The only thing we keep on
our local machines is raw installed software. That is, we do not store
documents on our machines (with one exception which I'll get to in a
minute). If my machine blew up tomorrow, I would loose less than a day's
work, and I would only have to re-install the software I use off the
CD's. The CD's the software came on is my backup.
Well, I said there was an exception. The exception is the stuff I am
working on. I drag them right onto my dekstop. I think of it as my desk
here at work. When I work on something, I take the file and put it on my
desk until I am through working on it. I organize these into folders. I
do not even need Program Manager or Explorer to access these documents.
Windows 95 knows what program is used to access that document and will
load it for me. I just double click on the document itself. This is a
document driven style. Instead of trying to find the right tool for the
job, you try to find the job itself, and let Windows 95 find the tool
for you.
Last, as I said above, you can create a very Program Manager like
desktop write in Windows 95. Create a folder on your desktop, and label
it "Program Manager". Open that folder, and create folders for each of
the groups that used to be in your Program Manager. Within these
folders, create shortcuts for each of the programs in you Program
Manager groups. You can re-name them how you like. You can put links
(shortcuts) to documents, programs, directories, net drives, etc. Now
you have a Windows 95 like Program Manager. Want to create this even
faster? Just copy the Start menu's "Programs" folder from your profile
directory onto your desktop.
Hope this helps...
--
Chuck England '''''''
CEngl...@Mindspring.Com |-O-O-|
Microsoft MVP | c |
Amateur Radio: N4SYZ \ - /
Compuserve: 71732, 3005 ---
