Going commando (a.k.a. no more Explorer Patcher)

cbiweb · Jun 18, 2023

Well I did it, I've uninstalled EP and I'm learning to live with the default Win11 interface. I'll seriously miss Quick Launch and the ability to set up endless toolbars, but living in trepidation of the day when EP suddenly no longer works is too much to handle, lol.
So I set up folders and shortcuts on the start menu, and am learning to work that way. It's doable, and I pinned my most-used apps on the taskbar, so when all is said and done, my workflow is crippled but not down for the count.

Labels on taskbar pins and turn off grouping are coming back, though, so maybe... just maybe in a brighter future... Microsoft will bring back Quick Launch & toolbars. Before I die. haha.

Edwin · Jun 18, 2023

StartAllBack?

QTTabBar?

Wynona · Jun 18, 2023

cbiweb said:
Well I did it, I've uninstalled EP and I'm learning to live with the default Win11 interface. I'll seriously miss Quick Launch and the ability to set up endless toolbars, but living in trepidation of the day when EP suddenly no longer works is too much to handle, lol.
So I set up folders and shortcuts on the start menu, and am learning to work that way. It's doable, and I pinned my most-used apps on the taskbar, so when all is said and done, my workflow is crippled but not down for the count.

Labels on taskbar pins and turn off grouping are coming back, though, so maybe... just maybe in a brighter future... Microsoft will bring back Quick Launch & toolbars. Before I die. haha.

I decided early on that I'd learn to live with Windows 10's new tools and I don't regret it one bit. When Windows 11 hit, I did try EP for a short while, but found that for me it was more trouble than it was worth.

I'm not one of the "Windows Purists" by any stretch of the imagination, but learning Windows from the ground up has paid off for me.

Which is not to say that I would refuse to use a third party app; if it does it better than what comes with Windows, then I'm gonna use it.

IOW, I don't use Edge or Bing; instead I use Firefox and Duck Duck Go . . . and a few others.

Bree · Jun 26, 2023

Wynona said:
I decided early on that I'd learn to live with Windows 10's new tools and I don't regret it one bit....

I never understood the compulsion to make each new version of Windows look like the previous one (with the exception of Windows 8, I just avoided that one :wink:

).

When I upgraded from Win7 to Win10 I learned to live with the Start menu and customise it to my needs (only using the options provided by MS). I did the same when I got Win11.

It's probably no coincidence that I've never had any failed Cumulative Updates or Feature Updates on any of my machines, not for any version of Win10, nor for Win11.

TraderGary · Jun 26, 2023

Bree said:
I never understood the compulsion to make each new version of Windows look like the previous one (with the exception of Windows 8, I just avoided that one ).

When I upgraded from Win7 to Win10 I learned to live with the Start menu and customise it to my needs (only using the options provided by MS). I did the same when I got Win11.

It's probably no coincidence that I've never had any failed Cumulative Updates or Feature Updates on any of my machines, not for any version of Win10, nor for Win11.

All of the above except that I had an original Microsoft Surface Pro that came with Windows 8. I used Windows 8 and had no problems with it as all the apps I use still worked the same way and I spend most of my time in my apps and not in playing with the operating system. Of course it was upgraded to 8.1 when that came along and then it was replaced with a new Windows 10 computer as soon as 10 was introduced.

I've never had a problem adapting to the latest Windows and actually enjoy learning new things. And I definitely agree with your last sentence, "It's probably no coincidence that I've never had any failed Cumulative Updates or Feature Updates on any of my machines, not for any version of Win10, nor for Win11." :hug:

glasskuter · Jun 26, 2023

I've been commando since the beginning. You might be interested in my post #2 in this thread. One can simulate the old QuickLaunch to handle taskbar overflow. You can see my screenshot there to see what I'm referring to and decide if you're interested in trying it. You can add shortcuts to anything in this folder, apps, files, folders, websites.

Show more pinned taskbar items

Does anyone know how to get this to work for pinned taskbar items in Windows 11? The number of pinned/open apps shrinks to some default number no matter what I try so more recently pinned items disappear upon reboot. This is everything I have pinned/open right now but even if this number of...

www.elevenforum.com

Wynona · Jun 26, 2023

Bree said:
It's probably no coincidence that I've never had any failed Cumulative Updates or Feature Updates on any of my machines, not for any version of Win10, nor for Win11.

I agree. I did have problems with Windows 10 update once, but everyone had the same problem.

But for the most part, everything works as it should.