How to transform Windows 11 into 10

mackie · Mar 14, 2023

Ghot said:
While I do agree that change for a mutually acceptable reason, isn't bad, we have been being herded towards a phone/tablet OS since Windows 8. There's NO good reason why we can't have a desktop OS and a phone/tablet OS, or an OS that has both "options".

And there's absolutely NO good reason to "force" people into either option exclusively.

Hello Ghot,

That would bring it closer to what my Linux Mint OS is like with its different desktop options (Cinnamon, MATE, Xfce, etc). I go with Cinnamon here.

But that would be a nice offering by MS since most people (at least the ones I know) do not consider their OS as a major priority in their lives. They just want their apps to work when they need them and to maneuver in and out of them with minimal surprises.

Ghot · Mar 14, 2023

CountMike said:
No, it was developers that didn't want to work within Microsoft's conditions.

Yes. But no one wanted to buy one, when they could get one with ALL the android apps. ^^

CountMike · Mar 14, 2023

Ghot said:
Yes. But no one wanted to buy one, when they could get one with ALL the android apps. ^^

Android was at starting point too back then and quite awkward and wanted to be like iPhone. I couldn't afford an IPhone and hated Android.

Ghot · Mar 14, 2023

CountMike said:
Android was at starting point too back then and quite awkward and wanted to be like iPhone. I couldn't afford an IPhone and hated Android.

Hey... I hated ALL the smart phones back then.
I'm "still" using an old flip phone. But I'm "contemplating" a smart phone this year.

CountMike · Mar 14, 2023

Ghot said:
Hey... I hated ALL the smart phones back then.
I'm "still" using an old flip phone. But I'm "contemplating" a smart phone this year.

Can0t blame you, "Phone" in a smart phone seem like just an added feature to a camera. GPS and maps with occasional game thrown in.

Hazel123 · Mar 14, 2023

cereberus said:
Isn't it funny - when Vista came out, many people wanted pc to look like XP, Windows 7 to look like Vista (or XP), W8 to look like W7, W10 (mostly to look like W7, some like W8 (I do not like round corners - practically an oxymoron)), W11 to look like W10 etc.

Do people not see a sort of pattern - some people just seem to refuse to accept change.

How many posts do we see of tools that emulate older versions that keep inconveniently breaking as W11 gets updates?

In the end, is it worth it?

I think people enjoy the "good" versions. Windows 7 was very very popular and people didn't like the change to Windows 8 (big generalisation I know). Windows 10 was better. Some people wanted it to look like Windows 7. People got used to it and adapted it to be less advertising like. And then it was like a slightly faster version of 7 and acceptable. Wanting things to look like XP is just nostalgia! XP was simple, yes, but a pain at times!

So to me I think it's just people want something simple and straightforward like Windows 7! 10 was acceptable - just. Windows 11 has gone quite a step further. There isn't so much familiarity of basic tasks left any more. Simplicity and basic tasks is good for productivity.

mackie · Mar 14, 2023

Whenever I go into places of business, I like to look at what OS is on their terminals when they are within view. I was at a busy hospital recently, and it was W 10 on some screens, others had their apps on. The same in another public office that deals with lots of people daily. I haven't seen W 11 on any terminals yet. But their apps that provide the tool for dealing with their daily grind is the principal workhorse in these places. How they would have time to learn the nuances of a new, totally chnged OS, is beyond me..... other than learing how to do simple things like close, restart, etc. There just are not enough hours in the day for busy people who have to keep the business side of life going. For people not working and on a different life lane, they have the time if they are inclined to learn.

Ghot · Mar 14, 2023

Most of the business comps I've seen are still running Windows 7. ^^

Hazel123 · Mar 14, 2023

Ghot said:
Hey... I hated ALL the smart phones back then.
I'm "still" using an old flip phone. But I'm "contemplating" a smart phone this year.

View attachment 55203

We were still using our Nokia bar phones until about 5 years ago. Loved mine. In the end only got a smartphone because stepson had one and we had no idea what he was doing with it, so thought we'd better get up to speed! I didn't like the idea but we went for the "cheapest" iphone (the SE 1st generation) which was about half to a third of the price of all the others - it was a good deal! It was too popular so they stopped making a cheap one! At that time, they were seen as easy to use for newbies and didn't crash like android phones (people were going back to candybar phones from android I seem to remember). Loved mine and got hooked. But - they;re an addiction!

CountMike · Mar 14, 2023

mackie said:
Whenever I go into places of business, I like to look at what OS is on their terminals when they are within view. I was at a busy hospital recently, and it was W 10 on some screens, others had their apps on. The same in another public office that deals with lots of people daily. I haven't seen W 11 on any terminals yet. But their apps that provide the tool for dealing with their daily grind is the principal workhorse in these places. How they would have time to learn the nuances of a new, totally chnged OS, is beyond me..... other than learing how to do simple things like close, restart, etc. There just are not enough hours in the day for busy people who have to keep the business side of life going. For people not working and on a different life lane, they have the time if they are inclined to learn.

Places like that mostly run SW in Kiosk mode, all dictated by server, which OS doesn't matter to them nor they are allowed to do anything to it. Eventually just start allowed application and that's it.

Hazel123 · Mar 14, 2023

Interesting thought though - the "cheap" Iphone SE 1st generation came out around the time of Windows phones - maybe a marketing strategy there to make the Windows phones go bust. A relative had a Windows phone before we had smartphones and couldn't get on with it - it was hard to understand and not that intuitive. And the tiles had a mind of their own.

spapakons · Mar 14, 2023

Back in topic... hocus pocus... (or Abra Cadabra as we say in Greek)

To make Windows 11 look like 10 (if you prefer 10 or don't want your boss find out you secretly upgraded to 11) you use Explorer Patcher. There are options to make the start button, start menu, File Explorer and many other features look exactly like Windows 10 or 8. You may also use other utilities to replace Windows 11 system icons with those of 10 or earlier versions, read below.

To get the start button and start menu of Windows 7 there are many utilities, I prefer Open Shell. I have kept the familiar Windows 7 Windows ord from a Windows 7 skin, so I have the original Windows 7 start button as well.

To get the Windows Vista and 7 desktop gadgets (I hate that I need an MS account to use modern Widgets), use 8gadgetpack.

To get the old desktop calculator (I don't like the modern calculator app), classic Windows games, classic Sticky Notes and others, visit Winaero website.

To replace all the (better than 10 but not as good as 7/8) system icons with those of 10 or earlier, use Customizer God. For some .dll files you also need Resource Hacker, as Customizer God cannot modify those. The system files containing the icons are batmeter.dll (power and battery icons), imageres.dll (almost all system icons), pnidui.dll (network icons), SndVolSSO.dll (audio icons). stobject.dll (USB eject icon), basebrd.dll & shellbrd.dll (Windows logo in Windows version and System Info). To customize the power/network/audio icons you must first ungroup them using Explorer Patcher

To get the nice blue color (or whatever color you like) in Explorer windows instead of the dull gray, use Mica for Everyone and set color to default and backdrop type to None (if you choose Mica it will blur)

To install Windows XP Plus! and Plus! DME, run the installer with Windows XP SP3 compatibility enabled and as Administrator. This will allow you to get all the wallpapers, screensavers and games. To install Windows 98 Plus! rename the installer and run as Administrator.

For more details read the respective threads in Customization section with my posts.

Ghot · Mar 14, 2023

Hazel123 said:
We were still using our Nokia bar phones until about 5 years ago. Loved mine. In the end only got a smartphone because stepson had one and we had no idea what he was doing with it, so thought we'd better get up to speed! I didn't like the idea but we went for the "cheapest" iphone (the SE 1st generation) which was about half to a third of the price of all the others - it was a good deal! It was too popular so they stopped making a cheap one! At that time, they were seen as easy to use for newbies and didn't crash like android phones (people were going back to candybar phones from android I seem to remember). Loved mine and got hooked. But - they;re an addiction!

I'm looking at the Samsung Galaxy A23 5G, or A53
The two things I care about... decent camera and decent battery.

6391mb · Mar 14, 2023

Ghot said:
Hey... I hated ALL the smart phones back then.
I'm "still" using an old flip phone. But I'm "contemplating" a smart phone this year.

View attachment 55203

They're not so 'smart' in my book. Too much intrusion from Google and (in my case) Samsung. Use it as a phone, the odd text and occasional photo - that's it for me. Plenty of teaser apps of course - probably some very good but also loads of trash.

I know a few folks - their lives revolve around the phone. They seem super-glued to their hand. Anyway, their phone, their choice.

Ghot · Mar 14, 2023

6391mb said:
They're not so 'smart' in my book. Too much intrusion from Google and (in my case) Samsung. Use it as a phone, the odd text and occasional photo - that's it for me. Plenty of teaser apps of course - probably some very good but also loads of trash.

I know a few folks - their lives revolve around the phone. They seem super-glued to their hand. Anyway, their phone, their choice.

Yeah... there's way too much junk on these phones.

All I really need is voice, text, camera, and a browser with (good processor and battery)
And then a titanium case with shock absorbers, faced with gorilla glass or whatever the "good stuff" is these days.

These folks seem to have decent phone cases...

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CountMike · Mar 14, 2023

I just done some emergency banking for which I would have to go home to my PC or a bank I,'m also using it as pay card. Public transport has own APPs to show next bus's location and eta. as well to pay for the ride. In some places you can use it as a proof of insurance, car ownership and drivers license. This is just starting over here. People download music and listen to it or watch TV Most public transpiration has internet connection and you can go to a museum and get data, history or even video when you connect to particular item
Maps and GPS can show right or fastest way to a location and even advise on traffic and how to avoid jams. Many other good things like recognize stars. There are also APPS like compass, thermometer, inclinometer and motion accelerations Flashlight and emergency beacon. Some churches have sermons.

jbcarreon123 · Mar 14, 2023

Ghot said:
Hey... I hated ALL the smart phones back then.
I'm "still" using an old flip phone. But I'm "contemplating" a smart phone this year.

View attachment 55203

I do have a phone as a tablet (aka phonetab) that I use for calling, messaging, some video consumption, some light web browsing, and ElevenForum.
I don't really use it that much because my primary device is my PC.

Ghot · Mar 14, 2023

jbcarreon123 said:
I do have a phone as a tablet (aka phonetab) that I use for calling, messaging, some video consumption, some light web browsing, and ElevenForum.
I don't really use it that much because my primary device is my PC.

I guess the main reason, is that if my computer ever loses it... I'll still have internet access.
I have other computers, I just don't have the space to set them up.