Poll: Windows 11 - Love it or Hate It?

The interface looks prettier but has lost significant function, particularly on the taskbar. File explorer has been dumbed down too. I guess the requirements for installation give better security but the CPU generation cutoff seems arbitrary. Gen 6 & 7 Intel core CPUs have the same built in security features as Gen 8. I suspect that's more a commercial decision than a security one despite what they claim.

Advantages:
Fast than Windows 10
Android Apps
Windows Terminal Integration
Rounded corners
new UI
new sound scheme

Disadvantages:
TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot requirement
and others.

kado897 said:

File explorer has been dumbed down too.

Click to expand...

In what way? Yes, the Ribbon has gone and a lot of options that used to live there have had to find new homes. I've had to hunt for the new location of some options, like turning on the Details pane, but I haven't yet found anything that's gone missing.

And its right-click context menu has 'more options' at the bottom, which when clicked brings up the full classic context menu.

The annoying 'line and a half' spacing used in the files list can also be restored to normal by selecting a 'compact view' option.

So far, so good. Few bugs, but that can be expected. Does run faster that win10. I like the idea of android app running from Store ( downloaded apk from other source will not work). You can move the taskbar to left, but I am trying to learn the center. All my software ( some 10 years old) does work. Like the new look - no more flat looking like android.

Bree said:

In what way? Yes, the Ribbon has gone and a lot of options that used to live there have had to find new homes. I've had to hunt for the new location of some options, like turning on the Details pane, but I haven't yet found anything that's gone missing.

And its right-click context menu has 'more options' at the bottom, which when clicked brings up the full classic context menu.

The annoying 'line and a half' spacing used in the files list can also be restored to normal by selecting a 'compact view' option.

Click to expand...

The lack of toolbars (for QTTabbar & Open Shell) is my main gripe, and yes, Edwin has found a way to get the old ribbon and toolbars back but you shouldn't have to jump though hoops.

If you don't want to jump through hoops - stick with an OS that has things the way you want.

But if that were true, then why are you using QTTabbar again and Open Shell again?

Oh, right, because previous Windows also didn't let you do what you wanted. Same reason I'm using Xplorer².

It's a pipe dream I've had for almost 30 years now that Microsoft will actually listen and give the user the ultimate felxibility in setting the options they want.

johnlgalt said:

If you don't want to jump through hoops - stick with an OS that has things the way you want.

But if that were true, then why are you using QTTabbar again and Open Shell again?

Oh, right, because previous Windows also didn't let you do what you wanted. Same reason I'm using Xplorer².

It's a pipe dream I've had for almost 30 years now that Microsoft will actually listen and give the user the ultimate felxibility in setting the options they want.

Click to expand...

Lol. I have a way of working which I have used and evolved since W7. It involves Rocket Dock launching libraries giving me instant access to folders to perform a task. QTTabbar to group those folders, Free Launch Bar to group commonly used programs by task, and open Shell to give me access to the less common ones conveniently. I have a lot of portable apps which Start Menu doesn't know about but Open Shell can be configured to include.

So far in W11 Rocket Dock and Open Shell work out of the box, Now I have a solution for QTTabBar. Free Launch Bar looks like a non runner as it is a toolbar on the Taskbar, so I will have to find another possibly less convenient solution.

Trust me - I'm the same.

I don't pin anything to start. I only use it to find apps to launch - by hitting the Win key and typing out a few letters. And I have a folder of over 117 portable apps (with some duplicates from stable versus betqa versions, let's call it an even 100) apps that I use by using hte tab in X2 that I have open to the parent folder of each portable app.

And I've used Xplorer since the original 2xplorer days (before Nikos ever made the paid app). That was on XP.

I truly understand the comfort zone and all that.

But QTTabbar is not a Microsoft problem (directly), because it's an addon by a 3rd party developer. Windows Explorer, that's an Microsoft problem. So is Taskbar, So is everything else that is wrong (to me) in Win11.

We all have our own ways of doing things - some people are gonna love the new right-click launched context menu because they use the mouse much more extensively than I do - I want an app, I'm at my KB and typing faster than I can get a mouse pointer to the start button.

To each their own.

Interesting that Rocket Dock works - does it also allow multiple docks simultaneously? And both stable and Beta versions working?

But what I was trying to say before is this - if you were using all the Windows default apps without addons / extensions / overlay / enhancement apps, it'd be one thing - but you're using those specifically because they provide functionality that Windows already didn't, at least not the way that you want it to. Same for me. X2 mostly works - some issues with shading on context menus, but all functionality is still fine. I haven't gone through the portable apps, yet, but I expect few problems, and WSCC works and still DLs apps perfectly fine (haven't tried each individual pp - that's a lot of apps....).

But we gotta expect things to break. It's normal.

Now, if only we could fix the Microsoft dev's minds first.....

johnlgalt said:

Interesting that Rocket Dock works - does it also allow multiple docks simultaneously? And both stable and Beta versions working?

Click to expand...

I think you can only have one instance of Rocket Dock. It hasn't been updated since the W7 days and no longer has it's own website or community but still functions pretty well.

Luv it :)

z3r010 said:

Now you've had the chance to play with the real thing, what do you think?

Click to expand...

hehe that sounds wrong.. hehehehe

jimbo45 said:

Not madly keen on not being able to move the taskbar to the bottom left -- this worked on the "leaked preview" but not the real version.
Otherwise Upgrade was simple enough - no funny errors and all old programs working.

So OK for me so far - perhaps once the android apps get a bit more mature that could be interesting because there are a few android apps which are more convenient and work better than the equivalent Windows apps.

Not sure I like the fonts used in Windows explorer - doesn't really bother me but re-scaling of fonts for various applications would be fine. The fonts also used in the lock screen aren't as nice as in W10.

I like the "Virtual desktop" feature

so my verdict on this so far is : pass and will keep using it.

Cheers
jimbo

Click to expand...

I'm slowly getting use to the taskbar being in the middle. For years I preferred the taskbar on the bottom left hand side. I'll decide where I want it located if MS decides to let us move it. I was at my primary care doctor this morning. He has monitors on the walls of his examination rooms. They looked like giant cellphones hanging on the wall. On a screen like that having the taskbar on the bottom middle would make sense. With things like rounded corners and the taskbar being locked on the bottom middle I hope MS isn't trying to reintroduce a new version of Windows 8.

plat said:

Well, at this point I will have to compromise between the two extremes and say: I like it. It's at least as fast as Windows 10 was when at its best, and the new look of Store, Start Menu, Settings and taskbar is pretty nice. I'm having some issues (OK, I know: it's Dev, BUGS, blah blah)

1. Cant enable Core Isolation in Security Center (posted in Feedback Hub). Standard hardware security not supported. The irony!
2. Virus automatic sample submission is turned off every time machine is started. (Feedback Hub)
3. Deleting files and folders takes an extra mouse click now via right click menu/More options. What is up with that? No, no, no.
Edited 6/30/2021: I know the Strike-thru looks ugly but the line no longer applies. Seems there's a Trashcan at the top in File Explorer so it's an actual improvement. Very nice.

Is it worth the anguish some are expressing at being not able to upgrade due to hardware restrictions? Imo, nope. I'm not sorry I upgraded early, though. Hope it stays stable.

Click to expand...

I don't see a trashcan in File Explorer.

Winuser said:

I don't see a trashcan in File Explorer.

Click to expand...

The trashcan icon at the top is actually the 'delete' button. You can show the Recycle Bin in the navigation pane by clicking the ... menu, selecting Options, and ticking 'Show all folders'.

jimbo45 said:

Not madly keen on not being able to move the taskbar to the bottom left -- this worked on the "leaked preview" but not the real version.

Click to expand...

It works on the Left for me in 22000.51....

I still have a lot of exploring to do. So far, I’m not all that impressed.

Some things are annoying. The new Settings format takes more mouse clicks than W10 to accomplish anything, especially the privacy and security area. It’s – scroll down to a setting, change, click back arrow, scroll down to the next setting, make your change, click the back arrow, scroll down to the next setting, etc.

For the most part, I expect I’ll get used to it.

I love it and am using it without Open-Shell. It seems faster than 10 but it will take time to adjust to the new Design, especially since I used Classic and Open Shell from the start of Windows 10.

jimbo45 said:

Not madly keen on not being able to move the taskbar to the bottom left -- this worked on the "leaked preview" but not the real version.
Otherwise Upgrade was simple enough - no funny errors and all old programs working.

So OK for me so far - perhaps once the android apps get a bit more mature that could be interesting because there are a few android apps which are more convenient and work better than the equivalent Windows apps.

Not sure I like the fonts used in Windows explorer - doesn't really bother me but re-scaling of fonts for various applications would be fine. The fonts also used in the lock screen aren't as nice as in W10.

I like the "Virtual desktop" feature

so my verdict on this so far is : pass and will keep using it.

Cheers
jimbo

Click to expand...

Works for me, Jimbo.

I have Open Shell running, that's why the different button.

Bree said:

It works on the Left for me in 22000.51....

View attachment 1540

Click to expand...

Yeah, I didn't play with the leaked builds, just the insider dev release and I was able to change mine back to align left as well as center.

working OK -- I missed the taskbar properties.

I still hate the file explorer thing -- seems bonkers in some cases to have to use the more options to get the "standard" context menu" when selecting properties against an item. The cut / paste / delete etc icons don't always appear.

Cheers
jimbo