I was wondering, with many personalization apps that replace the behavior of the start menu and other parts of the basic Windows UI. Is there a way for Microsoft to push a true Windows as a Service to its users? Or even a good Operating System.
So, let us start small. A touch of windows for windows.
Note to users that don’t understand some technical and developer gibberish:
This post will contain some technical parts, so don’t be surprised to find some things that you don’t understand right away.
The Windows operating system it’s dominant in the market, with a respectable 27.48% concerning all operating systems. (data from https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/ on 2024-04-25)
Many complain that the OS has changes that affect the usage of the user, in concerns of UI and UX. But what IF, and it’s a big IF, we could make everyone happy? Is telemetry on a pro license disabled? The latest UI can be changed to an older UI? Configurations with redundancy of places concerning the control panel and the Windows settings app? Use the “Task Manager” and widgets from 7.
Why not have an option for everything I mentioned?
Microsoft seems to be concerned always about the latest UI and the latest UX, but why fix something that isn’t broken? Why in Windows 11, I cannot change the UI to 10 or 8.1 or even Vista? Is that hard to keep non-broken things working? I hated it when I had the UI changed from 95 to 2000, up to 11. And since there is no support for most mentioned OS’s, I’m obliged to comply and update.
Since I’m a developer and a system technician, I have to know almost every intricacy of each version of Microsoft OS. To know that many settings and things and places where they are, it’s a pain in the ass to use your OSes Microsoft!
Each “Version” comes with new features and removed features, so why not pull a Microsoft 365 (Microsoft Office subscription) and just update the things to keep them working with all the previous features of the aforementioned OSes? It’s not that hard. And I’m a Developer! I know what I’m talking about.
The Problem lies beneath the Windows Explorer.
(The Basic UI are the following components: Taskbar, Start Menu, Widgets [in 11 or Vista to 7], notifications area, desktop area, tray area, and some others that might be missing here… you get the point by now)
Yes, if you ever remembered the Windows Explorer process, you will see for every version of Windows that the Explorer controls the basic UI. If we kill every process of Explorer, we are greeted with an empty canvas ready to be painted. Even the transactions with [alt] + [tab] are rudimentary and without the skin of the explorer process, there is no start, taskbar, widgets, desktop, etc….
So what can Indie Developers, program developers, start menu developers, and others interested in repainting the Microsoft OS do? Simple, kill all explorer.exe processes and open a new process for their program to repaint windows.
Want the looks of XP? Why bother with the explorer.exe per se, if you can have a complete canvas to paint?
Yeah, I know, a lot of questions, and solutions, but there are no solutions here, yet.
Microsoft made the explorer.exe methods of painting the UI secret, but what if we could deconstruct it to basic C or even C++, and reconstruct everything from the ground up?
A YouTuber called Dave who goes on YouTube by the name: “Dave’s Garage” (https://www.youtube.com/@DavesGarage) It’s one of the persons who could explain how the explorer process works and the intricacies of the process for the developers to work around the main culprit of the UI. But I guess that he might have an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) to prevent him from talking about active programs. Specially Explorer.
So what can we do?
Microsoft should be working on, instead of a half-baked buggy OS every couple of years, in user retention to its OS.
Windows could be a magnificent thing where you could add the styles you want without third-party programs, but we are stuck in a loop of “Good OS” – “Bad OS”, and many UI and UX changes that affect us all.
Instead of focusing on the UI, removing features, altering the Core, trying to bring Linux via WSL, trying to bring Android Apps via WSA, removing WSA, removing support for old Operating Systems Microsoft created, and so forth. Why bother with that if Microsoft could have it all without sacrificing half of its user base, or more, to make them upgrade to a “Free” Operating system, and have Ads, Telemetry, and a bunch of other things that only complicate further the system.
Microsoft, yes you Microsoft, why not, a user pays for new features and keeps the looks he wants. Is that hard on you? Windows 10 support will terminate for hundreds of users who will find a way to hack your OS, again and again, and again, for the updates that they supposedly should be paying. And you know that Microsoft, you have telemetry on every corner of Windows 10 and 11.
And you know what Microsoft? You deserve that kind of behavior of people who don’t want to create more E-WASTE because of your poor decisions.
Why do I mention the hacks on the Windows OS?
There was a hack on Windows 8 to make it work with older, capable computers (had an Intel Pentium 4 that ran it like a pro, and two laptops with Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core T4300 that ran it greatly). The same hacks were applied for secure boot and others on Windows 10, and the laptop, an Acer Extensa 5635ZG ran and runs it! (and that’s why I love Acer, a computer from too many years still works!)
And if you are wondering, of course, I had, and have, licenses for using Windows, the hack was and is for compatibility.
So what gives the Windows team?
Microsoft, I think we, users, started with a relationship with you of things that you should not do. We tell you what is wrong and what is right, and many times’ feedback from one person can reveal to be the best thing you can ask which will please hundreds, if not thousands, of millions of users.
The game is simple, you can invest in better security, and the new features. Make them paid features, like packs, with the license the User has. There will always be a CVE (security exploit), a new feature, or a new look for the OS, let the user decide what he wants.
From my Developer perspective…
In my case, if I was developing an OS, Security would and should be free, and features and cosmetics would be paid. That is what makes more sense. Let’s say I buy a gaming PC, and I use it for gaming, ok, that’s fine, what is included in the license? The base OS, the gaming features, and a little more. That’s all. I want my OS to look like XP, don’t make me buy some other guy software to have the looks, offer them on the Microsoft Store. If want my XBOX to be able to run the desktop natively, that’s a paid feature, that could be purchased in the Store.
Think Microsoft, think. It isn’t that hard to make a free Operating System, especially when you make manufacturers pay the fee for using windows!
Now Obliging hundreds of computers to become e-waste is not a viable solution for your goals. See Apple’s example, the UI hasn’t changed that far. It worked; it still works! Users want a specific distro of Linux since it has more privacy than your Windows OS, giving them the choice to purchase a pack, that will disable most, if not all, of privacy settings. It would be a success! Especially for developers, governments, and Agencies that need privacy!
Making a final argument, e-waste is not e-power for windows
Microsoft, you have everything in your hand to make the best windows of all time with the support of your community.
Windows Insiders are in the program and don’t receive anything for becoming an Insider, instead of a buggy Operating System with features that might be added to the OS. The reward for them? There should be a free pack for every paid pack. Now they become hooked on their machine from 10 years ago that still runs the new Windows 12, can disable packs for performance, and there is no e-waste, just because the PC does not have the latest Intel or AMD processor, or UEFI (new version of the BIOS [Basic Input Output System]) capable of Secure Boot, or a TPM (Trusted Platform Module), they were not needed for that user, don’t force it.
Understand this Microsoft
What I’m saying, is:
- Stop with the garbage OSes and apply a new way to monetize your OS, cosmetics, and features, the non-essential (like many essential features in Windows Home Edition), make them packs.
- Cosmetics, don’t bother!
- You have the UIs from Windows 3.1 to 11 to learn that it should be a cosmetic paid thing.
- Wanna launch a new UI and UX, it’s a cosmetic, make users pay for it.
- Note: Not an absurd amount, but a fair amount for a cosmetic.
- An example would be: a full license costs 170$, the cosmetics (the new Windows skin) should cost max 30$.
- I would love to have:
- the UI from Windows 10 or even 8.1 they worked for me.
- The widgets from 7 and Vista.
- the low RAM profile of 7.
- the ability to switch to another look, without having to install another Operating System.
- the ability to remove modules like the secure boot or even the TPM requirement.
- the folders that you could put on the edges of the desktop (vista, 7, and I don’t remember if XP did this as well)
- bring back Cortana instead of Copilot and a way to deactivate them.
- bring back Clippy!
- Bring back the working features from all the OSes and drop the non-working features.
- if a user wants that bad a feature, make it a purchasable feature.
- If you haven’t seen it yet, WSA, it’s good for developers on the Android market.
- WSL is also good for many developers!
So milk the cow and stop making shitty OSes that come and become bloated with things that are not necessary for the average user. Many users just want to use Word, or Adobe, or any other software they need and that’s it.
And don’t forget, if you apply that to your newest OS (Windows 12), free features are always welcomed. And I want credit!
