Although Microsoft improved the Windows
user interface in ways both subtle and profound in Windows 7, that
doesn't mean it's perfect out of the box. Everyone's needs and wants
are different, and fortunately Microsoft has engineered Windows 7 in
such a way that you can configure the system to your preferences. This
section describes some of the ways in which you can tame the Windows 7
UI and make it your own.
1. Customizing the Start Menu
The Windows 7 Start menu is an evolution of the Start menu that debuted
in Windows XP, and it offers a much smarter interface for interacting
with the applications, documents, and other content on your PC than did
the Start menus from previous Windows versions.
As shown in Figure 1, the Windows 7 Start menu is divided into a number of logical areas, each of which covers specific functionality.
These areas include the following:
Pinned items:
Found at the top-left corner of the Start menu, this area contains
shortcuts that are permanently displayed regardless of how often you
use them. Unlike Windows Vista, there are no pinned shortcuts displayed
by default in Windows 7.
Most Recently Used (MRU) list:
Here, taking up the majority of the left side of the Start menu window,
is a list of the applications you use most frequently. The algorithm
Microsoft uses to determine this list is decidedly hokey, because it
gives precedence to an application you just used instead of one you use
regularly, every single day. It also doesn't take into account
applications that were not launched from the Start menu at all.
All Programs:
This link reveals the All Programs list, a combination of the shortcuts
stored in your user profile's Start menu folder structure and the
Public account's Start menu folder structure. Unlike Windows XP, the
All Programs list appears inside of the Start menu window instead of
popping up in a separate, hard-to-navigate cascading menu.
Start Menu Search:
Arguably the single greatest Windows feature in over a decade, and
easily the best feature of the Start menu, Start Menu Search enables
you to quickly and easily find any application, shortcut, document,
e-mail, contact, or other searchable object. It's magic, and we love it.
NOTE
How incredible is Start Menu Search? It can
sometimes even sense what you're looking for. Say you want to work with
Windows 7's disk partitioning tools, but you can't think of the name of
the tool, let alone where to find it. Start typing partition in Start Menu Search and, sure enough, an option entitled Create and format hard disk partitions appears. The tool it launches? The Disk Management console, of course. Magic!
User picture:
Here you will see the user picture you configured when you created your
user account. It changes to different system icons as you mouse over
the links on the right side of the Start menu.
Links:
This is a list of important system locations that Microsoft thinks you
will need regularly. These include such things as special shell folders
(Documents, Music), common shell locations (Computer, Games),
configuration settings (Control Panel, Default Programs), and Help and
Support.
Sleep/Shutdown:
On the bottom right of the Start menu are two buttons, the right-most
of which includes a cascading pop-up menu with various power-management
and shutdown-related options. These two buttons are configured
differently by default depending on your system's power-management
capabilities.
Most Start menu customizations occur via the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog, shown in Figure 2. You can display this dialog by right-clicking the Start button (sometimes called the Start Orb) and clicking Properties. A related dialog, Customize Start Menu, is displayed by clicking the Customize button.
The Windows 7 Start menu is full-featured, but you
may decide to tailor it to fit your needs. Here are some of our
favorite Start menu tweaks.
1.1. Changing Your Logon Picture
Microsoft supplies 36 user pictures from which you
can choose, an improvement from Window Vista's 12, Instead of using
Windows 7's built-in images, why not use a favorite photograph or other
image? Here's how: open the Start menu and click on the user picture at
the top-right corner of the Start menu. This causes the User Accounts
window to open. Click the link titled Change Your Picture, and you'll
see the interface shown in Figure 3.
Click the Browse for More Pictures link and then use the standard Open File window that appears to find a favorite photo.
NOTE
Because your account picture always appears
inside of a square area, you may want to edit a photo before performing
these steps, cropping it accordingly into a square shape. That way,
Windows 7 won't have to do its own (non-optimal) cropping.
1.2. Adding, Configuring, and Removing Start Menu Links
Microsoft's options for Start menu links—those
important system locations shown on the right side of the Start
menu—are serviceable, but there's always room for improvement. To
configure which items appear in the list—and remove the links you don't
want while adding back those you do—open the Customize Start Menu
window. There's a list at the top of this window that enables you to
configure which links appear and, in many cases, how
they appear; some links can appear as cascading submenus instead of
standard buttons that launch separate windows. Here are the Start menu
links you can configure from this UI:
Computer: Can be displayed as a link, as a menu, or disabled. This item is displayed as a link by default.
Connect To: Can be enabled or disabled. Unlike Windows Vista, this item is disabled by default.
Control Panel: Can be displayed as a link, as a menu, or disabled. This item is displayed as a link by default.
Default Programs: Can be enabled or disabled. This item is enabled by default.
Devices and Printers: Can be enabled or disabled. This item is enabled by default.
Documents: Can be displayed as a link, as a menu, or disabled. This item is displayed as a link by default.
Downloads: Can be displayed as a link, as a menu, or disabled. This item is disabled by default.
Favorites menu: Can be enabled or disabled. This item is disabled by default.
Games:
Can be displayed as a link, as a menu, or disabled. This item is
displayed as a link by default on Windows 7 Home Basic, Home Premium,
and Ultimate. It is disabled by default on Windows 7 Professional.
Help: Can be enabled or disabled. This item is enabled by default.
HomeGroup: Can be enabled or disabled. This item is disabled by default.
Music: Can be displayed as a link, as a menu, or disabled. This item is displayed as a link by default.
Network: Can be enabled or disabled. This item is disabled by default.
Personal folder: Can be displayed as a link, as a menu, or disabled. This item is displayed as a link by default.
Pictures: Can be displayed as a link, as a menu, or disabled. This item is displayed as a link by default.
Recent Items: Can be enabled or disabled. This item is disabled by default.
Recorded TV: Can be displayed as a link, as a menu, or disabled. This item is disabled by default.
Run command: Can be enabled or disabled. This item is disabled by default.
System administrative tools: Can be displayed as a link, as a menu, or disabled. This item is disabled by default.
Use large icons: This item is enabled by default.
Videos: Can be displayed as a link, as a menu, or disabled. This item is disabled by default.
For the most part, the defaults are acceptable. You
can safely remove Default Programs, as you're unlikely to need it very
often. One thing you might want to experiment with is changing some
links into menus. As shown in Figure 4, the effect is quite interesting. Some love it, some don't.
Additionally, this section of the Customize Start
Menu window provides a few options that aren't related to the Start
Menu Links area, though they're no less important. Key among them is
Highlight Newly Installed Programs, which can be enabled or disabled.
This item is enabled by default, but we strongly recommend disabling
it, as the effect when enabled is very annoying.
