# Simple Windows improvements Microsoft should implement **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 5, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-windows-improvements-microsoft-should-implement/549266 "2010-08-05T14:13:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-windows-improvements-microsoft-should-implement/549266/21 "2010-08-10T00:50:31Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > One day Steve Jobs will be gone, and his successor will finally authorize a release of OSX that runs on a generic Intel machine. I recently tore the guts out of my Linux server, replaced them with modern guns, and installed Mac OS X. All it needed was a boot loader, and there are LOTS of those. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-windows-improvements-microsoft-should-implement/549266/22 "2010-08-10T09:02:27Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > I recently tore the guts out of my Linux server, replaced them with modern guns So you take server security pretty seriously, then? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-windows-improvements-microsoft-should-implement/549266/23 "2010-08-10T09:20:55Z")
Microsoft has no interest in making a perfect operating system, as it then becomes that much harder to convince people to move on to the next one up the line. And they have no real competition to keep them innovating. Macs still make up too small a group, and Linux PC’s are few and tend to have other reasons they don’t achieve perfection: people wanting the dubious features added to new versions of Windows that Microsoft prioritizes over making sure the smaller, less flashy things work well. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-windows-improvements-microsoft-should-implement/549266/24 "2010-08-10T12:23:30Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > > [@Balthisar](#): > > > > I recently tore the guts out of my Linux server, replaced them with modern guns > > So you take server security pretty seriously, then? D’oh! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Enigma42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/87869e/32.png) [@Enigma42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enigma42)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-windows-improvements-microsoft-should-implement/549266/25 "2010-08-10T17:42:17Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > Per-application volume controls. > > It’s absurd that I have to rely on a given application to provide volume controls and a mute option, and I’m just out of luck if they don’t do so. There are only a small handful of applications that I want to make sound on my computer. > > While we’re at it, Mac should do the same, and I’d like to see browsers incorporate per-tab volume controls. I do not enjoy hunting down the rogue music-playing tab. I’ve always wanted this as well. . . Thankfully this is one issue on which Microsoft has seen the light. In Vista and Win7, when you double-click the volume icon, you can choose “Mixer” from below the slider control. The Volume Mixer allows you to set the volume for each application individually as well as the overall master volume. Each application also has a mute toggle. Still no per-tab volume control that I know of, but that sounds awesome! ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-windows-improvements-microsoft-should-implement/549266/26 "2010-08-10T18:04:20Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > How about having a slightly different confirmation when deleting an empty folder versus deleting one that contains files? > is that hard to say “Do you want to delete this empty folder?” versus “This folder contains 1.39 megabytes in 164 files; do you really mean to delete it?” Believe it or not…Mircrosoft once did distinguish between erasing an empty folder or a full one —back in the days of DOS. And you can still use it In case you are too young to know, (or too old to remember 🙂 ) Under “all programs” pick "accessories’, then click on “command line”. This takes your computer back to 1994. A plain black screen. Then use the commands CD (for change directory) and RD (remove directory–ie. delete the whole thing. if the directory is not totally empty, the computer warns you, and won’t let you delete it. for example, if you have a folder called “Birthday” which is under a folder called Family 1. Click on the command line, get to the black Dos screen. Then forget about your mouse, you are now in 1994. 2. Type: cd\family (use the slash) 3. Type: rd birthday. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2010, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-windows-improvements-microsoft-should-implement/549266/27 "2010-08-14T00:41:22Z")
- highlight a file that appears in a system search, right-click, chose “remove from search results” - MS Word should have tabs rather than requiring you to open a new instance of word for \*\*every \*\*document - I was somewhat interested in Windows 7 from the little I heard about split-screen mode, but _does_ it let you have half the screen be a web browser and half a video player? If not, it should. Trying to resize browser windows on your own is a PITA because they tend to decide you want them to open that size _from now on_. - does Windows 7 support animated gifs? Vista still doesn’t ☹ Thank you for randomly removing functionality, Microsoft. Speaking of which, when filling in the properties on mp3s, you could get a drag-down menu for genre in XP. That’s gone in vista for no reason too. - more options for text sizes of windows files and folders ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2010, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-windows-improvements-microsoft-should-implement/549266/28 "2010-08-14T01:04:03Z")
I’ve been using 7 now for about 3 months. One thing I HATE and hope MS fixes: in Windows Explorer, I browse across servers to choose the folder I want to open (project folder with a bunch of sub-folders) and when I double click that folder in the left pane, it opens, but the left pane jumps down making that opened folder bottom in the pane. WTF? I have a bunch of folders in that folder, with a few in each subsequent folder. How about the left pane just stay where it is, mkay? When I get to the folder I want, then I’ll go to the right side pane and choose the file. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2010, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-windows-improvements-microsoft-should-implement/549266/29 "2010-08-14T05:53:17Z")
One thing that would be fairly easy to implement and very useful is mouse gesture support like you get with extensions in Firefox. ---
**Author:** ![GHO57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df788c/32.png) [@GHO57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GHO57)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2010, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-windows-improvements-microsoft-should-implement/549266/30 "2010-08-14T06:09:21Z")
I want [Actual Windows Manager](http://www.actualtools.com/windowmanager/) as a part of windows. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2010, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-windows-improvements-microsoft-should-implement/549266/31 "2010-08-14T06:11:54Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > > [@Balthisar](#): > > > > I recently tore the guts out of my Linux server, replaced them with modern guns > > So you take server security pretty seriously, then? He’s just trying to get the most bang for the buck out of his computer. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2010, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-windows-improvements-microsoft-should-implement/549266/32 "2010-08-14T06:30:58Z")
Do not have separate versions. Make one version with all features. Make it impossible to run in full-time administrator mode. You will need to offer sudo for the occasional elevated credential task. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2010, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-windows-improvements-microsoft-should-implement/549266/33 "2010-08-14T11:45:17Z")
> [@Purd\_Werfect](#): > > Do not have separate versions. Make one version with all features. > > Make it impossible to run in full-time administrator mode. You will need to offer sudo for the occasional elevated credential task. That’s a really good idea. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-windows-improvements-microsoft-should-implement/549266/34 "2010-08-15T14:29:08Z")
I would like Windows to make it impossible for a program to steal window focus. I don’t know if they have improved this since XP, but even with XP’s “don’t allow programs to steal focus” turned on it still happens all the time. You know what I mean: your machine is taking forever to start up, but at least you got Outlook to open and you start typing an email. Suddenly, another program’s dialog box pops in front, saying …something… but you can’t read it because one of your keystrokes is interpreted as a button click and the window disappears. For all you know, the dialog box said “Erase C drive contents? yes/no” and you were typing the letter “Y” ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-windows-improvements-microsoft-should-implement/549266/35 "2010-08-15T14:33:48Z")
I simply cannot understand why you can’t rearrange things on the task bar. Everyday when I get to work I open things in a certain order. I like them in that order on the task bar. It makes my life easier when I’m switching between applications. From time to time I’ll open them in the wrong order, or something will take longer then usual to load and wind up in the wrong place. This means I have to shut down and reopen some of the programs…why can’t I just move them like I can move tabs? Also, I’ve been using firefox for a few years so I don’t know if this was ever fixed/addressed, but it used to drive me batty that you couldn’t make IE open maximized. And before anyone says anything, a non-maximized window manually stretched to all four corners of the screen is not maximized and doesn’t behave the same as a maximized window. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-windows-improvements-microsoft-should-implement/549266/36 "2010-08-15T14:40:42Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > I would like Windows to make it impossible for a program to steal window focus. > > I don’t know if they have improved this since XP, but even with XP’s “don’t allow programs to steal focus” turned on it still happens all the time. > > You know what I mean: your machine is taking forever to start up, but at least you got Outlook to open and you start typing an email. Suddenly, another program’s dialog box pops in front, saying …something… but you can’t read it because one of your keystrokes is interpreted as a button click and the window disappears. And with that, they shouldn’t be allowed to give it up either. Yeah, it’s nice when the program the steals focus so you can answer a question will send you back after you answer it, but Quickbooks seems to have a bug in that if you close certain windows within QB, it’ll minimize the entire program. Sure, it’s probably a bug within QB, but if windows could not give programs the ability to change focus or min/max themselves I’d think it would take care of a lot of those types of problems. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-windows-improvements-microsoft-should-implement/549266/37 "2010-08-15T16:23:07Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I simply cannot understand why you can’t rearrange things on the task bar. Everyday when I get to work I open things in a certain order. I like them in that order on the task bar. It makes my life easier when I’m switching between applications. From time to time I’ll open them in the wrong order, or something will take longer then usual to load and wind up in the wrong place. This means I have to shut down and reopen some of the programs…why can’t I just move them like I can move tabs? I hadn’t thought of this, but definitely yes to this one. I also prefer that the taskbar items be ordered and will also stop and restart the programs until they are. ---
**Author:** ![GHO57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df788c/32.png) [@GHO57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GHO57)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-windows-improvements-microsoft-should-implement/549266/38 "2010-08-15T16:30:49Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I hadn’t thought of this, but definitely yes to this one. I also prefer that the taskbar items be ordered and will also stop and restart the programs until they are. Umm, that’s one of the reasons I have AWM… I can rearrange them; just drag and drop, like you do with firefox tabs. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-windows-improvements-microsoft-should-implement/549266/39 "2010-08-15T16:44:59Z")
Nevermind ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-windows-improvements-microsoft-should-implement/549266/40 "2010-08-15T16:59:59Z")
> [@GHO57](#): > > > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > > I hadn’t thought of this, but definitely yes to this one. I also prefer that the taskbar items be ordered and will also stop and restart the programs until they are. > > Umm, that’s one of the reasons I have AWM… I can rearrange them; just drag and drop, like you do with firefox tabs. The point is not to find third-party programs that do what we want. It’s wondering why Microsoft doesn’t do it in the original program. Another I thought of is to allow me to establish relationships between Outlook contacts, so I saw mark one as the manager of the other. Also, if they want a Windows phone to succeed, make one that integrates tightly with Outlook. So if I call someone on the phone, it’s noted in the Outlook contact record. Millions of people use Outlook and Business Contact Manager, and a mobile phone that integrates with them would be really compelling. (Perhaps Windows Mobile already does this. I don’t know.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-windows-improvements-microsoft-should-implement/549266.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-windows-improvements-microsoft-should-implement/549266.md?page=3)