|
Pages: [1]
|
  |
|
|
Author
|
Topic: Organizing my computer (Read 133 times)
|
|
[Guardian] X-Factor
Admin Team
CSR Connoisseur
Karma: +23/-10
 Offline
Gender: 
Posts: 709
 
 
|
 |
Organizing my computer
« on: April 15, 2005, 12:49:27 AM »
|
|
Ok guys I have some questions that I do not have experience with, that I am hoping one of you does. Right now I am trying to organize my whole computer. Anyway I am running Windows XP, what I do not understand all that clearly is, how to go about organizing certain folders. I want to put certain things in certain folders and move those folders into my start menu, along with getting rid of the unnecessary crap that is in my task bar. Want this to be a simple fast process to locate and load programs with out having to run a search check for anything.
List of things I want done
-Desktop
-Start menu
•••
-System Tray
•••
I hope I can get some positive answer please do not make smart ass comments. There is just some things I do not understand and need/ want to learn. Want to try and keep this on topic please. Thank you.
|
| « Last Edit: April 15, 2005, 01:32:32 AM by [Guardian] X-Factor » |
 Logged
|
|
|
|
Grounded
Admin Team
CSR Connoisseur
Karma: +158/-21
Offline
Posts: 3176
|
|
Re:Organizing my computer
« Reply #1 on: April 15, 2005, 06:21:09 AM »
|
|
I don't know about XP, but in earlier versions if you want to edit the Start menu you right click on the Start button and go Explore. Getting rid of Task Bar stuff (I assume you mean the little quick launch buttons) should simply be a case of right-clicking and going Delete.
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Porter
[Wumpa]
Board Admin
Karma: +176/--88
Offline
Gender:
Posts: 3910
|
|
Re:Organizing my computer
« Reply #2 on: April 15, 2005, 08:08:50 AM »
|
|
The XP version of the Start Menu is a complicated beast, with many different customizable parts. I don't blame you (or anyone) for not being able to understand it-- that's Microsoft' fault, not yours.
Anyway, the "All Programs" section of the XP Start menu shows things stored in a special folder. The "things" it shows are shortcut files. Shortcuts aren't real programs, they're just little stubs that point to real programs. That means you can move them and delete them without affecting the actual program. As Grounded said, right-click on your Start button and choose "Explore" or "Open" in order to get to this special folder. A window will pop up that has the same layout as your start menu. Move the shortcuts into whatever arrangement you want, creating folders to organize things how you like, and deleting any you don't want, like readme files (keep in mind though; if you delete a shortcut to a program, the only way to launch it will be to go FIND the real program in your Program Files folder, and that's usually a Bad Thing(TM)). Renaming shortcuts is fine though-- it doesn't effect the real program, only the name of the shortcut file itself.
Also, you can drag shortcuts in between your desktop and your start menu folder so they show up where YOU want them to show up. Your desktop is pretty much the same as the start menu. Most of the program icons are really just shortcuts, so if there's already a shortcut to a program in your start menu, you can safely get rid of a shortcut to the same program from your Desktop.
Lastly, when you say you want to clean up your Taskbar, are you referring to your Quick Launch bar, or your "System Tray"? The quick launch bar is on the left, next to the Start Menu, and has more program shortcuts that you "launch quickly" (hence the name). The System Tray is on the right-hand side, and has the system clock and other icons in it. This area is also sometimes called the "notification area." It holds instances of running applications, such as AIM, the clock, sometimes your network connections, and displays other "status" type information. If you want to clean THIS up, you have to modify the Preferences for each individual program to keep it from displaying a system tray icon.
And one last tip: these things are easiest to deal with if you handle them as you go. Every time you install a new program, check the Desktop, the Quick Launch bar, and the Start Menu to see what kind of crap it put in each place. Then clean it up to how you prefer it immediately. That way it never gets "out of hand" with dozens of icons spread all over the place in each of the areas.
Hope that help some.
|
|
Logged
|
[Wumpa] Porter
--Silent, professional, lethal... sometimes.
|
|
|
Terraji
Admin Team
CSR Connoisseur
Karma: +35/-15
Offline
Gender:
Posts: 789
|
|
Re:Organizing my computer
« Reply #3 on: April 15, 2005, 09:09:42 AM »
|
|
(we all know that Porter had to hold himself back on a sales pitch for a Mac)
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Deuce
CSR Super Ultra Mega Nerd
Global Moderator
Karma: +169/--41
Offline
Gender:
Posts: 2914
|
|
Re:Organizing my computer
« Reply #4 on: April 15, 2005, 09:34:39 AM »
|
|
| The XP version of the Start Menu is a complicated beast, with many different customizable parts. I don't blame you (or anyone) for not being able to understand it-- that's Microsoft' fault, not yours. |
|
The same could be said for Macs and Linux for a person not familiar with the interface. Blaming customization based on the company that makes it is weak.
I am forced to use a Mac everyweek for a class. I could easily say that the Mac interface is confusing as hell, and hides the confusion by needless animation and special effects on the interface (ooo.. watch as my browser grows in size with a spiffy animation everytime I maximize or minimize..). Not to mention the need to have special programs to use everyday files (I find it quite funny that the macs have special editions of Microsoft Office and Internet Explorer)
I use a Linux everyday. I still don't know what half of the stuff installed does, so I could easily say Linux Distros come with useless software that takes up space.
In conclusion, The user interface of Macs is a complicated beast, with many different customizable parts. I don't blame you (or anyone) for not being able to understand it within 10 seconds of use and praise to the gods the wonders of Macs-- that's Apple's fault, not yours.
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Porter
[Wumpa]
Board Admin
Karma: +176/--88
Offline
Gender:
Posts: 3910
|
|
Re:Organizing my computer
« Reply #5 on: April 15, 2005, 12:18:13 PM »
|
|
(we all know that Porter had to hold himself back on a sales pitch for a Mac)
|
|
Actually, I don't hold a very high opinion of the Mac method either. The Dock is pretty useless for the purpose Apple intended it for, and I actually use a third party app (called DragThing to provide access to my applications and frequently used folders. But I do have to admit I like the simplicity of simply dragging the application to my hard drive to install it, and deleting a single file to uninstall it. They've got the Windows way beat by landslide on that.
|
|
Logged
|
[Wumpa] Porter
--Silent, professional, lethal... sometimes.
|
|
|
Porter
[Wumpa]
Board Admin
Karma: +176/--88
Offline
Gender:
Posts: 3910
|
|
Re:Organizing my computer
« Reply #6 on: April 15, 2005, 12:30:51 PM »
|
|
| The same could be said for Macs and Linux for a person not familiar with the interface. Blaming customization based on the company that makes it is weak. |
|
You misunderstand me: Customization is good, making it difficult to accomplish is not. The degree to which a company is able to provide customization that is easy to use is what I am arguing.
| I am forced to use a Mac everyweek for a class. I could easily say that the Mac interface is confusing as hell, and hides the confusion by needless animation and special effects on the interface (ooo.. watch as my browser grows in size with a spiffy animation everytime I maximize or minimize..). Not to mention the need to have special programs to use everyday files (I find it quite funny that the macs have special editions of Microsoft Office and Internet Explorer) |
|
Again, you're switching contexts. I was talking about the Start Menu in particular, not the entire interface (though to a large degree I do indeed dislike the "Windows way.") And regardless, what you are arguing is the learning curve for a particular UI, given a user's familiarity with a different UI. It's not surprising people have a hard time switching from Windows to Macs, and it's not surprising that Mac people have a hard time switching to Windows. You just build up preconceptions about how things are supposed to work, and you tend not to "like" the computers that don't meet that expectation. I would hazard to say that's what you are doing.
Office is routinely released on the Mac before PCs. That makes the Windows version "unique." Plus, I fail to see how you're defining "special." Is special something that doesn't come with the computer, or that isn't on Windows specifically, or something else? How is the Mac version of Photoshop "special" compared to the Windows version? What about Firefox? Is it just the fact that it's on a Mac, because I'm sure you know there's nothing different about the Mac and Windows versions of Firefox other than how they appear on the screen. Both versions share 98% of their source code, and the same applies to Microsoft's programs, so what exactly is the "special" characteristic you're defining of Office or IE??
| In conclusion, The user interface of Macs is a complicated beast, with many different customizable parts. I don't blame you (or anyone) for not being able to understand it within 10 seconds of use and praise to the gods the wonders of Macs-- that's Apple's fault, not yours. |
|
See my above post. I'm not to thrilled with the Mac equivalent of the Start Menu.
|
|
Logged
|
[Wumpa] Porter
--Silent, professional, lethal... sometimes.
|
|
|
PanchoDaz
CSR Connoisseur
Karma: +28/-5
Offline
Gender:
Posts: 552
|
|
Re:Organizing my computer
« Reply #7 on: April 15, 2005, 01:00:43 PM »
|
|
to stop things from being in your System Tray all the time (and hence using resources) you can do this....
Go to Start - Run and type "msconfig"
in the "System Config Utility" screen that opens up go to the "STARTUP" tab......
DO NOT CHANGE THINGS IN THE OTHER TABS (General, *.INI's and Services)!!!!!
So in the "STARTUP" tab you can check and uncheck programs that you want to start during startup.......
I tend to uncheck just about them all - apart from my Anti-virus and a few things that i like to have there.....
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Grounded
Admin Team
CSR Connoisseur
Karma: +158/-21
Offline
Posts: 3176
|
|
Re:Organizing my computer
« Reply #8 on: April 15, 2005, 02:18:57 PM »
|
|
...like your XXXDialer?
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
[Guardian] X-Factor
Admin Team
CSR Connoisseur
Karma: +23/-10
Offline
Gender:
Posts: 709
|
|
Re:Organizing my computer
« Reply #9 on: April 15, 2005, 02:36:42 PM »
|
|
Okay thank you guys for your help its much appreciated. I have not tried any of the things you guys suggested but i will soon.. I will keep you updated if i need more help
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Guardian_Tenshi
Global Moderator
Karma: +53/-26
Offline
Gender:
Posts: 1114
  
|
|
Re:Organizing my computer
« Reply #10 on: April 15, 2005, 05:26:43 PM »
|
|
And so help me god, if another mac versus PC war breaks out in MY help and troubleshooting forum, I'm gonna forum ban both Deuce and Porter...please keep things nice kids 
Tenshi
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
[Guardian] X-Factor
Admin Team
CSR Connoisseur
Karma: +23/-10
Offline
Gender:
Posts: 709
|
|
Re:Organizing my computer
« Reply #11 on: April 15, 2005, 06:31:12 PM »
|
|
Yes please tenshi make sure it doesn't evovle around that. I asked that nothing like that happens so keep it in order for me
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Guardian_Tenshi
Global Moderator
Karma: +53/-26
Offline
Gender:
Posts: 1114
|
|
Re:Organizing my computer
« Reply #12 on: April 18, 2005, 02:06:53 PM »
|
|
X,
I was a little bit bored today, and I decided to put together some screenshots of some of MY organizational things. As deuce and porter have already kind of eluded to, this is probably one of the most variable things on computers today (because it is more "humanized"). The idea should be to know where everything is as quick as possible, and ideally so ANYONE can follow your system (think of like webserver folders or something).
Though Porter and Deuce don't seem to like the mac program dock, I kinda liked it, and it gave me an idea of an interesting way to organize my PC...I could understand why people don't like it...but at least you can see an example, and some screenshots to hopefully solidify somethings...again, i'm in Win2kPro, not XP, but it shouldn't be super different i don't think...
The thing most people don't like about my system, is that my task bar is twice as "tall" or "thick" as most people's...it gives me room to have ALOT of quick launch stuff and open programs...pretty much any program i use regularly is on that bar, as you see here:
going back to first picture though you'll notice that i still had to put a few apps on my desktop (i dont' know these icons well/they're not distinctive/i dont' use them often.), mainly i use my desktop for file folders, and current projects. If you'll look at my macscreenshot, it doesn't look terribly different, helping me switch between the two systems easier without having to change organizational systems.
(the general concepts are the same.)
Now, my goal of making that "platform" switch a bit easier isn't on everyone else's list of things to accomplish. Notice, "My Computer", "My Network Places", and "My Documents" etc are still on my desktop as I find those more standard things that people always want/need for some purpose <shrugs>.
I really don't like screwing with start menu stuff...i usually forget how i grouped some of my apps...i usually stick with the default, but I understand how it gets crazy after all the freaking apps you install create their own folder. I took a screenshot of how you alter the start menu in 2kPro, i think the full path from your c drive should be close to the same thing, but i have clue if clicking on your task bar will yield the same results...anyway, here you go:
hope this helps,
Tenshi
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Pages: [1]
|
|
|
|
|
|
CSReloaded Forums | Powered by YaBB SE
© 2001-2003, YaBB SE Dev Team. All Rights Reserved. |
|
|
