Pfew...glad I stuck with IE7 then 😀
...and Opera...and Firefox. Opera ftw!

Man! That MSIE8 is an abortion! I swear if Bill Gates had his way, the ENTIRE freakin' screen would be filled with non-moveable toolbars, taskbars, menus, icons, and other such crapola!

If you like that, you'd love the 'ribbon' interface in Office '07/'10 (and most of the programs that accompany Win7 as well). Not only are the menus replaced by a bunch of toolbars and icons, but they all move around and appear/disappear at random, depending on what you're doing.

About Windows 7, don't even mention the new networking interface, the new and improved paint (Ha!) and the broken search feature.

Tetrium wrote:

Pfew...glad I stuck with IE7 then 😀
...and Opera...and Firefox. Opera ftw!

Old Thrashbarg wrote:

If you like that, you'd love the 'ribbon' interface in Office '07/'10 (and most of the programs that accompany Win7 as well). Not only are the menus replaced by a bunch of toolbars and icons, but they all move around and appear/disappear at random, depending on what you're doing.

I don't mind so much if things disappear (to give you more viewing space), but I sure don't want it to be random, and I want to be able to make them "appear" myself (*I* want to control it <grin>).

Seriously though, this MSIE8 isn't "so" bad after all, once I hid the menu bar, and then discovered it would pop up when I pressed ALT.

A couple of good points (and note that I rarely/NEVER give brownie points to MS and BG <grin>); the integrated RSS feed reader is nice, and I like the zoom/text-size features 😀

Another annoyance though:

In the older version that I had (version 6 and earlier), when you pressed F11 the browser went *completely* fulscreen. In MSIE8, the confounded status bar (at the bottom of the screen) is still there <aarrggh>. Of course, one can right-click/hide the status bar; but in v6-, even of the status bar was displayed, it would disappear when F11-ing.

Heh, as far as browser in general, I'm still using good old Netscape 7.0 for 90% of my web browsing... with *everyhthing* disabled; Java/JavaScript/images/etc... makes for much quicker browsing for folks like me still on a miserable dialup <grin> 😀

P.S. Another thing as far as toolbars:

I couldn't give rat's arse about "tabbed browsing"... too slow on dialup to be of real use (when using it as it is intended), as well as taking up even MORE real estate on the screen.

The only kind of "tabbed" browsing that I wanna do is; open a bunch of links in a new browser window, and ALT+*TAB*+TAB+TAB+TAB <grin> 😀

rfnagel wrote:

In the older version that I had (version 6 and earlier), when you pressed F11 the browser went *completely* fulscreen. In MSIE8, the confounded status bar (at the bottom of the screen) is still there <aarrggh>. Of course, one can right-click/hide the status bar; but in v6-, even of the status bar was displayed, it would disappear when F11-ing.

Found the follwing in the newsgroups:

Microsoft Support wrote:

Status bar in Internet Explorer wouldn’t go until and unless you deselect it in Internet Explorer. It cannot disappear with other toolbars and it is by design.

Mouneshwar R - Microsoft Support

it figgers...

Typed up another today:

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Restoring the Microsoft Internet Explorer Desktop Icon
------------------------------------------------------
Windows XP normally has an option to display the Microsoft Internet Explorer icon on your desktop (Display Properties/Desktop/Customize Desktop/Desktop Icons). After installing Windows XP Service Pack 3, this option is no longer available.

The Microsoft Internet Explorer desktop icon can be easily restored to your desktop by using Microsoft's "Tweak UI" utility for Windows XP, but usually the icon will be that of the older Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.

To change the desktop icon to that of the newer Microsoft Internet Explorer 8, edit the following Windows XP registry entries:

--- cut here ---
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D}\DefaultIcon]
@="C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\iexplore.exe,0"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID\{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D}\DefaultIcon]
@="C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\iexplore.exe,0"

[HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-1214440339-507921405-682003330-1003\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID\{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D}\DefaultIcon]
@="C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\iexplore.exe,0"
--- cut here ---

To restore the desktop icon back to the older default Microsoft Internet
Explorer 6, edit the following Windows XP registry entries:

--- cut here ---
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D}\DefaultIcon]
@="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\shell32.dll,220"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID\{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D}\DefaultIcon]
@="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\shell32.dll,220"

[HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-1214440339-507921405-682003330-1003\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID\{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D}\DefaultIcon]
@="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\shell32.dll,220"
--- cut here ---

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

rfnagel wrote:

I couldn't give rat's arse about "tabbed browsing"... too slow on dialup to be of real use (when using it as it is intended), as well as taking up even MORE real estate on the screen.

The only kind of "tabbed" browsing that I wanna do is; open a bunch of links in a new browser window, and ALT+*TAB*+TAB+TAB+TAB <grin> 😀

Are you serious? It's almost 2011, anything below 10Mbps doesn't even count as a 'net access 😁
Tabbed browsing in Opera is one of the best things...open a bunch of links with mouse gesture (need to change default so that mb2-down opens in background tab instead of mb2-down-up), then just use mb2+wheel to go through tabs 🤣

Thanks for these writeups. I wish I knew about the "compress old files" one because that was annoying when I was running WinXP as the main OS on my old desktop (now runs Ubuntu).

rfnagel wrote:

P.S. Another thing as far as toolbars:

I couldn't give rat's arse about "tabbed browsing"... too slow on dialup to be of real use (when using it as it is intended), as well as taking up even MORE real estate on the screen.

The only kind of "tabbed" browsing that I wanna do is; open a bunch of links in a new browser window, and ALT+*TAB*+TAB+TAB+TAB <grin> 😀

Tabbed browsing is much better on broadband than non-tabbed, but I can see how it could be annoying on dialup.

Stop using tiny resolutions. Anything below 1024x768 is for cellphones.

HunterZ wrote:

Tabbed browsing is much better on broadband than non-tabbed, but I can see how it could be annoying on dialup.

Yes, EXTREMELY slow on dialup... with multiple opened URLs simultaneously loading.

gulikoza wrote:

Are you serious? It's almost 2011, anything below 10Mbps doesn't even count as a 'net access 😁

No broadband capability out here in the sticks; no cable or DSL service, with the only option being satelite dish broadband (WAY too expensive and unreliable).

Heh, even for regular TV; we have Dish Network with theor "basic" plan/programming package, as the airwaves usually result in the reception of only one station... *sometimes* <grin>. 'Tis the price that one pays for the peace and quiet out in the woods 😀

HunterZ wrote:

Thanks for these writeups. I wish I knew about the "compress old files" one because that was annoying when I was running WinXP as the main OS on my old desktop (now runs Ubuntu).

Yer welcome. Yeah, that COF delay (when running Disk Cleanup) can be absolutely painful... waiting for it to do it's thing when initally loading. Disabling COF causes Disk Cleanup to pop up alomost immediately 😀 Who uses the "Compressed Files" feature anyways?

Svenne wrote:

Stop using tiny resolutions. Anything below 1024x768 is for cellphones.

Hehe, wait till you get up there in age (close to 50 or greater) <grin>... the old eyes aren't what they used to be. I have a helluva time seeing anything on the screen at 1024x768 (or higher)... this, even on my largish 19" monitor.

P.S. A little something that I typed up for a utility that I created a while back (primarily for Windows XP though, the "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator"). It had problems on several Vista PCs, due to "User Account Control" (which puts a damper on a lot of things that one may wish to do on their PCs).

Im sure that most users here prolly know this (especially "power" users), but nonetheless, from the utility's readme:

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

User Account Control
--------------------
As mentioned in the "System Requirements" section above, you may require "Administrator Privileges" for the Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator v1.0 to function properly when run under Windows XP. In addition, when running the program under Windows Vista, you will need to change various "User Permissions" by disabling "User Account Control" in order for the program to function properly.

To disable "User Account Control" for Windows Vista, perform the following steps:

1 - Start the Windows Control Panel.

2 - Type "UAC" (minus the quotes) in the search dialog box.

3 - Click the "Turn User Account Control (UAC) on or off" link.

4 - Click the "Continue" button when Windows prompts you with "Windows needs your permission to continue".

5 - Uncheck the "Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer" checkbox.

6 - Click the "OK" button.

7 - Click the "Restart Now" button to reboot your computer and restart Windows.

8 - After your computer has rebooted and Windows has restarted, start the Windows Control Panel again.

9 - Click the "Security" link.

10 - Click the "Security Center" link.

11 - Click the "Change the way Security Center alerts me" link.

12 - Click the "Don't notify me and don't display the icon (not recommended)" link.

Note that Microsoft does not recommended disabling any of these Windows features, but disabling them is the ONLY way that the Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator v1.0 (as well as a LOT of other third-party programs and utilities) will function properly when run under Windows Vista!

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

rfnagel wrote:

Hehe, wait till you get up there in age (close to 50 or greater) <grin>... the old eyes aren't what they used to be. I have a helluva time seeing anything on the screen at 1024x768 (or higher)... this, even on my largish 19" monitor.

I would prefer to use max resolution and crank up the DPI (aka Large Fonts mode) but it just doesn't work right because many GUI programmers don't seem to take it into account. Instead I use a big monitor 🤣.

Edit: Regarding UAC, the only thing that it's killed me on so far is installing the Planescape Torment patch. The Bioware Infinity Engine games seem to run better on Ubuntu via Wine than they do under modern Windows, though.

HunterZ wrote:

I would prefer to use max resolution and crank up the DPI (aka Large Fonts mode) but it just doesn't work right because many GUI programmers don't seem to take it into account.

Yeah, I've seen the same thing. Eons ago I figured the same thing; large DT resolution, and crank up the DPI... but like you said, the results aren't all that great.

HunterZ wrote:

Instead I use a big monitor 🤣.

Heh, where monitors are concerned; IMHO, BIGGER is definitely BETTER/the bigger the better <grin> 😀 I remember throughout the decades; starting with a 13" monitor, and then buying my first 14" monitor (which was WAY PRICEY $$$ back in the day), and thinking "WOW!". Then my first 15"... "WOW!". Then 17" and 19", "WOW!" and "WOW!" <LOL>! 😀

Heh, I need one of them newfangled 21" (or larger) high-def wonders now <grin> 😀

HunterZ wrote:

Edit: Regarding UAC, the only thing that it's killed me on so far is installing the Planescape Torment patch. The Bioware Infinity Engine games seem to run better on Ubuntu via Wine than they do under modern Windows, though.

I had found quite a few things on my father's laptop running Vista. Can't quote specifics (as I don't really remember), but I do remember running into several things that I couldn't do on that PC due to UAC (IIRC, mostly dealing with copying or moving files around).

rfnagel wrote:

Sound Blaster Live! DevLdr32.exe Removal.txt
--------------------------------------------
Removing/disabling "DevLdr32.exe" and "DevCon32.dll", which were older driver files for Windows XP legacy sound support for the Sound Blaster Live!, and were included with the Windows XP installation CD-ROM. They are *NOT* required by Windows XP with a Sound Blaster Live!, and with the latest Creative Labs Windows XP drivers installed (English LiveDrvUni Pack: "LiveDrvUni-Pack(ENG).exe", February 28, 2003).

You got my attention with that one, but upon further inspection I do not have that in my running processes after all, nor anywhere in my startup (as determined by Autoruns). Not sure how I eluded that one.

Doesn't "legacy sound support" mean some sort of limited NTVDM support?

Don't forget that X-Setup Pro became freeware a little while ago. I'd say it's the last XP tweaking tool you'll ever need, but its absolutely staggering amount of content does give TweakUI a bit of an edge as far as convenience goes.

Jorpho wrote:

You got my attention with that one, but upon further inspection I do not have that in my running processes after all, nor anywhere in my startup (as determined by Autoruns). Not sure how I eluded that one.

I'm thinking that many folks prolly haven't had the DevLdr32 woes; if they installed XP and then SP1/SP2/SP3. Then installed their SBLive, and then the latest/last drivers from Creative Labs.

In my case, I had installed XP and then SP2, at a much later time my SBLive (when I first got it) and the Creative Labs drivers; and then the other day, SP3.

I'm guessing that may be why some folks have had the problem, yet others have not. Heh, after my two days of Googling and such, I couldn't count how many messages that I've read (posted over the past six years or so), going as far as even saying that "DevLdr32.exe IS A VIRUS!!!!" <LOL>.

Nevertheless, I did get it all sorted out via the method I posted earlier 😀

Jorpho wrote:

Doesn't "legacy sound support" mean some sort of limited NTVDM support?

I prolly should have re-worded that phrase.

What I meant to say (or rather, was infering) is that it was one of the bare-bones basic drivers for the SBLive that shipped with the XP installation CD-ROM (at least on mine, that is; WXP Pro Corp. Edition with SP1). That driver gives you basic access to the SBLive (sound support in Windows); minus the other SBLive specific things such as access to soundfonts, access to EAX parameters, and such.

Jorpho wrote:

Don't forget that X-Setup Pro became freeware a little while ago. I'd say it's the last XP tweaking tool you'll ever need, but its absolutely staggering amount of content does give TweakUI a bit of an edge as far as convenience goes.

As a power user (and a control freak as well <grin>), thanks for the heads-up about that one 😀 Googling now... 😀

Jorpho wrote:

Don't forget that X-Setup Pro became freeware a little while ago. I'd say it's the last XP tweaking tool you'll ever need, but its absolutely staggering amount of content does give TweakUI a bit of an edge as far as convenience goes.

Downloaded!

Cheers!

(re: the RSS feed feature of MSIE8)

Heh, I thought I was losing my mind <grin>...

What the hell is this little (almost inaudible) "beep" that I keep hearing on certain web pages/message forums???!!!

Did it come from my little PC bleeper/buzzer?!!!

Is my SBLive acting up/on the fritz???!

Is something fixin' to blow up in my old shack in the woods?!!!

NOPE...

...finally figured it out <LOL>!

Fascinating this "Out in the woods". Bookmarked and will read up on all of this!

You handyman work is even more impressive than your Retro Gear stuff!