Fixing Windows XP Annoyances: How to Fix the Most Annoying Things About the Windows OS [Paperback]

The part of Windows XP with which we interact most frequently is Windows Explorer,commonly referred to simply as "Explorer."The Explorer application (Explorer.exe )is known as the shell,since it ’s the pretty face that is used to conceal what lies under the hood of the operating system.

Although Explorer is really only an application like any other,it is responsible for the desktop, the Start Menu,Recycle Bin,Control Panel,folder windows,and a million other things.

Given the amount of time you probably spend starting programs, copying files and folders, and looking for documents —not to mention actually writing all those documents —it makes sense to invest a little time to find better ways to accomplish these tasks.By following some of the solutions in this book,you can make your experience with Windows a lot more pleasurable, reducing stress and your recurring urges to toss your computer out a window seven stories off the ground.

The ideal user interface should adapt to you rather than the other way around.Indeed,one of the primary goals of this book is to show you how to change the way Windows looks, feels,and operates so that it is more closely in tune with the way you think and work.The problemis that there are some fundamental features of the interface that simply can’t be changed, so some of the time you ’ll simply have to settle for best compromise between the ideal solution and what is actually possible.

A classic example is the Search tool in Windows XP.When you begin a search from an open Explorer window,the Search pane replaces the folder tree, forcing you either to open a new Explorer window or to turn the folder tree back on by going to View .Explorer Bar .Folders (which incidentally is the only entry in this menu without a keyboard shortcut).And let’s not forget the little puppy dog with its incessant scratching noises.Although these problems can ’t be completely fixed without a third-party add-on, there are several workarounds discussed in "Fix the Search Tool,"later in this chapter.A little knowledge of the alternative methods will save you tons of aggravation.

Many of the topics discussed throughout this book require knowledge of the Windows Registry,with the exception of this chapter —I figured you’d want to jump right in.In addition to the Explorer-related tips and tricks,many of the topics of this chapter document the subtle interface differences in Windows XP from previous releases, especially useful for those who have recently upgraded —it ’s all good stuff.Chapter 3 provides thorough coverage of the Registry,a working knowledge of which will be employed by material found later in this book.

Lastly,it should be pointed out that this chapter assumes that you have a basic working knowledge of Windows:files and folders,double-clicking, right-clicking,using menus,and so on, although those who are just getting started with Windows should be able to catch on without too much effort.

Working with Explorer
One of the primary roles of Explorer is to provide the basic working interface that allows you to manage the files,folders,and applications on your system.This is why it ’s so baffling why Microsoft has buried the Windows Explorer icon so deep in the Start Menu, rather than giving it a more prominent position.

As stated earlier,the Windows desktop,the My Computer window,the single-folder windows, the folder tree pane window,and the Start Menu are all services provided by the single Explorer application.However,in most Windows lore and in the solutions in this book, the termExplorer refers specifically to the window that has the hierarchical tree view in the left pane (referred to by Microsoft as the Folders Explorer bar).This window can be opened by going to Start .Programs .Accessories .System Tools . Windows Explorer ,or by launching Explorer.exe fromthe Start Menu ’s Run command. All other windows used to browse folders —such as those windows accessible from the My Computer window —are commonly referred to as single folder windows.

It’s important to realize that Explorer,your single-folder windows,and even your desktop, all essentially are the same interface (with a few subtle exceptions).File and folder icons look and behave the same,regardless of the way they ’re viewed.

Interface consistency is one of the most important aspects of interface design, but, unfortunately,it often contradicts other factors,such as intuition and historical consistency. For example,drag-drop in Explorer behaves differently when you ’re dragging from one drive to another (d:to c:) than when dragging fromone folder to another on the same drive (c:\docs to c:\files ).Why the inconsistency?Because that ’s the way it has been done in Windows for years, and fixing it would likely confuse too many users.(At least fromthe perspective of the company that otherwise would have to answer all the technical support calls.)

Actually, I’ve found that Windows XP has better consistency in its interface than most of its predecessors. In Windows 98,for example, keystrokes that worked in one situation in Explorer didn ’t work in other situations,and this has been fixed in this latest version for the most part.And Microsoft has done away with the "drag an EXE file to create a shortcut" behavior —found in some earlier versions of Windows —which was terribly inconsistent with the way other files were drag-dropped,not to mention really annoying. But, XP is still far fromperfect;the way Control Panel categories appear in some cases but not in others end up making the tool that much harder to use.

One of Explorer ’s primary annoyances —and,paradoxically,one of its essential features —is the mandatory use of special combinations of key-strokes and mouse clicks to perform simple operations,such as using the Ctrl key to copy a file,or having to make sure the source and destination folders are both visible before trying to copy or move an object.This behavior, for the most part,can’t be changed —but there ’s enough flexibility and alternative methods built-into the interface to allow you to accomplish just about any task. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.