[realharo]

Windows does have its flaws (e.g. the useless built-in search), but its window management and taskbar UI is the best of any OS I've ever seen - the live previews on hover, the way it interacts with middle click just like browser tabs/links, the window snapping with multiple monitors, etc. We'll see what WSL 2 brings to the table.

[vezycash]

I use the start menu only for opening programs.

For file search, use the program called Everything(). It's the first icon pinned on my taskbar, so the shortcut (Win+1) works.

https://www.voidtools.com/

[pfranz]

> window management and taskbar UI is the best of any OS I've ever seen

I /really/ missed in Linux where MMB-drag and RMB-drag to move resize windows without grabbing small UI dressing. The taskbar fills too quickly (you can't read the window text) and when it groups by Application it's not really any different than macOS' dock. I didn't find the stickiness or snapping that helpful.

I tried to embrace the window management and taskbar UI, but I greatly prefer both macOS and the many Linux options. I later tried add-ons to get Windows to add features I missed and unsurprisingly found those clunky as well.

[realharo]

>The taskbar fills too quickly (you can't read the window text) and when it groups by Application it's not really any different than macOS' dock

I just use the default setting where it doesn't show the text ever (only grouped icons), but I don't need it, because when you hover over a multi-window icon, it very quickly shows the previews (with just the right small amount of hover delay). They are live previews, so if some animation is happening in a window, you'll see it.

https://i.imgur.com/85Ct0Fp.png

As far as I know, macOS doesn't do anything like that, without 3rd party apps at least.

You can also middle-click on the app icon to launch a new instance of the application - e.g. a new terminal window in this case - no need to hunt for a "new window" menu item. This is analogous to how browser links and other UI elements (bookmarks, back button, etc.) behave.

You can middle-click on one of the previews to close it - so you don't have to aim for the small X in the corner. Any workflow is much faster when you can get away with imprecise movements.

Hovering over the preview hides all other windows for the duration of the hover (dim transparent rectangles of non-full-screen windows remain) which is useful if you just need a quick glance without switching to the app - you can do that with just mouse moves, no clicks needed - which means you can always go back to your original view by moving the cursor away.

There is a project that tries to recreate this in Linux (https://github.com/M7S/dockbarx), but it has a number of bugs and lacks polish in general.

I also miss alt+right click to resize and alt+left click to move a window from Linux - having to be precise is annoying and slows you down, but overall I still like the Windows UI better.

[pfranz]

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

I generally prefer title text to previews (I find it annoying browsers seem to be phasing titles out when possible). The only context I've ever used live previews is with VMs when I'm waiting for an action to complete...I never really liked using the MS thumbnails or macOS' Exposé.

Next time I use Windows I'll check out those other shortcuts mentioned.

[mattferderer]

What's wrong with the built-in search?

I'll agree the start menu search can be slow on occasion & instead of giving me an app will give me a Bing search on IE. That's my only complaint. Otherwise I like how I can search for just about anything with it.

I'm a huge fan of the processes/windows search (Ctrl+Win) to help me find an app on a different visual desktop or a browser tab hidden among the weeds.

[realharo]

It seems ok now that I'm trying it, but I definitely remember not being able to find a specific settings screen (I think it was network connections) even when typing its literal exact name. Same for various applications. Maybe they fixed it in one of the more recent Windows 10 updates.

[lostmsu]

> processes/windows search (Ctrl+Win)

Just tried that combination, and it did nothing. What feature are you referring to?