Show Desktop Button, How do I move it?

Not really the answer you were looking, i know,
but as an intermediate 2nd posibility,
remember that when you rightclick on the taskbar there is an option to show desktop.

Arjan

16 mai 2009 23:54

Im with you. The show desktop button has to be moved back by the start button. It was in one convenient place in the past now your bouncing from one side of the screen to the other to show the desktop

17 mai 2009 03:19

I agree also - I'm used to finding it on the far left, not the far right. However, I've used the answer above to add back the "Show Desktop" button to my Quick Launch toolbar.

31 mai 2009 11:24

Moving the "show desktop" button is a really strange idea - most people work left-to-right. When using a trackpad (e.g. laptop user) you now need to skate all the way over to the other side of the screen to get to the button. Very annoying, and totally counterintuitive. Everything else starts on the left, why not this??

It's like the "ribbon" in Office - great idea, but when you're sitting at a laptop all the extra mouse tracking is very, very annoying - and yes, I know that's a different product :-) - but it illustrates an inherent conflict - everyone's moving to laptops, and UI designers at MS work hard at helping people do this, yet every now and again they miss something obvious. Shame really!

otherwise - good product, nice little touches here and there. Shame it's Windows 7 not Vista R2!

31 mai 2009 12:28

Have you people, before asking, actually imagined how it would be if the new "Show Desktop" button was on the left [to the right of Start Orb]?
Obviously you have no idea about its Aero-peek-on-hover functionality.
Can you imagine something with on-hover functionality right next to the Start Orb!? Every time you'd reach for the Start Orb, you would activate Aero Peek.

The on-hover functionality was why the old "show desktop" was fine near the Start Orb, and why the new "show desktop" has to be as unobtrusive and far away from other buttons as possible, which it currently is.

Before asking, think about the consequences ;)

P.S.: And before someone asks, "Show Desktop" on the left of Start Orb would be awful, because nobody aims for the Start Orb - everybody just moves their mouse to the very corner of the screen and *click*.

Regards,
Kristaps.

Editat de Kristaps. _ 31 mai 2009 12:31
Propus ca răspuns de Target362 31 mai 2009 12:58

1 iunie 2009 04:55

I have thought about it and I have thought of the consequences. The new Aero Peek can stay by the clock if you like but we should have the option of moving it where we want or allowing us to add the old show desktop button with out having to perform a ten step process

Propus ca răspuns de Dyalog 14 iunie 2009 12:44

10 iulie 2009 22:23

Sorry Kristaps, but that's a fairly poor excuse, since the Aero Peek feature takes about 2 seconds of hovering to be activated. No one stays that long with the mouse halted when aiming for the start orb.

11 iulie 2009 03:19

I agree with you, kristaps. Why would you want to move the show desktop button? It's perfect where it is!!!! Finally Microsoft figured out a way to make the show desktop feature a lot better than it has in the past.

11 iulie 2009 22:10

Sorry Kristaps, but that's a fairly poor excuse, since the Aero Peek feature takes about 2 seconds of hovering to be activated. No one stays that long with the mouse halted when aiming for the start orb.

I counted how long it took, and it takes 1 second.

Also I like seeing the Windows logo Start orb animation, which requires having the mouse there for longer than 2 sec.

- JoelbX

23 iulie 2009 02:53

The Aero Peek functionality should be a non-issue regarding whether its feasible to move the "Show Desktop" button to the left side of the taskbar. First, it should be relatively easy to add functionality where the user could choose to place the "Show Desktop" button where he/she would like to have it. Second, if the user chooses to move the SD button in a location that may be problematic for the UI and/or Aero Peek, there could be a popup message notifying the user that the Aero Peek functionality will now be disabled. (Or a notification where the user is informed that the button is being placed in an area where it could be problematic for x,y,z reasons, but still allow the placement.) Third, and probably requiring a somewhat larger amount of code modifcation effort, the Aero Peek could be disabled, or delayed longer, only for the SD button when it is placed in a protentially problematic or high-traffice area.

I think research would show, unless it hasn't already, that the "Show Desktop"' button has become a highly utilized and appreciated button on task bar since it's inception, and moving it to the opposite side of the screen and away from the "business end" of the taskbar and UI is a bad decision.

Regards,
Rob

Propus ca răspuns de JoelbX 11 august 2009 22:26

24 iulie 2009 18:24

I don't understand why the show desktop button has been moved to the far right of the task bar. For years it has been right next to the start button. This is really annoying. Is there any way to move it?

I agree too. This is the most annoying change to the interface. Why do MS have to go and change one of the few things that works well in Vista?

24 iulie 2009 22:57

P.S.: And before someone asks, "Show Desktop" on the left of Start Orb would be awful, because nobody aims for the Start Orb - everybody just moves their mouse to the very corner of the screen and *click*.
Regards,
Kristaps.

Think again. Most users won't know this "trick" (which only works because the button is now an Orb, or should I say, becaues the Orb is really a button). I have been aiming for center of the Start Button in Windows all my years of using a PC. And I expect any naive user (like my mother, bless her soul) would do the same.

3 august 2009 05:07

I also find it really annoying the new show desktop being on the far right. I've activated the quick launch as i always do and use the old show desktop, but it lacks the peek :(. I'd like to be able to move it. Also i'd like classic start menu, new start menu has always annoyed me, and this one appears to be worse than the xp one, not that i really used it.

11 august 2009 22:01

Well, I have not liked where it is at present UNTIL I realized that I can move my mouse, even blindly, down and to the right and it will stay on that corner. It can't go next to the start button because it would confuse the heck out of people. Basically, now I know about the down-right move it's a much BETTER place IMHO. :)

Propus ca răspuns de JoelbX 12 august 2009 00:07

11 august 2009 23:55

I can move my mouse, even blindly, down and to the right and it will stay on that corner

That's why it's THE best place for it there ;)

Regards,
Kristaps.

P.S.: Epic shoop is epic.

12 august 2009 05:50

I think it just takes getting used to and people will be confused scratching their heads for some time untll they adjust to it's new location. If you really want to a show desktop shortcut can be placed on the start panel.

13 august 2009 19:15

I'm not getting used to it and I want it to change back. I don't care for the peek functionality either.
ts

tsfreaks

13 august 2009 21:03

You can also make a "quick launch" toolbar and insert a show desktop.
Aero peek can be disabled so it behaves the same as show desktop.

Editat de ONE ZERO 13 august 2009 21:05

26 august 2009 08:21

I've read all the arguments here and... Jesus Christ people! Why would you want this annoying button ANYWHERE on your screen? Win+D, folks, Win+D. I'm using Classic Theme (disabled the Themes services, to be precise) too so no Peek Desktop uber feature for me (not that I would want to use it anyway).

On topic tho: I want to get rid of this annoying button as it occupies too much precious screen estate and serves no purpose whatsoever. How do I do that?

Propus ca răspuns de kidjedi 31 mai 2011 15:59

18 septembrie 2009 09:19

I have switched to Windows 7 minutes ago... first thing I have googled was this - how to move show desktop button to "old" place...

12 octombrie 2009 22:27

I totally disagree. It's not perfect where it is -- think of the scenarios when you want to show the desktop. Usually I want to show the desktop because I want to be able to get at something that I click on my desktop (like "Computer" or the "Recycle Bin" or shortcuts I keep on my desktop). All of those icons are by default located on the left-hand side of the screen. So anytime I want to "conveniently" show the desktop, I end up scrolling all the way to the right of the screen and then all of the way back to the left.

I guess I don't understand the use of Aero Peek at all either... why would I want to see my desktop but not be able to do anything with it? I guess widgets is one answer.

Here's what I would suggest, for optimum usability:
1) Move "Show Desktop" just to the right of the orb (much like XP)
2) Make Aero Peek a right-click action instead of a hover action.

As it is, I think the current setup makes no sense. Not only is it located far away from anything else useful on the screen (I'm certainly not always clicking my system icons), but it's also an unlabeled and difficult to find for new users.

12 octombrie 2009 22:32

It would be awesome if you could middle-click (or on-hover, in place of full aero peek which I find useless since I hate widgets) to activate Flip3D or Alt+Tab selector or whatever. ATM in Win7 there is no way to activate Flip3D apart from Win+Tab.

Regards,
Kristaps.

P.S.: Epic shoop is epic.

16 octombrie 2009 14:10

Thank you so much for this - show desktop on the bottom right what were they thinking!!!

I work for a large software developer and I would consider this a very poor decision. I spend most of my time on the left hand side of the keyboard as thats where you do most of the short-cuts etc... as you do in Windows as well every thing thats quick, important and easy is on the left, when you read a book you read from left to right as well (thats why the drop down menu starts on the left) why on earth would you throw the show desktop to the bottom right - only time i visit that area is when im looking at the Windows calendar.

It is almost as bad as putting the start button on the bottom right.

I take off my Windows key on my home PC cause it annoys me when i used to hit it playing FPS games so Win+D is not an option.

Seems like Microsoft are forcing people to live without it by not turning it on by default and now in Win 7 its gotten worse i have to customise a freakin toolbar to get it back... rediculous. Like hiding the drop down menu in IE and explorer - man don't they understand their average client base dont know the short-cuts to work around it or how to unhide it? Clients shouldnt have to speak to software support for a 3rd party app just to navigate windows.

I'm not sure if there was a better way to open IE windows in Win 7 but i was right clicking the IE icon in task bar and selecting Internet Explorer to open a new window (if they were minimised) - thats two clicks where my quick launch used to be one - sorry but i dont want to "progress" into more clicks. Even with short-cuts its two keys CTRL+T or CTRL +N.

/end rant ahhh soothing quick launch how i love thee

22 octombrie 2009 07:06

I strongly agree with the original poster . Many of us have developed patterns of usage over the years that serve us well - such as having the "Show Desktop" button just right of the "Start" button. To simply change things like this because you think you have a better way is hubris, and simply drives many people away from your products. Many of us don't want a better way of doing things, as we have arrived at an optimal process for getting things done, and the "better way" simply involves relearning basic tasks with no ultimate gain.

An example of this was when I upgraded to IE 7, and discovered a) the menu was not present; b) when restored, the menu bar was not where menu bars are located; c) the common navigation keys (forward, back, refresh, cancel, home) were no longer grouped together where they've been since the 1990 version of Mosaic, instead splattered in various places. That was the end of using IE for me, I have used Firefox, Chrome, and Safari since then, and they all have a comfortable familiar layout that is what I'm used to. I can't imagine why I would use IE at this point.

Another example is Office and its ribbons. I was very excited last year when my new laptop included a demo of the latest version of Office. Then I discovered menus and toolbars were gone, replaced with "ribbons" and that awful blob in the upper left corner. Again, this is not a better way to do things, it's just different. Perhaps I could have made Office work more like I'm used to, but I immediately removed the Office software, installed Open Office, and have been using it happily since then. Again, I can't imagine why I would use MS Office at this point.

So, little things like this can be a real deal breaker for some of us. We just want to get our work done!

5 noiembrie 2009 01:19

To show your desktop, Why not use Win+D ?

9 noiembrie 2009 17:35

Another vote for this site that was mentioned above -

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-7/add-the-quick-launch-bar-to-the-taskbar-in-windows-7/

This will not only give you the show desktop but also the good old Quick Launch. You will probably then want to unpin your programs from the taskbar.

11 noiembrie 2009 20:54

Okay, so there's a lot of discussion and debate about the different ways to "show desktop," but as my wife points out, the new location is immediately below the scroll down control on a full screen window. She'll be browsing a website and moving the mouse pointer to the corner to scroll down the page and if you overshoot the control the Show Desktop displays. She's using a the trackpad on a laptop. Yes, she *could* use a mouse with a scroll wheel but the idea of the laptop and the trackpad is portability. Yes, she *could* use the Page Down or Arrow Down buttons but she is in the habit of using the trackpad + click.

I feel that Microsoft needs to allow the Show Desktop area to be moved.

Al

17 noiembrie 2009 22:06

i like it to be back by the start button, and it can stay rectangular like it is by the clock, for all the years we clicked on the show desktop button, this seemed to be a strange change, anyways i think there should be a taskbar option (if it moves by the start button in the near future) to enable one click to aero peek, two clicks to show desktop and/or specified delay moving over it to activate aero peek and one click to show desktop like it is now on the right, whatever it takes move it back microsoft!

or how about a setting to make the windows key button on the keyboard do all this too, would be better having it show the desktop instead of the start menu, how about that for a change.

17 noiembrie 2009 22:32

I think the new position is perfect. I can activate it whenever I want without even looking. Just flick the mouse to the bottom left edge of the screen......just like Exposé in OS X. Why would you want it on the left? Like Kristaps said, you'd be accidentally activating Aero Peek all the time.

17 noiembrie 2009 23:09

For me I say by default win7 should keep the button where it is, BUT you have the option of moving it, that way both sides of the battle here are happy.

or how about a setting to make the windows key button on the keyboard do all this too, would be better having it show the desktop instead of the start menu, how about that for a change.

How about all the people like me who press the windows key more than press the start button to open the start menu? Boy with your suggestion there I would not be happy constantly activating Aero Peek when trying to get to the Start menu.

JoelbX's favorite threads | Space | ----- | Contact me | 'Gadget' programs

Editat de JoelbX 26 ianuarie 2010 14:50 edit sig

18 noiembrie 2009 06:28

Windows Key + D shows the desktop.
Ctrl + Esc shows the start menu.

Propus ca răspuns de Andre.ZieglerMicrosoft Community Contributor 27 ianuarie 2010 15:44

19 noiembrie 2009 01:57

http://windows7center.com/tutorials/how-to-really-pin-the-show-desktop-to-taskbar-in-windows-7/

How about this:

Works perfectly.

28 decembrie 2009 11:32

Any change in Microsoft (especially the GUI) begins with the question: "How can we slow it down or make it harder for the end user?"

27 ianuarie 2010 01:57

Have you people, before asking, actually imagined how it would be if the new "Show Desktop" button was on the left [to the right of Start Orb]?
Obviously you have no idea about its Aero-peek-on-hover functionality.
Can you imagine something with on-hover functionality right next to the Start Orb!? Every time you'd reach for the Start Orb, you would activate Aero Peek.

The on-hover functionality was why the old "show desktop" was fine near the Start Orb, and why the new "show desktop" has to be as unobtrusive and far away from other buttons as possible, which it currently is.

Before asking, think about the consequences ;)

P.S.: And before someone asks, "Show Desktop" on the left of Start Orb would be awful, because nobody aims for the Start Orb - everybody just moves their mouse to the very corner of the screen and *click*.
Regards,
Kristaps.

I have my start bar to the vertical left of my screen. I have a rather wide screen so putting it to the left actually gives me more vertical view making more info visible. For me the show desktop is at the bottom of the screen and inconvenient, being so low since most of my work involves menus, I do a lot at the top of the screen show desktop used to be in the perfect place.

As for it messing up the start sphere, it didn't mess ot the start button. Just move it away from the start sphere or stick a line between it and the start sphere that says the area on the other side of this line or dent or whatever is start sphere territory.

Well, not actually say all that, but I think the idea is clear

2 februarie 2010 23:27

Really? what about those of us who use Dual Monitors?

Kristaps, please try to " think about the consequences ;)". moving the far right and dropping down does not put me in contact w/ the new funky show desktop button. in fact, Win7 deals w/ my dual monitor about as well as WinXP did. so w/o a 2rd party app...there is no bar on my right screen.

AND some putz like Kristaps says i should think things through? really?!?

allow me to move the button where i want...if it affects usability, then i will find a solution. do not simply assume that you can " think about the consequences ;)" and do a better job than i can. if it jaks up my screen everytime i go to Start...then i'll move it. or...oooOOoOOoo...here's one for ya, why not simply code the button in such a way that it won't interfere as described?

2 februarie 2010 23:40

...oooOOoOOoo...here's one for ya, why not simply code the button in such a way that it won't interfere as described?

If it's so simple, why don't you do it? Or at least tell how would you do it?

Regards,
Kristaps.

3 februarie 2010 02:55

How's that 800 x 600 screen resolution, IBM 3278 theme and Epson MX-80 Dot Matrix font working out for you? :-)

If you think development is tough now, try doing it on punched cards :-)

3 februarie 2010 16:19

Kristaps,

I am not a programmer so I will not be able to code the solution for you. If developing code is too complex for you, then I hear there are plenty of road construction jobs coming available. I will try provide you an example in an effort to allow you to expand your thought process.

how about this...

If you (assuming "you" have a clue and are a somebody) set up buttonA in such a way that if it is aligned next to (or 'in close proximity' to) another button that you feel would cause me to get irritated due to buttonA's behavior...change the behavior once in proximity. for example: if the Show Desktop button is moved next to the Start button (either on the left or the right of the start button) it no longer uses the 'hover over' feature, it becomes a button. viola.

personally, i really like the idea of putting the 'on hover show desktop' icon to the left of the start orb. but then again, perhaps its cause i usually find my mouse in the center of the orb...not just "to the very corner of the screen and *click*"

what have we done here?

1) we have given the user the ability to adjust the desktop as fits them.

2) the user has a choice...They can get hover over functions if that is important to them or prime location if that is important to them.

3) made it simple for the user to implement their choice. (ie: no 10 step hack)

some would call it "Backward Compatibility". it's fine to add new features and advance the desktop, but not at the expense of my user base productivity. when you irritate them they irritate me...then i'm start barking with the irritation of hundreds and folks wonder why i'm so pissy. :)

you assumed a solution based on the requirement that the areo hover-over feature MUST BE ACTIVE at all times. Lets face it....Aero is a poor excuse for eye candy anyway. if i want eye candy, I'd help promote KDE on Win or log onto my Linux box. LOL

3 februarie 2010 21:17

if the Show Desktop button is moved next to the Start button (either on the left or the right of the start button) it no longer uses the 'hover over' feature, it becomes a button. viola.

You can do it manually btw - right click, 2nd item.

About the "choice" thing: Apple and the entire Linux-based "ecosystem" have clearly showed that, in general, most of the users aren't very bright, and the company has to make decisions for them, mostly to protect them from their own bad decisions (here: adjustments; most of the people don't know what they want or what's best for them, so they more often than not they make everything actually worse for themselves).

About backwards compatibility: it's one of the biggest things killing Windows and hurting the users.

The software developers don't see reasons to update their software, since it will most probably work with all Windows versions for at least 15 years, which it will.
Users are so used to bad design/UI/UX decisions made in previous Windows versions, they refuse to accept or even try out the improvements -- but that's just human nature

One more thing.

(assuming "you" have a clue and are a somebody)

If developing code is too complex for you, then I hear there are plenty of road construction jobs coming available.

Do you even have the slightest idea of who I am or what I can or can not do? Not being arrogant or anything, but I believe that in my age of 17 years I have developed more and more valuable code than you ever will, so why don't you keep your nice offers to yourself. And no, I guess I'm not a somebody to you, if by that you mean somebody working at MS or anything.

Regards,
Kristaps.

3 februarie 2010 21:38

Personally I find Aero Peek annoying, and so I turned it off. Show desktop becomes a button in this case, and is good over on the right. As I never use it anyway I'm glad it's over there out of the way.

I have two monitors and I spend MUCH less time than I used to with one monitor fooling with trying to get all the stuff I want visible at the same time.

Personally I couldn't live without two monitors any more... If I did it would have to be three monitors.

-Noel

Kristaps, you seem to be wise beyond your years. Keep up the good thinking.

3 februarie 2010 23:23

I wish for a day when I'll be able to go to a tech store and buy a nice 22'' touchscreen monitor, and place it almost horizontally on my table right below the main monitor, or next to it. Would be awesome...

Kristaps, you seem to be wise beyond your years. Keep up the good thinking.

Thank you :)

Regards,
Kristaps.

4 februarie 2010 01:23

1) You can do it manually btw - right click, 2nd item.

- however, you are unable to move it to the location i mentioned. remember...location is my whole complaint.

2) so giving individuals a choice is bad?

- read up on your history. many times we have seen a small group of individuals feel that they know what is best for a larger group of individuals. usually ends up pretty bad for one of those groups. just sayn is all...

3) uh...so providing the backwards compatibility that i referenced... (ie: allowing a simpler way to put a 'show desktop' button anywhere i want it) is what is hindering M$? LOL. really? wow. you are now ready to solve the worlds problems. once you get into the real world, perhaps you'll come to understand backward compatibility. for now and the next 10 yrs or so, it will prolly seem stoopid to you. but that's OK. it is the youth that helps instigate change and the old that help moderate it.

3) i didn't come here to ____ in your Wheaties. really i didn't. i don't write code, i mentioned that before didn't i? but then, i don't see any DevTeam as gods like you seem to do. but then again, I've worked with many Dev's over the years and have come to know that they are only men (well a few women folk). some worse...some better. please do not think you can judge your place in this world by the code you write, else you may find in old age that you missed something in life.

i would like to think that you are a semi intelligent human being. you seem willing and able to formulate a thought. wonderful. now learn if can lear to "not to assume all others are idiots" you'll go far. i bet, if your father/mother/whomever tells you that you can't do it this way or doing it that way is stupid....and when they do, it deepens your resolve to do it the way that YOU FEEL is best. what makes sense to you and is logical. i am the same. in this situation, i want a simple button. you're telling it can't be done. i'm telling you to stop drinking the koolaid.

anyway, this was a fun little flame fest. i hope you have a wonderful and highly productive life.

Be Well.

12 februarie 2010 06:34

Oh no...... so what you are saying is for a split second.... as you pass over the "Show Desktop" it would activate Aero Peek. You are absolutely correct.... THINK OF THE CONSEQUENCES!!!!! I am so glad that you warned us of this. I am not sure what I would do without you! WHAT A TARD BOT!!!

12 februarie 2010 18:07

for a split second.... as you pass over the "Show Desktop" it would activate Aero Peek

Now you see one of the main reasons I disabled Aero Peek. I don't find that tolerable even with the button all but hidden away in the corner of the screen. I can find my way around my desktop via the other means just fine without the massive visual disruption of everything going blank briefly; alt-tab and the Taskbar (with the handy thumbnails) work great for that.

Not everyone's mind is organized the same way, so I'm glad it's a configurable option.

-Noel

14 martie 2010 08:13

Thanks for the Quick Launch toolbar tip. That worked for me.

Now, if I could only get Skype to unpin itself from the taskbar!!

14 martie 2010 15:05

Skype is not pinned; it's a notification area icon.

If you want it not to be shown, click the little notification area arrow and choose Customize or bring up Notification Area Icons in the control panel. Find the entry for Skype and change it to either Only Show Notifications or Hide Icon and Notifications.

-Noel

9 aprilie 2010 10:11

I too, as a long time windows user want the show desktop button back, or at least the option to do so!!!

Its a bloody pain having to glide accross my pad to access it. The windows shortcut keys are not the solution, nor is pinning an icon to the taskbar.

Dear Mr Gates or whomever is in charge these days. Listen to us, your end users. WE want the desktop button back where it should be and has been for years!!!

That is all.

9 aprilie 2010 10:11

I too, as a long time windows user want the show desktop button back, or at least the option to do so!!!

Its a bloody pain having to glide accross my pad to access it. The windows shortcut keys are not the solution, nor is pinning an icon to the taskbar.

Dear Mr Gates or whomever is in charge these days. Listen to us, your end users. WE want the desktop button back where it should be and has been for years!!!

That is all.

Propus ca răspuns de dbc1109 9 noiembrie 2010 00:55

16 aprilie 2010 04:50

http://www.askvg.com/how-to-get-the-good-old-show-desktop-feature-back-in-windows-7/

Here ya go:

25 aprilie 2010 02:19

I agree with the others, you can turn off aeropeek which doesn't do anything for me anyways...move the button back!

Propus ca răspuns de dbc1109 9 noiembrie 2010 00:56

27 aprilie 2010 22:23

This feature or lack thereof goes right up there with changing the hourglass to a spinning ring. I know that time and thought were put into both, but from the user's perspective you(Microsoft) failed on both.

17 mai 2010 14:07

I too am annoyed that this feature has been moved and made less flexible.

Considering it was so heavily used by people, moving it to the other side away from everything else, and having no option to move it (or remove it) is really crazy.

And what the heck is Desktop peek good for anyway? Who needs peek when clicking twice on the old icon was faster!

I have done the 'custom toolbar' hack(?) to get the functionality back, but I shouldn't have had to do that.

And now I have a chunk of my taskbar completely wasted that I can't get back.

Thanks for nothing Microsoft.

19 mai 2010 11:56

I dunno. but to show desktop u have two pisibility:

1- rignt click on taskbar and press "show desktop" .. is fast and easy..

2- press windows key + m and all windowswill drop down and show your desktop.. very fast..

Good luck!

21 mai 2010 11:44

Everything on the desktop is on the left... i.e icons.

The main reason you want to "show the desktop" is to access the desktop, i.e the icons on the left.

Why oh why is the button to show the desktop on the right when everything you want to access after clicking that located on the opposite side of the screen.

Try using a laptop where mouse movement is a pain, and performing this action. It significantly slows you down, such a horrible design decision.

21 mai 2010 12:00

If you're on a laptop, where mouse movement is a pain by default (tiny and less-than-enough responsive trackpads, among other problems), you should really learn to use keyboard shortcuts -> Win+D ;)

The button to show the desktop [is] on the right when everything you want to access after clicking that located on the opposite side of the screen.

Exactly. You really don't want a Show Desktop button with on-hover functionality together with all your pinned icons.

Regards,
Kristaps.

21 mai 2010 21:37

"Exactly. You really don't want a Show Desktop button with on-hover functionality together with all your pinned icons."

Are you referring to the icons on the task-bar? I was referring to the icons on the desktop. They are located on the left, on the opposite side of the screen to the button which shows the desktop. I've disabled 'on-hover peek' as that is just annoying. I see no point in just 'seeing' the desktop, but not being able to interact with it.

21 mai 2010 21:55

Yeah, I was referring to the taskbar icons, not the desktop ones. My bad.

Totally agree with you on disabling Show Desktop button's Peek function, especially since I've completely uninstalled support for Gadgets, which, in my opinion, are useless, annoying and a waste of resources.

Ok, back to the icons. You are correct about having to move to the opposite edge of the screen after using Show Desktop. But anyway I reckon that the Show Desktop button wouldn't really fit in on the left side, together with the Start Orb and any pinned applications you may have.

It doesn't have an icon, and it wouldn't make much sense to give a massive 48x48 icon to a button like this (a smaller icon, like 16x16 or even 32x32 would look awful next to the others)
It doesn't have states the application buttons do (not running, running, active, multiple windows x2 etc.), or jump lists, or a live thumbnail (ok, Peek is on-hover, so it sort of counts) and so on.

What I'm saying is that it doesn't fit in with the rest of the buttons both visually or functionally. Also think about the placement. You can't place it before (to the left of) the Start Orb, because it'd mess a lot of things up. You can't really place it between the Orb and the pinned application icons, because it does not have even a remotely similar functionality (or appearance).

I agree, the current solution is not perfect, but it's also not that bad, especially once you get used to it. It certainly is much more convenient than a miniature button placed next to a bunch of application/folder shortcuts (Quick Launch), where it didn't even have a quick way to activate it by mouse -- currently you can simply move your mouse to the very bottom right corner (the opposite of the Start Orb) and click the button -- without looking for it and with a minimal chance of missing it.

Regards,
Kristaps.

24 mai 2010 04:53

It certainly is much more convenient than a miniature button placed next to a bunch of application/folder shortcuts (Quick Launch), where it didn't even have a quick way to activate it by mouse -- currently you can simply move your mouse to the very bottom right corner (the opposite of the Start Orb) and click the button -- without looking for it and with a minimal chance of missing it.
Regards,
Kristaps.

Certainly more convenient? Not to me, it's not! Also, your claim that "You can't really place it between the Orb and the pinned application icons, because it does not have even a remotely similar functionality (or appearance)," doesn't hold much water for me given that the original "show desktop" icon worked fine.

24 mai 2010 06:10

Although not any good for novices, and MS would never do it, I think the best place is actually a transparent 1x1 pixel in the top-left corner. People never rest their cursor there accidentally (there is nothing worth pressing in that corner), and it also leaves the cursor in an ideal place for after showing the desktop.

It'd be trivial to write a small program that does that - but it doesn't bother me that much.

24 mai 2010 14:36

Not to me, it's not!

A matter of getting used to things. Of course it's more convenient the way that you are used to do it, because it's faster for you that way (and it should be so).

If you ask me, the old "Show Desktop" button was a compromise — a working solution, but a poor one.

Regards,
Kristaps.

24 mai 2010 14:38

I think the best place is actually a transparent 1x1 pixel in the top-left corner.

Something among the lines of OSX's hot corners (or whatever they're called)? But that's equally as good/bad place for the button (even if it's invisible) as the current one in Win7 — it's still the opposite corner of the Start Orb, just a different one.

Regards,
Kristaps.

24 mai 2010 15:48

Keyboard shortcuts are not the end save all. they work for you...great. i use them too. but guess what? i still appreciate having the "QuickLaunch" buttons near the Orb. several apps (like vnc, songbird, outlook, *.msc, burning software does not benefit from the nifty new application bar. this is on contract to things like Opera, IE, Chrome, Explorer). as such, i cannot justify allocating such a massive amount of pixel space on the app bar to them while they are open. just need a lil button to access the app. this is also where i place shortcuts to some of my vbs scripts (reboot remote pc, remote uptime, etc).

as the bottom right corner is NOT optimal for those of us running with dual monitors. you seem to keep forgetting that....why? cause the bottom right corner of the left monitor is in the bottom center of my screen space.

i have no issue with massive, miniature or inconsistently sized icons as Kristaps seems to have. but if 48x48 is massive, perhaps he does need to get a larger monitor as he commented earlier. i have found the settings that make 'Quick Launch' look and behave just as it used it. and I'm glad i was able to do so. I'm sad that it is no longer a simple right click to gain access to this functionality.

I think we all can see and understand how the "on hover" functionality would/could be problematic/irritating if it were in use by a button located in close proximity to the Orb. so....provide a shortcut w/o the on-hover or disable the on-hover. OH...wait...they did create the shortcut w/o the on-hover. in fact, its the exact same shortcut available for the past how many years??? they just chose to not make it easily accessible in Win7. yeah, that makes good sense... at least it was simple to "reconnect it"

here is a solution...please add the Quick Launch back to the right click menu on the app bar. viola.

this makes folks like me happy, cause we get our button and it does not impact those that are keyboard shortcut advocates and/or lovers of the new onhovershowdesktopabomination. (unless you are adverse to wasting the pixels in a pop-up menu that you rarely use).

personally, i like having multiple ways of doing anything. having the show-desktop button located near the focus of application execution makes sense to me. i have several other buttons that i am able to execute without mis-clicking (i can also tie my own shoes!) and i use those buttons a LOT. so it is already customary for my mouse to move to the bottom left since most folks start aps with a trip to the 'start button'/Orb. unless they have their desktop covered with icons and/or have keyboard shortcut mapped all their apps.

24 mai 2010 16:02

It's not like it's impossible to get quicklaunch back — if you really want/need it, go ahead and have it.

48x48 icons are massive when compared to 16x16s used in Windows 95 up to Vista. Btw, I've got a nice 22-incher, so it's no problem.

About the multiple monitor problem — Windows has never had a taskbar fully suited for multi-monitor usage. However, there are lots of programs to fix that — for example, UltraMon. I suggest you try one of these — maybe extending the taskbar to both monitors will work for you :)

Regards,
Kristaps.

24 mai 2010 17:51

what a concept, i think i may do that. thank you for granting me your permission.

and thank you for the novel idea of paying for a 3rd party app to manage my monitors. personally, i prefer DisplayFusion. however, as I've mentioned and I shall remind you....i don't want the showdesktop icon on the bottom right.

if we were allowed to move the darn icon this thread would never have been created in the first place.

25 mai 2010 10:21

Dear Kristaps, your answers, whilst informative and thoughtful are sadly missing the point of this thread.

We, the users whom pay good for your corporation's OS, support etc etc are saying to you "we dont WANT the "show desktop" in the bottom right hand, we dont WANT some convoluted method of half doing it. We want the developers to listen and take note. We arent asking for it to be moved, we are asking for the OPTION to move it. Although my IT skills are more hardware support than programming, i do know several rather talented coders, all of whom have said its not a massive job to recode to allow the option. And lets be realistic, as a none programmer even i can see it cant be that hard.

Please, allow me to sum up.

Give us the option to put it back where it historically has been for the last umpteen years.

Thank you.

26 mai 2010 04:52

best way

http://www.avforums.com/forums/windows-7/1086103-possible-move-show-desktop-icon-right-left-taskbar.html

21 iulie 2010 22:17

It boils down to the programmers not pay a damned bit of attention to how the programs are actually used, what the users actually do, and the programmers' egos making them showoff instead of write tight, clean, useful code. We went thru this problem thru two rewrites of our primary accounting software. The programmers completely ignored our samples, our want lists, and how we worked.

Für Elise - Support the Heart & Breast Cancer Foundations. http://www.amazon.com/Gospel-Our-Lord-Jesus-Christ/dp/1449947565/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265754374&sr=1-15

22 iulie 2010 19:23

Windows Key + D is the fastest way to get the desktop to show. But I totally agree, the show desktop button should NOT have been moved or, they should have at least allowed you to position it where you like.

For those who absolutely MUST have the old button back... http://www.askvg.com/how-to-get-the-good-old-show-desktop-feature-back-in-windows-7/

To anyone arguing that the new positioning is better - its a personal preference. Some people like the new position, others like the old. Why you people are spending so much time arguing about it is a testament to how you need to find something else to do with your spare time.

-TorQue[MoD]

3 august 2010 00:53

You should be able to move anything anywhere you want. "."

My laptop touch pad allows me to dritf to show desktop, very bad.

Not the only one I see.

15 septembrie 2010 21:41

No one seems to have mentioned that if you have a high res monitor 1920+ horizontal pixels on a screen it takes forever and a day just to get the mouse to move to the bottom right corner!! You would think that after copying the show desktop idea from Linux all those years ago that they would have been able to make an improvement on it by now!! JUST WAIT AND SEE HOW BAD IE9 IS !

15 septembrie 2010 22:26

On Wed, 15 Sep 2010 21:41:08 +0000, Sanaar wrote:

> No one seems to have mentioned that if you have a high res monitor 1920+ horizontal pixels on a screen it takes forever and a day just to get the mouse to move to the bottom right corner!!

Both of the monitors on this computer are running at 1920X1080. It

does *not* take anything like "forever and a day" to move the mouse to

the bottom right corner or anywhere else. The mouse moves anywhere as

fast as I move my hand.

Ken Blake

18 septembrie 2010 17:42

It's not if you are using dual screens like me and can't throw your mouse down to the corner! Takes to much precision, especially between monitors! Beside, when I show desktop I often want to open a program from the start menu..... so now I have to scoot over to the other side aswell.. Geee!

20 octombrie 2010 05:34

Totally Agree with you! Its not a big ask to have the developers give this as an option which an end user can exercise.

Having been used to working a certain way with Windows for over a decade and half now, its too much for people like me to suddenly notice such a change (especially on a minor and oft used feature) in the OS design. Each time i need to minimise the windows, i involuntarily reach for the usual spot, realise my mistake, curse myself and then reach to the other extreme of my screen - all this to simply see my desktop :(

I'm one of those not-so-rare characters who are disappointed with the new windows 7- i find the aero theme kiddish with its font and pixel sizes too large, and therefore the task bar extremely cluttered when i have the aero theme on. I've disabled almost every windows 7 theme feature on my laptop in order to get the clean XP styled simpler interface back....but was missing the quick launch bar badly. Thank you Robinson and Miki for your posts.

9 noiembrie 2010 00:52

I have shut off the peek.

When I was hitting the down arrow my mouse would drift down and show the peek BAD.

You people?

Let us move it if we shut off the peek then?

9 noiembrie 2010 10:13

Another typical example of MS's new features dictature. If that would be a take-it-or-leave-it, fine! But, as you have this OS on your work computer, you have no choice but to tweek the registry forever before you can get something you want out of the UI..

28 decembrie 2010 21:47

show-desktop on right corner allows blind moving of cursor fast.

blind-moving is also why i don't use dual monitors:

just move mouse all-the-way-right for ScrollBar & all-the-way-right-top to Close.

but it only works with a mouse, which moves cursor very fast 'all-the-way' . not for track balls/pads/buttons

5 ianuarie 2011 16:21

I don't understand why the show desktop button has been moved to the far right of the task bar. For years it has been right next to the start button. This is really annoying. Is there any way to move it?

If not, is there a place where i can send feedback about my complaints? I'm running RC1 and I don't see anywhere to do that.

HELLO!!!! IS ANYONE OUT THERE?
This must be an un-monitored forum, or the monitor is asleep!
The original post asked, "Is there any way to move it?" -

- Not should I move it (which would be another thread)
- Not what are the consequences of moving it (which would be another thread)
- Not, 'why can't I get Skype in the notification area' (which would be another thread)
- Not what happens if I have two monitors
- Not should it be there at all (which would be another thread, maybe with "should I move it")
- Not whether you find it annoying (which shouldn't be a thread at all)
- Not what interaction it has with Aero Peek (which would be another thread)
- Not what MS was thinkin’ (don’t even go there!)
- Not even workarounds (although, I’ll admit they might prove useful)
- Not if we can convince MS to change it (well, I guess he did ask that), but that ain’t gonna work either.
- Not which screen resolution it works (or doesn’t work) with.
- Not how long it takes for Aero to Peek.
- Not how I can reinstate Quick Launch in the task bar (btw you can, with small icons, 3 across, and it’s pretty easy)
- Not how many rotationa the typical mouse ball makes to move to the icon.
- Not how many of you have gotten used to using it in the new location

The poor guy just wants to know if there's a way to move it. He probably (somewhere in the middle of this off-purpose thread) moved on to where he can actually find the answer.

Those of you who have jumped in but are not, 'programmers, IT professionals, Windows gurus, etc', need not tell the group that, cuz it's obvious. This thread does not show the answer, only useless opinions from everyone who has an.... well, I won't go there.

Feel free to flame me if you must, that will be yet another diversion away from the actual question, besides I won't see it, I'll be looking for the answer to, 'Is there any way to move it?'

AND why do people respond with, 'I don't know the answer, but someone else probably will'? Now that's useful information.

So, as Pat Benatar says in “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”.......FIRE AWAY, I’m outta here!!!!

To be fair, what a shame that most forums have this same problem!!!!

5 ianuarie 2011 16:23

I don't understand why the show desktop button has been moved to the far right of the task bar. For years it has been right next to the start button. This is really annoying. Is there any way to move it?

If not, is there a place where i can send feedback about my complaints? I'm running RC1 and I don't see anywhere to do that.

HELLO!!!! IS ANYONE OUT THERE?
This must be an un-monitored forum, or the monitor is asleep!
The original post asked, "Is there any way to move it?" -

- Not should I move it (which would be another thread)
- Not what are the consequences of moving it (which would be another thread)
- Not, 'why can't I get Skype in the notification area' (which would be another thread)
- Not what happens if I have two monitors
- Not should it be there at all (which would be another thread, maybe with "should I move it")
- Not whether you find it annoying (which shouldn't be a thread at all)
- Not what interaction it has with Aero Peek (which would be another thread)
- Not what MS was thinkin’ (don’t even go there!)
- Not even workarounds (although, I’ll admit they might prove useful)
- Not if we can convince MS to change it (well, I guess he did ask that), but that ain’t gonna work either.
- Not which screen resolution it works (or doesn’t work) with.
- Not how long it takes for Aero to Peek.
- Not how I can reinstate Quick Launch in the task bar (btw you can, with small icons, 3 across, and it’s pretty easy)
- Not how many rotationa the typical mouse ball makes to move to the icon.
- Not how many of you have gotten used to using it in the new location

The poor guy just wants to know if there's a way to move it. He probably (somewhere in the middle of this off-purpose thread) moved on to where he can actually find the answer.

Those of you who have jumped in but are not, 'programmers, IT professionals, Windows gurus, etc', need not tell the group that, cuz it's obvious. This thread does not show the answer, only useless opinions from everyone who has an.... well, I won't go there.

Feel free to flame me if you must, that will be yet another diversion away from the actual question, besides I won't see it, I'll be looking for the answer to, 'Is there any way to move it?'

AND why do people respond with, 'I don't know the answer, but someone else probably will'? Now that's useful information.

So, as Pat Benatar says in “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”.......FIRE AWAY, I’m outta here!!!!

To be fair, what a shame that most forums have this same problem!!!!

I must admit after re-reading that post, that it should be in another thread also.

My bad.

6 ianuarie 2011 22:32

By the way....i wrote this in notepad with wordwrap on. I copied and pasted directly from Notepad so it's not my fault M$ can't format text correctly. This is what it put out and this is what i am going to write.

No wonder people do not even bother with IE browser hacks anymore. Why should i fix crappy errors like this anymore and break perfect CSS/HTML so i can get a IE viewer to see my page.

"I strongly agree with the original poster . Many of us have developed patterns of usage over the years that serve us well -

such as having the "Show Desktop" button just right of the "Start" button. To simply change things like this because you

think you have a better way is hubris, and simply drives many people away from your products. Many of us don't want a better

way of doing things, as we have arrived at an optimal process for getting things done, and the "better way" simply involves

relearning basic tasks with no ultimate gain.

An example of this was when I upgraded to IE 7, and discovered a) the menu was not present; b) when restored, the menu bar

was not where menu bars are located; c) the common navigation keys (forward, back, refresh, cancel, home) were no longer

grouped together where they've been since the 1990 version of Mosaic, instead splattered in various places. That was the

end of using IE for me, I have used Firefox, Chrome, and Safari since then, and they all have a comfortable familiar layout

that is what I'm used to. I can't imagine why I would use IE at this point.

Another example is Office and its ribbons. I was very excited last year when my new laptop included a demo of the latest

version of Office. Then I discovered menus and toolbars were gone, replaced with "ribbons" and that awful blob in the upper

left corner. Again, this is not a better way to do things, it's just different. Perhaps I could have made Office work more

like I'm used to, but I immediately removed the Office software, installed Open Office, and have been using it happily since

then. Again, I can't imagine why I would use MS Office at this point."

I agree with the above %100. I was an IE user and one day the interface turned into some alien ____. No more buttons and

the menu was gone as well. If M$ wanted to kill off IE with that feature i should congratulate them since their user base is

now less than %30 and Firefox out-ranked them yesterday. Not a loss in my opinion since I develope code and IE has not been a

good stardard complient browser so its not sweat off of my back. But this was just another example of corporate suicide that

was pushed through with no thought of the end user who has used an interface for nearly 15 years that has not changed. Not

all change is good you know. If the UI works and people are used to it, then spruce it up and make it pretty, sure, but to

change it drastically from one version to the next is corporate suicide.

I have used the "Classic Windows UI" for half of my LIFE which is 20 years so of course i am going to be a bit resistent to

change. But in reality it is not being resistent to change but rather resistence to forced change that goes against

everything i have learned. No, people, as of today the letter E is no longer the letter E and it shall be called A. A shall

be called D and D shall be called S. S will be called R.

So now that you know how things are done please have that 100 page report on my desk in the morning please. Can you see where

i am coming from? Forced change is the worst thing M$ can do to users that have not even used Vista. Like me. I avoided it

like the plague not only because it was a resource hog but because of forced change that i was not comfortable with.

You may say that I should go back to XP then. Thanks, I have. But only this time with dual boot. I am an IT Tech so I will

learn 7 at my own pace and continue to dual boot and leave this monster for the people who will pay me to fix their

computers. You see, fundamentally there are hardly any changes at all if you think about it. All changes are in the GUI,

really. The CMD is still there with the same old commands and a few new ones but overall 7 is still XP and a little bit of

Vista.

IPCONFIG in XP will still give you the same results in Vista and 7 so why this drastic change in the way Windows feels and

interacts with it's user? I have a theory.

To make more money. Through the sale of Office which will include Outlook since 7 does not have a mail function at all, and

to wean us off of, slowly, a non-cloud based computing experience is why we are being forced to accept this ____. See, I

think M$ is more scared of Google than it is willing to admit and is making changes to roll out its own, useless that will

never be accepted by businesses, Cloud based computing OS to compete with chrome. Whoever came up with the idea to scrap

outlook express needs to be fired

As of today the vast MAJORITY of people are still using XP. Does this not tell you that the vast majority of users do not

like your new products? This adoption rate of XP has nothing to do with being poor and not being able to purchase vista and 7

otherwise people would have adopted vista more and more over the last ten years.

No, it has to do with change being forced on people and them not putting up with it. Gone are the days of M$'s stranglehold

on the OS business by stiffling competition and illegal business practices. Although they are still, probably illegally,

hiding the browser choice screen on ANY NEW XP INSTALL's. How do i know this? The last few installs of XP i have seen this

covert action.

Kristaps...you write:

About backwards compatibility: it's one of the biggest things killing Windows and hurting the users.

1. The software developers don't see reasons to update their software, since it will most probably work with all Windows

versions for at least 15 years, which it will.
2. Users are so used to bad design/UI/UX decisions made in previous Windows versions, they refuse to accept or even try

out the improvements -- but that's just human nature.

Nonesense, when there is a vuln that needs to be patched they will and you know it. Do you know what an unpatched,exposed and

exploited vuln will do to a company? Read up on one called Gawker and see how they fare. Or how about the Chip and pin expose

that ALL banks are vuln too?

I like being able to use hardware that i purchased not so long ago. I still have hardware that works that is nearly ten years

old. Give me one reason why i should just abandon that hardware? Will you pay for my new hardware? You said you are 19 years

old or i read that somwhere. Well, you have no clue about the real world son (as we say in the UK) and probably still live

iwth mum and dad. You have no idea mate. You live in you nice little bubble most likely.

In your world you would have us all buying new printers the moment M$ borks up drivers or comes out with a new OS. Who cares

if the hardware still works its the drivers and software that matter. Grow up child and get out of that bubble every once in

a while.

WickedSun writes...:

...this is also where i place shortcuts to some of my vbs scripts (reboot remote pc, remote uptime, etc).

Nice, somebody else who likes the idea of customizing ones computer to suits one need. I do similar things. But if you just

pin them on the "new and improved" taskbar they will take up too much space too quickly since there is an aweful lot of waste

bewteen the icons. If you suggest i use one of those jumplists or whatever they are called this becomes a task that takes

longer to do and will invalidate M$'s assertion that this version of Windows is faster.

There are so many things wrong with the GUI it's not even funny. So funny i refuse to use it as a full time system since it

is completely alien to me.

Shall we talk about copying and pasting of auto arranged folders or files when i have trouble even dragging the selection

caret around them?. That is a whole matter deserving of its own thread and my....there already is one.

I do not have to use 7 will be the response i expect. Guess what?

I won't till some things are sorted. XP still have years of life left regardless of what M$ wants you to think. In the

meantime i will show all my clients my 7 laptop and let them play around on it if they use XP. They can make up their own

mind. If the reaction is anything like mine they will last less than 30 min.

But to stay on topic i will add this....

http://windows7center.com/tutorials/how-to-really-pin-the-show-desktop-to-taskbar-in-windows-7/

7 ianuarie 2011 05:21

Wow, the lengths some people will go to to justify avoiding change.

I've been a computer / software engineer since the days of mainframes (35 years and counting). Having now used Windows 7 full-time daily for a year, and coming up to speed on it before that during the public beta (middle of 2009) I can honestly say I am a good bit more productive with Windows 7 than I ever have been with any other system in my life. Is it because my current workstation is the most powerful computer I've ever had? Sure, that helps, but a powerful computer needs to be more stable than ever, and this thing is rock solid with Windows 7 x64, 24/7.

Today I merged three large source code bases, stored the results back into Subversion, built and tested 3 products along with their installers, debugged a number of issues, created new products and options in our eCommerce system, kept up with customer support, talked and chatted using Skype, listened to music, watched several videos I had DVR'd with Media Center, Photoshopped a number of product images, interacted with people on forums, and more. I had 40 or more windows most of the time open across two monitors.

And it just kept on ticking.

Windows 7 is the best damned operating system Microsoft has ever made.

Current uptime of my system: 18 days, 6 hours, 49 minutes, 57 seconds. The only reboot it gets is when Windows Update requires it.

It's not perfect, but it's USABLE and it's VERY RELIABLE. Configure it as best you can, find some freeware apps to handle things the Windows UI doesn't do well, adopt a "make the best of it" attitude instead of "bash Microsoft", and just USE the damned thing for a while - it WILL grow on you.

-Noel

7 ianuarie 2011 05:37

Noel: I agree Windows 7 is what Vista should have been... It's a good OS increment (Finally).

It just astonishes me that MS can so glibly break conventions that are so entrenched in billions of users. If they think there is a better way, fine include that as a default to 'show us what you got', but have a SIMPLE way to re-instate the old convention for the laggards, like me, who think a show-desktop at the bottom left is better for us...

And I have to say it... The fact that you are proud of an 18 day uptime is a sad indication of what we have all gotten used to putting up with MS unreliability...

Personally, I think everyone was has got way too used to putting up with way too many annoyances from Microsoft. Everyone has an expectation that some things won't work "perfectly", and that is a sad and unfortunate attitude for us to be going into the future with...

The fact the we haven't all got Desktops with blink-of-an-eye response times (on common hardware) and rock-solid reliability is an absolute travesty IMO.

16 ianuarie 2011 15:05

Have you people, before asking, actually imagined how it would be if the new "Show Desktop" button was on the left [to the right of Start Orb]?
Obviously you have no idea about its Aero-peek-on-hover functionality.Regards,
Kristaps.

Have you, before you started acting like a moron thought maybe we don't like or want aero peek? Did you even think we might want to turn that ____ off too? I'm in, the show desktop belongs on the left for all logical puposes. You belong in the unemployment line.

Next time, YOU THINK, before posting. You look more dumb than the people you're trying to make look dumb. ;)

29 ianuarie 2011 12:58

Hi, Zephxiii et al.,

I can see no-one has quite answered your (common) question, and I came here looking for the same thing having just switched to Windows 7. The solution is simple and clean (and not incompatible with the Aero Peek, left where it is), and looks like this:

Classic "Show Desktop" Tweak On Your Windows 7 Upgrade by a01chtra

First, unpin everything from the taskbar . These (e.g. Windows Explorer) may disappear, so if you want them at the end, make a note of them and search in the Start Menu when you're finished to Pin them again.
Unlock the taskbar (right click taskbar, uncheck "Lock the taskbar" )
Then restore the Quick Launch as documented elsewhere (http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-7/add-the-quick-launch-bar-to-the-taskbar-in-windows-7/)
If Show Desktop is not visible (it was for me), consider the instructions here http://support.microsoft.com/kb/190355. If I were you, I'd keep also the new Switch Between Windows button here. It's a pretty alternative to Alt+Tab where you click the button and then can scroll or click your way through hosts of windows in 3D, as in Mac.
Next, customise the Quick Launch appearance as you wish by right clicking the quick launch (in a space not taken up by a Quick Launch icon) and, e.g., deselecting Text and Title.
Resize the Quick Launch to be as small as Windows 7 allows (even if you have two icons, they should both show once you lock toolbars).
You can now drag the Quick Launch to the left of the Taskbar and to the right of the Start button as desired.
Finally, lock the toolbars and feel that warm glow pass through you. Let out a cheer! Windows 7 has a classic Show Desktop, plus a new Switch Windows button and FURTHER, an Aero Peek off to the right if you choose to use it!

I hope this has been useful; if it has, please let me know as i did take a little while working out this (hopefully universal) fix.

Enjoy your new buttons...

a01chtra

Propus ca răspuns de a01chtra 29 ianuarie 2011 12:59

4 martie 2011 02:02

Sorry Kristaps,

I know I’m late on this but I’d rather have the peak at desktop on the right of the start orb where the old show desktop had always been. I do not have a problem if there is a "free peak" when no application is open and I am going to the start orb/menu to open it rather than the annoying fact that every %$## time I move the scroll bar down to see the bottom of a PDF that I am trying to read, I get a bonus "free peak" at the desktop.

Sorry Microsoft but Windows 7 rocks for everything but the desktop peak move to the right. And to think how hard would it be to offer the option for us to choose where it is?

Hopefully a version of Power Toys/Tweak UI will be offered with this option. Are you listening Microsoft??? I'm a PC!!!

Rayce

20 martie 2011 02:42

It took me a long time to figure out why every time I slid my mouse out of the way, to the right, as I've been doing for years, my whole screen got minimized. What an annoyance! Just by chance I found the "show desktop" at the far bottom right. I asked myself, who would want that there? The answer, I thought, someone who's left handed. I Googled Bill Gates. Guess who's left handed?

23 martie 2011 19:57

I know, right? I've been all through the registry, looked for hacks everywhere. There's a solution, just don't know it yet. What I hate is that I end up over on my other monitor ... such a pain! There are versions of Linux that have it in the middle, I prefer that over all the other suggestions. Being able to move it based on personal preference? Let's see that!

8 mai 2011 02:10

AERO is the first thing to shut off.

As I arrow down I look at the screen,not the mouse. it drifts down and shows the desktop,BAD IDEA,

My answer, unlock the launch and put it on the left. Show desktop is the first thing on the bottom left.

31 mai 2011 15:56

Have you people, before asking, actually imagined how it would be if the new "Show Desktop" button was on the left [to the right of Start Orb]?
Obviously you have no idea about its Aero-peek-on-hover functionality.
Can you imagine something with on-hover functionality right next to the Start Orb!? Every time you'd reach for the Start Orb, you would activate Aero Peek.

The on-hover functionality was why the old "show desktop" was fine near the Start Orb, and why the new "show desktop" has to be as unobtrusive and far away from other buttons as possible, which it currently is.

Before asking, think about the consequences ;)

P.S.: And before someone asks, "Show Desktop" on the left of Start Orb would be awful, because nobody aims for the Start Orb - everybody just moves their mouse to the very corner of the screen and *click*.
Regards,
Kristaps.

This is hilarious... scolding people for wanting what they want... especially when moving the desktop shortcut to the other side of the taskbar was so "obviously" a bone head move. Your constant use of "obviously" is also hilarious, since you are so obviously wrong.

The desktop shortcut needs to be back on the left side again. If you can't hit the start orb without activating aero hover, then the functionality of the shortcut button needs to be remedied. Having the desktop shortcut on the complete opposite side of the screen from ALL of your other taskbar buttons is just ridiculous.

31 mai 2011 22:53

Your constant use of "obviously" is also hilarious, since you are so obviously wrong.

Ha Ha! I couldn't agree more.

Kristap's argument isn't even self-consistent. If 100% of people simply 'drag to the bottom left and click' to hit the orb (as he claims in bold), then the Show Desktop feature to the right of the orb would be no problem at all.

Maybe he could come back and try to make some sense. Probably more fun though if he just lets his hilarity stand as is.

And who the hell prefers 'on-hover' functionality for this feature and it being as "far away from other buttons as possible", when a click on a more sensibly located control will be faster every time?!?!

Anyway, I have added the Quick Launch bar per Robinson Zhang's suggested - Thanks for that... All good.

...Should just be a tick-a-box option in the Taskbar properties though in next version, please...

10 iunie 2011 02:55

I don't use the desktop and therefore have no need for a "show desktop" button or a right-click option, or a shortcut. I liked the button in XP, that I could delete. Of course, I also liked the separated desktop toolbar that I can no longer set up. Which replaced the office toolbar that you also discontinued. Thanks for fucking my GUI experience. If I wanted the totalitarian OSX experience, I'd buy OSX(for the now escalated price of $29.99).

29 iulie 2011 15:12

Just add the quick launch back to the taskbar. Right click the task bar, hoover over Tool Bars, select "New Tool Bar" then browse to C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer and highlight Quick launch. Then it's just a mater of changing how the quick launch looks. Move it to the left side. You might want to unpin things too

3 august 2011 19:03

I agree wholeheartedly! I wonder if when creating a new windows os, do they let average, everyday pc users try the beta version. Then let them give a critique. I think most people feel the same way about the location of the "show desktop" button.

20 august 2011 21:44

I have been using and repairing Microsoft's operating systems for 24 years. We know the alternate methods. The bottom line is that the XP placement of the show desktop icon was an example of engineering perfection. Redmond removed it in the default installation of Vista, but, not content to merely annoy us with having to un-hide it in Windows 7, they put it in a completely worthless part of the screen and made it impossible to either move or remove as well. This is a SERIOUS FLAW and I will be vociferous about it with anyone who tries to sing 7's praises despite all those it deserves. If I'm working with only my mouse, as I do often, I shouldn't have to move my hands to the keyboard to see my desktop. That's ridiculous. It would be easier to just minimize each window to get to my desktop. Now, when I want to show the desktop, I am forced to move my mouse into a corner of the screen where it easily gets hidden by the corner and becomes invisible, making me wonder if it is even there and having to "wiggle" it to locate its placement; where I sometimes hit the time and date icon by accident, forcing Windows to launch into a process and tying up my system for a brief moment; where it is completely removed from my start button and active taskbar icons; and where the wrist movement itself is uncomfortable and is almost certainly ergonomically unsound. "As soon as possible" would be too generous a concession. This is an outrageous and pig-headed flaw that Microsoft has designed into Windows 7 and I hope a patch is released to correct it IMMEDIATELY.

Paul Ronco, Computer Technician

www.paulronco.com

20 august 2011 22:04

I found a solution. Option 2 of the following instructions WILL recreate a functional show desktop icon which you can place next to the Start button. Since it is a link to the desktop program and not an integrated component of the OS, like the original show desktop icon was, it creates a *slight* delay in revealing the desktop. But, it's usable.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/26379-show-desktop-icon-taskbar.html

-Paul

www.paulronco.com

21 august 2011 13:45

This is no criticism, just some idle thoughts on how you might want to consider working a little differently so that you just don't need "show desktop" functionality as much in the first place...

It occurs to me that if you're having to "sweep your desktop clean of all the mess" often enough to feel you need a dedicated button for it, then you may be leaving a lot of apps just laying around running that maybe you should consider closing instead of minimizing. Doing so could net you some other efficiencies as well. In short, keep things tidy as you work, rather than waiting until the clutter is overwhelming.

Another option, assuming you have a sufficiently large monitor, and if you're showing your desktop to access icons hidden behind open windows, is to arrange the icons along the top and bottom edges, then work with all your windows between them. This way running apps don't as often cover up your ability to start new ones. Setting the Taskbar to auto-hide also may help with this as it makes a bit more vertical space available.

Lastly, if you find you're consistently overwhelming your desktop and you're having to fight to get to all the applications you ARE actively using, consider getting a second display monitor. They're not hugely expensive any more, and having two monitors where you can look at things side by side, copy from one and paste in the other, and just overall have a lot more room to work can be VERY nice indeed.

-Noel

22 august 2011 01:00

This is no criticism, just some idle thoughts...

That's all very well Noel, but we really shouldn't be forced to change our habits (and I mean millions of us who got used to the Show Desktop feature), just because Microsoft thought it a good idea to mess with a perfectly good feature...

They should have AT LEAST allowed a simple tick-a-box option to get the old feature back in its place.

Multiple monitors are great, but if you actually use the new touted "Drag bottom-right and click" function to show desktop, it can fall apart completely with an extra monitor to the right!!!

The REAL issue I see here though, is that we are all so used to being screwed my MS that most of us don't even flinch anymore, instead we shrug our shoulders and try to find a work-around. At least there is a tiny minority speaking up... Seems that no-one in MS is listening though...

22 august 2011 18:49

It would have been nice if we'd had the option, but we simply don't and it's apparently not coming back soon. So we must learn to adapt our ways and make the best of the tools we do have.

And for the record I certainly don't feel "screwed by MS". When not trying to paddle upstream quite so hard one finds the system can be made to work quite productively and pleasingly. This is a career software engineer who usually spends 16 hours a day in front of a workstation talking.

-Noel

22 august 2011 23:16

Well played, Naomi Price.

LOL, and that was kind of a dangling participle (or some such) wasn't it? :)

Out of curiosity (and this question is open to all), please describe the conditions under which you feel the need to Show Desktop.

-Noel

23 august 2011 00:28

So we must learn to adapt our ways and make the best of the tools we do have.

Like I said, you don't even flinch.

We'd all be a lot more efficient if we didn't have to adapt unnecessarily or 'make do' with non optimal designs.

'New improved' features are nice, as long as they really are that. If they are an irreversible change that is a gamble, guess or unnecessary tweak then they are just wasting a lot of people's time.

IMO, "quite productive" is far from acceptable now, after how many decades of GUI evolution?

The fact that explorer still freezes when I insert a CD is absolutely astonishing to me... I am guessing it is not to you???

I don't intend to be offensive but the analogy is working for me - I fear Noel you are an extreme case of what I am alluding to. You have a blissfully unaware smile on your face even when MS are bending you over...

Perhaps next time you step away from your Windows desktop (one day, maybe?) you might observe that good design anywhere around you is about working for the user, using established conventions, and not making the user bend to your design ideas. (There is Sooooo much of the latter around these days it is frightening)

Please read "The Design of Everyday Things", by Donald A Norman. I wish everyone would...

23 august 2011 00:39

Nope. I just know how to make Windows work for me, and work well. I'm sorry that you don't - or won't learn how to do so.

Could it be that Microsoft is just growing Windows in precisely the direction that I like to work? Maybe. But I think it goes beyond that.

A good musician will work around the quirks of his instrument, and the best will even take advantage of them to create a special sound no one else can.

I'm the first to get vocal about things that don't work right, or that I don't like, but by now I've worked around most all of them. At the moment, with Windows 7 and the various tweaks I've applied I am having the most productive, most enjoyable computing experience I have had in my 35+ years of software engineering experience. It just works and it does what I need.

-Noel

23 august 2011 00:59

I'm sorry that you don't - or won't learn how to do so.

You don't need to be sorry.

I HAVE got the old Show Desktop button working on my Windows7. I am fairly happy with my Windows7 setup now that I have fixed a few problems that MS delivered me.

I am purely fighting this fight for the millions of users who are not so technically equipped as you and I to "work around them".

Having "35+ years of software engineering experience" means you have no right to say how Windows should work. You are so, so, SO far, far, FAR from a 'typical user'.

I am sorry that you are so self-centred that you (again) blissfully ignore the plight of millions. A big problem with the world today...

As a software engineer myself in the User Interface field, I know how blissfully unaware the typical user is about how INEFFICIENT most software tools are... - In fact, typical users COMPLETELY EXPECT a fair degree of confusion and malfunction in the tools they use. Sad, sad, sad... (Though Apple and Google are doing their best to change that, in some areas...)

23 august 2011 02:26

So who's taking an approach more likely to be helpful here... The person trying to reassure the less technical users that it can be made to work well if they put a little effort into it, or the person who's making a mountain out of a molehill and criticising the first person for not being negative enough?

And don't look now but I have every bit as much right to be here and express my opinions as you do. Shall we talk about the stats showing who's helped more people?

Plight? Keep some perspective here. No one is forcing you or anyone else to buy this stuff! You should be damned thankful that you can buy such technology for a few hundred bucks. When I started out in the industry it took the finances of a major corporation to purchase a building-sized computer with 1/10,000th the power of your smart phone.

Now, all people have to do is read about how to fix things up online (e.g., this thread) or download free software from the internet to work around the things that Microsoft couldn't get right or didn't finish.

No, Mr. Microsoft Basher, let's talk Plight when the economy crumbles, government descends into anarchy, and people have some real things to worry about. Until then be thankful you are in the first generation to have the luxury to just sit on your butt and worry over such trivial things as which side of the screen the stupid button is on!

You're literally about one billionth of the user base (think how utterly insignificant that is). Things simply have to be run a little differently when a company is that successful.

-Noel

31 august 2011 02:20

Out of curiosity (and this question is open to all), please describe the conditions under which you feel the need to Show Desktop.

Just came across one today for you Noel:

When you are running Microsoft Update, the Download/Install Window is modal meaning the parent IE window won't respond to minimize, and it could be up for quite a while if you've just installed some new MS software...

So if I want to see anything on my Desktop, or simply want get rid of the Visual Clutter of IE hanging around in the background, I need to enact Show Desktop.

I think pretty much all apps behave like that when a Modal window is up... So Actually, Show Desktop is usually the only way to hide ANY modal window, right?

So, there's one answer (even 2). I admit I struggle to think of when I need it... But I know that I do need it.

Here's another one:

If I am starting a new work task, I often want to minimise the 1 or 2 (or rather more) windows I have open - Maybe email and an Explorer window. Minimizing (or closing) each individually is painful.

Usually the new task will require me starting something from my quick-launch or start menu.

With the old location of the Show Desktop this can all be done from the bottom-left corner with a few clicks and minimal mouse movement. Now it can't, and wide-screen monitors make it worse.

That's why I need it (to be efficient), and that's why I need it where is used to be.

Simply allowing the thing to optionally be on the left (just to the right of the orb) seems so easy and sensible...

31 august 2011 07:43

I agree, the things they didn't make flexible defy explanation.

Good point about hiding dialogs that normally wouldn't get out of the way... I have two monitors so I'm rarely lacking for screen space, even when something persistent is up, so I don't notice that.

-Noel

1 septembrie 2011 17:45

I often want to minimise the 1 or 2 (or rather more) windows I have open - Maybe email and an Explorer window. Minimizing (or closing) each individually is painful.

Winkey-M ("Big Minimize") has done that since the Windows key was invented, so far as I am aware. Because of that, I've never needed or used a Show desktop button.

Noel

5 septembrie 2011 00:25

I wish all my windows didn't have that ugly cross, or waste menu space with the File->Exit option, because "Alt-Space, C" works perfectly fine every time.

;-)

8 septembrie 2011 01:26

Yes, on the right side is completely counter intuitive. One has to go out of their way AND TO MAKE THINGS WORSE I have two monitors I cannot hit the button Its a tiny SLIVER and when I move my mouse over it , the mouse cursor ends up on the desktop or what not of the other monitor. Try to hide/show desktop fast not even possible. It is atrocious.

24 septembrie 2011 14:23

Don't know if this has been said, but windows button+D shows the desktop. I find it much more convenient than pressing the button near the start button anyways.

21 noiembrie 2011 21:45

Don't know if this has been said, but windows button+D shows the desktop. I find it much more convenient than pressing the button near the start button anyways.

Yep :D cf. http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-desktop/move-show-desktopt-button/726cca9f-a1ab-45d3-af2f-8a405aae4ff9 I miss my Fedora :(

26 decembrie 2011 08:31

This works, just make sure you open one more toolbar (link, address, etc.)Then drag the quick launch as far to left as possible. You have to fight to move them, but once you get the to the left, itll be like vista.

14 aprilie 2012 17:57

I think it just takes getting used to and people will be confused scratching their heads for some time untll they adjust to it's new location. If you really want to a show desktop shortcut can be placed on the start panel.

If is mid April 2012, and I have been using Win7 since it was released (actually in beta also) and I still have not adjusted to the change.

I cannot agree more with everyone disliking the change!

19 aprilie 2012 11:46

I love using Windows 7 and I agree with both sides of the argument for different reasons.

Both the show deskop button and the start orb are beautifully positioned because you can move the mouse blindly to activate either. This is a real time saver.

HOWEVER, I would love to be able to move the show desktop button because I am now using 3 monitors. It makes sense to have the taskbar in the centre screen so the start orb is more central but I would much rather have the show desktop button in the bottom right of the far right screen so I can quickly access it without thinking. Having to locate the button (whether it is on the bottom right of my cenre screen, or where it used to be) is costing me a lot of valuable time.

Are there any solutions to this? Is there a keyboard shortcut I can use instead? (apologies if this has already been suggested, I read the first 10-15 posts and it all started to repeat itself). cheers

Jack

Editat de JackBatey 19 aprilie 2012 12:36

4 mai 2012 22:36

Kristcraps,

Have you imagined, before trying to make other people look stupid, that some people would just as well turn off Aero and have the freedom to configure their environment as they choose?

Before responding, consider what question is being asked, and try to answer the question in a constructive manner;)

24 iunie 2012 11:16

"You people"??? "You people"???

Harumph!

Did you consider we'd disable the autopeek functionality you speak of?

Your answer is quite, well, arrogant- and frankly - off topic.

Perhaps you would do well to heed your own advice before responding.

People come here for help, not arrogant condescention.

24 iunie 2012 11:27

Kristaps...seriously, at your wise old age of 17 you should have figured out by now no one enjoys being around an arrogant person.

If not, let me be the first to point it out to you.

Your life will go better if you develop a little humility.

After all, someday soon you'll be an old person of 20 and some smarter, faster, better 17 year old will come along and outpace you.

Either that or some current 20 year old will kick your butt. Seriously, humility works... not saying be a milquetoast, but you'll find it hard to operate in the world thinking everyone else is beneath you.

And frankly, despite what mommy told you, you are just nOt that special...

I have been there, done that, it will suck less for you if you adjust to the world instead of expecting it to adjust to you.

By now you're head has likely exploded with rage, or you heard my words... Hope it is the latter.

Good luck to you.

2 iulie 2012 12:22