Category: Geeks r Us
For those of us who hate ribbons and the interface of Windows 8.1, I have found a few work-arounds. These work on Windows 7 as well, though the first program really isn't necessary there, as it comes with a built-in start menu. I was, and still am, considering switching back to 7, possibly with XP mode for certain programs, but for now, these are great solutions.
1. Classic Start
This will bring back the start menu, along with the shut down button. Your normal programs are listed under "programs" and apps are listed under apps. So those of us who don't use them never have to see them. If you do, however, they're all properly listed. Having said that, the options of this program do not seem to be accessible with NVDA. I tried disabling it at startup, just to see what would happen, and it started anyway. So I am not sure if it can be deleted without sighted assistance. I downloaded it using Ninite, the link to which I have provided, so I'm not sure how accessible the natural installer is. But once you restart, the start menu will appear. Ninite also has some other excellent programs that you can try as well, including Revo Uninstaller, incase you want to quickly delete ones that you don't like.
https://ninite.com/
As an update, I heard that Classic Start is part of a suite of programs called Classic Shell. It appears that the options can be changed, but I didn't try it, so am not sure if this is just during installation or if other screen readers work with the individual programs.
2. Old Wordpad
I have heard of something called Ribbon Disabler, which is supposed to delete all ribbons from Windows. But I have not tried this. Instead, I used this method to restore normal functionality to Wordpad. I don't use Microsoft Word, so can't help you there, but this worked like a charm. If, for some reason, the Take Ownership file doesn't work the first time, try reinstalling it. While this won't return the cleaner save dialogue, it will get rid of those ribbons and restore the normal menus.
http://www.askvg.com/how-to-get-the-good-old-wordpad-without-ribbons-working-in-windows-7/
3. Disk Explorer
If you find the new explorer windows as frustrating and annoying as I do, this is an excellent and fully accessible replacement. It was designed by the same people who make WebbIE, which I will discuss in a moment. This program presents files in a clean, easy to understand list, and provides the same functionality as Windows Explorer when it comes to basic tasks, such as viewing, opening, copying, and deleting files and folders. Unfortunately, you cannot rename them here, and I found that I was unable to access my usb flash drive.
http://www.webbie.org.uk/diskexplorer/index.htm
4. WebbIE
This program takes some getting used to, but presents web sites in a cleaner manner than Firefox or Internet Explorer, because it gets rid of the graphical junk that sites are adding these days. You can import your favourites from Internet Explorer, but there seems to be no way of reviewing your history. I also recommend version 3, as 4 seems to have some bugs in it. If you can get it to work properly, please share this, and include which version of Windows and screen reader you are using. There are also some other wonderful programs here that are worth trying.
http://www.webbie.org.uk/download.htm
5. Messenger Reviver
If the new Skype frustrates you as much as it does me, and if you wish to return to using MSN Messenger, now you can. I'm not sure how long this will last, but as of this writing, it still works. If you already have a version of Windows Live Messenger installed, just download and install this tool. If not, Reviver will install it for you. Note that this will not prevent you from being able to use Skype. You can even log into both at the same time. It just makes Messenger usable once more. Two of my MSN contacts showed up when I first signed in, one with a hotmail address and one from another domain. But both were on the MSN network. I am guessing that they now use Skype, unless signing in with multimessenger clients registers here. When my friend Lee logs into Skype, it doesn't show up, even though he once used MSN via Reviver. But he could be using a different account with Skype, as I do. In any case, I was able to link my hotmail account with Facebook, and now, those contacts are showing up in MSN as well. I haven't tried to sign in with my Skype account, as Skype isn't listed in the social networks section. But I just heard some Facebook contacts sign in, and several of them weren't on my friends' list before MSN officially closed. So it's definitely working.
http://messengergeek.wordpress.com/2013/04/23/use-messenger-reviver-2-to-bring-back-messenger-and-beat-skype/
If anyone can recommend any other useful programs, please do so.
These all look mildly interesting. I'd just like to point out that you probably won't always be able to rely on these. In the case of your explorer replacement, when I lose functionality life starts sucking just a bit harder, so it's a tradeoff between losing your functionality and finding something that will work like the good ol' days. Eventually though the ribbons are going to be default for everything and that's how it'll all work. You can either learn as it changes, or rely on these programs then be up shit creak when they no longer function for what you need.
I always think learning all these modifications hurts your ability to just simply learn Windows.
Once a computer is setup like this and things change or die out, people are totally lost.
I somethimes wonder if a person puts all this energy in to learning how to modify Windows, why not just learn to use it with the same energy?
But this is widely popular, so I'm a minority.
If I'm going to put energy into learning a mainstream modern operating system, it will most likely be some version of Linux. I have no desire to relearn Windows. XP was not perfect, and there were times when it would frustrate me to no end. But then, I would usually think "I hope the next version of Windows will be better." Unfortunately, they just got worse and worse. The only thing that's worth this amount of frustration for me is gathering the proper materials to continue learning Greek, finding a way fto make ESpeak recognise polytonic, and learning more about our culture and history. Thankfully, the polytonic issue is now mostly solved, and the latter two just take studying.
I'm really curious how you think that a version of Linux is going to make this easier. Linux changes (gnome 2 to 3, etc) as does everything else. Welcome to modern technology. Linux isn't the solution to change. You eventually either land on a distro that is already preconfigured (which means you either edit config files or sometimes use the GUI) to make changes, or you do all the hard work yourself to get a running distro with a GUI. If learning windows 7 is to hard, Linux isn't for you.
I was planning on using a preconfigured version. I actually created a thread about Linux, since I'm trying to learn it. But if it really is that complicated, I may wish not to do so. Still, it's different from Windows and that may or may not be a good thing.
A couple suggestions to make life easier.
1. Morse code, never changes. Might be a little hard to find people to chat with
who know it, but if you try, you can do it. Telegraphs work wonderfully.
2. Fingers: Great for counting on, and you can do basic math. Best of all,
assuming you don't lose a finger in a tragic table saw accident, they never
change either.
3. Horse and buggy: Also never changes, though it is slightly smelly. But, saves
the hastle of learning all these new fangled gadgets like cars and airplanes and
those weird floaty things people use to go across the water. Can never
remember what they call them.
Those are all I can think of off the top of my head. But those should get you
started. If I think of anything, I'll send up a smoke signal or beat a few drums
really loudly. I'd hate to have to force you to progress with technology.
All dickishness aside, people get comfortable, and change can be difficult. Nevertheless there are times when we need to go forward with it. In this case Tiff, i see your point. I don't particularly like 8.1, and I'd be quite happy if ribbons never existed. I had to learn Office 2010 from very user friendly 2003, and I still don't like it. That is, I hate how ribbons navigate. Windows 8.1 to me is just a pretty mess, trying to be two things at once. Classic Shell is really helpful for making 8 act like what you're used to, though it is a bit slow at times. The good news is as technology progresses, so does accessibility. I find NVDA works quite well with 8, even better than JAWS at times. But that doesn't change the fact that is is a new, and at times cumbersome environment. Best thing to do is learn some of the tips and tricks for making navigation easier. For instance, Windows E will open up an explorer from which you have immediate access to documents, downloads, music, video and all your drives. It's all quite responsive and easy to navigate once you know what you're doing.
I could pretty much do the same with Windows M, since I put the shortcuts on the desktop. I never used Office, so it was easy for me to fix Wordpad and go on with things. But I probably will downgrade to 7, if nothing else. For the record, it's not that I don't like change. If something was created that was clean and made sense, I would use it gladly. It's when things become full of unnecessary nonsense that I get annoyed. I see no reason to complicate my life when it comes to technology.
I agree.
Give me change and improvement, but make it good. Windows 8.1, usable or not, is not "good" to me.
I wonder if when people used XP there computers were so modified they never really learned Windows?
Windows has what I call the base elements, or controls, and these haven’t changed.
Sure, you have added features, and some things are renamed, but Windows is still just Windows.
This is really true for us blind users, because we control Windows with the base controls instead of visual cues and mouse clicks.
We can go to the desktop the same way we did with XP in 8.1. We have the same stuff, programs, files, folders.
We have a tool bar, control panel, some place to start.
When Windows upgrades all is required is to add the new features in to what you already knew, and that is easy as reading the how to, if you don’t like figuring.
Sure, things are in a bit different layout, but the controls to get to them are same.
I’ve probably posted this opinion here and on other places more than once, but it is how I see it.
I’ll post is many how I do it as questions come, but I’m not any different then you. I don’t have a special key.