“Because we’re copying all the shitty parts of Apple like thinking we know what’s best for you but without any of the improved UX or ease of use.”

Yes, this is why using Windhawk is mandatory in W11 (apart of Portmaster)

It’s absolute nonsense the MS argumentation about it, when a simple script of Windhawk with few lines solve this “problem” same as with the crappy W11 Startmenu.

Windhawk is something like an Userscript Manager, with tons of different scripts to change at the Milimetre instant any aspect of the UI, no restart needed, on off the change with a click. All script visible and editable.

The fact that there are functioning mods that do bring back the feature shows how much MS is just making up excuses. Also kind of funny that MS knows it can be useful since they made a big deal about vertical tabs on Edge. Not like previous versions of Windows weren’t wonky about how things worked with the vertical position anyway. Sure far fewer folks bother moving it to the top or sides, but those folks tend to be really vocal about it. I am sure that if MS does “find a solution” and bring it back.

They will treat it like it is some “innovation” or otherwise “new” thing. At this point I think that 11 is never getting it, and that 12 (or whatever) will reintroduce it to make more people “want” to upgrade faster than they have with 11 so far. Though I am sure that it will be only able to be used if a MS account is used. Maybe even make it something that the ARM/Copilot+ devices get first to try and push those harder.

That being said, I am kind of shocked we haven’t seen a new wave of third-party docks like we saw with XP/Vista. I remember Dell and HP going hard with adding their mods of Stardock back then.

However, based on Microsoft’s explanation of why Windows 11 doesn’t have an adjustable taskbar, it’s safe to assume that the company isn’t interested in pouring its engineering resources into pursuing something that won’t benefit a majority of users.

And yet they’re forcing a.i. nonsense into everything for who’s benefit exactly?

They couldn’t convince chatgpt it was needed so it never got put in. Now it’s too late to include enough conext so its “impossible”

I could live with an ultra-thin Windows 98 style taskbar (if I actually cared to buy a new PC so I could use Windows 11). Yet even that’s not an option IIRC.

The taskbar is an outdated (30 years old) concept that should be extinct.

It was created to always allow the user to launch or resume their programs, even when they launch a fullscreen program.

I think it’s time to improve workflows. I don’t expect Microsoft leads the (proper) way. They are too busy including ads into the taskbar.