PowerToys – open-source Windows utilities • Hacker News Board

Re: PowerToys – open-source Windows utilities

#11

Post by nickjj » Sun, May 08, 2022, 3:46 PM UTC

gmueckl wrote: post #3

azalemeth wrote: post #2

Many, if not most of these tools contain functionality that is built into other major OSes, and had been for a long time. I don't really understand why Microsoft doesn't include them by default.

It's probably a combination of 1. retaining backwards compatibility with applications that don't interact well with these features and 2. exposing users to behaviors that are hard to understand and undo once they are activated by accident.

Number 2 is fun, I get a call from relatives at least twice a year because their screen was rotated 90 degrees from a keyboard shortcut that was hit when a cat walked across their laptop when the lid was left open. The crazy thing is it's happened 4 times now.

Re: PowerToys – open-source Windows utilities

#12

Post by Slikey » Sun, May 08, 2022, 3:48 PM UTC

Isn't it ironic that the operating system called "Windows" offers one of the worst window management user experiences?

Re: PowerToys – open-source Windows utilities

#13

Post by megaman821 » Sun, May 08, 2022, 3:49 PM UTC

azalemeth wrote: post #2

Many, if not most of these tools contain functionality that is built into other major OSes, and had been for a long time. I don't really understand why Microsoft doesn't include them by default.

That is not true. I use both Windows and Mac a lot and I have about an equal number of OS level plugins.

* PowerToys Awake - Amphetamine

* PowerToys FancyZones - Moom

* PowerToys Run - Alfred

* EarTrumpet - Rogue Amoeba SoundSource

* Windows Terminal - iTerm

* QuickLook - Mac Native Functionality

* Nothing for Windows - HazeOver

* Windows Native Functionality - Bartender

* Snipping Tool - Clean Shot X

Re: PowerToys – open-source Windows utilities

#14

Post by zeeZ » Sun, May 08, 2022, 3:50 PM UTC

k__ wrote: post #4

I'm using fancy zones. Without it, Windows would be a nightmare to use on a 45" display.

Fancy zones and the double Ctrl to find the cursor are pretty much essential for me on an ultrawide.

Re: PowerToys – open-source Windows utilities

#15

Post by octagons » Sun, May 08, 2022, 3:50 PM UTC

Fancy Zones makes my day-to-day so much more convenient. I wish there was an equivalent in Linux that worked as well - I’ve tried a few gnome plugins but always been disappointed.

Re: PowerToys – open-source Windows utilities

#16

Post by no_time » Sun, May 08, 2022, 3:51 PM UTC

iamkroot wrote: post #5

Wait, is this an official MS utility? https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/ Why aren't these just bundled by default??

I was about to say "because of the maintenance burden and separation of core and extra features" but then I remembered that half the stuff they added since win2k is borderline useless.

Re: PowerToys – open-source Windows utilities

#17

Post by Spooky23 » Sun, May 08, 2022, 3:51 PM UTC

azalemeth wrote: post #2

Many, if not most of these tools contain functionality that is built into other major OSes, and had been for a long time. I don't really understand why Microsoft doesn't include them by default.

I think it’s about turf inside Microsoft.

By keeping little toys like this outside of the main Windows feature set, they stay out of the 500 review and design steps, where any of 5000 people can kill the feature.

There’s a lot of politics too. Something like a unmute button may be “owned” by the liaison to the Teams program management, who in turn want universal unmute to be an Azure service that is incorporated into “Azure Live Office Solutions for Windows (Govcloud) for Business E7”.

Re: PowerToys – open-source Windows utilities

#18

Post by Forge36 » Sun, May 08, 2022, 3:51 PM UTC

nickjj wrote: post #11

gmueckl wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's probably a combination of 1. retaining backwards compatibility with applications that don't interact well with these features and 2. exposing users to behaviors that are hard to understand and undo once they are activated by accident.

Number 2 is fun, I get a call from relatives at least twice a year because their screen was rotated 90 degrees from a keyboard shortcut that was hit when a cat walked across their laptop when the lid was left open. The crazy thing is it's happened 4 times now.

Is that a Windows feature? I know Intel's graphics driver does Ctrl+alt arrow.

It can be turned off.

Re: PowerToys – open-source Windows utilities

#19

Post by frutiger » Sun, May 08, 2022, 3:53 PM UTC

nickjj wrote: post #11

gmueckl wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's probably a combination of 1. retaining backwards compatibility with applications that don't interact well with these features and 2. exposing users to behaviors that are hard to understand and undo once they are activated by accident.

Number 2 is fun, I get a call from relatives at least twice a year because their screen was rotated 90 degrees from a keyboard shortcut that was hit when a cat walked across their laptop when the lid was left open. The crazy thing is it's happened 4 times now.

> The crazy thing is it's happened 4 times now.

So it should be back to normal!

Re: PowerToys – open-source Windows utilities

#20

Post by philliphaydon » Sun, May 08, 2022, 3:53 PM UTC

azalemeth wrote: post #2

Many, if not most of these tools contain functionality that is built into other major OSes, and had been for a long time. I don't really understand why Microsoft doesn't include them by default.

Considering the 2nd most used desktop OS is MacOS and you can’t even maximise a window properly out of the box…