5 ms·

I wish windows would adopt something similar to chrome://flags for configuration. Easy to search and all in one place.

amyjess 8y ago
Isn't that what the registry was supposed to be before it turned into a monster? Personally, though, I've always preferred Firefox's (and old Opera's) about:config instead. It's far more flexible than Chrome's flags.
- rzzzt 8y ago
  Quite a few years back I got a book from a friend, summarizing new and noteworthy changes in Windows 95 (you could make a good drinking game from it if you took a sip each time you encountered the expression "32-bit", it was all the rage). The registry was indeed intended to serve as a central storage for configuration, replacing .ini files scattered all over the system.
  - rbanffy 8y ago
    It could be easily replaced by a c:\Windows\etc folder full of .ini files and it'd be a vast improvement. I think Windows frowned upon lots of small files for performance and locking reasons - if some app decides to hold the file hostage, you'll end up needing to restart the system to be able to save a new version.
    - rzzzt 8y ago
      C:\Windows\win.ini was a previous problem point, it had driver related settings, OS preferences and some non-MS applications added their own keys to the lot as well.
      - rbanffy 8y ago
        Of course the win.ini (and system.ini) became a mess. They should be in a folder, with each application having their own file with their own settings. And reading the file and then CLOSING IT so others could to stuff to it.
  - rzzzt 8y ago
    "Introducing Microsoft Windows 95" by Brent Ethington https://books.google.com/books/about/Introducing_Microsoft_Windows_95.html?id=biLYdV2Uj-MC https://books.google.com/books/about/Introducing_Microsoft_W...
shittyadmin 8y ago
You might consider trying the "GodMode" trick - still works in Windows 10 and has quick access to settings all over the place. I just remembered it after posting about digging for the network dialog and sure enough, network settings are right there, easily accessible.
- Jaruzel 8y ago
  GodMode Trick: Create a new folder and call it: GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} Under Windows 10, it will hide the name, but the Icon will change. Click on the icon for wonders. The GUID is the important bit, you can replace 'GodMode' with anything, but it can't be blank.
  - mark212 8y ago
    that is excellent. Thanks for sharing
  - shittyadmin 8y ago
    Yeah, seems the real name for this is supposed to be "All Tasks" as you can see by putting shell:::{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} in the run dialog or address bar of an explorer window. GodMode is just a nickname it got from some power users it seems.

Isn't that what the registry was supposed to be before it turned into a monster? Personally, though, I've always preferred Firefox's (and old Opera's) about:config instead. It's far more flexible than Chrome's flags.

rzzzt 8y ago
Quite a few years back I got a book from a friend, summarizing new and noteworthy changes in Windows 95 (you could make a good drinking game from it if you took a sip each time you encountered the expression "32-bit", it was all the rage). The registry was indeed intended to serve as a central storage for configuration, replacing .ini files scattered all over the system.
- rbanffy 8y ago
  It could be easily replaced by a c:\Windows\etc folder full of .ini files and it'd be a vast improvement. I think Windows frowned upon lots of small files for performance and locking reasons - if some app decides to hold the file hostage, you'll end up needing to restart the system to be able to save a new version.
  - rzzzt 8y ago
    C:\Windows\win.ini was a previous problem point, it had driver related settings, OS preferences and some non-MS applications added their own keys to the lot as well.
    - rbanffy 8y ago
      Of course the win.ini (and system.ini) became a mess. They should be in a folder, with each application having their own file with their own settings. And reading the file and then CLOSING IT so others could to stuff to it.
- rzzzt 8y ago
  "Introducing Microsoft Windows 95" by Brent Ethington https://books.google.com/books/about/Introducing_Microsoft_Windows_95.html?id=biLYdV2Uj-MC https://books.google.com/books/about/Introducing_Microsoft_W...

shittyadmin 8y ago

You might consider trying the "GodMode" trick - still works in Windows 10 and has quick access to settings all over the place. I just remembered it after posting about digging for the network dialog and sure enough, network settings are right there, easily accessible.

Jaruzel 8y ago
GodMode Trick: Create a new folder and call it: GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} Under Windows 10, it will hide the name, but the Icon will change. Click on the icon for wonders. The GUID is the important bit, you can replace 'GodMode' with anything, but it can't be blank.
- mark212 8y ago
  that is excellent. Thanks for sharing
- shittyadmin 8y ago
  Yeah, seems the real name for this is supposed to be "All Tasks" as you can see by putting shell:::{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} in the run dialog or address bar of an explorer window. GodMode is just a nickname it got from some power users it seems.