What's this called? Every open window is shown separately on the taskbar
June 16, 2023 10:58 AM Subscribe
What are the names for these two taskbar styles / UI paradigms?
Style A: Every open window is shown individually on the task bar, with a small bit of text indicating what's in it (like the title of the web page in a browser window, or the name of a media file that's playing). Windows XP had this, I think
Style B: No matter how many application windows are open, it's just a single icon, and you have to hover over it to see all the open windows and what's going on in them.
I want to find the names of these two styles so that I can more easily search out how to enable Style A on any given operating system.
I think in Windows 7 there was a configuration option that you could disable, "Group Application Windows". At one point in the Cinnamon desktop environment for Linux there was an option for "Show each window separately on the task bar" or something like that.
It seems like this option has disappeared from most of the desktop environments in recent years, and I really want to have it back. The majority of the time I use Debian with Cinnamon, so I welcome specific suggestions for this, but I also want to know what they're calling these desktop paradigms now so that I can search in the future as well.
I want to find the names of these two styles so that I can more easily search out how to enable Style A on any given operating system.
I think in Windows 7 there was a configuration option that you could disable, "Group Application Windows". At one point in the Cinnamon desktop environment for Linux there was an option for "Show each window separately on the task bar" or something like that.
It seems like this option has disappeared from most of the desktop environments in recent years, and I really want to have it back. The majority of the time I use Debian with Cinnamon, so I welcome specific suggestions for this, but I also want to know what they're calling these desktop paradigms now so that I can search in the future as well.
Best answer: I immediately went to implement cmndc0's instructions, and I don't have that option. I'm not sure if they're on a dev build or something, but per an article from May:
Microsoft has released a new Windows 11 dev build that adds a long-awaited feature allowing users to ensure that all windows are shown as individual items in the taskbar.
The option, known as "never combined mode," is rolling out with the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23466 to the rebooted Dev Channel flighting 23000 series builds.
I'm current with the normal human being builds, and I'm in the 22,000s.
As for the original question, clearly Microsoft think it's a 'combined item'. I would probably refer to them as per-app versus per-window icons if I were to talk about it.
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 4:35 PM on June 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
Microsoft has released a new Windows 11 dev build that adds a long-awaited feature allowing users to ensure that all windows are shown as individual items in the taskbar.
The option, known as "never combined mode," is rolling out with the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23466 to the rebooted Dev Channel flighting 23000 series builds.
I'm current with the normal human being builds, and I'm in the 22,000s.
As for the original question, clearly Microsoft think it's a 'combined item'. I would probably refer to them as per-app versus per-window icons if I were to talk about it.
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 4:35 PM on June 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I'm familiar with Cinnamon, but on Mint, not Debian. In Cinnamon as I know it, the buttons that are on the panel (taskbar) are proveded by an applet for which there are several options available. These applets are generally called Windows List and they can be either Grouped or.... not grouped, I suppose. In your shoes I would try to swap out the Windows List applet for a different one, that behaves as you want it.
posted by Too-Ticky at 12:32 AM on June 17, 2023
posted by Too-Ticky at 12:32 AM on June 17, 2023
Best answer: I have the same options as How much is that froggie in the window, which is to say I don't have that option in my Windows 11 machine either.
I have gone as far as to purchase and install Start11 to make Win11 useable again.
posted by wile e at 8:07 AM on June 18, 2023
I have gone as far as to purchase and install Start11 to make Win11 useable again.
posted by wile e at 8:07 AM on June 18, 2023
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by cmdnc0 at 11:17 AM on June 16, 2023 [3 favorites]