Site: http://www.classicshell.net/ Downloads: http://www.classicshell.net/downloads/ Forum: http://www.classicshell.net/forum/ History: http://www.classicshell.net/history/
The latest stable version of Classic Shell is 4.2.5c The latest beta version of Classic Shell is 4.2.7
I tried to install 4.2.5c over 4.2.5 but to no avail because it couldn't install the same version. So I installed 4.2.7 and all is fine.
Thanks for the heads up! As I opted out the update module during the very first installation of CS I'm not getting the updates automatically.
Best open source start menu replacement for Windows 7+ ever made. If you hated the Windows 7 start menu, the lack of a start menu in Windows 8 and the Microsoft clumsily designed Windows 10 start menu, you'll appreciate Classic Shell. I have the Windows XP start menu set up. Best start menu Microsoft ever made and for some reason, they trashed it. A classic interface brings back the familiar Windows look and feel to later versions of Windows. Can't live without it.
Classic Shell FAQ Is Classic Shell open-source? Versions before 3.9.0 are open-source. Starting with version 3.9.0, Classic Shell is no longer open-source.
Classic shell discontinued. Source code released. http://news.softpedia.com/news/clas...menu-app-officially-discontinued-518808.shtml
I use Start10 by Stardock. It's not free, but it only costs $5 US. It works very well and they keep it up to date. https://www.stardock.com/products/start10/
Is Classic Shell dead? Developer quits https://www.ghacks.net/2017/12/04/classic-shell-developer-stops-development/
One reason I like Start10 is its very configurable and can be skinned. I use it along with Stardocks' WindowBlinds which integrates with Start10. The most important thing though is Stardock has kept Start10 compatible with Windows 10 through the ongoing OS updates including the Insider builds.
This is exactly what I find very imporant - active development and compatibility with ongoing Win 10 updates. I will give it a try when I'm back home.
It's sad that CS development has been abandoned. Anyway I will keep it using unless an incompatibility or any other trouble will make it unusable.
As long as current versions work with Win 8 it's cool. But I suppose with future versions of Win 10 it might stop working, which is a bummer. Does indeed seem to be a good alternative. It is kind of shocking that the standard Start Menu has become such a mess, how one earth did M$ managed to ruin it.
I've just bought and installed Start10. I do like what I have seen so far. Again, thank you very much for your brilliant suggestion, @Victek .
By the way there are many cool replacement Start buttons at wincustomize.com for Start10 https://www.wincustomize.com/explore/start_buttons
I'm using StartIsBack++ and it is excellent. I actually prefer to use the native Windows 10 Start Menu, but recently it started playing up and not opening at times. I tried Classic Shell and several other alternatives, but none of them worked well on my computer, which I believe is due to having hundreds of programs installed. However, StartIsBack works very well, and costs just $2.99.
I only use Classic Shel to costumize Taskbar (classic taskbar). Is it possible to do that with WindowBlinds? Thanks.
Yes. There are numerous WindowBlinds skins and they all change the taskbar along with window borders and other elements. You can install a free trial and check it out: https://www.stardock.com/products/windowblinds/