11 . window is all about modernizing the desktop environment versus 10 . windowBut what if you want to go the other way and travel back in time?
Of course, you can go back in time with a variety of mods, but a fresh attempt will make your Windows 11 installation look like Windows 2000, complete with some working old apps and key elements. interface elements – such as Clippy. (Yes, the paperclip ‘assistant’ is notorious for its bad habit of interrupting your work unnecessarily.)
However, there are some significant caveats as you might expect…
window center (opens in a new tab) Report on this project, made by Redditor ExoGeniVI (opens in a new tab). The main point to note is that it requires the installation of StarDock WindowBlinds, a third-party application to customize Windows in all sorts of weird and wonderful ways.
It uses the Windows 2000 theme (created by prozad94, a few years ago) to bring that operating system back in all its glory – or rather drab gray color – and goes further than this with a bunch of other tweaks under the guise of Windows to add some earlier versions of software into the mix (along with some nostalgic icons – like Fallout).
In terms of applications, we are talking about Internet Explorer 5.5 and Microsoft Office 2000, with the latter boasting Clippy in action, albeit with some minor visual glitches (the assistant transparency effect didn’t render correctly, instead being converted to a pink square background) .
Analysis: Windows 11 grayscale mode
The sheer effort involved in making all of this work is impressive, and as ExoGeniVI pointed out in the Reddit thread showcasing the project, these apps actually work. For example, Internet Explorer 5.5 loads some web pages fine. However, it is not recommended for serious use (given how ancient it is, of course – the security holes in IE 5.5 are wide enough for a large number of cybercriminals to slip through, no doubt. ).
Indeed, this project is one of those that definitely falls under the category of ‘showing it can be done’ rather than any actual application. As one person asked: “Why is that?” ExoGeniVI replied: “It took me too long.”
Fair enough, and with having to restore their PC twice in the process of completing this endeavor, ExoGeniVI also shows why you most likely don’t want to participate in this level of throttling.
The safe thing to do, if you want Windows 11 to look like Windows 2000, just use StarDock WindowBlinds to apply the classic look of prozad94 – no stock apps involved – and leave it as is. Even if you were so inclined, we can’t imagine you would want to live in such a bland, gray Windows environment for so long. you will?
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