Microsoft
has been keen to launch new versions of the Windows system from time to time so
that these versions include more specifications and developed features that aim
to improve the use experience and provide the user with better performance for
his device. The Windows 11 version, which was released for the first time in
October 2021, for example, came with a set of new features and specifications
that included a new design for the taskbar and a set of additional tools such
as the weather display tool, a new design for the Start menu, a new design for
the Action Center, smoother animations, In addition, to supporting for running
Android applications, and many other advantages.
.webp "7 advantages in old Windows versions are still present in Windows 11")
However,
some of the aforementioned modifications were not well received by users, many
of whom expressed, for example, their dissatisfaction with the new location of
the "Start" menu, which was placed in the middle of the taskbar
instead of its traditional position at one end of the bar, which constituted an
obstacle for some users when performing some actions, and perhaps Some of them
didn't like the idea of changing such familiar elements. Windows 11 developers
were also keen in this version to keep a number of traditional features found
in older versions of Windows, which still meet the requirements of many users
as they are, which satisfies a wide segment of those users. Below we review a
group of those old features that are still available in Windows 11.
Command Prompt (CMD)
.webp "Command Prompt (CMD)")
The command
prompt or "cmd" is the default command line tool in the Windows
system, which was introduced for the first time in 1987 Windows NT was the
first version on the market that contained a command prompt tool in 1993 that
allows users to execute DOS system commands along with other commands. Others
are more advanced.
The
command prompt is a very important tool, especially for programmers and
developers. The command prompt is usually a black screen in which command lines
are written in white, and through this tool, various program commands can be
written using programming languages so that each command is written using
keyboard buttons only in what is known as the command line, and then these
commands are transferred to the kernel of the operating system that you are
implementing.
If you
want to create a new directory, for example, you can execute this command by
writing just one command line by typing the word "mkdir" in the
command line interface. It may not seem worth it in this simple example, but it
will save a lot of time and trouble for programmers, web developers, and users
who need to execute a series of complex or time-consuming code commands. For
example, it may take the process of renaming 100 files located in the same
folder It takes a very long time if you try to implement it through the GUI,
while the same task can be performed by writing a single command line through
the CLI and it will not take more than one minute.
In
Windows 11, Microsoft combined for the first time the traditional command prompt
tool with the comprehensive terminal "PowerShell" tool, which
recently became the default tool for writing code commands in the latest
versions of Windows, but in the Windows 11 version it became present alongside
a prompt tool Commands so that they can be switched, and return to using the
traditional command prompt tool by changing some settings of the Windows
Terminal application.
Run tool
.webp "Run tool")
One of
the other traditional features in Windows that also contributes to saving time
and effort greatly is the Run tool, which is a rectangular window similar to
the command prompt window, but it consists of a single command line. Run
provides quick access to various programs, applications, folders, and documents
in Windows, and this only requires knowledge of the appropriate run command.
The search field in the Run window is usually used to access Control Panel
items in a single step using only the keyboard, rather than following a series
of GUI steps that may require other input tools such as the mouse pointer.
Run was
the first tool that the user could access in the Windows 95 operating system,
and now, after more than a quarter of a century has passed, the tool is still
available in Windows 11 as it was available before in older versions, with the
icon modified to be more modern. The run can be accessed easily using the same
buttons on the keyboard by pressing the Win button while pressing the letter R
at the same time, but the user should first be familiar with the list of basic
run commands in order to write them in the dialog window that will appear after
that, or At least he knows the required run command.
Disk Management tool
.webp "Disk Management tool")
The
Disk Management tool was introduced for the first time in Windows XP to replace
the "fdisk" command that was present in earlier versions, and it is a
tool that enables users to view and manage the volumes connected to the
computer and allows them to re-plan the storage capacity and control the
distribution of the partitions associated with it. . Despite the great
importance of the tool, it remained the same for years without any development
or significant change in the appearance and functionality of the tool since
Windows 2000 until Windows 11, with the exception of the way to access it,
which may differ from one version to another, but in different versions. It can
be quickly accessed by opening the Run window, then type the command
"diskmgmt.msc" and pressing Enter after that.
Control Panel
.webp "Control Panel")
The
Windows Control Panel is made up of a collection of programs and applets that
are used to configure various aspects of the operating system. The control
panel has been a major part of the Windows operating system since its first
release, which was introduced by Microsoft in 1985, which is the “Windows 1.0”
version, and starting with the release of Windows XP, the design of the Windows
control panel began to take on a semi-static character, with the exception of
some settings that were successively transferred to Other locations outside of
the Control Panel sections until I introduced the new Settings app in Windows
10 to house many of the previous Control Panel settings.
Although
the Windows 11 version came with many additional settings, new designs, and
improved functions for the various bars, tools, and buttons, the Windows
control panel in this version still contained some necessary settings and was
designed very similar to its design in the previous Windows version.
Disk Cleanup tool
Disk
Cleanup Tool or "cleanmgr.exe" is a Windows system utility that
allows users to remove files that are no longer needed such as temporary files
or unnecessary files that can be safely deleted, effectively helping to free up
storage space on the hard drive and speed up the performance of the hard disk.
storage and improve overall computer performance.
The
Disk Cleanup tool was introduced for the first time in Windows 98 and then
became present in all subsequent versions of Windows. The Windows XP version
came with a slightly improved version of the Disk Cleanup tool that included a
number of additional options and it is almost the same version of the tool that
is still in use now except for some minor changes made to the cleanup
categories in the newer versions of Windows, including the Windows version 11.
Character Map tool
.webp "Character Map tool")
Character
Map is a Windows utility that helps to see all the characters available in all
the fonts installed on the computer, and although it is less common and not
simple to use compared to other tools, it is still a tool of particular
importance and necessity for some users, especially those Who need to type
texts and documents that may contain symbols or characters in different
languages on a computer. The Character Map tool has not seen almost any
improvement since its first version was introduced under Windows 3.1, with the
exception of minor changes in the appearance of the window in its integrated
version under Windows XP, and the tool is still present with the same
functionality and has almost the same performance in the Windows 11 version.
File Explorer
All
versions of Windows since Windows 95 include a tool known as File Explorer,
which is a file browser used to manage files and folders stored on the hard
drive and to facilitate navigation between them. Windows File Explorer was one
of the most prominent tools that underwent some development in the Windows 11
version, as the Explorer window was added to the feature of additional tabs and
customizations, and the design of the Explorer bars was made more simplified,
but the main style remained the same as the previous File Explorer version
available in Windows 10 version.
The
Windows 11 version retains many of the traditional features and tools found in
previous versions of the Windows operating system as good news for those users
who simply do not accept the idea of abandoning the features and settings that
they are familiar with, changing their appearance and general character, or
searching for their new location every time they interact. A new version of
Windows, but it is a disappointment for those users who desire renewal,
continuous development and permanent improvement of the advantages and
capabilities of the operating system in each new version, and this depends in
any case on the extent of attention that Microsoft attaches to the development
of a specific part or application, so we find it Always keen to develop and
improve some features with each new version or develop them at faster rates
than others, and we can only wait for more and more development of the
components of that complex system that come together to form one of the most
popular operating systems in the world.