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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Is there a Windows 10 inspired launch menu? (lemm.ee)

submitted 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I’m looking for a launch menu that has similar functionality as the Windows 10 Start Menu. While I don’t think Windows is the pinnacle of OS development, I did find the "Start" menu quite useful in organizing my apps by task group and importance. Specifically, I’m interested in the following features:

The ability to resize the menu.
The option to create my own application layout in named groups.
The capability to create folders with applications.
Optionally, the ability to resize various application tiles.

The Cinnamenu applet for Cinnamon comes somewhat close, but it isn't quite it. Does anyone know of an app, a DE or anything else on Linux that offers these features?

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

Uncertain if it has all the customization you want, but check out ArcMenu for GNOME
https://github.com/tau-OS/tau-arcmenu?tab=readme-ov-file
https://gitlab.com/arcmenu/ArcMenu

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Thanks for the suggestion. I looked at it. It is basically a simplified Windows 7 menu. Decent, but it doesn't go far enough for me.

Gnome itself is actually not bad. It has a full screen menu and arrangeable application icons and folders, but I cannot group them the way I want, let alone resize them. I wish there was something for Gnome, but I don't see it.

Perhaps I am asking for an edge case. Even Microsoft has dumbed down its Start menu in 11 to essentially a mobile launcher. Too few people seem to want that.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I used to use ArcMenu back when I ran Gnome on PopOS and I remember you could switch the layout between a lot of different menu styles.

Wasn't just the Win7 style one.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 days ago

Yep, ArcMenu (@ https://gitlab.com/arcmenu/ArcMenu which is the maintained one, last updated days ago instead of years ago) has a ton of different layouts which can mimic any version of Windows, and so much more.

screenshot of ArcMenu layout settings, with the "modern" category expanded

When using GNOME, use the "Extensions Manager" app (from Flathub) to search for "ArcMenu" and install it, then you can configure it there in the Extensions Manager app as well. In the ArcMenu configuration, go to layouts and select the modern group to see something like the screenshot above. (The previews are generic wireframe sketches; the result will look much more high fidelity.)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago

That's a good looking menu. Thank you

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Gnome itself is actually not bad. It has a full screen menu and arrangeable application icons and folders, but I cannot group them the way I want, let alone resize them.

I don't think resizing is an option, but isn't it possible to drag one app's icon on top of another app's icon to create a group?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

You can. That's what I meant with folders. But I cannot position these icons and folders freely on a grid like the Win10 Start menu allows. Still, Gnome comes quite close.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago

Ah, gotcha.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago

This is what I use, and I had totally forgotten that you could switch layouts. I switched from windows to Linux Mint Cinnamon about 12 years ago, and then to Ubuntu but I didn't like the gnome menu. Having grown up with windows, that style of menu was what I was most comfortable with, and ArcMenu was there to fill the gap.