Forum Discussion
Pinning: Where & How
Well, once again, cannot find the thread wanted so will just write this here, no worries. This is referring to a previous thread about pinning. Most Folks don't want or need icons all over their desktop nor is it a storage place, anyway. What few icons are on the desktop can be unseen (told not to show) by using the Desktop toolbar to access them. Edge is sensible by offering Pin to start and Pin to taskbar. Edge C having neither AND making one save something to the desktop (1st) and then (from there), pin it to start or the taskbar is just plain dumb & ridiculous. There is no need or reason for it which, is why Edge does not have silly Pin to desktop. What Edge has is what needs to be (maintained) and is a "Must have" that must be in Edge C, also! This is Edge... and what Edge C should, also, have!
Cheers,
Drew
19 Replies
Like the girl in the Old El Paso ad, "por que no los dos?", or in this case, why not all three?
I want to be able to add a shortcut OR install it as an "app".
I think creating an "app" should ONLY "install" it and not pin it to the start menu, pin it to the taskbar or add a shortcut to the desktop because we can drag and drop (or right click) it to where we want after. It currently creates a shortcut to the desktop. I'll explain this in this image that I spent wayyyyy too long making.
I think we should be able to drag and drop links to the taskbar and to Start to pin it (without installing it). By the way people, you can drag on the lock icon.
I wish we could right click on "apps" in the start menu to uninstall them and see if they *actually are from Edge* and not from the Store, another browser, are a win32 app or are a UWP app. I hope the MS Edge team can contact the Windows team.
It would also be a good idea to add the "add shortcut to" options to the "Apps" menu instead of "More tools" and remove the "All apps and pins" list. I'll also show this in the image below.
sambul95 inspired me to edit my image
CHOICE, CHOICES! <-- One of the things that make Edge appealing. Adding some goods ones may be fine, BUT... MUST make sure the current good ones are there! Team must accept this is the majority feeling & build accordingly. Most folks, obviously, like, use & want (all) the same Features & functionality we have, now. Ergo, it's understandable people are voicing concern when they see these things absent.
Cheers,
Drew
Hi Drew, as johnjansen mentioned, we are very aware of the feedback on pinning, and we are aware that not everyone utilizes Windows in the same way. We believe that making the launching of the browser as efficient as possible is in everyone's interest, and so are trying to get as much feedback as we can. John was also trying to unblock you and our other Insiders until we have the full set of changes out in the Insider channels.
Noel Burgess, Drew1903, ms4132, we thank you for your feedback, and your passion for our browser. Your feedback has already helped inform the features that we are releasing, and the order in which they release. Please keep it up!
- Hi Elliot,
One thing that I really appreciate on here is that, as opposed to Feedback Hub, you, or someone on your team, take the time to reply. Not to every post; I understand that's very impractical. But, Feedback Hub tends to give arcane, sometimes irrelevant replies that are not at all helpful, *when* they do reply. Again, thanks for allowing us to help build the new Edge.
Regards,
Dan- There was once a piece of feedback on the Feedback Hub and the response that was about something completely different. It was obviously an automatic, generic response. I think they try to "resolve" our issues by marking it as replied and by giving it inaccurate statuses.
Microsoft also buries important feedback in completely different collections. https://imgur.com/a/UfBSYgX I wasn't going to spend all day trying to find my specific example but I think it had to do with File Explorer.
So yeah. I really like how *real* and active the developers are here.
Elliot Kirk
Thanks, Elliot & John.
Probably I can speak for myself AND others with this note...
We are glad to be appreciated & excited to help build this thing. It is/will be rewarding if, indeed, it ends up as we are suggesting when it's finished. And we are happy that it seems the Team is, actually, trying to make that happen.
Cheers,
Drew
Since johnjansen is collecting feedback on this topic, I'd like to add my vote. I like to pin pages to the taskbar, too; I hide desktop icons, I've removed every tile from the Start screen and I rarely use the start menu, because most of what I need is on the taskbar.
No-one has mentioned IE's nifty way of doing it: just drag the favicon from the address bar to the taskbar to pin it. Not so simple when using touch, perhaps, and Edge doesn't show the favicon in the address bar.We also need a simple way to edit pinned site shortcuts. My principal reason for this is to be able to change the icon used; Microsoft properties, for example, used all to have different favicons. Now most of them seem to use the same (but not absolutely identical) coloured Windows, which makes it impossible to distinguish at a glance between, say, a pinned page at support.microsoft.com and one at techcommunity.microsoft.com. The icon for a pinned app can apparently easily be changed using the shortcut's properties dialogue, but it doesn't seem to have any effect.
The other thread I think you were referring to was started by someone who only wanted Pin to Start. Again, it's clear that what users want is choice.
Noel Burgess Drew1903 johnjansen I didn't mention the IE drag to Taskbar approach, but actually also prefer it over the menu Pin to Taskbar of legacy Edge. This would definitely be my preferred method.
I fully agree that all three choices need to be available, and separate from each other. I also rarely use the Start menu and have an empty desktop. But people have different ways of working, requirements or preferences.
Having a choice is important and having a simple way to exercise each choice is also important.
ms4132 @Noel Burgess @Drew1903 @johnjansen
It is SO nice to see the shared support & commonly held similar view on this! Likely there are many more who feel the same. And, yes, the drag-n-drop for sites to the taskbar with IE was/is cool. I, too, have long wished we, still, had that.
And, yes, Windows (& Edge) prides itself on giving End Users choice & customization. That must not be lessened or changed in Edge C.
Cheers,
Drew
Drew1903 Thanks for the feedback on Pinned Sites. We are working through that whole story presently, and do plan on offering Pin to Start. Currently, if you click on ... > Apps > Install this site as an app, it will show up on your Start menu, on the Taskbar, as well as the Desktop. Feedback on this workflow is really crucial for us, so we appreciate you trying it out and letting us know what you think.
-John
johnjansen wrote:We are working through that whole story presently, and do plan on offering Pin to Start. Currently, if you click on ... > Apps > Install this site as an app, it will show up on your Start menu, on the Taskbar, as well as the Desktop. Feedback on this workflow is really crucial for us, so we appreciate you trying it out and letting us know what you think.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the idea of pinning webpages as apps aims to allow users to open extra https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/hosting/webview2 windows on desktop instead of sticking to one browser window? This might be suitable for dynamically updating webpages, as well as adding live tiles for them to Start Menu, as suggested here.
When it comes to linking webpages not frequently updated and neither aimed to be constantly monitored, I don't believe their shortcuts should be placed to Start Menu or Taskbar, since it can bring chaos to critical Windows productivity zones. For determined Taskbar users, I suggest to create a separate Taskbar Tab for links or Weblinks Toolbar similar to Desktop Toolbar - to save critical Taskbar space. For weblinks in Start Menu I suggest to dedicate a separate area My Web at Glance on the right, not mixing them with Programs Strip.
The most suitable place IMHO for frequent page shortcuts is browser's New Tab Speed Dial. It should retain dual functionality. It must auto collect most frequently visited pages. But users should be allowed to Edit the Dials by putting other pages they prefer. Once edited, such Dials can't be auto replaced with other frequent dials. Also, a user should be allowed to change number and size of dials. I tested many New Tab Chrome extensions, and think https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/the-new-tab-customize-you/ddjdamcnphfdljlojajeoiogkanilahc/related?hl=en is a good example of basic simplicity combined with user enabled adjustments.
Since users are now allowed to add frequent shortcuts to Speed Dial manually, and for some its a lot more important than placing weblinks to Taskbar or Start Menu, I suggest to add "Pin to SpeedDial" to other webpage pinning options.
johnjansen In the process of testing this, I discovered that an app I created earlier and that is still pinned to my Taskbar as an app does not appear in the list when I click on manage apps.
The pinned entry opens the app, but it is not on my Start menu or my Desktop and is no longer able to be "managed". The app info option when the app is open works.
This is another example of the complexity is introduced by the current requirement to create and app just to pin a shortcut to a website to the Taskbar.
johnjansen I don't understand the approach that is being taken here versus the way this worked on Edge. I agree with Drew1903 that this approach is counter intuitive in two ways. If I want quick access to a website, why do I need to create an app? If I want it pinned to the taskbar, why should it appear on Start and Desktop too?
Regarding feedback on the workflow, the current approach creates a many step process.
1) Create an app which I don't need since I am just looking for a shortcut to a website
2) Remember to pin the newly opened app to the Taskbar because if I don't it will disappear when I close the app
3) Remember to delete from the Start menu if I don't want the website in my Start menu
4) Remember to delete from the Desktop if I don't want the website on my Desktop
5) Remember to delete the app if I decide I no longer want the shortcut pinned to my Taskbar
In the comment webpage that appeared after I removed the app after testing, it says apps may be able to do things that websites can't. But if all I want is a shortcut to a website, making me create an app that has no additional functionality does not bring a benefit as far as I can see.
For something that used to be one click the complexity of creating/managing/deleting an app and managing two alternatives I didn't really want seems a lot of overhead for me as the consumer.
ms4132
Thank you for spelling out 5 Pillars of Stupidity. Nicely detailed. And, then, someone right after has lent more support to what we are all saying. I had neglected to mention, I also, discovered it gone from the taskbar if not pinned there, meaning yet, another otherwise unnecessary step. Do not make things less efficient than they are in Edge. Supposed to be improving things. Won't do that by omitting good stuff or making more, unnecessary steps to do the same thing! Sure can go from Calgary to Winnipeg via Edmonton FIRST, but, sure really silly extra kms & time that makes no good sense, cannot be justified.
And, to repeat, don't want stuff all over the desktop or having to open Start or Desktop toolbar. Edge does it right, just keep the status quo.
Cheers,
Drew
