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Is there a Windows 10 inspired launch menu? (lemm.ee)
submitted 2 years ago* by to c/linux@lemmy.ml
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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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[+] 33 points 2 years ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 child)
[deleted]
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    • [–] 29 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    There's Tiled menu for KDE Plasma

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  • [–] [S] 12 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    Thank you. I might just have to switch to KDE for that. Will install KDE on my current GNOME environment. Will give it a test drive.

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  • [–] 8 points 2 years ago

    In KDE Plasma, if you right click on the launch menu button, there is an option Show Alternatives. Here, you can immediately select and use one of the installed alternative start menus. On top of that, you can install further launcher menus, which will then appear in the Show Alternatives list. I installed Simple Menu (from Eike Hein) that has categories, favourites and search. And let's you move the icons around. But its that easy to try out different launchers. I hope you find a good one.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    That isn't a good idea. You should never install gnome and kde together on the same system. There are often lots of conflicting stuff. Some distros handle it well, but most don't.

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  • [–] [S] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    Good point. Which distros handle it well?

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    • [–] 15 points 2 years 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

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  • [–] [S] 7 points 2 years 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.

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  • [+] 6 points 2 years ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)
    [deleted]
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  • [–] 14 points 2 years 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.)

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    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?

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years 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.

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    • [–] 9 points 2 years ago

    Either the ArcMenu extension for Gnome, or the Deepin DE.

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    [–] 5 points 2 years ago*

    old windows -> xfce/lxqt/whatever

    nuwindows -> kde

    macos/phones -> gnome

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    [–] 4 points 2 years ago

    KDE Plasma is the way to go if you're too used to the Windows desktop. Plasma 6 is out, and from what I ses it's more like Windows 11, though Plasma is so configurable you could definitely mimic Windows 10.

    Kubuntu still uses Plasma 5, which was pretty much exactly like using Windows 10 when I used it, though more configurable and smoother to use. If you want stability and compatibility in your machine, with a DE that has all its issues ironed out, Kubuntu is a good choice.

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