Open-Shell-Menu VS Netguard

I've been very happy happy with https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu as a Start Menu replacement. If ads have rolled out to my Windows install, I wouldn't even notice.

Whenever I set up a new computer for older family members, despite it being windows 11, I always install open shell[1] and retro bar[2]. Between the two, I've made the operating system look very close to Windows XP visually, and they always appreciate it.

[1] https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu

[2] https://github.com/dremin/RetroBar

There's Open-Shell but it's not exactly a full WM replacement.

Hi yall, I used Open-Shell to change the icon.

There is also Open Shell, a free and open source tool which performs a similar function.

I wish so bad there is a port (a fork) of the Legacy Kickoff start menu for Windows: https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu/issues/1083

Classic Start Menu

I use Open Shell (fork of Classic Shell) as a replacement to original Start Menu. This gives me full control over what appears in start menu - no results from internet, animated tiles, etc (I am on Win 10 though, from what I read the Win 11 is supported, but not yet officially [1]). It could be a solution to the ads appearing in start menu.

[1] https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu/issues/1564

Looks like you're going for an XP theme. May I suggest using open-shell to skin the taskbar, start menu, and start button if you wanna take that extra step? You can also find the taskbar skin and start button here. Also, I would remove the search bar, task view button, and news & interest area of the taskbar just to bring things together. This is all just a suggestion, you don't have to if you don't want to.

Same here.

In addition, to prevent shadow profiles, I've blocked them on NextDNS, setup NetGuard[0] and Firefox with uBlock Origin on Android.

[0]: https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard/releases

NetGuard (version 2.324): A simple way to block access to the internet per application

Maybe this [1] line is triggering the AI?

https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard/blob/676e889662e5a34ad36bdd...

Currently using the default netguard hosts file to block domains. The downlaod url is https://www.netguard.me/hosts and It just downloads the default stevenblack host file. But I want to block more stuff that the default does not block so I looked at Stevenblack github. The problem is that when I put in the hosts file download url, the domains do not get blocked. Such as if I use the fake news host then go to a fake news domain, fake news is still showing. Same thing when I download the hosts file then import it. Is there a fix for this in the app so I can block these domains?

NetGuard (version 2023061101): A simple way to block access to the internet per application