Documents don't belong in Start Menu

[Aren Cambre]

In Windows, you only use the Start Menu to start programs or access things not available in programs.

See ​http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/The-Start-menu-overview for reinforcement, but it's been this way since at least 1995 (Windows 95). ​http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa511447.aspx#files says: "Don't put shortcuts to the following items on the Start menu: ... Help files. ... Readme files."

VirtualBox is violating this paradigm with its Start Menu help and license shortcuts. These should instead be accessible from within the VirtualBox UI.

Please only put a shortcut to the VirtualBox program in the Start Menu. If you do this, you don't even need a VirtualBox folder in the Start Menu, eliminating a "dry click".

[Perry G]

It seems that Microsoft is the only party that holds to this as I see this in almost every other program that exists on my Windows computer.

Actually I like being able to open certain help files when the program is not running.

This is not a major priority nor even much of an enhancement IMHO.

[Aren Cambre]

Looking through my start menu, the big players follow the UI norm (either solitary icon and no folder, or if folder, no clutter), including:

• Microsoft
• Mozilla
• Wireshark
• MySql
• OpenOffice

Seriously, who is ever going to click on the license or help file in the Start Menu?

License--that's just ridiculous in start menu.

Help file? Marginal at best, silly when considering that you generally only need to refer to help when you have the program open, and in that case it's in the program's Help menu.

So to summarize--VirtualBox is adding no value with this Start Menu clutter. Rather, it just takes me longer to find the VirtualBox program because it's needlessly buried in a folder in my Start Menu. And all so that two additional shortcuts can be included that I'd never access through the Start Menu anyway. And it's violating UI norms.

[Perry G]

You know the neat thing about these added links is they can be deleted. Right click on the ones you do not want and left click on delete. Your problem is solved. Mine are still there just like I want them. Situation solved! I still don't think they are a nuisance but added value. Also if you read what you posted it states guidelines not direct violation of anything. I don't think my Windows will explode just because some software has things that Microsoft does not like.

[Technologov]

Thanks "arencambre".

Well, I tend to follow Microsoft practices on Windows platform.

1. User Docs are already accessible from within the VirtualBox GUI. Can be removed.

2. License should be either included in the User Docs, or have a separate entry in VirtualBox GUI.

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Other than Start Menu, VirtualBox is not Windows compliant in several more ways: WHQL drivers (both vboxdrv and GuestAdditions), and some buttons (File Open Dialog & Installer) are not Vista ready.

-Technologov

[Sander van Leeuwen]

Microsoft is then violating the same rules. Microsoft Visual Studio and the MS Debugging tools have help items in the start menu.

And to be quite honest, I really don't see the need to start a discussion about it.