Libraries in Windows 10

Question

Libraries in Windows 10

Anonymous

I am wandering if anyone could explain this to make it really easy and simple to understrand. After all these years I still get confused by Libraries in Windows. I remember in Windows 7 you had the libraries function and then my music or my documents. The way I always saw it, isn’t this making everything repetitive while adding more stuff-do I find it in the libraries or the my documents/files/music/video/pictures?

Now in Windows 10 I can find everything under Library but still a bit confusing. They are in locations such as “Pictures”. But elsewhere I can also find the same thing with the same name. They look alike when comparing them. So am I just finding library locations in different locations in places other than Library? It becomes this, either it is two different folders which I would think is about the stupidest thing in the world because they have the same name and same look-nothing to differentiate them other than where you find them-stupid because it is confusing and clutters up the side panel with the tree hierarchy. Why would anyone want to start duplicating and place it in other places other than under the Library window? Or they are not the same-but we are sure going to call them the same thing, give them the same name as what is in the Library. So does this mean when looking at Pictures outside the library in a pictures folder created for me by Microsoft or is this a library folder with no way of knowing this since it is not under the Library folder but located elsewhere? If I delete that folder outside of the library-am I just deleting another way to look at it or am I deleting a folder with the contents found there in? If they are different, than why does Microsoft not name them differently? Also, just like in the past, we are given “My documents” you could access. But in Windows 10 you are not able top access it but it is still there. What are the purpose of these folders, why don’t I have access to them?

It just seems like Microsoft makes things more confusing while making it harder to find what you need by putting extra folders with the same names as Libraries. Yes, I understand that Windows Library allows you to find your files across multiple domains…but they do not tell you what these other folders now and that is where all the confusion comes in.

I am sure someone might tell me doing things this is way is less confusing and more efficient. I say, there is a big difference between intent and delivery. They are not always the same for all people.

Thanks for answering my questions.

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2 answers

Answer 1

It is confusing, because Microsoft rather abruptly changed its mind about libraries.

Microsoft heavily promoted libraries as an innovative feature when they were introduced with Windows 7. By Windows 8.1, Microsoft was instead promoting SkyDrive (as it was then called) as the place to store personal files. Previously, SkyDrive was just another storage location that could be included in a library, but now it was superseding libraries altogether. A default install of Windows 8.1 omitted libraries from Windows Explorer (whose name was changed to File Explorer in Windows 10) and you had to edit the registry to make them appear again.

Today, Microsoft wants everyone to store all their personal drives in OneDrive (which is the replacement name for SkyDrive) and libraries are but a memory. Libraries still exist in Windows 10, but only to maintain backwards compatibility with applications that are hard-coded to save files to libraries.

You can draw what lessons you like from this, but here is what I decided: When Microsoft puts their own spin on a commonly used technology, I'm going to stick with the commonly used technology.

I never used libraries, sticking instead with the same folder system that everyone else uses. I also never used Homegroups, WiFi Protected Setup (WPS,) or the XPS format for documents, all of which are either dead and gone or all but.

Answer 2

Thanks,

It helps that I know I am not the only one who gets frustrated with Microsoft.

Never tried getting setup with Onedrive after seeing so many times Microsoft comes out with something new in a new version of Windows and then stop supporting it.

I loved Windows Media Player and then comes out with Groove which seemed like every other song (that I already owned) would see an advertisement for their streaming media which I had to reply to...and now does not have a streaming service. Then when you complain, Microsoft comes out with the, "What did you expect for free software" as if because they chose not to charge for Windows 10-that obligates me to having an interrupting experience-taken hostage by their software. Went and looked for something else, will be doing the same with a file explorer.

Thanks

Dave

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Libraries in Windows 10

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