Source code released for updates from the dev community

Dec 4, 2017 07:03 GMT  ·  By

Classic Shell, one of the most popular third-party Windows Start menu apps, is being retired, with the source code released online for the developer community to fork the app and keep the project alive.

The developer of the program said in an announcement that giving up on Classic Shell is a decision mostly forced by three factors, including lack of free time, frequent Windows 10 updates that break the previous version of the app, and changes that Microsoft makes to the operating system.

“Each new version of Windows moves further away from the classic Win32 programming model, which allowed room for a lot of tinkering. The new ways things are done make it very difficult to achieve the same customizations,” the Classic Shell developer explains.

While the original app won’t receive any new updates, Classic Shell can live on with help from the developer community, as the source code has been released to SourceForge for anyone who wants to fork it and release new updates based on the original version.

The Classic Shell download links will stay up for 6 more months, while the website will be closed in late 2018.

Classic Shell making Windows 8 more familiar

While the story of Classic Shell goes back to 2009, a major boom in downloads was recorded in 2012 when Microsoft made the controversial decision of launching Windows 8 without a Start button (at first) and a Start menu. Many users turned to third-party alternatives to bring the Start menu back, and Classic Shell was one of the most popular versions given its familiar look and rich set of features.

Classic Shell thus became one of the first programs companies and home users alike installed after deploying Windows on a new computer, as it brought back the familiar UI that users lost following the upgrade to Windows 8.

In the meantime, Microsoft has brought back the Start menu in Windows 10, but users who still want a third-party alternative can stick with Classic Shell a little bit longer. It remains to be seen for how long though, as a future Windows version can completely break down the app.