The classic command to invoke the Run menu from the keyboard is Win+R, but constant changes in Windows have caused that section of the operating system to lose relevance. However, developer Martin Bresson has been creating a sort of evolutionary leap for the Run menu for quite some time, and his result is Executor, an advanced launcher with support for custom keywords that floats on the desktop and can be summoned at any moment.
The Run menu hasn't gone anywhere. Although it was buried by the countless modifications to the Start menu and the Windows environment in general, a quick Win+R should bring it back. But Microsoft wants us to adapt to its vision of Windows, its idea of an operating system as a service. In other words, we can't change almost anything, and truly useful features are thrown into deeper and deeper wells.
Luckily, there are some developments out there that seek to fight this, and one of the most interesting is Martin Bresson's Executor. Executor presents itself as a "customizable launcher", a more advanced and complete version of the Run menu, which from a certain point of view can work as a replacement for the Start menu on any version of Windows.
Executor: A more direct way to load programs with the keyboard
The first steps to configure Executor are selecting its skin (six different options by default) and the type of general use. Personally, I let Executor locate my programs on its own, identify them when I type the first letters, keep the rows compact, and show the history only when I start typing.
Executor relies heavily on indexing to find applications. Although it has an automatic profile, I recommend visiting the Indexing & Cache tab in the Settings section and creating an index manually, which should take a few seconds. Still, some official Microsoft applications may escape indexing.
The General tab offers everything needed to control Executor's behavior. Here we can increase or decrease its priority, change the keyboard shortcut (Win+Shift+Z is the default combination), specify whether we want it to hide or not, fix its position and size on the screen, and order it to ignore Alt+Tab.
Finally, Executor fully spreads its wings once we study its keywords. We can add, delete, and/or edit keywords at will, whether to perform specific tasks, or access advanced system sections like the firewall and administrative tools. This is also compatible with loading web addresses and online services (YouTube, Wikipedia, etc.), and beyond its initial complexity, it definitely deserves your attention. Download a copy!
Official site and download: Click here
