reusing/returning classic/forked superior CDE aspects (inspired by Windows 3)?
I read XFCE forked CDE which I know imitated Windows3 (Win3) which I preferred aspects. Win3 had program manager/groups which was still usable in Win95/98 (and WinME?). I always liked program manager/groups but always abhorred (to this day) Win95 (to Win10) inferior start menu which became (Ns)CDE & XFCE applications menu.
Win3 program groups show any or all groups of only-related programs wth large/recognizable icons and could start as many you want in one go from still-open groups and be reminded what else one might want/need to start (or optionally minimize). Start & applications menus were regression to one-at-a-time text & less-reocgnizable small icons: rather than one go you reopen menu over & over, maybe 10 or 20+ times (typically 20 to 30+ for me and I know some who use more) let alone mouse slips on very position-sensitive menu that opens/causes many mistakes and can take many more seconds to reopen than a still-program group, and when you start a few/couple and are doing another but then one takes 'current focus' status and closes to draw over start/application menu (or even doesn't draw over at all but goes to other side but still closes menu(!)) and in contrast start/application menus can't remain open for reminder while using other programs.
I'd like back whatever Win3-style XFCE program groups--whatever you call them--forked from CDE (or do they still exist hidden? Then unhide them) and might even remove application menu afterwards, because that Win95 aspect always was--and still is--worst (and has only gotten worse as in its newer-style imitation reported elsewhere).
Apparently some KDE (and GNOME/Ubuntu/etc.?) people realized Win3 had a good idea and Win3 start menu was a regression, but maybe mostly weren't win3 users, because they made almost-similar fullscreen menu/launcher--also inferior to Win3: can't view all program groups same time as using other programs.
No other UI was as good except classic Apple with sytem menu bar that could have each application menu bar attached/underneath (as in KDE3, but of course both lacked superior Win3-style program groups, and Windows always lacked superior Apple-style top bars).
I was most productive in (Apple &) Win3: I much more quickly saw what I had, and started all I wanted from all groups in one go, but still saw what else I may use later, or otherwise minimized, and could come back and do same repeatedly.
KDE-style launchers were almost as good until I filled half taskbar with 20 or 30+ most-used programs but of course unable to immediately see related utilities... at least KDE launchers disappear and become their running taskbar entry... even such disappearing launchers can never replace/equal Win3 & (Ns)CDE-style program groups. It's good XFCE has taskbar launchers but they'd only work for me with double-level taskbar (then almost all programs are at top left, hard to use) or if in future they can disappear to become running taskbar entry.