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Building Windows 8: I need longer arms!

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nosh:
"They are designed for touch, but of course they work great with mouse and keyboard as well..."

I think the tiles feature makes sense, you can get just the right bits of info from all your apps in one place. I can see casual users finding this very useful. And once MS irons out the creases and adds a good amount of flexibility, there's no reason for advanced users to not find it useful.

PS: Touch screens for your desktop PC = ridiculous.

nudone:
Isn't windows 8 the mandatory rubbish o/s that microsoft have to release after each decent o/s?

I think we can all safely ignore 8 and just wait for 9 to come along, though, by then, it will be named windows solo or something in an attempt to distance the numbered name 8.

In fact why don't we just call it Windows "Hate" right now as everyone is going to despise it.

nudone:
Okay, I've watched the video now and think it looks good, but only from a tablet perspective, makes the iPad look absolute crap in comparison. So, I guess, Microsoft is saying they believe in tablets in a big way and after seeing their new gui I can see why.

But yeah, for a pc and mouse/keyboard, completely pointless - other than to look impressive to mom and pa when they go to the store to buy a new machine.

(My parents still can't use a mouse properly.)

Curt:
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2011/08/29/improvements-in-windows-explorer.aspx
-notice the last line:

Goals of the new Windows Explorer

We set out to accomplish three main goals with this new version of Explorer:

1)    Optimize Explorer for file management tasks. Return Explorer to its roots as an efficient file manager and expose some hidden gems, those file management commands already in Explorer that many customers might not even know exist.

2)    Create a streamlined command experience. Put the most used commands in the most prominent parts of the UI so they are easy to find, in places that make sense and are reliable. Organize the commands in predictable places and logical groupings according to context, and present relevant information right where you need it.

3)    Respect Explorer’s heritage. Maintain the power and richness of Explorer and bring back the most relevant and requested features from the Windows XP era when the current architecture and security model of Windows permits.


We evaluated several different UI command affordances including expanded versions of the Vista/Windows 7 command bar, Windows 95/Windows XP style toolbars and menus, several entirely new UI approaches, and the Office style ribbon. Of these, the ribbon approach offered benefits in line with our goals:

    Provides the ability to put the most important commands in very prominent, front and center locations.

    Makes it easy to find commands predictably and reliably. Every important file management command could be given a home in the ribbon, and customers would always know where to look for them.

    Exposes a large set of commands (~200) in one easy and consistent experience and organizes commands into scenario-focused groups without the use of nested menus, popups, dialogs, and right-click menus.

    Aids command identification with support for grouping, a variety of button sizes and icons, and aids deeper investigation with live previews and expanded tooltips.

    Takes a similar approach to Office, Microsoft Paint, and Windows Live Essentials, which means that many of our customers will be familiar with the model and not have a lot to learn.

    Provides a consistent, reliable UI that doesn’t degrade over time like traditional toolbar and menu-based user interfaces do. See Jensen’s earlier blog on this topic from the development of the ribbon.


These strengths fit well with our three goals – the ribbon would allow us to create an optimized file manager where commands would have reliable, logical locations in a streamlined experience. The flexibility of the ribbon with many icon options, tabs, flexible layout and groupings also ensured that we could respect Explorer’s heritage. We could present a rich set of commands without removing access to previously top-level commands, something we knew was really important to our customers.

As it so happens, while not primarily a touch interface, the ribbon also provides a much more reliable and usable touch-only interface than pull-down menus and context menus (we'll have lots more to say on the topic of touch, of course—as a reminder, check out this Windows 8 video--we definitely know there is a lot of interest but also want to make clear that we know how important keyboard and mouse scenarios are to power-user scenarios of file management).
-MSDN 29 Aug 2011
--- End quote ---

Edited:
Windows 8 might end up being good!

Stoic Joker:
Isn't windows 8 the mandatory rubbish o/s that microsoft have to release after each decent o/s?

I think we can all safely ignore 8 and just wait for 9 to come along, though, by then, it will be named windows solo or something in an attempt to distance the numbered name 8.

In fact why don't we just call it Windows "Hate" right now as everyone is going to despise it.
-nudone (September 09, 2011, 02:35 AM)
--- End quote ---

I too am trepidatiously trying to reserve judgment, but am quite leery of the touchy feely UI idea. So just in-case it is necessary... Lets make it's nickname a bit triendier (ick), and call it Windows H8.

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