Devin Coldewey is a Seattle-based writer and photographer. He wrote for the TechCrunch network since 2007. Some posts, it would like you to read: the perils of externalization of knowledge | Generation I | Surveillant society | Select two | Frame war | Custom manifest | Our great sin his personal ????-coldewey.cc. ? Read More
Building Windows 8 development blog was interesting to read for a while. Hear straight from the developers and then see unfiltered responses from users and secondary devs refreshing, even if the subject is not particularly convincing, or I don't agree with their choice. Today, perhaps the most extreme example of this so far. Discussion of the new file manager Windows 8 is worth a read — but it is a file manager you use?
The new Ribbon UI for Windows Explorer is so cluttered with buttons of various sizes, labels, multidisciplinary icons and tabs that I can hardly hear it. This is more like a Hall of mirrors, than the target workspace. Is this really a new, streamlined Windows?
Microsoft seems to go in two directions simultaneously. Sleek interface Metro demoed earlier this year they are pushing for a full screen, super-natural gesture-based navigation, that people have come to expect to some extent in tablets. But under the hood, it looks like Windows only becomes more and more Windows-esque. I wrote some time ago that Cadillac Windows operating systems, and this seems to support this.
At the same time, Apple quietly moves in one direction, not that it's better. UI changes in Lion suspiciously efficient and powerful file management is simply not a priority. I don't want to bring my personal preference it too much, but I think it is beyond dispute that for some users, this is good, while for others it's frustrating and counter-intuitive.
But anyone who thinks that this desert button is an effective way to communicate options and current action for inexperienced users? Discussion about the tape went on for some time and again, this really looks like for some it's a good idea, others not so much. But this one in particular seems to be quite densely populated. This is mainly because of the way, Microsoft has developed a tape is not a limitation of grouped buttons very idea, something I see other well implemented every day. Look at the sheer number of arrows! Only at the top of the window, I count three up, 10 down, one up and down four right and two left. With a variety of contexts, weights, graphics, colors, and goals.
I should add for the sake of Justice, that there are other real improvement measures, some of which are detailed in the blog. Give it a read, so you have some context for the parts that I criticized.
Two ways
Research they did to user actions is a kind of a fundamental choice which serves to illustrate the difference between Microsoft and Apple. Microsoft found that more than 85% of users to perform common actions (cut, paste, rename) context menus and keyboard shortcuts. Only about 10% of the command bar is used, and is unlikely to top menu.
What would you say that the important lesson here for future development? There are two very different interpretations of the data.
Microsoft concludes that the command bar is not sufficient, since it is not reliable enough and after further investigation found that few of even common actions in order to find out there. They are looking for something that they want to add. Such a decision, obviously, to pump up command bar until it becomes equally useful. This means putting all popular commands there, sorting and labelling, filling the empty space with things they think may be useful and rare isolation settings on other tabs. The result is what you see: button salad with every item at your fingertips, a large number of which millions of users never touch.
Apple will come to the conclusion that the command bar is not enough, because this is not effective. They are looking for what they need to subtract. Whether the necessary elements in it or not, clear user preference to shortcut menus and keyboard shortcuts. The solution is the complete elimination of the command bar and find a way to make more popular methods of access even more accessible. The result is a simplified interface with fewer options, and users forever doomed to follow the path chosen by Apple.
That is the correct lesson? Clearly no. That is why we have two warring OS styles, as well as powerful, serious differences between them. But one thing that Apple at Microsoft it is committed to the idea of forces on its users and usually performs with style and taste (in the style of Strunk loud mispronouncing words). Unable to complete the project quickly with style and taste, but you can make it intuitive to grandmothers and grandfathers, who cannot transfer their minds around double click or hold down the ctrl key.
Metro user interface is a breath of fresh air for Microsoft, because it's not a compliment superficial, it looks good. It doesn't look "impressive" or "powerful," he looks good. It looks like something that people can use. This will have a difficult time for Microsoft as this new user interface that competes with the old (and despite what you say, I guarantee that they compete), but they should start making some real design solutions that extend the use of Windows. The browser interface which will be among the most widely used on all PCs Windows 8 is a horror to new users, and ignores the many subtle and not so subtle design guidelines. It is possible that the user interface could be successfully with the best art and performance, but this is simply not compatible with high-level decisions about the direction of Windows in General. These engineers must not without worrying about which never used the button should be accompanied by the "new folder". This is a waste of time and money, Microsoft Corporation.
Microsoft has to make something that makes Apple. Sometimes this means leaving things behind, which never had Windows strong suit. If they hope to retain their existing users and maybe even get a few back from Apple, they must do more than keep adding varnish to their existing methods. This does not mean simply emulate Apple and make the same mistakes that they make, but they should fight on new grounds and make tough decisions. ARM, Metro and WP7 were good but difficult decisions because they questioned the previous decisions is considered successfully — things that are useful for many! But when they let things like this cling like barnacles their fresh new OS, they are allowing their legacy interfere in what should be done.
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