Why they designed Windows 8 the way they did

Mystere

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Thank you very much for sharing that. I'll have a looksee. :)
 

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It is very long! Bottom line, they changed it because they could :D
 

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I've only gotten part way through the video and had to go out for the evening. I'll have to catch the rest of it this weekend. But I thought it was funny that Mr. Harris there said that traditional book technology (books made of paper) has been around at least 50 years! lol
 

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Just downloaded it for later viewing. I'm interested about how they designed Windows 8. I saw some early mockups of the Start Screen and Charms, WHAT?!
 

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Maybe Microsoft should have designed a smartphone OS and just kept developing Windows 7 for PCs.

I thought about this the other day...

So the reason why Microsoft redesigned Windows is that people were using the start menu less and less, which some will contend. Even though data from usage from normal users were gathered and provided to analyze, most will still call BS.

Having said that, what if Microsoft just released Windows 8, but just being a faster Windows 7? So basically, they'd be charging 15 to 40 dollars for a slightly faster Windows 7 with no real UI changes. Personally, I'd be disappointed at that as I'd tell people about the new Windows 8, go through the process of mitigating a lot of people's PCs to a slightly faster Windows 7.

Then, there's the usage scenarios at play. With promoting the use of pinning things to the Taskbar and using Jump lists, the use of having a start menu becomes redundant. The Taskbar in Windows 7 basically becomes the Most Frequently Used list (you know, that white left hand list that NO ONE talks about) of the start menu, while the MFU part of the start menu becomes a Recently Used list, while the All Programs lists becomes non-existent to use as either a Desktop shortcut is made that can be pinned or used, or a highlight saying you have new programs installed is seen once that that's really it. Either that gets pinned to the Taskbar, or shortcut on the Desktop, or stays on the MFU lists.

Then there is using Jump Lists. The File Explorer has the default libraries right there by default, ready to be pinned onto that Jump List. Computer, Downloads, and other locations can be pinned to it. Effectively, the other half of the start menu's purpose dies away. Either that, or a Desktop shortcut is made. Other programs like Word use Jump Lists pretty neatly, you can see 10 recent documents, and pin the ones you're working on. Again, a facet of the start menu becomes useless, and the other facet being the Recent list becomes useless with that and Recent Places in Explorer, which again can be pinned to the File Explorer Jump List. The other item left is Control Panel, again, can be pinned and have a Jump List neatly used. Lastly, power options becomes the ONLY real purpose and excuse for the start menu. Just call it, the power and recently used list.

Honestly, there was a time where I considered just pinning EVERY installed program and doubling the size of my Taskbar, to be a super Taskbar and have little need for the start menu other than power settings and doing a file search at a tap of a key.

So if this trend from Windows 7 expanded with Windows 7 Faster Edition, what then?
 

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I've only gotten part way through the video and had to go out for the evening. I'll have to catch the rest of it this weekend. But I thought it was funny that Mr. Harris there said that traditional book technology (books made of paper) has been around at least 50 years! lol

hahaha only 50 years....that person just lost all credibility.

on topic

coke your not wrong, i barely use the start menu, either i have a shortcut on the desktop/taskbar or i just go to the file i want to open using explorer and it opens the program for me.

perhaps that's one of the reasons why metro is getting so much stick, it's thrust upon you in a way that we just don't need it when all we want is a simple background and tiny icons.

while i agree pc users need to accept changes, microsoft need to also accept that they just released something that isn't liked by many for different reasons and most are focused firmly on the metro ui and how it works.

and touch screens for desktops couldn't get a slower uptake than it is now.....that should be telling the marketing department at microsoft one of two things, people don't like touch or people are just to skint to fork out for a touchscreen, i'd go with the too skint one combined with the lack of choices.
 

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hahaha only 50 years....that person just lost all credibility.

He was making a joke. Talk about losing credibility, you obviously did not watch it, yet feel compelled to criticize something you haven't even watched.
 

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yes mystere i didn't watch it, it's not a funny joke either so yes i was taking the absolute piddle out of him.

problem?

but then i didn't make a big deal out of it either...like you just did.

mystere this isn't the first time you've taken something i've said and not understood the context of it, i wasn't replying to the thread but replies made in it and wasn't provoking anyone.

but frankly i'm just going to ignore you now.
 

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Actually it was kind of a funny joke, but you had to know the context in which it was said. He was talking about a ton of different recent technology and was using sarcasm to illustrate just how old "book" technology is through the use of an under-exaggeration.

You commented on something you knew nothing about, and criticized the "credibility" of someone. The irony seems to be lost on you.
 

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mis post
 

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Actually it was kind of a funny joke, but you had to know the context in which it was said. He was talking about a ton of different recent technology and was using sarcasm to illustrate just how old "book" technology is through the use of an under-exaggeration.

You commented on something you knew nothing about, and criticized the "credibility" of someone. The irony seems to be lost on you.

watched it still not funny...

i wasn't replying to your post.....so please just stop already, i was replying to something else and that one little line of text you keep latching onto here is just meh....

so in the interests of this community and keeping it great as it always has been, don't reply to anything i ever write on here again.
 

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I've only gotten part way through the video and had to go out for the evening. I'll have to catch the rest of it this weekend. But I thought it was funny that Mr. Harris there said that traditional book technology (books made of paper) has been around at least 50 years! lol

hahaha only 50 years....that person just lost all credibility.

on topic

coke your not wrong, i barely use the start menu, either i have a shortcut on the desktop/taskbar or i just go to the file i want to open using explorer and it opens the program for me.

perhaps that's one of the reasons why metro is getting so much stick, it's thrust upon you in a way that we just don't need it when all we want is a simple background and tiny icons.

while i agree pc users need to accept changes, microsoft need to also accept that they just released something that isn't liked by many for different reasons and most are focused firmly on the metro ui and how it works.

and touch screens for desktops couldn't get a slower uptake than it is now.....that should be telling the marketing department at microsoft one of two things, people don't like touch or people are just to skint to fork out for a touchscreen, i'd go with the too skint one combined with the lack of choices.

That could be the reason why. But I have to think, that's STILL the Start Screen, with large tile targets with small icons in the center of them. Works like the Desktop in ways, but different. Works like the start menu, but different. It's different.
 

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I just don't know how one could use touch on a desktop, effectively anyway. I have a dual monitor setup and sit much more than an arm's length from them, so if I tried to use touch, I'd be forever hunched over my desk. Maybe the idea is to cause a whole new generation of medical ailments that need treatment?
 

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Well in my opinion windows 8 touch wasnt targeted to use on desktop anyway, most probably was designed to use on tablet and laptop. I have dual monitor set up as well and i dont use keyboard shortcut that much but more of mouse. I have to say that i dont have any problem using Win 8 at all. Although im thinking of getting one of those logitect geeky touchpad. Not sure if that is going to improve my user experience over mouse.
 

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Having said that, what if Microsoft just released Windows 8, but just being a faster Windows 7? So basically, they'd be charging 15 to 40 dollars for a slightly faster Windows 7 with no real UI changes. Personally, I'd be disappointed at that as I'd tell people about the new Windows 8, go through the process of mitigating a lot of people's PCs to a slightly faster Windows 7.

Change from a stable and usable OS that isn't lacking anything has been the disappointment. MS would have been better of just staying the course.

Windows 7 can serve us well for years. People are viewing Windows 8 as optional and not really worth it. All of my users that tested 8 uninstalled it and went back to 7. IT guys from other businesses I have talked to so far aren't going forward with any plans to migrate to 8.
 

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This is a bit long, but if you're actually curious.. even if you hate the design.. it might be interesting to understand the reasons behind it. It's really interesting to see how little Windows 8 changed from their early prototypes.

UX Week 2012 | Jensen Harris | The Story of Windows 8 on Vimeo

Interesting video. Pretty good sales job. Can't say I agree with all of his assertions. The one that bothers me the most is the assertion that:

FAMILIAR=MEDIOCRE

The video of the Mediocre car was cute. However this presentation paints too broad a brush, IMHO. If "familiarity" is a bad thing then let's re-imagine the keyboard. That's been attempted (DVORAK) but never took. English text. Let's start reading right-to-left, that will be cool. Just form the words backwards. That'll work. Why not re-imagine the mouse yet again and go with a trackball design. I haven't seen one of those in years but at the time they were going to replace the mouse.

Someone earlier said that Microsoft changed things "because they can". Exactly. Is there anything "wrong" with the new design? No, not necessarily, but to make the assertion that change to their design is necessary for everybody is a bit presumptuous. The guy is very soft-spoken and eloquent in his talk but the arrogance [of Microsoft] still manages to slip through, particularly when he's lampooning the design of the iBook interface in the iPad/iPhone. I see his point but, quite honestly, I find that interface both entertaining and comfortable. Sure, as a minimalist you might wonder why all the extra code to make it "pretty" (chrome). Believe it or not some [a lot] of people like that kind of thing.

If you had talked to Microsoft just a short five or six years ago, they would have told you that the Aero "chrome" was the "wave of the future", now all-of-a-sudden they've reversed course and gone "minimalist". Again, I see the argument, however it seems pretty schizophrenic to me. Want to know why they did all this? Apple. That's the one and only reason that makes any sense.

Yeah, I used the thing for a month and it's fine ... but necessary? That's a real stretch, particularly to a desktop user.

-Max :shock:
 

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I just don't know how one could use touch on a desktop, effectively anyway. I have a dual monitor setup and sit much more than an arm's length from them, so if I tried to use touch, I'd be forever hunched over my desk. Maybe the idea is to cause a whole new generation of medical ailments that need treatment?

Hey, why not? Practically the entire pharmaceutical industry exists because of made-up ailments! Microsoft might just be getting in on that action too!

-Max
 

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