modernUI app switching

[shadowvlican]

i find it strange that the left-hand side modernUI app switching method doesn't see programs that are opened in desktop mode (like microsoft word)

 

[Mystere]

In this context, the Desktop is considered an app all in and of itself. Think of it like a web browser with tabs, when you switch to the browser, it only shows that you're switching to the browser, not all the tabs in the browser.

 

[shadowvlican]

great analogy, though i'm not sure i agree with this UI philosophy

 

[mdmd]

Alt - Tab will reveal all running apps in desktop or metro mode.
Even if you are running Metro IE, Netflix, Weather, Word, Excel or Photoshop etc... Alt - Tab is a good switcher.

 

[shadowvlican]

alt-tab works great indeed, but a working task bar lets me visualize the amount of applications i have open, as well as their respective notifications

in win7, programs will blink in the taskbar when they want your attention, and will stay highlighted if you couldn't attend to them

 

[mdmd]

The taskbar in 8 also gets a highlight. I am guessing, you would like a highlight on the left edge app switcher?
One probably has to be working the desktop to see the taskbar and respective notifications.

 

[shadowvlican]

The taskbar in 8 also gets a highlight. I am guessing, you would like a highlight on the left edge app switcher?
One probably has to be working the desktop to see the taskbar and respective notifications.

yes yes indeed! it would be really useful

an example would include using live messenger in metro

if i'm away from the computer, i would expect to come back and be notified of any msgs i missed by glancing at the app switcher

the fact that the left-edge app switcher and desktop taskbar don't work together as one is another UI design that i disagree with

 

[Mystere]

Well, I don't think anyone WANTS it to be this way, with two separate subsystems that work independently, but right now there's not much choice. At some point, Metro will probably become dominant, and it may have improved in this regard a great deal by then.

Remember, Metro is essentially a 1.0 OS, and this dual-brained mode is a necessary part of the migration process.

 

[shadowvlican]

i agree it's necessary as a stepping stone towards something greater

guess i'll go back to windows 7 for now

i was hoping that i was doing something wrong... but if this is the current UI behaviour of windows 8, then i'm not for it