Windows 8 UI

[Penric]

It looks like the new version of Windows, which will most likely come out next year will use the windows 7 phone ui. Looks like it will be based on touch but will support the mouse and keyboard as well.



Will this be a disaster or a success?

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/TECH/mob...s.8/index.html

[Drunkenvalley]

Interesting, and may work to a surprising degree in bringing those lagging behind a bit up to speed. Hopefully they do however support have the means of smoothly alt-tabbing about.

[Krekko]

I think they should approach it from a switched standpoint. Based on mouse and keyboard, but with increased touch support as well.

I think the touch market has it's own niche, the Tablet and Phone market, but for the most part, touch screen PC's and Laptops on a larger scale is still quite some times away.

The control and ease of having a keyboard and mouse (in situations where allow it, which would be 95% of the home PC usage) is something that should not be taken for granted, ever.

I don't even know how well I'd like a touch screen PC (touchscreen laptop, or desktop with touch screen monitor). The idea sounds unappealing, whereas I can't wait to get my hands on a Tablet for myself. I think the cross over won't quite pan out like they like it.

I'd say maybe 5-10 years down the road such an approach would be more reasonable, where you have fully integrated systems (Touch screen tables, controls, and TV/large scale interactions) and you're looking to seamlessly integrate everything, but I think for now the separation is one which should not be underestimated.

Perhaps if the majority of devices now had touch screen capability and were looking for a solid system to run it, as opposed to something that was not making full use of the touch screen, but for now all devices that have a touch screen (read as smart phones and tables) work great with their own Mobile Operating system, and do not need the gap closed. We have a niche for touch screen, and a niche for keyboard and mouse. It breaks down to the reasons why you'd buy a Tablet as opposed to a laptop, or netbook.

[sylverfox]

too early to tell.

[ZyngaFail]

Yet Another Windows Media Center.

As a developer, I'll be sticking to the legacy interface and I can always move my development work to Linux if they move away from that. But IMO that interface is just a marketing ploy to get some of the "management" type people into buying Windows 8.

[Deleted]

That interface is primarily intended for Touch based devices. The traditional shell is still choosable if wanted.

But IMO that interface is just a marketing ploy to get some of the "management" type people into buying Windows 8.

Windows isn't exactly the OS that needs to do this. This is very much a consumer market thing.

[Rumiko]

XP was awesome, Vista sucked, and 7 was awesome. Won't even think of getting 8 before a few people have tested and "approved" it in beta.

[Rizendragon]

I think they should approach it from a switched standpoint. Based on mouse and keyboard, but with increased touch support as well.

I think the touch market has it's own niche, the Tablet and Phone market, but for the most part, touch screen PC's and Laptops on a larger scale is still quite some times away.

The control and ease of having a keyboard and mouse (in situations where allow it, which would be 95% of the home PC usage) is something that should not be taken for granted, ever.

I don't even know how well I'd like a touch screen PC (touchscreen laptop, or desktop with touch screen monitor). The idea sounds unappealing, whereas I can't wait to get my hands on a Tablet for myself. I think the cross over won't quite pan out like they like it.

I'd say maybe 5-10 years down the road such an approach would be more reasonable, where you have fully integrated systems (Touch screen tables, controls, and TV/large scale interactions) and you're looking to seamlessly integrate everything, but I think for now the separation is one which should not be underestimated.

Perhaps if the majority of devices now had touch screen capability and were looking for a solid system to run it, as opposed to something that was not making full use of the touch screen, but for now all devices that have a touch screen (read as smart phones and tables) work great with their own Mobile Operating system, and do not need the gap closed. We have a niche for touch screen, and a niche for keyboard and mouse. It breaks down to the reasons why you'd buy a Tablet as opposed to a laptop, or netbook.

If W8 is trying to integrate touch screens I think this is actually the reaction Microsoft will get. It's a bit ahead of it's time and if not done properly it'll flop. I agree that it should be the other way around: set up for keyboard and mouse while trying to be more touch screen friendly.

[Tehgypsy]

lets hope they improve on it as if thats the route they are taking, win7 will be around along time...like xp was.

[moaradin]

I heard a rumor that Win8 will allow Xbox 360 games to run natively on the PC. If that's true, then I will get it in a heartbeat. Just a rumor though. The only reason to own a console is the 1-2 good exclusives that come out each year.

[Drunkenvalley]

It's pretty obvious Windows 8 may very well be a specialized product intended for a market different from prior models.
If that's a little too non-English for you: If you don't like it... odds are it's not made for you either.

[Spoinky]

That's the tablet UI, it's not for PC's.

[Serissa]

this sh#t perfectly fits for portable device but it won't work for desktop not even for laptop. IMO

[Drunkenvalley]

I heard a rumor that Win8 will allow Xbox 360 games to run natively on the PC. If that's true, then I will get it in a heartbeat. Just a rumor though. The only reason to own a console is the 1-2 good exclusives that come out each year.

Really doubt it, unless Windows 8 is exclusively bundled with certain prebuilt machines produced by Microsoft.

[DeltrusDisc]

I do not like how that looks - at all. I like the classic design concept, I'll stick with Win7.

[Penric]

That's the tablet UI, it's not for PC's.

It will be on the tablet ofc, but this is also for the standard desktop pc as well.

[Deleted]

I think it looks great. Colours are pretty WTF - but otherwise it looks nice.
Looks easy to use, makes sense aswell.

For those worrying - I am MORE than certain they will also allow you to set-up to the standard desktop theme also. (As they have done with every Windows)

EDIT: Notice "Desktop" in the bottom right?

[jvbastel]

I heard a rumor that Win8 will allow Xbox 360 games to run natively on the PC. If that's true, then I will get it in a heartbeat. Just a rumor though. The only reason to own a console is the 1-2 good exclusives that come out each year.

That would just encourage pirating them, thus shooting themselves in the foot.

Let's face it, with how expensive console games are, they will never allow us to play them on pc's

[Linkedblade]

That's definitely Windows portable OS. Looks exactly like the ui for the windows phones, only larger. My guess: tablet. Personally I don't understand what is so great about a touch screen laptop.

[Penric]

That's definitely Windows portable OS. Looks exactly like the ui for the windows phones, only larger. My guess: tablet. Personally I don't understand what is so great about a touch screen laptop.

Its not just for tablets, and yes its from the ui of windows phones, but its for all devices now.

here is a quip from Engadget:

There'll be two kinds of applications for Windows 8, one that runs in a traditional desktop, and the other pseudo-mobile apps based on HTML5 and Javascript, but both environments -- rather, the entire OS -- have been designed from the ground up for touchscreen use. Keyboard and mouse will still be options for both sets of programs, but there are multiple virtual sets of keys for different form factors, including a split keyboard for vertical slate use. Multitasking is simply a matter of swiping running apps into the center of the screen, and you can pull windows partway to "snap" them in place alongside other windows -- even mixing and matching traditional desktop programs with web apps simultaneously (like Twitter alongside your spreadsheet). There's a new version of Internet Explorer 10 (which runs Silverlight) and an app store built into the touchscreen interface, along with integrated services like Office 365. Microsoft says the new OS will run on laptops, tablets and desktops when it appears -- whenever that might be.


http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/01/m...et-prototypes/