July 25, 2013 at 18:51Single Window Mode, or Microsoft's Main Error
The guys from Redmond are used to surprising the world with unexpected ideas. Often they sit in a puddle and fail with innovative products (Vista, Windows Phone), often do not notice the main trends and can not forestall fashion, unlike the guys from Cupertino (iPod, iPhone, iPad).
This continues from year to year. For a long time in “Windows” there was an ascetic interface, devoid of frills (sorry for the tautology) - without designer lotions. What can I say, the classic Windows theme is still relevant today. We, the users, somehow reconciled to this, got used to it, all the more so since there were no alternatives. In the province of something. Win98, 2000, XP. "Linux" then still biting, due to the fact that they were the lot of enthusiasts. Like the Macs. Over time, broadband internet has burst into our world, and operating systems have stepped forward. Understanding the moral obsolescence of XP, primarily in terms of appearance, Redmond prepared a radically new OS - "Vista." Which, however, came out in the best traditions of AvtoVAZ, raw, that is, unfinished. Although the Aero interface was striking, and many, including I, put on XP Inspiration Pack or XP Life, to touch the fresh shell. Then the Seven saw the light, during the creation of which the errors with Vista were taken into account.
I like Windows 7. After three years of active use, I am sure that this is the best OS from Microsoft at the moment. The best in terms of convenience and in terms of design. But I have to admit that even current Linux can surpass Windows in these aspects. For many years, almost the first thing I install on a new computer is RocketDock, which, by creating stacks, allows you to get instant access to the most frequently used programs without cluttering the desktop. On the laptop, I moved the taskbar to the left, and now it's hard to imagine how I lived before without it. Because the screen is widescreen, then attaching the taskbar to the side edge freed up space and used all the vertical pixels for program windows. RocketDock is attached to the right side for the same reason. But Win7 still lacks something.
When they decided to remove the Start button in Redmond, they made, in my opinion, a strategic miss in this. Instead of the “Start” button, it was necessary to make the “Menu” button, simultaneously moving the taskbar to the side. In "Opera", "Firefox" and a number of other programs, the main menu is placed in a separate button on the window frame. In Win7 Explorer, the menu is disabled. Therefore, from the fact that the menu would be invoked by pressing the Win button or the icon in the left corner, nothing catastrophic would have happened. Yes, I would have to adapt. However, how convenient it is embodied on a PC from Apple! As far as it is moderately minimalistic, at the same time functional architecture. Dock + taskbar, combined with the menu bar (
) And in general, a stylistic unity would have turned out and there would have been no familiar riot of panels in the program windows. A special chic is the general menu bar, which, if not used, becomes translucent or completely disappears. Or another option: imagine, press the usual Win button or click on the icon, and here you have colorful animation, with the File, Edit, View, Service submenu. In the style of Aero. Compact and concise. At the same time, excess space will be freed up on the display. And the “Start” call can be hung on Ctrl + Win, for example. A little rude, but tried to illustrate my idea :
As you know, it is better to beat an opponent with his own trump card. And copying is a form of highest flattery. Since importing the Dock is not worth it (since the standard taskbar does a good job of fulfilling its duties; in addition, there are many successful third-party “crutches”), and due to the fact that creating an ecosystem is an even more difficult and thorny path, experiments with the menu, Redmond can go for the benefit. Trying to get involved in a battle with the "macs", the "window" have a good chance of not only winning it, but also gaining an advantage. How many accusations about the usability of Windows are heard from the side of the "Macro." And Microsoft is among those who want to be a leader and not back down. Yes, you can’t keep up with Android, but why not push your competitor in such a simple way and strengthen his niche status? They say Well, creative people are sitting on you, but we have billions of inhabitants of the planet. Who are as much interested in your music, design, architecture and just love beautiful things. What will be your arguments? Ryushechki, speak? Everything is the same with us now, not a bit worse, and in some ways even more glorious. Agree, what is not a logical move, in terms of marketing? You can compare this case with the fact that Mac OS looks less vulnerable. So after all, Windows has long ceased to be a sieve. Hands from the right place and gray matter in the head - this is the recipe in order to provide acceptable system protection. He was revealed to the world 200 years ago. Will we wait for the debunking of the myth that Mac OS is supposedly “a more sophisticated, pretty, and easy-to-learn system”? architecture and just love beautiful things. What will be your arguments? Ryushechki, speak? Everything is the same with us now, not a bit worse, and in some ways even more glorious. Agree, what is not a logical move, in terms of marketing? You can compare this case with the fact that Mac OS looks less vulnerable. So after all, Windows has long ceased to be a sieve. Hands from the right place and gray matter in the head - this is the recipe in order to provide acceptable system protection. He was revealed to the world 200 years ago. Will we wait for the debunking of the myth that Mac OS is supposedly “a more sophisticated, pretty, and easy-to-learn system”? architecture and just love beautiful things. What will be your arguments? Ryushechki, speak? Everything is the same with us now, not a bit worse, and in some ways even more glorious. Agree, what is not a logical move, in terms of marketing? You can compare this case with the fact that Mac OS looks less vulnerable. So after all, Windows has long ceased to be a sieve. Hands from the right place and gray matter in the head - this is the recipe in order to provide acceptable system protection. He was revealed to the world 200 years ago. Will we wait for the debunking of the myth that Mac OS is supposedly “a more sophisticated, pretty, and easy-to-learn system”? that Mac OS seems less vulnerable. So after all, Windows has long ceased to be a sieve. Hands from the right place and gray matter in the head - this is the recipe in order to provide acceptable system protection. He was revealed to the world 200 years ago. Will we wait for the debunking of the myth that Mac OS is supposedly “a more sophisticated, pretty, and easy-to-learn system”? that Mac OS seems less vulnerable. So after all, Windows has long ceased to be a sieve. Hands from the right place and gray matter in the head - this is the recipe in order to provide acceptable system protection. He was revealed to the world 200 years ago. Will we wait for the debunking of the myth that Mac OS is supposedly “a more sophisticated, pretty, and easy-to-learn system”?
But all the attention of developers is paid to Metro tiles. Which, for my humble taste, do not very much increase the usability of the product, or usability, in a word. And this is when Cupertino seems to have fallen into a light stupor, and there is still no new guru there.
PS I understand the reasons why Microsoft is not going to borrow anything from the Mac OS interface. It is clear that each of them adjusts the system for itself. It is clear that there is nothing perfect. I just expressed my observation, and to kindle a meaningless holivar - this is not included in my plans. Peace for everyone!
What would you add to the Windows interface first?
This continues from year to year. For a long time in “Windows” there was an ascetic interface, devoid of frills (sorry for the tautology) - without designer lotions. What can I say, the classic Windows theme is still relevant today. We, the users, somehow reconciled to this, got used to it, all the more so since there were no alternatives. In the province of something. Win98, 2000, XP. "Linux" then still biting, due to the fact that they were the lot of enthusiasts. Like the Macs. Over time, broadband internet has burst into our world, and operating systems have stepped forward. Understanding the moral obsolescence of XP, primarily in terms of appearance, Redmond prepared a radically new OS - "Vista." Which, however, came out in the best traditions of AvtoVAZ, raw, that is, unfinished. Although the Aero interface was striking, and many, including I, put on XP Inspiration Pack or XP Life, to touch the fresh shell. Then the Seven saw the light, during the creation of which the errors with Vista were taken into account.
I like Windows 7. After three years of active use, I am sure that this is the best OS from Microsoft at the moment. The best in terms of convenience and in terms of design. But I have to admit that even current Linux can surpass Windows in these aspects. For many years, almost the first thing I install on a new computer is RocketDock, which, by creating stacks, allows you to get instant access to the most frequently used programs without cluttering the desktop. On the laptop, I moved the taskbar to the left, and now it's hard to imagine how I lived before without it. Because the screen is widescreen, then attaching the taskbar to the side edge freed up space and used all the vertical pixels for program windows. RocketDock is attached to the right side for the same reason. But Win7 still lacks something.
When they decided to remove the Start button in Redmond, they made, in my opinion, a strategic miss in this. Instead of the “Start” button, it was necessary to make the “Menu” button, simultaneously moving the taskbar to the side. In "Opera", "Firefox" and a number of other programs, the main menu is placed in a separate button on the window frame. In Win7 Explorer, the menu is disabled. Therefore, from the fact that the menu would be invoked by pressing the Win button or the icon in the left corner, nothing catastrophic would have happened. Yes, I would have to adapt. However, how convenient it is embodied on a PC from Apple! As far as it is moderately minimalistic, at the same time functional architecture. Dock + taskbar, combined with the menu bar (
) And in general, a stylistic unity would have turned out and there would have been no familiar riot of panels in the program windows. A special chic is the general menu bar, which, if not used, becomes translucent or completely disappears. Or another option: imagine, press the usual Win button or click on the icon, and here you have colorful animation, with the File, Edit, View, Service submenu. In the style of Aero. Compact and concise. At the same time, excess space will be freed up on the display. And the “Start” call can be hung on Ctrl + Win, for example. A little rude, but tried to illustrate my idea :As you know, it is better to beat an opponent with his own trump card. And copying is a form of highest flattery. Since importing the Dock is not worth it (since the standard taskbar does a good job of fulfilling its duties; in addition, there are many successful third-party “crutches”), and due to the fact that creating an ecosystem is an even more difficult and thorny path, experiments with the menu, Redmond can go for the benefit. Trying to get involved in a battle with the "macs", the "window" have a good chance of not only winning it, but also gaining an advantage. How many accusations about the usability of Windows are heard from the side of the "Macro." And Microsoft is among those who want to be a leader and not back down. Yes, you can’t keep up with Android, but why not push your competitor in such a simple way and strengthen his niche status? They say Well, creative people are sitting on you, but we have billions of inhabitants of the planet. Who are as much interested in your music, design, architecture and just love beautiful things. What will be your arguments? Ryushechki, speak? Everything is the same with us now, not a bit worse, and in some ways even more glorious. Agree, what is not a logical move, in terms of marketing? You can compare this case with the fact that Mac OS looks less vulnerable. So after all, Windows has long ceased to be a sieve. Hands from the right place and gray matter in the head - this is the recipe in order to provide acceptable system protection. He was revealed to the world 200 years ago. Will we wait for the debunking of the myth that Mac OS is supposedly “a more sophisticated, pretty, and easy-to-learn system”? architecture and just love beautiful things. What will be your arguments? Ryushechki, speak? Everything is the same with us now, not a bit worse, and in some ways even more glorious. Agree, what is not a logical move, in terms of marketing? You can compare this case with the fact that Mac OS looks less vulnerable. So after all, Windows has long ceased to be a sieve. Hands from the right place and gray matter in the head - this is the recipe in order to provide acceptable system protection. He was revealed to the world 200 years ago. Will we wait for the debunking of the myth that Mac OS is supposedly “a more sophisticated, pretty, and easy-to-learn system”? architecture and just love beautiful things. What will be your arguments? Ryushechki, speak? Everything is the same with us now, not a bit worse, and in some ways even more glorious. Agree, what is not a logical move, in terms of marketing? You can compare this case with the fact that Mac OS looks less vulnerable. So after all, Windows has long ceased to be a sieve. Hands from the right place and gray matter in the head - this is the recipe in order to provide acceptable system protection. He was revealed to the world 200 years ago. Will we wait for the debunking of the myth that Mac OS is supposedly “a more sophisticated, pretty, and easy-to-learn system”? that Mac OS seems less vulnerable. So after all, Windows has long ceased to be a sieve. Hands from the right place and gray matter in the head - this is the recipe in order to provide acceptable system protection. He was revealed to the world 200 years ago. Will we wait for the debunking of the myth that Mac OS is supposedly “a more sophisticated, pretty, and easy-to-learn system”? that Mac OS seems less vulnerable. So after all, Windows has long ceased to be a sieve. Hands from the right place and gray matter in the head - this is the recipe in order to provide acceptable system protection. He was revealed to the world 200 years ago. Will we wait for the debunking of the myth that Mac OS is supposedly “a more sophisticated, pretty, and easy-to-learn system”?
But all the attention of developers is paid to Metro tiles. Which, for my humble taste, do not very much increase the usability of the product, or usability, in a word. And this is when Cupertino seems to have fallen into a light stupor, and there is still no new guru there.
PS I understand the reasons why Microsoft is not going to borrow anything from the Mac OS interface. It is clear that each of them adjusts the system for itself. It is clear that there is nothing perfect. I just expressed my observation, and to kindle a meaningless holivar - this is not included in my plans. Peace for everyone!
What would you add to the Windows interface first?