Windows 8 RC To Get Flatter Explorer UI, Other Changes

[Active.]

Why must apps and menus take up a gigantic % of screen real-estate?

The ribbon arguably uses up less space than the old menu system, unless you choose to have it always be shown.

Then:

and now:

[redfish]

I hope they move to monochrome icons on the Desktop. I know some people took some time to getting used to VS11 but I think in the end it looks better

[Cl8ud9]

wheres the new icons ? atleaste for videos,docments,pics,music...

[LightShadow]

I hope they move to monochrome icons on the Desktop. I know some people took some time to getting used to VS11 but I think in the end it looks better

This.

Although the only problem I'd have with that is fitting in with all wallpapers. If they were all black for example, good luck having them on a black wallpaper.

But still, they need an over-haul as the Aero style icons look stupid on the Start Screen.

[Brandon H Supervisor]

wheres the new icons ? atleaste for videos,docments,pics,music...

they're coming, just give it a little more time

[migo]

Excellent! Windows 8 is literally turning into everything I want. OK, probably not everything, but each change makes it look like MS has been reading my mind and is getting to my wishes one by one.

[migo]

Reminds me Whistler's Watercolor shell theme

This makes me sad. I wish MS had stuck with this instead of doing a lame attempt at copying Aqua.

[Dot Matrix]

This makes me sad. I wish MS had stuck with this instead of doing a lame attempt at copying Aqua.

Ha! Luna a copy of Aqua? Luna had nothing on Aqua. *smh.

[migo]

You clearly skipped over where I said "lame attempt"

[Mystic Mungis]

Personally I like it, I like the look of the new UI and with flatter looking buttons I think it looks much nicer (Y)

[Duffydemon]

You clearly skipped over where I said "lame attempt"

Still not near to copy of aqua, it was very different.

@topic: I like the flatter UI, i hate where Windows 8 is going, but this is the first thing which i actually liked in Win8, if only they apply Zune or metrotwit style UI.

[Active.]

This makes me sad. I wish MS had stuck with this instead of doing a lame attempt at copying Aqua.

I really liked the Watercolor theme, but it's possible that it, too, was a "lame attempt at copying Aqua", considering Aqua was presented to the public in January 2000, and the Watercolor theme turned up in Beta versions of Windows Whistler about half a year later... Luna certainly doesn't seem any more similar to Aqua than Watercolor is to Aqua.

[McKay]

I really hope they get rid of the glossy "Vista" era icons, and menus that haven't changed since the 90's.

[floopydoodle]

More UI changes. Caption buttons and taskbar.

[Brandon H Supervisor]

why are the 9x icons even still in there? they need to be removed completely

[Dot Matrix]

why are the 9x icons even still in there? they need to be removed completely

Anything that doesn't belong in Windows 8 should be gotten rid of - 9x, XP, Vista.

[Brandon H Supervisor]

most of those icons should have been gotten rid of back around vista

[Dot Matrix]

More UI changes. Caption buttons and taskbar.

So is the taskbar going away now too? Microsoft is going to have a riot on their hands. ;)

[Jan Veteran]

I hope they finaaaaaaaaally update the tooltip on the Minimize, Maximize and Close buttons :D

So is the taskbar going away now too? Microsoft is going to have a riot on their hands. ;)

Nope, still there.

[floopydoodle]

why are the 9x icons even still in there? they need to be removed completely

For legacy apps. They might not even be able to read high res icons with alpha channels. Does it bother you that there's some old icons hidden in a library file somewhere in the Windows directory?

For icons that are visible in the actual Windows UI, I agree, they should be changed.

[Dot Matrix]

Nope, still there.

Yeah, I know, but it's more translucent. Was just trying to freak some people out. :)

[+Warwagon MVC]

Sort of looks like Aero meets water color.

[PGHammer]

I think they have the mentality that the Desktop can be the "geek interface" or "advanced interface" and they can throw the kitchen sink in, while novices will just use Metro. Why else would you have Disk Management on the Start area right-click menu? Thats also why they put the up one folder button in I think.

Actually, both Disk Management and Computer Management are on the right-click QuickTask menu (both are items that came from the level below Manage when right-clicking the Computer in Explorer (Vista and later) or the Start menu in Vista or 7). What I love is that the Administrative Command Prompt is also there (I'd not complain to see a PowerShell prompt added in the RC, either)..

[bogas04]

Taskbar has not yet changed , it looks different in the screen shot because Canouna was using aero lite with glass... I personally asked him.

[FalseAgent]

Sort of looks like Aero meets water color.

Yeah. Not a bad thing at all, it's going to serve what people like about XP and 7 in one UI. Kudos!