Windows 8.1 is a good improvement - makes charms bar seem like a bad idea


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I just started using Windows 8.1 on my main desktop (had played around with it on my convertible laptop some before), and it's a nice improvement. The new options are very welcome, and between the "modern" apps actually being good enough to be useful now, modern apps starting up much faster, and the ability to snap modern apps at what ever size and number you want, I'm finding myself actually using the new UI some, even on my desktop with a 27" 2560x1440 display. Before 8.1 I tried using the new UI some on my desktop, but it just felt like it was holding me back and was a waste of my large monitor, so after a couple days I never even looked at it again. There are still quite a few strange quirks that come from the dichotomy of desktop and touch-first UIs in Windows 8.1, but it's much improved now. Something I've been noticing, however, is that with the new tweaks to the modern UI, the charms bar is starting to seem like a bad idea, and I think Microsoft should seriously consider completely revamping it for Windows 8.2/9.

 

So today, there are 5 charms: Search, Share, Start, Devices, and Settings. Lets go over them:

 

Search

Search was originally intended to be a contextual search of whatever app you're using. Now it's a system-wide search, that also integrates web searching through the Bing integration. Searching within apps is now done with a search button/box within each app. It makes more sense to users because it's more obvious what you're doing. If you see a search box within the app, you know you're searching within the app.

 

Share

The Share charm works the same way that it did in Window 8.0; it let's you share whatever you're viewing in one app, to any other share-enabled app that's installed on your device. The problem is, just like the Search charm, it can be confusing what you're sharing. Windows 8.1 makes it even worse, though. Because you can now snap any number of apps, at any size you like, there is no obvious "active" app that you're sharing from. So now not only is it a discoverability problem, users will have to wonder, "what exactly am I sharing?" Yes, Microsoft added a little white line on the splitter bar between apps to indicate which is the active app, but no typical user is going to notice this.

 

Start

Start does just what it implies; brings up the start screen. Its usefulness is limited though, since touch devices have a physical Start button, and when using mouse/keyboard you get to the start screen by clicking on the lower-left of the screen.

 

Devices

This one has been confusing since Windows 8.0 came out, and again, Windows 8.1 makes it worse thanks to the same reasons that it made Share more confusing. It's meant to be a way to take whatever you're doing and output it to a "device." Problem is, say an end user wanted to print something. When I want to print, I don't think, "devices," I think "print." It also has the same discoverability and confusion centered around the Search charm. It's just not intuitive, and 8.1 made it worse.

 

Settings

Again, many of the same issues. Users don't ever think to go to the charms when they want to change the settings within an app, because the charms feel like a system-level UI element, not app-level. I've seen many cases where users had no idea that the apps had settings at all until I showed them the Settings charm. And again, Windows 8.1 makes it worse because there is no single "active" app (other than what is indicated by a little white line).

 

The Problems

So to summarize the problems with charms:

  1. They are not intuitive because they feel like a system-level UI element, and not app-level
  2. They are confusing in Windows 8.1, because not just a single app can be open, so it is not obvious which app the charms are acting on
  3. They are not easily accessible on a desktop, since you have to do the "move to upper-right corner and down" mouse gesture
  4. They are now inconsistent in 8.1, since the Search charm is system-level, but the others are still contextually based on the app that you have open

Another problem I have with the charms is the same issue I've always had with the menu bar in OSX; it contains options and commands for the current app, but it feels disconnected. I've personally always preferred the Windows way of doing things, where everything about an app was contained within its window. Charms have moved away from that.

 

The Solution

Dump the charms. Just like Microsoft did with the Search charm, they should make it so apps that can share, print, or have settings should have buttons within them for these tasks, rather than depending on charms. Removing charms would then free up the swipe-in-from-right gesture for quick access to system settings and a notification history. Just imagine that when you swipe in from the right that you would basically get the lower part of what comes up when you click on the Settings charm today, and instead of app-specific settings on the top portion of the pane that slides in, you would get a notification history, and maybe access to other useful, system-wide information and settings. I've attached a mock-up of what this could look like.

 

This is not related to the charms, but the other thing I think that they should add is the ability to split snapping panes vertically, not just horizontally. This wouldn't make much sense on a tablet, but on my 27" screen it would put the modern UI in a position where it could almost become a desktop replacement.

 

I didn't mean for this post to get so long, I just wanted to point something out that I've been noticing as I've started using Windows 8.1 day-to-day. Please feel free to add any of your on thoughts or opinions on this. Whether you agree or disagree, I'd be interested to hear other opinions.

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You can turn Charms off on the desktop, however, Charms on the Surface (or any touchscreen device) is a needed function.

 

They also unify the OS and any apps running on it, with a constant UI element. I know that no matter where I am or what app I am running, I can go to Share, to share an item, or go to settings to change an item.

 

Dumping them would be foolish.

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It's a matter of taste. I find the Charms great on a tablet. Particularly the share Charm with the appropriate apps. I find 8.1 to be a "significant" and welcome improvement. It's going to do quite well IMO.

 

Users will learn where to go just like they did with previous versions of Windows. We've just been doing it for so long and it has become second nature, that having to learn something new, and being lazy about it, is being confused with bad design.

 

Wait, did I actually say that ...?

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Having Start in the charms bar at the right is crucial for tablet use. The hardware Start button is always at the center of the screen and much more difficult to reach, versus just swiping in your thumb from the right and having Start appear directly under it. This is of course assuming you're using the common two-handed holding arrangement that the OS is optimized for.

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I think the in-app search boxes are a massive step backwards and add unnecessary visual clutter.  The search charm in Windows 8 isn't perfect but they've thrown the baby out with the bath water in 8.1.

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I think the in-app search boxes are a massive step backwards and add unnecessary visual clutter.  The search charm in Windows 8 isn't perfect but they've thrown the baby out with the bath water in 8.1.

 

So being able to search within an app is bad? Since when?

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I think the in-app search boxes are a massive step backwards and add unnecessary visual clutter.  The search charm in Windows 8 isn't perfect but they've thrown the baby out with the bath water in 8.1.

I gotta disagree Jakem. Take the music app, you're usually in the middle of a function and want a content sensitive result. No need to exit the app if you want a song to add to a playlist or something. Staying within the context of the content whenever possible is always more productive IMO. I think the changes to search are the most improved aspect. As is using the desktop background as a start page background. There are all things that should have been in v 1.0, but better late than never.

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So being able to search within an app is bad? Since when?

 

The search charm within Windows 8 allows you to search in an app but doesn't take up unnecessary space and is consistent for all apps.  In that respect it's a better solution in every way except that it seems to have confused people with short attention spans.  The only problem I have with the Windows 8 search charm is the way that it handles searching apps/settings/files.

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I gotta disagree Jakem. Take the music app, you're usually in the middle of a function and want a content sensitive result. No need to exit the app if you want a song to add to a playlist or something. Staying within the context of the content whenever possible is always more productive IMO. I think the changes to search are the most improved aspect. As is using the desktop background as a start page background. There are all things that should have been in v 1.0, but better late than never.

 

The Windows 8 search charm doesn't take you outside the context of the app (if you're already in the app) but also allows you to search within closed apps.

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So being able to search within an app is bad? Since when?

That's not what he was saying. He was expressing displeasure of the new Search boxes located in apps since the Search Charm performs the same functions.

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The Windows 8 search charm doesn't take you outside the context of the app (if you're already in the app) but also allows you to search within closed apps.

I think there's room for both. Within the app, you have no desire to search other apps resulting in faster results and more productivity. For global search, use the global charm. I don't think they're redundant, they are context sensitive.

 

I look at it like an application having a copy/paste under Edit on the main application menu. Yet you can right click on a specific object and copy/paste there in place. Much more efficient.

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That's not what he was saying. He was expressing displeasure of the new Search boxes located in apps since the Search Charm performs the same functions.

 

Yeah, reading his response made it clearer what he meant

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The charms bar was a bad idea at least on the desktop side.

 

Oh and I just worked on a teenagers windows 8 laptop that was purchased when 8 was released and his clock was still set on pacific time.

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It's still a needed function on the desktop.

only because they tied certain functions to it. Although in general still a horrible idea on the desktop. I have the charms bar completely disabled and I never even noticed.
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It's still a needed function on the desktop.

I disagree. The Charm Bar is fine for tablets but it doesn't belong on the desktop. In fact I can't think of a single use for it on the desktop, as I access PC Settings through the Start Screen search, shut down / restart via the Start Button, search via apps or the Start Screen and I've never used Share or Devices. To me it is useless.

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I disagree. The Charm Bar is fine for tablets but it doesn't belong on the desktop. In fact I can't think of a single use for it on the desktop, as I access PC Settings through the Start Screen search, shut down / restart via the Start Button, search via apps or the Start Screen and I've never used Share or Devices. To me it is useless.

 

If you use Metro apps, it is a needed function. Everything is tied to it. It's part of the Metro UX.

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If you use Metro apps, it is a needed function. Everything is tied to it. It's part of the Metro UX.

I use Metro apps but none that require me to use the Charm Bar.

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I use Metro apps but none that require me to use the Charm Bar.

 

Impossible to do if you search within the app, or change its settings.

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