Windows Vista Development Guidelines
Posted by Brad Wardell on 11 September 2005 - 19:10 · 40 comments & 25428 views
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Full name: Brad Wardell
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Full name: Brad Wardell
Forum name: Frogboy
Contact: via forum PM
Submissions: Normal · Headline
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(2 replies)
#1 Posted by larcho on 11 Sep 2005 - 19:24
- I guess this means that this is how the end user intarface will look like ... I'm particualary am not so amazed by it.
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#1.1 Posted by Jugalator on 11 Sep 2005 - 22:48
- I got the same feeling, and I was hoping it would evolve from this.
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#1.2 Posted by sphbecker on 12 Sep 2005 - 14:41
- Not at all. These are guidelines of how to write programs to use the proper APIs so that the look and feel is consistent. One of the side effects is that MS can change the look (and they will), and the properly written code will change as well.
Please wait until Beta 2 to comment on the look of the system; even Beta 2 will be a work in progress. You may remember that Windows XP didn't look any different from 2000 until weeks before its release.
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(1 reply)
#2 Posted by rIaHc3 on 11 Sep 2005 - 19:29
- Is this "Segoe UI" font downloadable for XP users?
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#2.1 Posted by ferkauffman on 11 Sep 2005 - 20:06
- Found this on Google:
http://rapidshare.de/files/4609198/seguibk.ttf.html
Don't know if it's legal to download it, though.
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(2 replies)
#3 Posted by Simon on 11 Sep 2005 - 19:29
- Lets hope developers actually follow these! Some application UIs are just ridiculous (yes that means you RealPlayer, MusicMatch etc)!
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#3.1 Posted by rm20010 on 11 Sep 2005 - 23:12
- That should be one of the primary criteria to meet when applying for 'Designed for Windows (Vista)' certification.
RealPlayer: definitely. Does it use a HTML-based interface?
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(4 replies)
#4 Posted by Hafnium on 11 Sep 2005 - 19:31
- Quote:
"Windows Vista icons go from 16x16 to 256x256. So make sure your icons look decent in those resolutions. PNG is the new icon format."
Suppose that means that vector based icons have been cancelled...
Sad!
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#4.1 Posted by camsoft on 11 Sep 2005 - 19:41
- Not sure about this one. PNG is a vector format is it not?
Wait for AERO, it might be there. -
#4.2 Posted by brianshapiro on 11 Sep 2005 - 19:58
- I also don't think they would just use a single PNG as the icon, certain icons may look bad when scaled to 16x16... and you see they realize this, which is why the folder icons in explorer look like they were made to be 16x16
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#4.3 Posted by brianshapiro on 11 Sep 2005 - 20:12
- From the guidelines
"
Aero-style icons have the following characteristics:
* Style Realistic, symbolic, not photorealistic or illustrative.
* Perspective Use isometric icons for program icons and objects with 3-D volume. Use flat icons for files, flat objects, and 16 x 16 icons.
* Sizes Required sizes are 256 x 256, 32 x 32, and 16 x 16. Optional supported sizes are 128 x 128, 96 x 96, 48 x 48, and 24 x 24. Windows Vista icons scale smoothly between 256 x 256 and 32 x 32. The 256 x 256 icon size is required to support high-resolution monitors.
* Color 32-bit color (24-bit color plus 8-bit alpha channel.)
* Format .ico file format.
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#4.4 Posted by Jugalator on 11 Sep 2005 - 22:52
QUOTE PNG is a vector format is it not?
No, they're bitmapped. It's lossless like GIF, but supporting a 32-bit color depth (24-bit color + 8-bit alpha channel for transparency levels)
QUOTE Format .ico file format.
I guess .ico now wraps several png sizes with assorted icon metadata then.
And it seems to be pretty clear by that information that vector icons are completely out of the picture for Vista, as they're giving specific resolutions supported. They wouldn't even be talking about various icon sizes if they were vector based as it's irrelevant, and much less about the png format...
Last edited by 21023 on 11 Sep 2005 - 22:57
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#5 Posted by ShadowPHP on 11 Sep 2005 - 19:32
- I like it!
Consistency is best.
Some Apple users have voiced complaints over not having a consistant UI.
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#6 Posted by lylesback2 on 11 Sep 2005 - 19:36
- pretty cool, i like the design of Vista.. it's very futuristic.
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#7 Posted by brianshapiro on 11 Sep 2005 - 19:52
- my feedback so far
a. Microsoft always ends up breaking their user guidelines eventually anyway; for instance 'coolbars' which didn't show the border around the button until you moused over them, broke guildelines set out in Windows 3.1. If you're a good designer, don't pay as much attention to the guidelines as this pushes you to.
b. I'm happy with the screenshots which show that document thumbnails in explorer have an icon of the document type in the lower right corner, something that was removed in Windows XP.
c. I like that the interface uses curves for textboxes and dropdowns and other controls, though this was also seen in early alpha versions. I also like that they're taking advantage of using multiple font-sizes in message boxes; and I like that they're moving the control panel to being task-based instead of a mess of property boxes with tabs.
d. I still think the Vista icons we've seen so far are too stodgy and clumsy and 'hard' looking. Even though their visual style is able to fit in to the new interface, they could be designed much nicer. Also, one of my complaints about Windows XP was that the icons being on an angle made toolbars look ugly; I'm wondering how they're dealing with this in Vista. I have noticed that they're moving all of the system tray icons into being white monochrome representations, which does look nice, I'm wondering if they have color versions also. There are also monochrome icons on column headers in Explorer, which is nice.
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(3 replies)
#8 Posted by elliot on 11 Sep 2005 - 19:52
- Has Microsoft seen any of their UIs recently?
MSN, WMP: broke rule 3, wrote their own frame
Office: broke rule 2, wrote their own menu component
Student: broke pretty much every rule, it looks awful
....... -
#8.1 Posted by threedaysdwn on 11 Sep 2005 - 20:29
- I assume you're referring to Messenger using DUI windows, and WMP's custom container. I think there's a move to stop stuff like that after Vista - partly because it should be unnecessary.
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#8.2 Posted by elliot on 11 Sep 2005 - 21:05
- Yeah, and I realised now that the Microsoft link actually started working for me there are no numbered rules, was referring to the blog.
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#9 Posted by Electronic Punk on 11 Sep 2005 - 19:55
- Thought for a second that MS were recommending a Stardock application for every single one of their guidelines.
Clicked the wrong link ;p
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(5 replies)
#10 Posted by Ricardo Clérigo on 11 Sep 2005 - 19:56
- I actually hope these are really preliminar... I for one don't think this is how the final UI of longhorn is going to look like (at least I hope not).
Kam (the guy responsible for the UI desing in vista) said they wanted people to think it's professional, good looking, usable (you can hear that in a c9 video). I for one don't think this UI reveals any of those. It just doesn't make me wanna buy it. Then again, neither does the macOS UI.
Now, the prototypes we've saw for msn wave 11 ... that makes me want to go out and try it... not this UI ... PLEASE! -
#10.1 Posted by Mr. Dee on 11 Sep 2005 - 21:42
- I don't think there is much more to see in terms of changes to ui, it will be polished, but final ui I believe is basically very much the same as what you see in build 5112.
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#10.2 Posted by Ricardo Clérigo on 11 Sep 2005 - 22:19
- It's true that most end user features are not going to be there until beta2.
I was just hoping for a better UI.... looks clumsy.
Well, as scoble says... let's talk after / during the pdc -
#10.3 Posted by PCyr on 11 Sep 2005 - 22:45
QUOTE I don't think there is much more to see in terms of changes to ui, it will be polished, but final ui I believe is basically very much the same as what you see in build 5112.
I doubt it. Have you seen Whistler beta?
Click here-
#10.4 Posted by Jugalator on 11 Sep 2005 - 22:59
- True. However, on the other hand, Windows 95 betas looked pretty much like Windows 95 ended up like, and there were similarly huge interface changes there.
When MS starts making the effort to document their UI guidelines for Vista, don't get your hopes up anything huge will change. -
#10.5 Posted by elliot on 12 Sep 2005 - 13:25
- The only places in those guidelines that indicate this will be the final look of Vista, have disclaimers saying things are subject to change.
It doesn't say 'use a glass titlebar' or 'use buttons that look like this', it says don't create your own. The difference is Microsoft could change how everything looks, applications that followed the guidelines would still match other applications, no matter what the theme is.
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(1 reply)
#11 Posted by mad_onion on 11 Sep 2005 - 20:08
- why is the file an exe?
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#11.1 Posted by brianshapiro on 11 Sep 2005 - 20:09
- the exe is a self extracting zip file
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#12 Posted by boli06 on 11 Sep 2005 - 21:09
- vey superficial
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#13 Posted by MaxMonster on 11 Sep 2005 - 22:05
- Very nice look MS. Nice default system font. I personally changed the XP system font when I first installed XP, but Segoe UI looks like a keeper. Standard buttons look ok; they kind of remind me of apples, but square. These look cleaner. Default open dialog looks very interesting…I’d like to see a high res version of it! I’m glad MS decided to keep the “X” min and max style along with the start & task bars. Perfection as usual. Icons are very nicely illustrated. Glad to see the use of the PNG format.
Downloaded the pack to take a look. Under what’s new in the Aero Aesthetics – that grab of the windows angle view is super cool.
Super nice open file dialog. Organized and useful.
I'm assuming these guidelines are for Vista, not current applications as people have mentioned they have broken the guidelines already. Maybe they should read AND comprehend?
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(1 reply)
#14 Posted by Andy13 on 12 Sep 2005 - 00:28
- So this is goin to be the permanent look? I hope not.
Its kind of misleadin, tho, cus it says that its preliminary but its on the MSDN website as well so its offical. Anyone willin to clear that up for me? Thanks. 
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#15 Posted by johndotcom83 on 12 Sep 2005 - 00:55
- you haven't seen anything yet!!
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#16 Posted by Roves on 12 Sep 2005 - 02:25
- i thought that was a excellect guide,specially the interfaces guidlines and to perpare us for programming in vista.
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#17 Posted by toadeater on 12 Sep 2005 - 03:10
- I hope 120+ DPI support really works now, unlike in XP and earlier. These new hi-res laptop screens are making my eyes bleed.
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#18 Posted by obasi on 12 Sep 2005 - 04:37
- People, download the 14.2 MB uxguide and then voice your views. Many of you seem to be making judgment on someone else view of the document.
My Final vies will be posted, if i remember, after i have read the document in its entirety [twice]
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(1 reply)
#19 Posted by todd` on 12 Sep 2005 - 19:07
- Hopefully these guidelines help prevent applications from looking like this one (which should be familiar to many gamers):
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#19.1 Posted by rm20010 on 12 Sep 2005 - 23:14
- It would be better if programs that decide to use their own UIs also provide an option to use the Windows native UI look (by that I mean actually using the native API stuff, not mimicking the Windows UI). There's still the percent of the computer users who like custom interfaces (don't ask why).
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#20 Posted by Echilon on 13 Sep 2005 - 15:32
- What a crap load of screenshots. There's a buggy winrar dialog, a reappearence of the sidebar, and a thumbnail preview, which is slightly bigger than the one already available, and has the same information.
The guide gives insight into Microsoft's views on how Windows Vista apps should look. For instance, the new Windows Vista font is called "Segoe UI" and Microsoft made this their top rule -- use this font in Vista apps. Other rules include how to work with the new Aero Glass APIs and making use of the new search features in Windows Vista.
Windows Vista Starter Edition
- Only sold in emerging markets
- Very feature limited
- Only 3 simultaneous applications running
Windows Vista Home Basic Edition- Equivalent to XP Home
- Includes firewall, parental controls, Security Center, Movie Maker, Photo Library and more
- For first time buyer / budget conscious
Windows Vista Home Premium Edition- Everything from Vista Home Basic
- Adds DVD video authoring, HDTV support, DVD ripping support
- Similar to current XP Media Center edition but with added features
Windows Vista Professional Edition- Aimed at the business consumer
- Can join domain, has IIS web server
- Akin to XP Pro
Windows Vista Small Business Edition- Designed for small businesses without IT staff
- Backup and Shadow Copy support, Castle and server-join networking, and PC fax and scanning utility
- Pre-paid access to the Windows Live! Small Business or Microsoft Office Live! subscription services
Windows Vista Enterprise Edition- Optimized for the enterprise
- Ships with Virtual PC & the multi-language user interface (MUI)
- Aimed at business decision makers, IT managers and decision makers, and information workers/general business users.
Windows Vista Ultimate Edition