Recently, there has been some rumors flying around that Windows 7 would have a completely new UI. Here is a quote from an article on Paul Thurrott's Super Site for Windows:During the development of Windows Server 2008, I was told by project manager Alex Hinrichs that Microsoft had completely changed the way it developed Windows. Thanks to the componentization of the underlying OS, it was no longer necessary to "fork" the Windows build tree so that different parts of the product team could develop their own parts of the OS in isolation. These teams would utilize "virtual build labs" where they checked in their code, tested it, and ensured that it was ready before pushing it into the main build, or winmain.
Forking is bad because changes made on all branches have to be folded back into the main "trunk" build at some point, and that can be time consuming and error-prone. But apparently, the Windows client team has gone back to the old way of doing things. While no one outside of the company can really say why they've done so, we can guess--and yes, it's just a guess--that it has to do with timing: Microsoft is barreling towards a late 2009 release for its next OS, Windows 7, and it needs to ensure that it hits its ship targets. So recently, the team forked its build tree to accommodate separate RC (release candidate) and RTM (release to manufacturing) branches. The RC branch follows the existing 70xx build numbers, while the RTM branch has jumped to 71xx. These builds are kept in lockstep, so that build 7106, shown here, corresponds to RC build 7076.
There are rumors, too, that a new UI is coming and it may make sense for Microsoft to hold on to that UI for the RTM builds, so that it has one last surprise to offer up to its eager fans. Indeed, the smartest thing Microsoft has done with Windows 7, in many ways, is keep the drama high by playing things close to the vest. That said, our first RTM-level build, build 7106, doesn't really offer anything in the way of revelation. (A newer build, 7107, has also leaked recently, and we can expect more to come in the days ahead.)
While nothing has been confirmed, we're still waiting for the major announcements from Microsoft on Windows 7. Could a new UI be one of them? We'll have to wait and see.
First, he states a "late 2009" release and I'm telling you that it's going to RTM in July for OEM machines on shelves in September -- Christmas sales galore.
Then he babbles about forks, etc. without apparently understanding how it really works with modern software development.
And finally, he confuses a new internal test theme with a "new UI" and thinks MS is dumb enough to change the whole UI of Windows 7 at RTM?! After finally building hype successfully for a change?!!
What's that boy been smokin' recently? I don't want it.
A new look could be rolled out with the Release Candidate.
First, he states a "late 2009" release and I'm telling you that it's going to RTM in July for OEM machines on shelves in September -- Christmas sales galore.
Im sorry, your telling us? and what do you know exactly. Unless your on the actual team developing windows 7 then you know nothing.
Last edited by wotsit on 15 Apr 2009 - 17:26
As long as it was an alternate THEME and not a "new UI" as Thurrott mistakenly states. MS would be INSANE to risk all the great 7 buzz and beta reviews with a whole new replacement UI at this late date. Professional suicide.
The reviews of the UI weren't that great, they amounted to "it's better than Vista, and that's all you're going to get anyway, because MS isn't giving you a choice."
I'm pretty sure they are going to at least create a new theme. I think they want to leave the Vista look behind. That would at least be the sensible thing to do.
Or do they really mean "new theme"?
How about filling the Aero glass with water!!! AWESOME! (useless, but cool)
I want one with non transparemnt taskbar, so my wallpapers won't fckup up the bottom with it's gayish look. Ever tried the nature green/yellow wallpaper? :
So put a black bar at the bottom of your wallpapers.
I think it means new theme. Actually, thats what occurred to me the minute I heard new UI... A new theme. If the news is true, I am pretty sure it will not be new UI technology like Aero or something, just different colors and icons all around the place.
Luna was OK for the time, the mistake MS made was that they picked the blue theme as default whereas the silver one is much less offensive and also much better looking.
I could see Win7 getting a new theme even though I do like the current one a lot too. For actual UI improvements, I'd just like to see better keyboard shortcuts. Whoever thought Alt+F4 was a convenient way to close a program should be shot.
I'm not sure what your point is?
Why offensive?.
btw i like the blue theme.
In your opinion.
Last edited by duneworld on 15 Apr 2009 - 19:08
And you would get flamed by 99% of windows users about how much your design skills lack usability, creativity or beauty while %1 would ask where you have been all their life.
I am not saying that windows design team creates perfect designs but hey they try to keep everyone happy which is the hardest thing in the world if you are designing windows. Perhaps you would be designing a killer UI but still there would be people who would throw comments that would make you spend many sleepless nights 0_o
Agreed - the problem with me is that I would end up creating a UI that looked like a hybrid between AmigaOS, Mac OS X and Irix
I am not saying that windows design team creates perfect designs but hey they try to keep everyone happy which is the hardest thing in the world if you are designing windows. Perhaps you would be designing a killer UI but still there would be people who would throw comments that would make you spend many sleepless nights 0_o
I think the issues people have with the UI elements of Windows is that nothing is consistent within Windows. It's a mishmash of 10+ year old elements mixed with somewhat new stuff. Not to mention that things like Explorer is not consistent even within itself.
I'd be happy if everything in and with the design of the OS was consistent within the OS.
I am not saying that windows design team creates perfect designs but hey they try to keep everyone happy which is the hardest thing in the world if you are designing windows. Perhaps you would be designing a killer UI but still there would be people who would throw comments that would make you spend many sleepless nights 0_o
There's no one design that everyone will like, so they should make the UI open to customization then. The user can customize it to their likings. Imagine WindowBlinds but built into the OS so it works better.
I mean the ribbon bar of Office is inconstent with other UI elements but I would neither drop it nor want to see it being used in say Windows Live Messenger.
Should be some consistency of course...but it isn't the holy grail that should be strived for at the expense of practicality for the specific application.
Perhaps, but at least you won't get certain areas of Windows that look incomplete/weird due to lack of skinning which is pretty common with user made skins.
One giant orgy of horrible taste, bad colors, obsessions with white, obsessions with black, obsessions with OS X, and obsessions with those ugly OS mock-ups the computers in movies about government agencies always seem to have.
Hundreds of attempts at redoing the XP GUI and the only thing that really caught on as a good idea was hiding the text next to the right column of icons to narrow up the start menu.
2. Build 7077 has about 3 GB for the x64 edition (maybe lower than the other non-RC builds, due to the removal of debugging code). But the newest RTM branches (build 7106) is back again bigger than the 3 GB version.
Maybe this new UI is included in this last leaked version, but not enabled. They already did it with 69xx versions, do you remember?
:p
Last edited by Luis Mazza on 15 Apr 2009 - 01:58
If it is already in the betas but disabled I would have thought someone would have spotted it.
Either way if they do release a new look it will be interesting to see what they come up with.
Personally, I think changing the theme with every windows version is a BAD idea. Mostly because I care more about functionality than having a super-cool new thing for me to look at.
I for one would be very surprised if this rumour actually pans out.
Last edited by plexdude on 15 Apr 2009 - 02:21
Yeah it just arrived in November of 2008 for the consumer market. This is April 2009 right and how many builds of win 7 have come out, internal and external since that time?
Maybe if they revamped the whole glass scheme and did something new with it. Windows 7 should look as well as feel like a new product, not just one of the two.
do you even know what your saying ?
Yeah.
I'm pretty sure he means one without traces of Win 95 left in it.
Seven is the continuation of the BIG and IMPORTANT and GOOD changes that came with vista, with an extra three years of MORE improvements and continuations down the same road.
Vista was what made Seven possible, 7 isn't it's rushed-to-market successor, but the heir to the gains that vista had to fight tooth and claw for from hardware and software manufacturers.
Using the Vista look makes it harder to sell because 99% of people think it's just Windows Vista.
No, there is no chance of a new UI at this late stage. Paul is good, but I'll be shocked if he's right this time. Maybe a theme, but even that is stretching it a little, I think.
And on the "major or minor update" issue, it is seeming to me that Windows 7 is to Windows Vista what Windows 98 was to Windows 95 ... visually and architecturally similar, but with a large number of quite major tweaks.
They could add bumpmapping textures on the glass that would look sleek, and I would like them to offer a DMV enabled 'Vista classic' skin to keep the minimal look with the advantages of live previews and aero.
take a look @ the windows 7 presentation @ pdc 2008 on channel 9 here .. the omportant part beginns @ 65:55 .. so perhaps we will see some changes.. hope so..
How the hell do you even know from the outside they are not working on it a long long time. What is the design guys for ? This is their only job. Ms is a big company and I think they not rely on your feedback for every bugfix, every ui change. They could test it and implent it with minor bugs. They could fix these minor bugs in the post RC phase.
Instead of freaking out over nothing let's wait and see what happens. The feedback on Windows 7 has been overwhelmingly positive I can't imagine Microsoft would do anything to screw it up now.
I'd also say MS have done anything but play close to their vest with W7?
Yes, let's get a new UI while the previous UI was never truly finished and is still full of inconsistency.
Sounds like a plan!
I have had great faith in Windows 7, but I definitely do not have faith in a RC/Beta UI change.
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