Metro Transparency

[David Chenell]

I'm a fan of metro. I've been using Windows 8 pretty steadily and I think its heading in a great direction.

I've been able to try a few Windows 8 tablets and they are amazing. I'm seriously pumped for Windows 8 on the tablets. I was a bit more skepitcal about windows 8 on desktops.

One problem for me is how jarring it is to hit the windows key and type in a program, and get greeted by a huge black screen that blocks everything I'm doing. It makes it very easy for me to lose my train of thought.

Attached is a lazy photoshop of a slightly transparent menu.

I know it really goes against the whole "Desktop" as an app within metro philosophy, but for heavy desktop usage it seems it could help. Just an idea.

[theyarecomingforyou]

That dramatically reduces the usability and looks a mess as well. I understand the concept but it just doesn't work.

[Woelfel]

What's the point of having transparency, you don't want to see it anyways? Your focus is on the app list.

[JaredFrost]

Good idea, now we just need to make the start screen 95% smaller, smaller icons, in list format with better organization. :shifty:

[+pmrd Subscriber²]

Why is it so important for some people to see the desktop while launching another program

[remixedcat]

you loose your train of thought and the next one got eaten by a bear.

[David Chenell]

I was picturing it similar to how Ubuntu's launcher looks, doesn't look too bad IMO.

[Jose_49]

Good idea, now we just need to make the start screen 95% smaller, smaller icons, in list format with better organization. :shifty:

Stadock's Start8 does a great job! :p

[Sekyal]

I don't see how you lose your train of thought simply because you open a Start Screen covering everything. Why would you bother opening anything if you are on a good train of thought? You've already interrupted your train by going to open a program or something.

The old start menu had it's uses but the new one just provides more. However there is one point idea I think would help. Even though you can type on the Start Screen to search for what you wish to open, I wish there was a way to have the Start Screen open up right to the App List. Then if you had a favorites listing there, you could get to the most often used apps quicker (at least that is my thinking).

I don't think transparency is going to work here, but I'm sure someone will try to implement it.

[UncleSpellbinder]

That dramatically reduces the usability and looks a mess as well. I understand the concept but it just doesn't work.

What's the point of having transparency, you don't want to see it anyways? Your focus is on the app list.

Yep. Agree completely on both counts.

[myxomatosis]

You know what's funny? A lot of people are pretending they LOVE Windows 8, but still, they're trying to find ways to "fix" it... ;)

Just saying... no need to insult me :p

[MorganX]

I don't see how you lose your train of thought simply because you open a Start Screen covering everything. Why would you bother opening anything if you are on a good train of thought? You've already interrupted your train by going to open a program or something.

The old start menu had it's uses but the new one just provides more. However there is one point idea I think would help. Even though you can type on the Start Screen to search for what you wish to open, I wish there was a way to have the Start Screen open up right to the App List. Then if you had a favorites listing there, you could get to the most often used apps quicker (at least that is my thinking).

I don't think transparency is going to work here, but I'm sure someone will try to implement it.

I agree, transparency won't work as shown here, lol. Maybe not at all. But regarding the start menu, you can click and hover down to an external drive with resources, open it, and drag said resource into application without ever losing focus with applicaitons. You can do this with the full screen start page?

A lot of people use Windows for a lot of productive work and that's not really going to translate. However, there's NO reason for anyone with a worstation to consider 8 at this particular time.

[Dot Matrix]

Good idea, now we just need to make the start screen 95% smaller, smaller icons, in list format with better organization. :shifty:

You mean like this? :rolleyes:

Or this?

Because I just LOVE having 16x16 icons on my HDTV screen. :rolleyes:

[JaredFrost]

You mean like this? :rolleyes:

Or this?

Because I just LOVE having 16x16 icons on my HDTV screen. :rolleyes:

Just like that, only reduce the amount of the recently used, nice job increasing that to try and make it look bad though, I could make Metro look just as bad poorly configuring it

and for the other picture, I like how Windows 7 organizes that, that's clearly the start menu in XP or in Classic Mode for Vista, the fact it has IE 64-bit I'm going to go with Vista

with Classic Start Menu.

What exactly are you doing hooking your desktop to your HDTV I don't know, but it's a desktop UI not a TV UI, that would be like complaining Windows looks like crap on a PSP

BUT if you must, you can change the DPI or the font size, without knowing how/what you use it for I can't really recommend anything.

[HawkMan]

Just like that, only reduce the amount of the recently used, nice job increasing that to try and make it look bad though, I could make Metro look just as bad poorly configuring it

and for the other picture, I like how Windows 7 organizes that, that's clearly the start menu in XP or in Classic Mode for Vista, the fact it has IE 64-bit I'm going to go with Vista

with Classic Start Menu.

What exactly are you doing hooking your desktop to your HDTV I don't know, but it's a desktop UI not a TV UI, that would be like complaining Windows looks like crap on a PSP

BUT if you must, you can change the DPI or the font size, without knowing how/what you use it for I can't really recommend anything.

I use MediaPortal on my HTPC, and sometimes you need to use the desktop to get updates, change settings and do other stuff. unfortunately increasing the DPI doesn't work for several reasons, it doesn't really get big enough and it has compatibility issues with certain parts of MP (which will probably change witht he completely rewritten MP2, but that's a bit off yet)

[HawkMan]

I agree, transparency won't work as shown here, lol. Maybe not at all. But regarding the start menu, you can click and hover down to an external drive with resources, open it, and drag said resource into application without ever losing focus with applicaitons. You can do this with the full screen start page?

A lot of people use Windows for a lot of productive work and that's not really going to translate. However, there's NO reason for anyone with a worstation to consider 8 at this particular time.

What does that have to do with the start menu ? all that happens on the desktop, you still have you explorer pinned to the desktop you still have direct access to explorer there and can drag and drop as you wish. and all your productivity apps work just as well on windows 8 as on 7, includign Photoshop, Lightroom, 3DS MAX and so on. I know.

So to modify a bit what you said:

A lot of people use Windows for a lot of productive work and that's works just as well. So, there's NO reason for anyone with a workstation to not consider 8 at this particular time.

[JaredFrost]

I use MediaPortal on my HTPC, and sometimes you need to use the desktop to get updates, change settings and do other stuff. unfortunately increasing the DPI doesn't work for several reasons, it doesn't really get big enough and it has compatibility issues with certain parts of MP (which will probably change witht he completely rewritten MP2, but that's a bit off yet)

Remoting in would be the better option in that case. (assuming that's available)

[HawkMan]

Remoting in would be the better option in that case. (assuming that's available)

So... instead of just quickly pulling out my tiny logitech keyboard with a touchpad, I would go to my office room to remotely log in, or pull out my 17 inch laptop that I don't really use at home and if I do it's also in the office. or try to not frustrate the hell out of myself with remoting from iPad ? No thanks, I'l just stand up a bit closer tot he tv and use my logitech keyboard. or when windows 8 launches final, install that and do it all from the sofa.

Also my remoting shortcuts are set up to connect to another user on the HTPC, and even if I did remote, I would still need to restart MP through the TV since full screen apps don't play to well with remote, especially not accelerated ones.

[Dot Matrix]

Just like that, only reduce the amount of the recently used, nice job increasing that to try and make it look bad though, I could make Metro look just as bad poorly configuring it

and for the other picture, I like how Windows 7 organizes that, that's clearly the start menu in XP or in Classic Mode for Vista, the fact it has IE 64-bit I'm going to go with Vista

with Classic Start Menu.

What exactly are you doing hooking your desktop to your HDTV I don't know, but it's a desktop UI not a TV UI, that would be like complaining Windows looks like crap on a PSP

BUT if you must, you can change the DPI or the font size, without knowing how/what you use it for I can't really recommend anything.

Not me, these images came from a Dr. Pizza article on Ars Technica. I posted the link in another Windows 8 thread, but nobody bothered to go read it. The Metro start screen is no worse than the Windows 7 Start Menu. The only difference is I'm no longer restricted to a small 350x650 or whatever rectangle on the bottom of my screen, and I can actually SEE the icon of the app I'm clicking on.

Also, have you not heard of a Home Theater PC?

[JaredFrost]

Not me, these images came from a Dr. Pizza article on Ars Technica. I posted the link in another Windows 8 thread, but nobody bothered to go read it. The Metro start screen is no worse than the Windows 7 Start Menu. The only difference is I'm no longer restricted to a small 350x650 or whatever rectangle on the bottom of my screen, and I can actually SEE the icon of the app I'm clicking on.

Also, have you not heard of a Home Theater PC?

That's a matter of opinion.

And I have heard of them, just not the best way to serve media to a TV, but whatever works for you is alright.

[HawkMan]

That's a matter of opinion.

And I have heard of them, just not the best way to serve media to a TV, but whatever works for you is alright.

Umm how is it not the best way to serve media to the tv.

I have full control of the skin and looks, I have a database of the music, mvoes and tv series with info from the internet(none of the silly media boxes does this at all well), its fast, it can play games if I want, I have a tv tuner that can receive DVB-c ( unfortunately I moved and use satellite now and haven't gotten around to replacing the tuner, but I will since I hate the set top box), including EPG from a downloaded web EPG that's fully updates as far as I want it to be. And on top of that, it's also a regular windows box of I want, and with with a small reg mount it runs two users at the same time, so I can have some other apps running in the background that I can remote into without disturbing the media center portion.

Now point me to a media box that is as good and can replace that, heck point me to one that does just ONE of those things as good or better..l

[firey]

Not me, these images came from a Dr. Pizza article on Ars Technica. I posted the link in another Windows 8 thread, but nobody bothered to go read it. The Metro start screen is no worse than the Windows 7 Start Menu. The only difference is I'm no longer restricted to a small 350x650 or whatever rectangle on the bottom of my screen, and I can actually SEE the icon of the app I'm clicking on.

Also, have you not heard of a Home Theater PC?

See, I WANT To be restricted to the small area, I don't want an entire screen of a bunch of icons, that's what the desktop is for. What about us who want the small out of the way menu? You are actually a special case as you use a TV as a screen whereas most people use a regular monitor.

[freak180]

^ Nice come back : :rofl:

[HawkMan]

And for the fraction of a second it takes you to launch something with the start screen (generally it will be faster than the start menu, except for pinned apps which is about the same), you still have a regular desktop.

[firey]

And for the fraction of a second it takes you to launch something with the start screen (generally it will be faster than the start menu, except for pinned apps which is about the same), you still have a regular desktop.

Right, but I don't want a full screen app to open when I want to open something else.