Microsoft Drops Aero from Windows 8

By butilikethecookie
in The Fast Ring (Insider Previews)

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Grand Master

George P Global Moderator

Posted
  • Global Moderator
Posted

That Sinofsky quote brings up an interesting fact, he's a die-hard kb user who loves kb shortcuts. He's said this back when the DP was released on stage, and to that extent Win8 is packed with KB shortcuts, even more of them than Win7. Every element in Windows Explorer, and it's ribbon now have a kb shortcut. Plus it's easier to learn because you get hints once you press ctrl right on the ribbon.

You can, within a short bit of time, learn to use the whole OS, even the start screen, with just your kb and never have to use touch or a mouse. I think this fact is telling to all those who argue that this is just for touch and so on. I also think it's telling that other OSs and desktop environments are also taking the same approach but still using static icons instead of live tiles. OSX Line tosses up a full screen grid of icons in it's new launcher now, GNOME3 does the same thing as well, while heavily backing search as a way to find and start apps instead of digging through a menu. Say what you will but from what I've seen everyone is going in this general direction. Though Win8 is just the first step I expect that come Win9 the desktop and start screen will match fully and we'll also be able to toss metro apps over into the desktop instead of having them limited to full screen. WinRT as an API/Platform isn't ready for that yet so how it's used in the OS is walled off for now.

  • Calum and abecedarian paradoxious
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Grand Master

HawkMan

Posted
Posted

Windows 8 is very similar to Windows 3.1.

I'm sure that OS is going to be huge...

Sounds simple to you, guys?

LOL

win31-1-1.png

Exactly how is it AT ALL similar? You don't sound like you've used either OS. And if you think the screenshots are similar, you're also blind. They're about as similar as driving an old steam powered car and driving a modern automatic.

Grand Master

MorganX

Posted
Posted

RE Touch on destktops: not viable for what will now go back to being called "workstation" users. For the AIO in the kitchen running a cookbook app while soccer mom "glances" at email and facebook it will be great. They will be much more productive than they are now and it will be easier for them. There are millions.

For "workstation" users, it's a nuisance on the desktop which could be avoided by making it possible to boot to the desktop. Those using a workstation, rarely or never, "glance" at the start menu for anything.

Mentor

Luis Mazza

Posted
Posted

That looks nothing like the Metro experience.

Can't you see the tiles? Everything is super square.

Don't fool yourself because of some fast animations. It actually turns the experience too fast and cluttered for old ladies and gentlemen.

Simple is better :woot:

Mentor

Luis Mazza

Posted
Posted

Exactly how is it AT ALL similar? You don't sound like you've used either OS. And if you think the screenshots are similar, you're also blind. They're about as similar as driving an old steam powered car and driving a modern automatic.

There comes the lovely "I love everything, really-you don't know, because you don't agree with mel" sir.

Grand Master

Stoffel

Posted
Posted

The desktop is still more or less the same, you don't have to learn anything new on that end, so the majority of people will use it like they used Win7. The start screen isn't at all complex, just tell them about the hot corners and what they do and the difference between metro and classic desktop apps and done. How is this really that hard? And besides that, have the millions out there who own a iPad run out and gotten training on using the UI? What about when they buy a smartphone for the first time with all the different UIs out there? I really doubt it, why should the PC be any different? Win8 will have a tutorial and or a getting started guide, people will just read it like they do for all the other devices they buy and have to learn, and in the end they'll learn it without issue.

Totally agree with you, I've been saying this myself for the last few months.

If they all can learn how to use a smartphone or a tablet, how hard can it be to adjust to a slightly different Windows

Grand Master

bandit_liberty_rumble

Posted
Posted (edited)

But, again, on topic: I think the screenshot looks great. And I especially like the fact that Microsoft is making sensible default choices so that the product looks great out of the box, and not just after you've spent time customizing it to your liking.

The default window chrome is white, creating an airy and premium look. The taskbar continues to blend into the desktop wallpaper, but appears less complicated overall.

359248527714.png

I mean, seriously, compare it to what Vista looked like out of the box (and that's without the Gadget side bar):

359248475319.png

What an absolute visual mess.

EDIT: And say what you will about the removal of the Start button, but the task bar looks much better and cleaner without the Windows Start orb in the corner. :)

Edited by CJEric
  • Duffydemon, dr_crabman and Calum
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Veteran

Order_66

Posted
Posted

But, again, on topic: I think the screenshot looks great. And I especially like the fact that Microsoft is making sensible default choices so that the product looks great out of the box, and not just after you've spent time customizing it to your liking.

What an absolute visual mess.

And say what you will about the removal of the Start button, but the task bar looks much better and cleaner without the Windows Start orb in the corner. :)

I don't know, I never liked vista at all personally but those shots that you posted show vista as the clear winner both in looks and functionality, I almost hate to tell you but if you're campaigning for windows 8 it looks like you just shot yourself in the foot.

Rookie

Highlander77

Posted
Posted

But, again, on topic: I think the screenshot looks great. And I especially like the fact that Microsoft is making sensible default choices so that the product looks great out of the box, and not just after you've spent time customizing it to your liking.

359248527714.png

I mean, seriously, compare it to what Vista looked like out of the box (and that's without the Gadget side bar):

359248475319.png

What an absolute visual mess.

EDIT: And say what you will about the removal of the Start button, but the task bar looks much better and cleaner without the Windows Start orb in the corner. :)

Windows Vista UI looks beatiful. Looks better than Windows 7 but that's a personal choice. New Windows 8 Desktop UI looks flat, kind of empty but again looks professional somewhat.

Neowinian

DrEmmettLBrown

Posted
Posted

Aero was fine in Vista, and worked great on an old Athlon XP 2500 I had.

Anyhow, the geeks like me like Win8. The non-geeks around me figured it out in about 30 minutes, without a training video.

And, that you don't know XP is not the dominant version of Windows speaks volumes of what you really know.

I think he was right (as of March 1), perhaps that you don't know that it *is* speaks volumes...

XP loses ground to Windows 7 but still top OS

Grand Master

HawkMan

Posted
Posted

Sorry, but it is still XP (as of March 1)! Inconvenient as that may be for your argument!

XP Loses Ground to Windows 7 But is Still Top OS

No. and it hasn't been for a very long time.

http://en.wikipedia....erating_systems

Can we start ignoring Net market shares artificially bloated fake stats already. when every other stat counter disagree with them , they're obviously wrong. they're a little better than they used to be, they used to be 10% higher than the next service. now the next service is 3-4% away, but they're still 10% higher than the median.

Mentor

encarta

Posted
Posted

??? Have a reading comprehension problem? Go back to pre-school. I didn't say removing transparency improves battery life. The removal of glass, transparencies, gradients and eye candy etc is being justified by some here as the factors affecting battery life so I said even if that were true (MS doesn't say anything on their B8 blog about it but the glass affecting battery life topic was discussed ages ago: http://windowsteambl...ttery-life.aspx), powered-devices should have been able to enjoy Aero glass. They are just removing the glass to match Metro.

Oh FFS, stop whining about Aero glass. You've had it for 6 years. Times change. If you like it so much, I'm sure DeviantArt will have plenty of Aero glass themes for Windows 8.

Grand Master

LittleNeutrino Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted

Do not Misunderstand me, I like what the screen shots look like, however, i am willing to give up a bit of my processing power(as i have for years now) to have the Aero Clear theme. Simply because I like it. I think it looks cool.

Grand Master

neufuse Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted

I always hated aero glass, the whole idea every chrome is transparent just felt weird... looks like MS finally realized this, but now they made windows ultrabright... go from one eye strainer to another...

what's next, they realize the blank titlebar in most windows is a waste of space? and finally move the breadcrum into that space? *gasp*

I always had the feeling aero glass and all the shaddows where just there to say hey look what we can do with DWM and WDDM!

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