windows 8 Microsoft Drops Aero from Windows 8

[jakem1]

lipstick on a pig.

it's a **** ui.

EPIC FAIL MICROSOFT!

Every time Microsoft release a new version of Windows we get the same tired, thoughtless comments from the people who can't deal with change but feel the need to moan and complain endlessly. Give it a rest because you're objections are meaningless and boring.

yeah it is a touch os, its touch first, then keyboard mouse second

You clearly didn't read the blogpost you're complaining about. If you had you would have seen that the heading you're misquoting says

Touch as a first-class input method (but not the only one!)

That doesn't mean that it was designed for touch first and that keyboard and mouse support was added as an afterthought. It means that touch is simply well supported in parts of the OS. Anyone who looks at the screenshot of the Explorer window in this thread and thinks that that is designed for touch has an over-active imagination.

[Arceles]

that Dot Matrix guy probably has too much time in his work to defend Windows 8 like mad... or MS is paying him. Anyway, what everyone that is protouch interface is failing to see is shown next:

it is NOT ACCURATE and does NOT ALLOW SEE below the fingers.

Because of this simple fail the mouse will reign supreme AND because of this, when anybody solves the two problems above will come with another way to interact the pcs that isn't touch, when that happens even the keyboard will render obsolete and then a change for the sake of the better will be executed.

With this said, such interface will remove all this touch BS that removes accuracy and renders GUIs pretty much less efficient than their mouse keyboard counterpart... The mind that is, once we're able to read and press our thoughts into a pc this madness will end. Patiently awaiting for it... if ever.

Edit: If windows is actually taking the black and white approach, may as well use the classic win95/98/ME/2000 theme, that would rock far more than metro (and as a bonus would bring nostalgia to a lot of us).

[MorganX]

That doesn't mean that it was designed for touch first and that keyboard and mouse support was added as an afterthought. It means that touch is simply well supported in parts of the OS. Anyone who looks at the screenshot of the Explorer window in this thread and thinks that that is designed for touch has an over-active imagination.

Microsoft has stated many times and hasn't attempted to hide the fact that Metro was designed for touch, and it has migrated that experience to Xbox Dash and now Windows Desktop.

The Explorer UI is not Metro UI and is not what people dislike. Most who have an issue with the Windows 8 UI have an issue with Metro on the Desktop.

Personally, except when I search I don't look at my Start Menu much so I'm curious when everone thinks they'll be staring at Live Tiles on a desktop much. People who don't do much with there computers (consumers) except Facebook and wait for an email and use Tablet/Phone Applets will love it. I don't think the desktop will be going away for another 2 major releases at a minimum.

The removal of Aero is disappointing. Windows 8 was ugly enough with bland Metro, now they go and ugly up the desktop for fear people will live there, hahahaha.

Final note, Windows Tablets failed because they had a UI designed for mouse/keyboard. I'm not sure why anyone thinks a touch-based UI will fare any better on the desktop. Wait, the desktop, real windowing and multitasking are still there when you go to the desktop. Advanced users will just have to tolerate Metro for the good of all, until real applicaitons and multitasking come to it, which I currently don't see but time will tell.

[jakem1]

@DrEmmettLBrown, as long as Julie Larson Green is at Microsoft, dumbing down isn't going anywhere. It's going to get worse. Windows 9 might be even more "simplified". How about just 4 tiles: Store, Turn off, Task Manager and Search/Launch. You don't need anything else. :p

The idea that an OS should be complicated isn't new either. For instance, I'm sure there are still lots of Linux users who think that a GUI is for idiots and useful tasks can only be accomplished through the CLI.

Once again, it's generally people who are threatened by change or who feel that their knowledge of a needlessly complicated OS gives them some advantage who object to simplification. There are plenty of needlessly complicated features in Windows that should be simplified. Simplification reduces the time it takes to perform tasks and makes the OS accessible to a larger number of people, both good things.

[Jim K Global Moderator]

I tend to agree with muggerfugger (ha!). I do not foresee touch becoming standard on desktop....really ever. I for one do not want to sit close to a 24/27/etc/inch screen in order to use touch features. Tablets, phones, etc...sure...but they are smaller screens where touch does provide benefit. On a desktop environment...uh...no.

Windows 8 is starting to resemble Windows 7 if programmed by IKEA (or Fisher Price).

[Luis Mazza]

Every time Microsoft release a new version of Windows we get the same tired, thoughtless comments from the people who can't deal with change but feel the need to moan and complain endlessly. Give it a rest because you're objections are meaningless and boring.

You clearly didn't read the blogpost you're complaining about. If you had you would have seen that the heading you're misquoting says

That doesn't mean that it was designed for touch first and that keyboard and mouse support was added as an afterthought. It means that touch is simply well supported in parts of the OS. Anyone who looks at the screenshot of the Explorer window in this thread and thinks that that is designed for touch has an over-active imagination.

Every time Microsoft releases a new version of Windows we get the same tired, thoughtless comments from the people who can't deal with opinions, but feel the need to think that every new version is always better because of some good work and a ton of useless or bad feature implementations.

[jakem1]

Microsoft has stated many times and hasn't attempted to hide the fact that Metro was designed for touch, and it has migrated that experience to Xbox Dash and now Windows Desktop.

Metro isn't exclusively designed for touch and if you think that you don't understand what Metro is. Metro is simply a typography-based design language that is meant to simplify user interfaces and bring content to the fore.

The Explorer UI is not Metro UI and is not what people dislike. Most who have an issue with the Windows 8 UI have an issue with Metro on the Desktop.

This thread is about the Metro-isation of desktop apps. If you're referring to immersive apps then they're not available on the desktop so what are you complaining about?

Personally, except when I search I don't look at my Start Menu much so I'm curious when everone thinks they'll be staring at Live Tiles on a desktop much. People who don't do much with there computers (consumers) except Facebook and wait for an email and use Tablet/Phone Applets will love it. I don't think the desktop will be going away for another 2 major releases at a minimum.

1) Live Tiles appear on the Start screen, not the desktop.

2) They're not designed to be stared at, they're designed to be glanced at. They basically combine a desktop gadget with an application icon and thus improve on both.

3) If you don't want to use them on a desktop-based PC then you don't need to. The Windows 8 desktop will work exactly the same way as previous versions of Windows did.

The removal of Aero is disappointing. Windows 8 was ugly enough with bland Metro, now they go and ugly up the desktop for fear people will live there, hahahaha.

Aero hasn't been removed. The Aero Glass theme is no longer the default. Personally, I think this is a good thing as I like the look of Metro-styled desktop apps like the Zune client. Also, it's good to know that all desktop apps will look like Office 15 on Windows 8.

When the earlier previews of Windows 8 came out there were lots of complaints about how jarring the switch from the immersive to desktop environments was because of Aero Glass. Now that Microsoft announce that they're working to improve that situation and create a visual style that complements the Metro look of the immersive apps people are complaining that they want Glass back. Sometimes I think you people just like to bitch and moan.

Final note, Windows Tablets failed because they had a UI designed for mouse/keyboard. I'm not sure why anyone thinks a touch-based UI will fare any better on the desktop. Wait, the desktop, real windowing and multitasking are still there when you go to the desktop. Advanced users will just have to tolerate Metro for the good of all, until real applicaitons and multitasking come to it, which I currently don't see but time will tell.

As I said in the post you replied to, Windows 8 is not a touch-based UI. You can ignore this fact if you want to but that doesn't change the fact that it works equally well with a keyboard and mouse.

[MS Bob 11]

The idea that an OS should be complicated isn't new either. For instance, I'm sure there are still lots of Linux users who think that a GUI is for idiots and useful tasks can only be accomplished through the CLI.

Once again, it's generally people who are threatened by change or who feel that their knowledge of a needlessly complicated OS gives them some advantage who object to simplification. There are plenty of needlessly complicated features in Windows that should be simplified. Simplification reduces the time it takes to perform tasks and makes the OS accessible to a larger number of people, both good things.

No that is a very one sided view. There should always be a balance between overly simple design and needlessly complex design. No one likes a convoluted way of doing things but if there was no concept of "advanced", some things just aren't possible. Microsoft's definition of simplification is straightaway removing features. It's like removing the second and minute hands from a clock and then saying "we simplified it so you wouldn't have trouble telling what hour it is as there is only one hand now. The minute hand affected battery life and telemetry showed us that no one bothered to look at the second hand." :p If everything in life was simple, there would have been no differentiation for any consumer product vs industrial/professional use product. Microsoft is forgetting about the needs of those kinds of users. No wonder they call it a toy, it really is a toy for them.

[jakem1]

Every time Microsoft releases a new version of Windows we get the same tired, thoughtless comments from the people who can't deal with opinions, but feel the need to think that every new version is always better because of some good work and a ton of useless or bad feature implementations.

I have no problem with opinions so long as they're well thought out and rational. The posts I quoted aren't thought out, they're mindless. I've seen very few reasoned arguments explaining why the changes that Microsoft are making won't work, just lots of hate. Explain why you think that something won't work and I'll happily discuss your opinion.

[Luis Mazza]

I have no problem with opinions so long as they're well thought out and rational. The posts I quoted aren't thought out, they're mindless. I've seen very few reasoned arguments explaining why the changes that Microsoft are making won't work, just lots of hate. Explain why you think that something won't work and I'll happily discuss your opinion.

If you wanted an explanation, then you should not have sliced out my post, jumping directly to the conclusion, so you could bash only what you wanted... here it is again Sir:

"I wonder what new buyers are looking at... an already beautiful computer (a Mac) running Mountain Lion, full of effects and lights with retina displays and those ugly monochrome screens from Windows 8!"

[George P Global Moderator]

LOL at the Fisher Price comments, welcome to 2002, XP called and it wants it's insult back.

[+Fahim S. MVC]

...fisher-price fugly OS...

Interesting choice of words - isn't this what was said about the XP theme when it was first revealed - yet XP was one of Microsoft's most successful operating systems.

[Miuku.]

yet XP was one of Microsoft's most successful operating systems.

When there's no competition, it's easy to be successful. Just ask Intel.

Also it wasn't successful due to its UI, it was successful because the previous incarnations were god damn awful, unstable and bug ridden messes.

[BajiRav]

Classic :D

mid-late 2006: What the **** is this glass ****? I don't want stupid shiny windows in my Windows!

mid 2012: What the Microsoft think they are doing? I love glass and Microsoft will go bankrupt if they don't fire their incompetent designers.

Loving this!

[jakem1]

No that is a very one sided view. There should always be a balance between overly simple design and needlessly complex design. No one likes a convoluted way of doing things but if there was no concept of "advanced", some things just aren't possible. Microsoft's definition of simplification is straightaway removing features. It's like removing the second and minute hands from a clock and then saying "we simplified it so you wouldn't have trouble telling what hour it is as there is only one hand now. The minute hand affected battery life and telemetry showed us that no one bothered to look at the second hand." :p If everything in life was simple, there would have been no differentiation for any consumer product vs industrial/professional use product. Microsoft is forgetting about the needs of those kinds of users. No wonder they call it a toy, it really is a toy for them.

Ignoring the ridiculousness of your clock analogy, the simplification of the Start menu (which, despite the fact that it's off topic, is what you're talking about) is long overdue. The Start menu hasn't been fit for purpose for years (especially the Windows 95-style menu that you yearn for) and the Start screen fixes most of its predecessors problems:

• It's no longer ridiculously cramped
  
• You don't have to click through countless menus or search through endless lists of meaningless tiny icons to find things
  
• You can finally group your most used apps in a variety of ways
  
• The frequently used apps list, which never did anything after about a day of use, is (thankfully) gone.
  
• More search results are visible and can be easily filtered.
  

These are perfect examples of necessary simplification that improve core functionality without removing anything useful. It doesn't matter if you're a consumer or a professional, everyone will gain something from this simplification. Is it perfect? Probably not but it's better than what it replaces.

Arguing that a professional needs a second-rate, overly complicated Start menu is nonsensical. I use Windows every day and look forward to taking advantage of the Start Screen I absolutely hate searching for things on the XP Start menu and hate the loss of productivity that it causes. Equally, the cramped search and All Programs section of the Vista/7 Start menu wastes a lot of my time and disrupts my concentration. I'm looking forward to Windows 8 making my life easier.

[jakem1]

LOL at the Fisher Price comments, welcome to 2002, XP called and it wants it's insult back.

Exactly. I actually meant to include that post in my list of tired objections above.

[BajiRav]

If you wanted an explanation, then you should not have sliced out my post, jumping directly to the conclusion, so you could bash only what you wanted... here it is again Sir:

"I wonder what new buyers are looking at... an already beautiful computer (a Mac) running Mountain Lion, full of effects and lights with retina displays and those ugly monochrome screens from Windows 8!"

Mac OS X actually has very less color in its UI since early OS X. At least in Lion, all the main user folders have monochrome (or close ) icons. ;)

[~Johnny]

So, it still has glass as a theme option right? :p I haven't heard Canouna mention glass is entirely gone at any rate, and the blog post doesn't actually state it's been removed :3

[+virtorio MVC]

I'm starting come around a bit on Windows 8.

Metro as an app platform on the desktop still seems like an awful idea, but I like it as a replacement for the start menu. I'm very happy to be rid of Aero on the desktop and the new control styles look pretty nice.

[mikee286]

I can't wait to get windows 8 up and running on my old pentium 3 with a geforce 2 video card. Any performance computers I have will be sticking with windows 7. with a UI like aero lite it should run flawlessly on a old p3. Widnows8 is a os for old computers it seems. I hope windows 8 tablets are under 200$ that would be the only way I would be using it on new hardware. The one good thing I can see in aero lite is that it would be good for someone who wants a basic windows ui on a tablet without slowing it down. However It also seems that tablets won't be getting access to a desktop.

[remixedcat]

no you still need WDDM compliant video card mike

[Dapen]

Look forward to RTM!

[Dot Matrix]

So, it still has glass as a theme option right? :p I haven't heard Canouna mention glass is entirely gone at any rate, and the blog post doesn't actually state it's been removed :3

He's been posting screenshots with it still there, but Microsoft did say we wouldn't see the final theme until RTM.

[jakem1]

no you still need WDDM compliant video card mike

+1

This is an important point and lots of posters seem to be confused by it.

[Zain Adeel]

Need to clarify. Aero is present with all its requirements. The glass effect and transparency is removed from explorer windows. Rest is there like animations and effects and how the graphics are drawn.

This is the same UI but with different graphics. That is it for now. This isn't like office 15 yet just because its white don't mean its a new UI.

metro is not about touch. Its about typography, movement and fluidity of information. It ask for the focus to be on content not chrome. That is it.