Concept for Window 8 Metro File Explorer

[grayscale]

I made one as well:

This one looks awesome. Minimal and elegant. I wonder where you'll put the options though.

[honolulu110]

Thanks for posting other concepts.

As you see, I did not go as far as you and dared to omit metrics currently used in Windows 8 Release Preview.

@Jan

It is a good idea to remove the upper header and to combine window buttons (close, maximize, minimize) and path, history and search in one line!

But how can you move this window?

@hungb.nguyen

Samme issue in your layout: how can you move a windows with this layout?

@Brebenel Silviu

Have you more details of your concept?

[hungb.nguyen]

@hungb.nguyen

Samme issue in your layout: how can you move a windows with this layout?

You can drag and drop blank space of the title bar or the left side bar to move the windows, if you drag and drop inside the windows, it means multi-selection

[grayscale]

You can drag and drop blank space of the title bar or the left side bar to move the windows, if you drag and drop inside the windows, it means multi-selection

The problem with that concept is that it defeats the purpose of focusing on the content. The left sidebar attracts attention of the user a lot more than the content itself. This is the same problem I see on honolulu110's earlier mockup where the ribbon is colored.

[FMH]

I liked the taskbar changes.

The text in the purple bar is a bit hard to read because of lower contrast.

[freak180]

Adaption of Office 2013 style for File Explorer.

I did not find all icons in the Office 2013 applications ? some are handmade and do not look integrated yet:

Missing icons in Office:

• Desktop
  
• Downloads
  
• Favorites
  
• HDD
  
• Netzwork
  
• File properties
  
• File edit
  
• File history
  
• File rename
  

WOW I love that! great work on the explorer windows. How did you extract those icons? Please i beg you share them. :DDD Is this going to be a real theme you're going to release soon?

[The Angry Bunny]

Even ignoring your mischaracterisation of the new Windows 8 theme, I don't see how this theme looks any better. The purple and black colour scheme is very harsh, the icons uninspired and it lacks any colour or boundaries to make it interesting.

You're honestly saying that the theme here looks better than this?

PS - I mean no offence or disrespect to the OP and recognise that they've put a lot of work into their concept. I just don't like it.

Honestly that's a little too top-heavy for my liking. And I really wish Microsoft would fix all the icons... I don't like how the UI is metro, but the icons are still Win7. It just doesn't match.

(And for all I know they may have already done this... I haven't kept up with Win 8 development as I should)

[FMH]

I started a post similar to this one few days ago, but didn't receive any reply,... Anyway, here is mine:

I redesigned the layout in order simplify it and save space,... I know the icons aren't metro yet, but trust me, metro icons look horrible when I try to use them for this concept.

Looks great without the side black bar. And the selection idea is nice too.

[FMH]

One of the best, so far.

[freak180]

One of the best, so far.

I agree as well!

[The Dark Knight]

Yeah, Windows 8 is inconsistent as hell! I actually liked the Developer Preview when it came out. It showed a lot of promise, and I really thought they would see to all this before signing off the RTM. It's really disappointing to see that they have not.

OP: A good first effort! May be you can release this as a theme for Windows 8? :)

[DrakeN2k]

Wish the office team helped with UI development as they seam to do it right.

[hungb.nguyen]

The problem with that concept is that it defeats the purpose of focusing on the content. The left sidebar attracts attention of the user a lot more than the content itself. This is the same problem I see on honolulu110's earlier mockup where the ribbon is colored.

Looks great without the side black bar. And the selection idea is nice too.

You see, Metro design language uses white "Segoe UI" font on a dark texture background, while Aero uses black text on a light sky blue gradient background. Microsoft didn't want to implement Metro fully to the desktop, they tried to mix it with Aero in order to help preserve maximum compatibility with existing programs (http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/05/18/creating-the-windows-8-user-experience.aspx) but they did mess up the desktop UI instead,...

It's really difficult to implement Metro design language without using dark background, the black side bar looks alike the Office 2013 start screen,... I have to admit that it attracts users' attention, but it did save space for users (by combining search-bar, navigation pane, details pane and the ribbon into one bar)

Anyway, thanks for your advice. I'm now working on a second concept which drives the users' attention to the content

[0nyX]

With all due respect, I'm with theyarecomingforyou on this one. I find the default one better than this, but nice try.

I like the Zune-inspired mockup by Sputnik8 from The Verge but I don't see it happening. It's easy (relatively) to make a mockup than to actually implement it.

This is just stunning

[Dashel]

Why are you working on a 'Metro' explorer concept that runs in the desktop and competes with the superior Explorer? Not that I don't like some of the mockups but that circle jerk is always there. More themes, less UX concepts ppl.

[lol51312]

Where to download!

[TruckWEB]

There is no file explorer in "Modern UI" ? You need to do to the desktop to work with your files?

If so, wow... Another thing incomplete in Win8...

[Aethec]

There is no file explorer in "Modern UI" ? You need to do to the desktop to work with your files?

If so, wow... Another thing incomplete in Win8...

It's a change in mentality - Windows 8 doesn't want you to think about the files but about what they contain. Want to see photos? Look at them - the ones on your computer, on Facebook, on SkyDrive, they're all there. Same thing with documents, videos, contacts...

When was the last time you saw a normal person open Explorer to do something else than working with their personal files?

[Abyssus]

Even ignoring your mischaracterisation of the new Windows 8 theme, I don't see how this theme looks any better. The purple and black colour scheme is very harsh, the icons uninspired and it lacks any colour or boundaries to make it interesting.

You're honestly saying that the theme here looks better than this?

PS - I mean no offence or disrespect to the OP and recognise that they've put a lot of work into their concept. I just don't like it.

Please tell me this is not what windows 8 explorer really looks like. How did they ship windows 8 with that unfinished theme. I mean didn't Microsoft make zune?

[grayscale]

^aside from the icons, what makes it unfinished?

[Arceles]

It's a change in mentality - Windows 8 doesn't want you to think about the files but about what they contain. Want to see photos? Look at them - the ones on your computer, on Facebook, on SkyDrive, they're all there. Same thing with documents, videos, contacts... When was the last time you saw a normal person open Explorer to do something else than working with their personal files?

This more or less sounds like the apocalypse to me...

[Dashel]

It's a change in mentality - Windows 8 doesn't want you to think about the files but about what they contain. Want to see photos? Look at them - the ones on your computer, on Facebook, on SkyDrive, they're all there. Same thing with documents, videos, contacts...

When was the last time you saw a normal person open Explorer to do something else than working with their personal files?

For file oriented people, it is quite a change to be corralled into opening the file from the app instead of vice versa via file associations. What you had once prized in your good users is now turned into a bad habit.

At the same time they are expected to mentally sort their data, somehow, that isn't cloud safe or proper (privacy concerns/spiders)

[TruckWEB]

Works the same way as on the iPad and sometime, it bugs me not to have a file manager....

I'm not sure I want to let the OS take care of my files for me...

[Aethec]

Then open the Desktop and you've got Windows Explorer - it's that simple.

[Dashel]

Opening the Desktop doesn't address the Metro (mobile) conception of apps over files Aethec.