Windows 8 designers are blind.

[Mohitster]

One of the problems with Microsoft is the lack of UI consistency across product teams. Take a look at the following screenshot:

Four MS programs, four ever so slightly different UIs. How hard can it be to design a consistent HIG for Windows and all first-party applications, and force the various units within Microsoft to adhere to it?

Superlike it!! This point needs to get across. Microsoft has been just too careless with respect to the implementation of Metro across platforms or software.... They are just sleeping over the laurels which the Metro UI received when first introduced when they should be focusing on making it more refined and flexible for various implementations....

[Guest]

One of the problems with Microsoft is the lack of UI consistency across product teams. Take a look at the following screenshot:

Four MS programs, four ever so slightly different UIs. How hard can it be to design a consistent HIG for Windows and all first-party applications, and force the various units within Microsoft to adhere to it?

This.

I can ignore the little pixel details that are wrong, but I can't ignore almost different UI designs across windows. I think someone spotted a windows 3.11 icon in control panel somewhere in windows 8. Although a single icon isn't going to make a massive difference to the OS as a whole, they could have easily paid a 3rd party, or had an extra internal team working on new icons.

;)

Why do you have aliased curved corners? :|

[.Neo]

The Windows interface is an inconsistent jumbled mess of different styles and sub styles.

[Descartes]

One of the problems with Microsoft is the lack of UI consistency across product teams. Take a look at the following screenshot:

Four MS programs, four ever so slightly different UIs. How hard can it be to design a consistent HIG for Windows and all first-party applications, and force the various units within Microsoft to adhere to it?

I couldn't agree with you more.

It was a huge issue back in Windows Vista, then in Windows 7 they partially fixed it. Now even though it's not as bad as it used to be, there's still room for improvement.

They should look at what Apple has done with Leopard and learn from it. I've never used an Apple product but for what I know at least under this aspect they unarguably excel.

[Jamushroom Veteran]

I guess I'll have to add smaller captionbars and whatnot into my Novus theme for Windows 8 >_>

[bandit_liberty_rumble]

Have you all seen the window style for MDI apps in Windows 8? :shifty:

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Have you all seen the window style for MDI apps in Windows 8? :shifty:

Not yet. Got a screenshot?

[x-byte]

I applaud your effort, but in the end this doesn't matter at all. This should be very low on the priority list for MS.

[bandit_liberty_rumble]

Not yet. Got a screenshot?

Looks like the Windows 7 Aero Basic theme:

[Steven P. Administrators]

Why do you have aliased curved corners? :|

I think it's because SnagIt 10.1 does this. I'll see if they have an update.

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Looks like the Windows 7 Aero Basic theme:

Oh yuck. :x

[Melfster]

Its not that they blind but they have really given up trying to fix windows desktop for consistency. If you want consistency then the Metro apps are for you.

[.Neo]

Its not that they blind but they have really given up trying to fix windows desktop for consistency. If you want consistency then the Metro apps are for you.

Lets not pretend they ever put any serious effort into it to begin with.

[MFH]

Let's not pretend they ever put any serious effort into it to begin with.

THIS!

They put quote a lot of time into the UX Guide for Vista, just to break it within no time...

[anidais]

Microsoft seems to not care about design. The OP images show some of the "bugs" not fixed in the RTM, but there are more.

For example, command links buttons are still rounded and with gradients; also command links arrows are still the aero ones. In the main control panel window, where it says "View by", if you hover over "Category" the selection button still has rounded corners and a grey gradient (just like in 7). Also in the control panel, the detail pane in some windows (like the program uninstaller) still has the same baby blue gradient as 7. It doesn't stop there though. In IE10 desktop, the manage add-ons window still has a blue gradient near the bottom. Also when you type something in the URL bar and move the keyboard arrow key down, the links hover is still rounded and with a gradient (just like in 7). There are probably more inconsistencies.

When it comes to refined and polished UIs, in my opinion Apple is the winner. I think most of these issues can be fixed with an update, as many just require and edit of the msstyle file, but knowing Microsoft I doubt they even care.

Forgot to mention: the minimize, maximize and close buttons still have the XP-era yellow tooltip.

[x-byte]

When it comes to refined and polished UIs, in my opinion Apple is the winner. I think most of these issues can be fixed with an update, as many just require and edit of the msstyle file, but knowing Microsoft I doubt they even care.

I agree Apple is good at polish, but have they ever changed the majority of the design? Too me Mac still looks like something from the 90's :/

[.Neo]

I agree Apple is good at polish, but have they ever changed the majority of the design? Too me Mac still looks like something from the 90's :/

Quite a few interface elements in Windows are still actually from the 90s. :p

[Noir Angel]

Apple aren't the masters of UI design, in fact I find the design of OSX to be obnoxious and overly gaudy. Windows 8 for me goes the other way and is just bland and boring. I thought they had a reasonable compromise with Windows 7.

[anidais]

I agree Apple is good at polish, but have they ever changed the majority of the design? Too me Mac still looks like something from the 90's :/

Well Apple makes small UI changes with each OS release. While OS X is not perfect either, it is more polished and consistent than Windows (whether some people like the OS X theme or not is another matter). Windows 8 brings huge changes to the whole UI, true, but that is no excuse to leave some things incomplete. I mean they've been working on 8 for approximately 3 years (or more) so they've had more than enough time to polish everything.

[bandit_liberty_rumble]

Too me Mac still looks like something from the 90's :/

In some ways, OS X is indeed starting to look like Platinum again. :rofl: And of course some of the NextStep UI influences are still there as well. When Aqua, in 2000, was first introduced though it was pretty different from anything that came before it. It's just been toned down a lot over time. More evolution than revolution. And of course nowadays you have the iOS influences, whatever you may think of that...

[x-byte]

Well Apple makes small UI changes with each OS release. While OS X is not perfect either, it is more polished and consistent than Windows (whether some people like the OS X theme or not is another matter). Windows 8 brings huge changes to the whole UI, true, but that is no excuse to leave some things incomplete. I mean they've been working on 8 for approximately 3 years (or more) so they've had more than enough time to polish everything.

It's about priorities. Why spend money on a skin, when you have a completely new UI to work on. Also there are numerous other things that would have higher priorities. I see why someone would notice it, but it really is not an issue at all.

Quite a few interface elements in Windows are still actually from the 90s. :p

That is true, but that is legacy icons. I was thinking about icons and themes. Looks so quite dated. But that is just my opinion.

[bandit_liberty_rumble]

It's about priorities. Why spend money on a skin, when you have a completely new UI to work on.

The sad part about that is that it basically proves the people right that claim the Desktop's been written off. :/

[anidais]

The sad part about that is that it basically proves the people right that claim the Desktop's been written off. :/

True. Microsoft may deny it, but maybe they think it's not worth putting much effort into the desktop when it will probably disappear in future Windows releases.

[Excelsis]

I've got a feeling Microsoft rushed the new .msstyles when people using the release preview complained that the desktop wasn't consistent with the Metro UI, which is why there's still W7/8RP Aero elements left in the RTM.

Hopefully they'll update the theme by the time the retail comes out, though I'm not holding my breath on that.

[x-byte]

The sad part about that is that it basically proves the people right that claim the Desktop's been written off. :/

No it doesn't. Those issues in OP are minor and will have no impact at all. Wasted resources. I wouldn't want to have used time on a skin, instead of system performance/stability.