OT: Windows 8 makes Vista look fantastic

[Walter Soyka]

Andy, I agree with a lot of your criticisms. I certainly agree that it’s a big risk and that there could be a big initial backlash.

That said, Windows phones are being really well reviewed. People actually like the Metro interface. The problem comes in when they are told that it’s the new Windows. They rather naturally expect it to work like the old Windows — and it doesn’t.

Maybe Metro is hard-to-learn (the secret handshake gesture), but it’s easy-to-use. That’s not as good as easy-to-learn and easy-to-use, but that problem goes away shortly after release. It’s certainly not as bad as easy-to-learn but hard-to-use (which you might argue current WIMP GUIs are). That means a really rough bump when people first start using it, but acceptance (and maybe even happiness) thereafter.

I think there are plenty of iOS actions that are totally unintuitive. Tap, drag, swipe, and pinch more or less make sense for computer users with a mouse background, but long hold? Three-finger swipe? Four-finger swipe? Five-finger pinch? Again, hard to learn, but easy to use.

I think it’s kind of funny that Apple is expected to offer new and revolutionary interfaces — cars instead of faster horses and all — but Microsoft is excoriated for doing it. And the idea that Microsoft could actually be leveraging design principles to make computing better? Shocking!

Microsoft has been in the driver’s seat for huge UI changes before. Fun fact: Solitaire was included with Windows 3.0 to teach people how to drag and drop, because once upon a time, no one knew to do that. Now that kind of knowledge is assumed.

Microsoft has popularized GUIs with Windows 3 (and having to teach people to use them, as above), introduced the Start button in Win 95 (totally removing the Program Manager), and introduced the ribbon in Office 2007 (which everyone hated at first because it was different but got over because it is actually workable). This isn’t their first rodeo.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

[Santiago Marti]

You are right, vista is no Windows millenium! But 7 is better, and 8 is better than 7. Metro gui is aimed at tablets but still you have a big desktop tile, click it and you are in classic desktop mode.

Remember, before year ends, you’ll start seeing tablets with Intel x86 cpus. In tablet mode use Metro gui, when docked, you can use classic desktop. You can also use classic desktop in tablet mode, that’s why Windows explorer has the big and populated ribbon with every command at your finger tips. Believe me it is not bad at all.

You can download win8 consumer preview and install it on a vmplayer virtual machine legally and for free. It’s worth it.

Santiago Martí
Director at
http://www.robotrojo.com.ar

[Andrew Richards]

[Walter Soyka] “That said, Windows phones are being really well reviewed. People actually like the Metro interface. The problem comes in when they are told that it’s the new Windows. They rather naturally expect it to work like the old Windows — and it doesn’t.”

They are well reviewed, but are not doing as well in terms of sales. That likely has a lot to do with the carriers and what they choose to push, so it could change.

[Walter Soyka] “Maybe Metro is hard-to-learn (the secret handshake gesture), but it’s easy-to-use. That’s not as good as easy-to-learn and easy-to-use, but that problem goes away shortly after release. It’s certainly not as bad as easy-to-learn but hard-to-use (which you might argue current WIMP GUIs are). That means a really rough bump when people first start using it, but acceptance (and maybe even happiness) thereafter.”

I’d call it “hard-to-discover”. There is no visual indication of an interface, so you have to discover, learn, and internalize it externally. Users aren’t going to stumble upon these gestures, especially not when using a mouse and keyboard. That makes for a very frustrating experience and a very bad first impression. Not something you want when someone is making a buying decision based on a test drive.

[Walter Soyka] “I think there are plenty of iOS actions that are totally unintuitive. Tap, drag, swipe, and pinch more or less make sense for computer users with a mouse background, but long hold? Three-finger swipe? Four-finger swipe? Five-finger pinch? Again, hard to learn, but easy to use.”

The difference is that most of those gestures are alternatives to an on-screen default input. Think of those gestures as the touch equivalents of keyboard shortcuts. They are there for the power users who learn them, but they are not the default, or worse, the only input method.

[Walter Soyka] “I think it’s kind of funny that Apple is expected to offer new and revolutionary interfaces — cars instead of faster horses and all — but Microsoft is excoriated for doing it. And the idea that Microsoft could actually be leveraging design principles to make computing better? Shocking!”

I don’t fault MSFT at all for stepping out of its comfort zone or its users comfort zone with Metro. To the contrary, it is refreshing to see them take a leap with their UI and nice looking design. I’m focused on a practical flaw in their execution that makes it very difficult (or at minimum, awkward) to navigate.

[Walter Soyka] “Microsoft has popularized GUIs with Windows 3 (and having to teach people to use them, as above), introduced the Start button in Win 95 (totally removing the Program Manager), and introduced the ribbon in Office 2007 (which everyone hated at first because it was different but got over because it is actually workable). This isn’t their first rodeo.”

Maybe the inertia of Windows’ market dominance will drag the user base into a world of invisible Metro gesture inputs, but Vista was toppled for much less egregious sins. All they need to do is add a little chrome back for the keyboard and mouse users, even if it only slides onto the screen when you mouse to a boundary. Or something. Aping 10″ tablet touch gestures on a 20″ desktop display with a mouse is dumb. They can correct that with minor UI tweaks that don’t spoil the Metro design or ruin the UX.

Best,
Andy