
Interesting Windows Desktop UI Concept - robinraszka
http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/24/2822891/windows-desktop-ui-concept
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nchlswu
Not to take away from the work, but am I missing something? This strikes me as
primarily being a visual design or what some people call a theme.

This is a great visual design. It's cohesive and incorporates zune/metro very
well. I particularly like how the focus window is highlighted and everything
else fades a little. However, I think this redesign (and Metro itself) also
highlights how minimalism isn't necessarily the best trend to follow - at
least not to the extremes. I see a design that's somewhat flat and we may
perceive differently if the background was a solid colour.

~~~
robszumski
I love visual design exercises like this, but it's one thing to throw it out
there and a completely separate (10000x harder) feat to actually have this
implemented. If you usability test this interface, it's going to fail all over
the place. Remember, Windows is probably the only piece of software with EVERY
SINGLE segment of users.

<http://cdn.robszumski.com/share/file-copy.png> The file copy window that's
tacked on to the explorer window contains way too much information. A skilled
but non-technical user is going to see "164 MB/s" and "72%". Where's the time
left? You have to remember, people don't read -- at all, ever.

"Hey user, how do you tell when this is done?" "Funny you mention that, I
never have any idea. I know that the percent is there in the squiggly bar, but
what does that mean? Each week my podcasts seem to take different amounts of
time to copy, but I never really know."

<http://cdn.robszumski.com/share/copy-worst-case.png> "Sometimes I can't even
read the number because the line goes straight through it." Obviously this
could be designed in a much better way, but when you look at these perfect
screenshots it's impossible to see how it would act. This is where designers
make their money for the company.

There are a lot of people in the comments of the article saying the author
should be hired by Microsoft. I don't think that's going to happen.

~~~
kellishaver
Usability issues aside, the UI is so flat and, in places, so low-contrast,
there's a large segment of the population that wouldn't be able to see it, let
alone use it.

~~~
DrStalker
That won't be a major problem provided there is an easy way to change to e
theme that gives better contrast/readability.

They don't need the default UI to acceptably cover 100% of their market if it
can do a better job for 95% of people with a switch that does a better job for
the other 5%.

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51Cards
Visually it looks nice but practically I don't think it works for a lot of
users. I would guess that with all the white-space and over-sized elements
you're only getting maybe 50% of the same content on a screen layout. What
this would be good for say is to throw Windows into a "Streamlined" mode. Set
basic users set this interface and then use the stock UI for advanced users.

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kamechan
reminds me of the current google design paradigms. wish the creator would make
this into a gnome3 theme (and possibly a dark version)? i would totally use
it.

~~~
tikhonj
Yeah, it would be really nice to see some Linux themes inspired more by the
core ideas of Metro and less by Apple's software design (which I find
lacking).

Also, I can't help thinking that this sort of design is very good for tiling
window managers :).

~~~
lbotos
How hard is it to theme "linux"(KDE/GNOME/ETC)? I've never done it as I don't
use the Linux Desktop (I need Photoshop) but I've always wanted to try and
help improve the linux desktop experience. Is anyone working on a theme
actively or know someone to put me in touch with?

~~~
pbhjpbhj
KDE-look.org might be a good place to start, [http://kde-
look.org/index.php?xsortmode=high&page=0&...](http://kde-
look.org/index.php?xsortmode=high&page=0&xcontentmode=9), if for nothing else
then it can put you in touch with current theme designers.

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pbhjpbhj
Welp, I don't like it. It's too, erm, "indistinct" [which itself is a pretty
nondescript description!]. For MS I suspect they couldn't use this as a major
theme because of lack of contrast.

On a consistency POV, in
<http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/9029/desktopoy.jpg>, why does the [web]
browser have a separated tab bar but the file manager doesn't? No tabbed file
browsing? Why are the tabs in the skype window not coloured like those of the
browser window?

 _Aside: Which leads me on to wonder as cloud storage and web apps grow ever
more the focus will we move back to the earlier concept behind IE [and
Konqueror and the like] of browsing local and web-based content through a
single interface._

Couple of other questions on the UI - why is the top padding inconsistent, and
so large (it's massive isn't it?!); where is the limit of the scrollbar and
why don't the scrollbars start a consistent distance from the top of the
window.

I can see why it's loved by those being vocal about it; but it's not for me.

~~~
Groxx
And Skype! _half_ the width is devoted to the contacts list, cramming the
actual conversation into as much space as you get on your standard smart-
phone. Do they really expect you to be devoting _that_ much time to gazing
longingly at your list of contacts, instead of communicating?

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sek
Is there any good resource to learn how to use colors in design, the stuff i
make always looks like crap because i only take standard ones.

I envy this guy for this ability, incredible good taste in unobtrusive colors.

~~~
th0ma5
there's a field of color theory, concepts like compliments, but then tertiary
compliments, and several other forms. unobtrusive gets into an overlap of
usability concerns, taste, colorblindness, and just overall theme. i'm sure if
you just pay attention to a little more and google some you can find answers
to what you're looking for. ubuntu has a nifty color theory utility called
avage ... and there are sites like color lovers and such.

~~~
sek
The thing is, i look at this theme and i know it looks great, but i can't
understand why! As an hacker really bugs me.

I know this color tools, but what are the ingredients that makes something
look good compared to another design? When i think the rounded colors are the
reason, something like this comes up and proves me wrong.

I am aware design is not a trivial matter (i work at IDEO), but where do i
start?

~~~
willifred
I can understand feeling frustrated, but it's a little unfair on yourself.
Most designers hone their ability through constant application of their skill,
not to mention very often years of expensive schooling. Nobody does it
overnight. Although it's certainly possible to do without the expensive formal
schooling.

> what are the ingredients

The ingredients (AKA the elements and principles of design):
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_elements_and_principles>

If you're not going to quit your job to go to SVA or RISD, I'd say the best
place to start is to pick up a few books and do exercises. Give yourself time,
don't get frustrated, and work at it. There are a lot of good resources in
print out there. You could do worse than Alan Pipes's _Foundations of Art and
Design_

[http://www.laurenceking.com/product/Foundations+of+Art+---+D...](http://www.laurenceking.com/product/Foundations+of+Art+---+Design+%282nd+edition%29.htm)

I'm not aware of anything really fantastic available for free online.

~~~
sek
Thanks for the suggestions, what is so difficult for me is i don't see
progress. How i said, i don't think it is something to learn overnight. I just
don't saw a starting point yet, in the technical world there is always a
tutorial.

That book sounds very interesting, this is probably the thing i was looking
for.

~~~
willifred
This might be helpful too, a very good book on the basics:

[http://www.amazon.com/Visual-Grammar-Design-Briefs-
Christian...](http://www.amazon.com/Visual-Grammar-Design-Briefs-
Christian/dp/1568985819/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_2)

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Havoc
Looks like Windows with a thick layer of gmail paint.

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jeffchuber
Agree with other's comments. Looks a ton like new Google. And why all the
backlash against structure? People like structure.

~~~
dmix
Google is "wanting to move away from explicit box structures and to use type
and spacing more to indicate structure."

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGIU2JX1U5Y>

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remmers
I really enjoy the lack of rounded corners. It's very crisp. I've been annoyed
that older browsers don't support CSS rounded corners, but now I realize I can
do without.

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pooriaazimi
Though I'm not a Windows user (and won't be in the foreseeable future), but I
really liked it. This one was particularly nice and novel:
<http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/4174/explorer3.jpg>

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planckscnst
This reminds me of one of my favorite GTK themes: Elegant Brit (<http://gnome-
look.org/content/show.php/?content=74553>).

~~~
joenathan
It's all just a play on the Zune desktop software.
<http://i.minus.com/iDQRFmra9Ayqs.PNG>

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Shank
That's really a great re-design concept. It looks really good without lacking
functionality--I'd love to use that over Metro any day (especially after
having used it in Windows 8 developer preview).

~~~
joering2
its interesting to see how we going back to basics. from windows 3.11 where
there was like 256 colors through windows 95/XP more blurry, shadows, rounded
stuff, through new windows design that just look "cleaner" and uses better
matched color palette, but not much different from initials.

~~~
lbotos
The funny thing is we do this everywhere. The most important thing I learned
durning my time at art school was that the art world (And the world by
extension) moves in cycles. Everything is a reaction to what was prior.

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DanBC
I look at the Explorer window...

(<http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/5892/explorer1o.jpg>)

...and I see that the columns are titled:

    
    
        120 items,detail view     date     type
    
    

So you can sort by date, or type, but not name? And you can't adjust the
column width?

I gave up then.

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rhengles
IMO, the taskbar is what caught my attention the most - the best use of a
chromeless design that i've seen.

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pbreit
Since this will never make its way onto Windows, maybe some Linux distro or UI
manager could pick it up? Is this more than the typical skinning/theming
capabilities can support?

I also always wished the BeOS UI was more available now than just the Haiku
project.

~~~
rbanffy
Oh no... I hate the small tabs on top of Windows. By making them variable
size, you always had to hunt the functions on the right part of the tab.

But I agree it was beautiful. Back then I made a BeOS theme for my Windows NT
4 box.

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jakeonthemove
Zune inspired - pretty damn good!

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neilparikh
A lot of these look like the Basecamp Next UI (ex. the colors, the rectangles
and squares etc.). I especially liked the Skype UI. Anyway, well done!

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richardlblair
I would say it's more zune/wp7 inspired than gmail inspired.

Both are minimalistic, but the icons, colors, shapes and white space feels
very much like zune/wp7.

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zobzu
This reminds me of one of the E17 themes. Cause yeah, on free software, you
can actually make your mockup a reality :-)

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shimon_e
There are some good UI ideas. Wish the Linux desktop designers would implement
some of them.

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kalyan02
Seems to be heavily inspired from Gmail and all the latest Google's new design
hoopla!

Awesome nevertheless!

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tar
I just wish this actually gets implemented.

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ksec
Well at least it is some great idea to look into. Although M$ has a habit of
copying other people's idea and make it WORST.

Another day to go before Windows 8 CP.

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jaequery
if ubuntu had this, game over MS/Apple!

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no-espam
Hmmm looks like Zune. I'll argue it's one the best pieces of software to come
out of Microsoft. Too bad MS just killed.

~~~
pilsetnieks
It's not killed, it's called Windows Phone 7 now.

~~~
Raphael
There was a program called Zune for Windows desktop which was like Windows
Media Player but with a radical UI.

~~~
shriphani
There still is. It is the default way to sync Zune HDs and WP7 devices.

