

The New Windows 8 UI: Trying to be Too Many Things to Too Many Devices? - FredericLL
http://siliconfilter.com/the-new-windows-8-ui-trying-to-be-too-many-things-to-too-many-devices/

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sosuke
I think the interface will work great for the tablet form factor, why is being
able to run non-touch specific applications seen as a problem? When did extra
features become a minus?

Besides I think this will work great on all the touch screen desktops and
laptops that I believe are coming. I get to go into business mode when I need
to program or I can stay in the light touch interface when I am just consuming
content.

~~~
Derbasti
The question is: Will it run great on the desktop? For many professions, a
computer is first and foremost a desktop machine. How will this UI deal with
mouse hovering, right clicks?

If the touch UI would worsen the desktop experience that would be a bad thing
indeed. We will see whether it turns out to be a Media-Center type overlay
that no one ever uses or something really useful that will slowly take over
the desktop.

~~~
Zaim2
From the AllthingsD interview ([http://allthingsd.com/20110601/up-next-
at-d9-microsoft-windo...](http://allthingsd.com/20110601/up-next-
at-d9-microsoft-windows-president-steven-sinofsky-live-at-d9/)):

4:57 pm: Could an OEM make a tablet in which the user would never see
“traditional” Windows?

Larsen-Green: You can’t turn the desktop off. You can choose never to go
there…but it’s always there.

4:59 pm: Likewise, by the way, you can’t really turn off the new Windows. It
is the start screen.

Another quote from the
Thisismynextliveblog([http://live.thisismynext.com/Event/Microsofts_Steven_Sinofsk...](http://live.thisismynext.com/Event/Microsofts_Steven_Sinofsky_live_from_D9)):

Walt: So, if I'm a developer. Am I confronted by a philosophical difference
between an app that uses a mouse, or one that is for touch or for a tablet.
You call this touch first, but in terms of the apps, if you're saying hey this
is Windows. Then I have to figure out — it really affects the way I design my
app

Julie: You design for touch, and then we translate the touch commands to mouse
and keyboard.

Walt: And that won't seem clunky?

Julie: No.

Julie: You go through with the arrow keys, the mouse, using the Windows key...

Walt: You're keeping the Windows key?

Julie: Yes, that's how you get to Start.

So the Win8 start menu is the reverse of the current Windows 7 touch UI
situation. It's a Touch UI added on to it, as opposed to the reverse.

Most people barely even touch the "All programs button" in the current Start
menu as they can just Start-search or use a Pin/Desktop shortcut, so as long
as this new Start menu has the Search/Run functionality baked you're missing
NOTHING, and can just stay in desktop mode whilst barely touching start.

~~~
lurkinggrue
Oh this is gonna hurt.

------
Qz
_On a tablet, having to deal with these legacy tools like the Explorer, simply
ruins the experience._

Sure they showed the regular Explorer interface, but there was also clearly a
new UI for file browsing as well, so I don't think people will 'have to deal
with legacy tools' at all.

On a side note: whenever I see 'Tweet@rama' my brain short circuits trying to
say 'tweet-o-rama' and 'tweet-at-rama' simultaneously.

~~~
mahrain
I'm pretty sure I'll have to hook up a mouse to a Windows 8 tablet in order to
configure the IP address.

On a desktop however, the tiles and fonts are going to be incredible and allow
many visually impaired users to use a computer without wearing glasses!

