Design evolution of the Windows control panel

#1

Post by userbinator » Fri, Dec 17, 2021, 2:27 AM UTC

Design evolution of the Windows control panel
versionmuseum.com

Re: Design evolution of the Windows control panel

#2

Post by gjvc » Fri, Dec 17, 2021, 2:31 AM UTC

Windows 2000 was clearly the peak in this article, and (as a whole system) it did feel like it at the time. (I do wish it had included ClearType though...)

Re: Design evolution of the Windows control panel

#3

Post by canadaduane » Fri, Dec 17, 2021, 3:08 AM UTC

gjvc wrote: post #2

Windows 2000 was clearly the peak in this article, and (as a whole system) it did feel like it at the time. (I do wish it had included ClearType though...)

After Windows XP I always felt like they were hiding the actual control panel from me, and I no longer felt in control.

Re: Design evolution of the Windows control panel

#4

Post by claviska » Fri, Dec 17, 2021, 3:09 AM UTC

My first PC had Windows 3.1 and I very vividly remember the buttons, the menus, and many of the icons. In a way, they still inspire me to this day. In fact, I themed a Shoelace button based on 3.1 a few months ago.

https://codepen.io/claviska/details/zYwgyEO

Re: Design evolution of the Windows control panel

#5

Post by kumarvvr » Fri, Dec 17, 2021, 3:10 AM UTC

gjvc wrote: post #2

Windows 2000 was clearly the peak in this article, and (as a whole system) it did feel like it at the time. (I do wish it had included ClearType though...)

For me, it was Windows 7.

Re: Design evolution of the Windows control panel

#6

Post by tech-historian » Fri, Dec 17, 2021, 3:10 AM UTC

Hey, my son and I run this site. Cool to see it here. Thanks for stopping by!

Re: Design evolution of the Windows control panel

#7

Post by throaway46546 » Fri, Dec 17, 2021, 3:13 AM UTC

kumarvvr wrote: post #5

gjvc wrote: post #2

Windows 2000 was clearly the peak in this article, and (as a whole system) it did feel like it at the time. (I do wish it had included ClearType though...)

For me, it was Windows 7.

For me, it's the McChicken.

Re: Design evolution of the Windows control panel

#8

Post by kaetemi » Fri, Dec 17, 2021, 3:16 AM UTC

Classic view with classic icon arrangement is still the easiest to find things. Mostly, I guess, because the organisation of things doesn't change every other version, or goes to hide under a different vaguely named subsection every so often.

The fact that Updates are under Security, and not under Apps does say something about Windows, though...

Re: Design evolution of the Windows control panel

#9

Post by FridayoLeary » Fri, Dec 17, 2021, 3:50 AM UTC

I have a vague memory of feeling slightly cheated the first time i clicked on the XP control panel. I saw shiny icons hiding plain, (ugly?), mundane texts. I felt they were spending more time on the pretty and clever button image, and less effort on the options behind it.

Re: Design evolution of the Windows control panel

#10

Post by nwah1 » Fri, Dec 17, 2021, 4:01 AM UTC

Left off Windows 11. The new one is the most logical one yet. Don't like that much about Windows 11, but the control panel is improved.