How many layers of UI inconsistencies are in Windows 11?

#1

Post by serhack_ » Mon, Jan 02, 2023, 11:07 AM UTC

How many layers of UI inconsistencies are in Windows 11?
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Re: How many layers of UI inconsistencies are in Windows 11?

#2

Post by vasqw » Mon, Jan 02, 2023, 11:28 AM UTC

I'd rather Microsoft spent developer time on useful stuff and not updating dialogs.

Re: How many layers of UI inconsistencies are in Windows 11?

#3

Post by mihaaly » Mon, Jan 02, 2023, 11:29 AM UTC

I am still looking forward for the option to ungroup task bar buttons, preferably with titles. Again! Something that was there before, worked, and was useful. But some designer decided we don't need that, to the bin with it!

Re: How many layers of UI inconsistencies are in Windows 11?

#4

Post by dochtman » Mon, Jan 02, 2023, 11:29 AM UTC

I would be curious for a similar dissection of modern macOS. My intuitive sense is that it is a little better though there are probably still at least 5 layers of stuff.

So to some extent, does doing this better at the scale of a modern user-facing OS provide enough return on investment?

Re: How many layers of UI inconsistencies are in Windows 11?

#5

Post by sylens » Mon, Jan 02, 2023, 11:29 AM UTC

This is a really great documentation of how far back various pieces of the UI go. If you’ve been using Windows for a long time, you remember when different pieces of the UI got introduced or changed and then frozen in amber until today.

Crazy to think they are still recovering from Windows 8 and the pivot to Metro UI.

Re: How many layers of UI inconsistencies are in Windows 11?

#6

Post by Closi » Mon, Jan 02, 2023, 11:32 AM UTC

There is a real cost to consistency/change, and I don't personally believe that this is just laziness or poor design on Microsoft's behalf.

Sure, Windows could have changed the look and layout of every component with every release, but with an application as widely used as Windows you really want the ability for users to move from Windows XP to Windows 11 and still have a sense of familiarity and confidence.

It is also difficult for them to remove settings or change their behaviour of settings without breaking compatibility, so really whenever they are making the UI 'consistent' we really mean moving around the existing settings rather than rethinking them entirely - true change has to be done in baby-steps across many Windows versions.

Re: How many layers of UI inconsistencies are in Windows 11?

#7

Post by tacker2000 » Mon, Jan 02, 2023, 11:32 AM UTC

I guess theyre going for the typical 80/20 rule here! I assume for example that not many people would be setting up ODBC stuff.

Re: How many layers of UI inconsistencies are in Windows 11?

#8

Post by cokeandpepsi » Mon, Jan 02, 2023, 11:32 AM UTC

the more consistant it becomes the less I like it, bland

Re: How many layers of UI inconsistencies are in Windows 11?

#9

Post by mihaaly » Mon, Jan 02, 2023, 11:32 AM UTC

vasqw wrote: post #2

I'd rather Microsoft spent developer time on useful stuff and not updating dialogs.

With which they did not do a very good job evidently. : )

Re: How many layers of UI inconsistencies are in Windows 11?

#10

Post by cokeandpepsi » Mon, Jan 02, 2023, 11:34 AM UTC

mihaaly wrote: post #3

I am still looking forward for the option to ungroup task bar buttons, preferably with titles. Again! Something that was there before, worked, and was useful. But some designer decided we don't need that, to the bin with it!

I'm not sure why they rushed out the release, Windows 10 was and is fine and I don't think any customers were really interested in this new version/ui update/whatever

total blunder imo but I think most people are just happy it's not as screwed up as whatever the hell Windows8 was

for me personally besides the common complaints just getting to the weather widget is now a huge microannoyance that drives me up the wall