Windows 8 — Disappointing Usability for Both Novice and Power Users

Post by vibrunazo » Mon, Nov 19, 2012, 3:51 PM UTC

w1ntermute wrote: post #93

markmark wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unified search was removed from Android because Apple has a patent on it and successfully sued.

This is a common misconception. Google removed it for about a week, until they found and implemented a workaround. For all practical purposes, the universal search works exactly the same. I just tried it out on my Galaxy Nexus running Android 4.2.

Post by dagw » Mon, Nov 19, 2012, 4:03 PM UTC

antonpug wrote: post #199

I agree 100%. Windows 8 is a major step backwards. I tried to get used to it for about 2 weeks, and as a developer, I can say that it is slowing me down big time. Not intuitive, buggy, ugly, distracting UI.

Post by vibrunazo » Mon, Nov 19, 2012, 4:06 PM UTC

rogerbinns wrote: post #83

kyro wrote: post #30

This is anecdotal, but I walked into a Windows store not too long ago to try Windows 8 on a tablet, and I was blown away at how terribly unintuitive it was. There were absolutely zero visual cues to indicate where features were, how to move around the interface. None. Now I don't know if that's changed since then, but the experience left me with such a bad taste that I told myself I would never give it another 5 minu…

> ... how terribly unintuitive it was. I'm a little uncertain how future proof such a claim is. I used computers before mice became common. Back in those days mice actually came with tutorial programs showing you how to use a mouse! Nowadays we would consider it somewhat absurd and no mice are shipped with such programs. Even typing tutors used to be a very popular category of software. When I got my first smartphone…

Post by vibrunazo » Mon, Nov 19, 2012, 4:07 PM UTC

rogerbinns wrote: post #83

kyro wrote: post #30

This is anecdotal, but I walked into a Windows store not too long ago to try Windows 8 on a tablet, and I was blown away at how terribly unintuitive it was. There were absolutely zero visual cues to indicate where features were, how to move around the interface. None. Now I don't know if that's changed since then, but the experience left me with such a bad taste that I told myself I would never give it another 5 minu…

> ... how terribly unintuitive it was. I'm a little uncertain how future proof such a claim is. I used computers before mice became common. Back in those days mice actually came with tutorial programs showing you how to use a mouse! Nowadays we would consider it somewhat absurd and no mice are shipped with such programs. Even typing tutors used to be a very popular category of software. When I got my first smartphone…

Post by unconed » Mon, Nov 19, 2012, 4:25 PM UTC

WayneDB wrote: post #195

eddieroger wrote: post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think I did. The argument here was "well, if Apple can assume that users are going to learn a list of shortcuts, why can't Microsoft." The answer is because the keyboard shortcuts on OS X are actually shortcuts, not required for using the operating system. The gestures Microsoft has incorporated in to Win8 are the only way of doing things, whereas I can do things a few different ways on OS X. Let's stick with closi…

OS X shortcuts are actually shortcuts, except when they're not... How about Command-Tab? There's only one way to access that functionality. How do you capture a screen in OS X without the secret "shortcut" keys or the command-line? How about ejecting a secondary optical drive? Zooming in and out?