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MS GUI redesign mania

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  • A Offline
    A Offline
    Albert Jann
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    I don't understand why MS redesign/re-architecture their products GUI all the time (this includes new MSDN and MS office 2007 too - very inconvenient GUIs in my opinion). We are becoming use to some design/architecture but in the subsequent version MS right away change it to some MS sick minded programmers mind/style. Hey, this attitude should be stopped - what about just improving :suss:?

    R T J P P 10 Replies Last reply
    0
    • A Albert Jann

      I don't understand why MS redesign/re-architecture their products GUI all the time (this includes new MSDN and MS office 2007 too - very inconvenient GUIs in my opinion). We are becoming use to some design/architecture but in the subsequent version MS right away change it to some MS sick minded programmers mind/style. Hey, this attitude should be stopped - what about just improving :suss:?

      R Offline
      R Offline
      Ryan Roberts
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      Partially for the same reason that washing powder is always "New and improved".

      R 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • A Albert Jann

        I don't understand why MS redesign/re-architecture their products GUI all the time (this includes new MSDN and MS office 2007 too - very inconvenient GUIs in my opinion). We are becoming use to some design/architecture but in the subsequent version MS right away change it to some MS sick minded programmers mind/style. Hey, this attitude should be stopped - what about just improving :suss:?

        T Offline
        T Offline
        TheCardinal
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        Maybe that's there way of saying "we have improve something thats why we have redesign the GUI" :) -TheCardinal

        1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • A Albert Jann

          I don't understand why MS redesign/re-architecture their products GUI all the time (this includes new MSDN and MS office 2007 too - very inconvenient GUIs in my opinion). We are becoming use to some design/architecture but in the subsequent version MS right away change it to some MS sick minded programmers mind/style. Hey, this attitude should be stopped - what about just improving :suss:?

          J Offline
          J Offline
          John M Drescher
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          Albert Jann wrote:

          this includes new MSDN and MS office 2007 too - very inconvenient GUIs in my opinion

          My users will not accept office 2007 because they consider the GUI a huge step backwards. Although I do use it myself I have mixed feelings. I get very annoyed when I can not find where a menu has gone and why the print button had been removed from the toolbar, but then I like some of the context buttons.

          John

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          • A Albert Jann

            I don't understand why MS redesign/re-architecture their products GUI all the time (this includes new MSDN and MS office 2007 too - very inconvenient GUIs in my opinion). We are becoming use to some design/architecture but in the subsequent version MS right away change it to some MS sick minded programmers mind/style. Hey, this attitude should be stopped - what about just improving :suss:?

            P Offline
            P Offline
            Pete OHanlon
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            The redesign of the GUI was prompted by the vast majority of feature requests being for features that they had already implemented. The idea was to try and make it more intuitive - so, if you were editing a table and you wanted to insert a row, the table context menus are supposed to make things more obvious. To be honest - for the most part I do like the new design. It takes a bit of getting used to, but I find that I can do things as quickly now as I used to (and in some cases quicker). Some of the features like the gallery are a definite improvement, and other features do feel like they need a little bit more work.

            Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

            M 1 Reply Last reply
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            • R Ryan Roberts

              Partially for the same reason that washing powder is always "New and improved".

              R Offline
              R Offline
              R Giskard Reventlov
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              Ryan Roberts wrote:

              Partially for the same reason that washing powder is always "New and improved".

              And yet it can't be both: it's either 'new' or it's 'improved'. :-)

              home
              tastier than delicious

              D 1 Reply Last reply
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              • A Albert Jann

                I don't understand why MS redesign/re-architecture their products GUI all the time (this includes new MSDN and MS office 2007 too - very inconvenient GUIs in my opinion). We are becoming use to some design/architecture but in the subsequent version MS right away change it to some MS sick minded programmers mind/style. Hey, this attitude should be stopped - what about just improving :suss:?

                P Offline
                P Offline
                Paul Watson
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                It is like the car business. You can't sell a new car with old clothes. People need to "see" the different before they feel it is worth it. Same as the whole feature-list count war. More features != better.

                regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa

                Andy Brummer wrote:

                Watson's law: As an online discussion of cars grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving the Bugatti Veyron approaches one.

                1 Reply Last reply
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                • A Albert Jann

                  I don't understand why MS redesign/re-architecture their products GUI all the time (this includes new MSDN and MS office 2007 too - very inconvenient GUIs in my opinion). We are becoming use to some design/architecture but in the subsequent version MS right away change it to some MS sick minded programmers mind/style. Hey, this attitude should be stopped - what about just improving :suss:?

                  P Offline
                  P Offline
                  Phil Martin
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  Albert Jann wrote:

                  he subsequent version MS right away change it to some MS sick minded programmers mind/style

                  I think that might be the source of much consternation. In general I like using software written by programmers. I'm adeveloper, so I think like one, so software created by a like minded fellow is generally pretty easy to use. Give that same UI to a landscape architect, and they would probably not be too happy about it. This is all speculation, but the UI's are probably no longer being designed by programmers, but in recent history being designed by actual deisgners, and UI focus groups, and HIC specialists. Office's target audience is office profressionals, but an unfortunately huge and gigantic user base using previous versions of office. Office hasn't had a real UI change since Office 97 (probably earlier). Toolbars have been tweaked, a side bar got added in Office 2003, but in over 10 years, it is still the same UI. Perhaps after all the design effort that went in to the ribbon, they found users had a much lower learning curve, or after a short period of retraining, existing users were 5% more efficient. Who knows? One thing I do know is a drastic UI change every 5 to 10 years I think is perfectly okay. Heck every year, which is lightning for Microsoft, would be manageable. And yes, I like the new ribbon :) It reminds me of Maya's interface. - Phil

                  P 1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • A Albert Jann

                    I don't understand why MS redesign/re-architecture their products GUI all the time (this includes new MSDN and MS office 2007 too - very inconvenient GUIs in my opinion). We are becoming use to some design/architecture but in the subsequent version MS right away change it to some MS sick minded programmers mind/style. Hey, this attitude should be stopped - what about just improving :suss:?

                    N Offline
                    N Offline
                    NormDroid
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #9

                    UI Consistancy/Guidelines has also gone out of the window (excure the pun), WPF has helped that.

                    WPF - Imagineers Wanted Follow your nose using DoubleAnimationUsingPath

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • R R Giskard Reventlov

                      Ryan Roberts wrote:

                      Partially for the same reason that washing powder is always "New and improved".

                      And yet it can't be both: it's either 'new' or it's 'improved'. :-)

                      home
                      tastier than delicious

                      D Offline
                      D Offline
                      Douglas Troy
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #10

                      [let's see how many of you old folks get this reference] New Shimmer! It's a floor wax AND a dessert topping!


                      :..::. Douglas H. Troy ::..
                      Bad Astronomy |VCF|wxWidgets|WTL

                      K 1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • P Pete OHanlon

                        The redesign of the GUI was prompted by the vast majority of feature requests being for features that they had already implemented. The idea was to try and make it more intuitive - so, if you were editing a table and you wanted to insert a row, the table context menus are supposed to make things more obvious. To be honest - for the most part I do like the new design. It takes a bit of getting used to, but I find that I can do things as quickly now as I used to (and in some cases quicker). Some of the features like the gallery are a definite improvement, and other features do feel like they need a little bit more work.

                        Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

                        M Offline
                        M Offline
                        martin_hughes
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #11

                        Pete O`Hanlon wrote:

                        other features do feel like they need a little bit more work.

                        Well, Pete, I'm sure Microsoft will be happy to oblige you with Office 2010 -the latest and greatest not-for-free service pack to the Office System :)

                        Me: Can you see the "up" arrow? User:Errr...ummm....no. Me: Can you see an arrow that points upwards? User: Oh yes, I see it now! -Excerpt from a support call taken by me, 08/31/2007

                        P 1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • P Phil Martin

                          Albert Jann wrote:

                          he subsequent version MS right away change it to some MS sick minded programmers mind/style

                          I think that might be the source of much consternation. In general I like using software written by programmers. I'm adeveloper, so I think like one, so software created by a like minded fellow is generally pretty easy to use. Give that same UI to a landscape architect, and they would probably not be too happy about it. This is all speculation, but the UI's are probably no longer being designed by programmers, but in recent history being designed by actual deisgners, and UI focus groups, and HIC specialists. Office's target audience is office profressionals, but an unfortunately huge and gigantic user base using previous versions of office. Office hasn't had a real UI change since Office 97 (probably earlier). Toolbars have been tweaked, a side bar got added in Office 2003, but in over 10 years, it is still the same UI. Perhaps after all the design effort that went in to the ribbon, they found users had a much lower learning curve, or after a short period of retraining, existing users were 5% more efficient. Who knows? One thing I do know is a drastic UI change every 5 to 10 years I think is perfectly okay. Heck every year, which is lightning for Microsoft, would be manageable. And yes, I like the new ribbon :) It reminds me of Maya's interface. - Phil

                          P Offline
                          P Offline
                          Pete OHanlon
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #12

                          Phil Martin... wrote:

                          It reminds me of Maya's interface

                          Now if only it had the space activated hotbox and shelves.

                          Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

                          E P 2 Replies Last reply
                          0
                          • M martin_hughes

                            Pete O`Hanlon wrote:

                            other features do feel like they need a little bit more work.

                            Well, Pete, I'm sure Microsoft will be happy to oblige you with Office 2010 -the latest and greatest not-for-free service pack to the Office System :)

                            Me: Can you see the "up" arrow? User:Errr...ummm....no. Me: Can you see an arrow that points upwards? User: Oh yes, I see it now! -Excerpt from a support call taken by me, 08/31/2007

                            P Offline
                            P Offline
                            Pete OHanlon
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #13

                            martin_hughes wrote:

                            Well, Pete, I'm sure Microsoft will be happy to oblige you with Office 2010 -the latest and greatest not-for-free service pack to the Office System

                            Aahh yes. However, as I get it through the MSDN anyway, I'm not that upset.

                            Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

                            M 1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • P Pete OHanlon

                              martin_hughes wrote:

                              Well, Pete, I'm sure Microsoft will be happy to oblige you with Office 2010 -the latest and greatest not-for-free service pack to the Office System

                              Aahh yes. However, as I get it through the MSDN anyway, I'm not that upset.

                              Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

                              M Offline
                              M Offline
                              martin_hughes
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #14

                              Well, Pete, I'm sure Microsoft will be happy to oblige you with the all new MSDN Upset Guaranteed Edition coming to a subscription service near you soon! :)

                              Me: Can you see the "up" arrow? User:Errr...ummm....no. Me: Can you see an arrow that points upwards? User: Oh yes, I see it now! -Excerpt from a support call taken by me, 08/31/2007

                              P 1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • P Pete OHanlon

                                Phil Martin... wrote:

                                It reminds me of Maya's interface

                                Now if only it had the space activated hotbox and shelves.

                                Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

                                P Offline
                                P Offline
                                Phil Martin
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #15

                                Now the hotbox would be great, and other marking menus. But the shelves is what the ribbon reminds me the most of. Each group is similar to a shelf. It isn't the same I know, just in the same vein. Sigh, I miss Maya. - Phil

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • P Pete OHanlon

                                  Phil Martin... wrote:

                                  It reminds me of Maya's interface

                                  Now if only it had the space activated hotbox and shelves.

                                  Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

                                  E Offline
                                  E Offline
                                  El Corazon
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #16

                                  Pete O`Hanlon wrote:

                                  Now if only it had the space activated hotbox and shelves.

                                  That's not what I use Maya for... ;P

                                  _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • M martin_hughes

                                    Well, Pete, I'm sure Microsoft will be happy to oblige you with the all new MSDN Upset Guaranteed Edition coming to a subscription service near you soon! :)

                                    Me: Can you see the "up" arrow? User:Errr...ummm....no. Me: Can you see an arrow that points upwards? User: Oh yes, I see it now! -Excerpt from a support call taken by me, 08/31/2007

                                    P Offline
                                    P Offline
                                    Pete OHanlon
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #17

                                    martin_hughes wrote:

                                    MSDN Upset Guaranteed Edition

                                    I get that one. It's what happened when they downgraded my Visual Studio license to Professional.

                                    Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • A Albert Jann

                                      I don't understand why MS redesign/re-architecture their products GUI all the time (this includes new MSDN and MS office 2007 too - very inconvenient GUIs in my opinion). We are becoming use to some design/architecture but in the subsequent version MS right away change it to some MS sick minded programmers mind/style. Hey, this attitude should be stopped - what about just improving :suss:?

                                      R Offline
                                      R Offline
                                      RoswellNX
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #18

                                      And you forgot to mention Vista... It is a horrendous mess UI-wise with its "improved" dialog boxes that make you stop and stare whilst performing the most routine of tasks, such as file copy or save Roswell

                                      "Angelinos -- excuse me. There will be civility today."
                                      Antonio VillaRaigosa
                                      City Mayor, Los Angeles, CA

                                      A 1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • A Albert Jann

                                        I don't understand why MS redesign/re-architecture their products GUI all the time (this includes new MSDN and MS office 2007 too - very inconvenient GUIs in my opinion). We are becoming use to some design/architecture but in the subsequent version MS right away change it to some MS sick minded programmers mind/style. Hey, this attitude should be stopped - what about just improving :suss:?

                                        M Offline
                                        M Offline
                                        Marc Clifton
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #19

                                        I saw this video of some Microsoft guy demo'ing the new UI, and it definitely sold me. It seemed so much slicker and intuitive. Then I actually tried using it. Marc

                                        Thyme In The Country
                                        Interacx
                                        My Blog

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • R RoswellNX

                                          And you forgot to mention Vista... It is a horrendous mess UI-wise with its "improved" dialog boxes that make you stop and stare whilst performing the most routine of tasks, such as file copy or save Roswell

                                          "Angelinos -- excuse me. There will be civility today."
                                          Antonio VillaRaigosa
                                          City Mayor, Los Angeles, CA

                                          A Offline
                                          A Offline
                                          Andy Brummer
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #20

                                          Yeah, waiting for it to say how long it will take and then watch it finish before it can figure it out. :doh:


                                          This blanket smells like ham

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