Windows Vista Beta Screenshots
Remember, it's just a BETA. Microsoft is sure to make this look worse by the time it's released.
<a href='http://news.com.com/2300-1016_3-5805994-1.html' target='_blank'>http://news.com.com/2300-1016_3-5805994-1.html</a>
My feelings:
First picture: Oh, good, I was afraid I was going to have to see all the contents of my folders at one time. Fortunately, Microsoft made the icons big enough that it'll be limited to six. Whew. There goes that fear of "Noneedtoscrolldownitis". Now I'll be able to scroll and scroll... and scroll all day.
Second and Third pictures: Eh, the transparency is a cute feature, but I don't really think I'll enjoy it. I don't use transparency of that kind on Windows 2000, even though it's (partially) available. Personally, I find it distracting.
The haloing required on the lettering in the "Address" bar is ugly. What makes it worse is that the window underneath shines through, which could very well make typing things out hard to see. I really don't like the transparency.
What is with the buttons at the top right of the window (minimize, restore, close)? Why do they have a space on the right but no space on the top? That's distracting. Maybe I'm just obsessive compulsive.
Fourth picture: UGH. The return of the wasted space. I really, really loathe that XP menu. Small icons forever!
Personal beef: I also noticed this: "A redesigned Start Menu in Windows Vista lets users start typing the name of the application they wish to open." People forget where their programs are? How much time is saved by taking one's hand off the mouse, typing out a word, and then placing the hand back on the mouse to click the program name (as I assume is how this will work)? Users shouldn't be so disorganized that they can't sort their programs into appropriate directories.
Overall, this GUI is a minor improvement over the XP interface, but it's still not good. They fortunately got rid of the cartoony look, but they left too much of the bloated, overly large interface.
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I don't hate Microsoft, but I don't like Windows XP. I was hoping this new system would be a step away from Windows XP, but it seems like Microsoft actually likes their current operating system. I'm not a Linux/Mac fanboy.
<a href='http://news.com.com/2300-1016_3-5805994-1.html' target='_blank'>http://news.com.com/2300-1016_3-5805994-1.html</a>
My feelings:
First picture: Oh, good, I was afraid I was going to have to see all the contents of my folders at one time. Fortunately, Microsoft made the icons big enough that it'll be limited to six. Whew. There goes that fear of "Noneedtoscrolldownitis". Now I'll be able to scroll and scroll... and scroll all day.
Second and Third pictures: Eh, the transparency is a cute feature, but I don't really think I'll enjoy it. I don't use transparency of that kind on Windows 2000, even though it's (partially) available. Personally, I find it distracting.
The haloing required on the lettering in the "Address" bar is ugly. What makes it worse is that the window underneath shines through, which could very well make typing things out hard to see. I really don't like the transparency.
What is with the buttons at the top right of the window (minimize, restore, close)? Why do they have a space on the right but no space on the top? That's distracting. Maybe I'm just obsessive compulsive.
Fourth picture: UGH. The return of the wasted space. I really, really loathe that XP menu. Small icons forever!
Personal beef: I also noticed this: "A redesigned Start Menu in Windows Vista lets users start typing the name of the application they wish to open." People forget where their programs are? How much time is saved by taking one's hand off the mouse, typing out a word, and then placing the hand back on the mouse to click the program name (as I assume is how this will work)? Users shouldn't be so disorganized that they can't sort their programs into appropriate directories.
Overall, this GUI is a minor improvement over the XP interface, but it's still not good. They fortunately got rid of the cartoony look, but they left too much of the bloated, overly large interface.
---------
I don't hate Microsoft, but I don't like Windows XP. I was hoping this new system would be a step away from Windows XP, but it seems like Microsoft actually likes their current operating system. I'm not a Linux/Mac fanboy.
Comments
Oooohhh... that's actually very sexy. Thanks for the link!
I am pretty sure you can configure that in Vista since the same OS is also going to be used by businesses and corporations.
That's why I hate the current trend with computing. Everything must be made for the mainstream. And the mainstream is dumb so everything must be dumbed down. And they call that making it more user-friendly.
If a person is so frightened with megabytes and file extension, that person shouldn't be NEAR a computer in the first place.
Oh, and thanks to <a href='http://www.technudge.com/' target='_blank'>TechNudge</a> for alerting me to the screens.