When Microsoft releases Windows 10 later this year, it will come with a new design language which has slowly been uncovered with the latest builds of Windows 10 for phones. One member of the Windows community has put together a massive guide that shows the transitions from Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8.1 to both Windows 10 and Windows 10 for phones.
While the appearance is still decidedly Metro, it all feels a lot more dark Material Design-ish.
I still don’t understand the need to reinvent Windows 95 HIG.
It was, I dare say it, perfect, because everything you saw on the screen was instantly unambiguous, understandable and clear.
Today, most websites and applications lean towards having the UI which you don’t freaking understand. What’s selected/clicked and what’s unselected/unclicked? What’s active and what’s passive? What is clickable/button and what’s a mere caption?
Why in year 1997 while browsing the web I could easily see the links and nowadays most websites have links which look like the rest of the text on the webpage? God, please rid us of modern web/application “designers”. Most of them should be fired right away.
Just compare this http://blog.codinghorror.com/content/images/uploads/2007/01/6a0120a… with modern Android/iOS/Windows 8 UI. Any dumb*ss will instantly understand how to wield this thing unlike “modern”, “intuitive”, “logical” UIs.
Edited 2015-04-21 19:08 UTC
I agree 90%. I reserve 10% because of the horrible memories I have of dealing with dialog like that. The whole computer will crash if you hit the configuration button and kill your dog.
Completely changing the look and feel tells me: Hey someone thought about this enough to change it. Maybe it won’t kill your dog!
I am looking it all specially in the phone context so I specifically compared WP8.1 vs WP10 so my opinion might be a bit biased. Anyhow, while some colorfulness is welcome in WP10, the fact that some items lose their crisp contrast is not good. The buttons with black background and sharp edge and text is very good in WP8.1. Phone is used in all sorts of light conditions and it is really good and clear to see the button in all environments. The WP10 gray button background reduces the contrast and might make it harder to read whats on the button.
Then again, the toggle buttons with colored background in WP8.1 is better compared to WP10. It is really easy to see whether toggle is enabled or not. Now in WP10 however the border only gets colored and button marker moves while the background remains black. It might introduce ambiguity.
About thinner sliders… will see how it will feel and work.
Anyway I really like the grandma style in WP8.1 it really works well in every condition and I am satisfied with my Windows Phone. Part of me is eager to try WP10 but other part is afraid of the small but important usability issues. Will see.
I think it is time we fire all UI designers, they are only taking things downhill now, and making changes just to make changes.
It was a good run, but it is time they stop..
While in return Material Design feels quite Metro-ish.
They all copy each other, and it’s a good thing. I’d call it cross-pollination.
…I never liked Metro in the first place (because I don’t like flat things), but at least it’s an improvement. The darker hues will be a lot easier on the eyes when looking at, for instance, the damn Outlook 2016 UI. Those who have to work constantly for long hours with Windows or Microsoft software in general will know exactly what I’m talking about. And no, skinning is not an option for corporate environments, so installing some app to skin things ain’t gonna cut it.
Also, I agree with the other commenter, the current GUI designer for Windows needs to be taken out back and shot, or at the very least, fired from his job and never allowed to design anything again, especially computer-related. The current hodgepodge of extremely ugly icons (which look like they were drawn by a 3 year old), bright as fuck dialog boxes (maybe the designer has a shitty monitor with screwed up brightness levels) and missing basic UI elements is making a real bloody mess trying to work with the O.S.
Considering how Material Design can be seen as the denied bastard child of Metro… This is a bit regressive somehow. 🙁
It is revealing that they try to make up new words to sell this nonsense.
This has nothing to do with ‘language’. It is something that has been simply called ‘style’ or ‘theme’ for ages. To condescendingly call it a ‘design language’ now, does not make it any more palatable.
That’s what they teach them to do in design school.
I too think Metro is an awful approach, both from a stylistic and usability stand points. However, “Design Language” is most definitively not a recently coined or made up term. You seem to be mixing your oranges (dislike for a specific product) with your apples (ignorance of the terminology), perhaps.
It should be called MFR: More Flat Rectangles.
That’s what UI design has come to.
Seems like some design wankers are voting down comments that disparage the holy church of modern design.
“These things are uuugly”.
WTF gui componen gallery presented in the most pain-in-the-ass way possible. Please take a moment to meditate on how meta that is.