Multiple platform design based on
Windows OS
Multi-platform design is a popular direction for
modern application development. A concept that arose with the popularization of
multiple mobile devices like mobile phone, tablets and phablets is based on an
idea, that systems and software should be written in such manner that it will
work and look nicely on different types of machines, screen sizes and input
types.
As the idea started with only the mobile devices,
which was easier, because software for mobile phones and tablets were similar,
it recently started to include all types of computers as well. In the last few
years we could notice, that even the big companies like Microsoft started to
use the multi-platform design for their leading projects - and that's, for
example, why windows 8 and 10 appeared.
People argue whether the new direction is good for the
users or not. When Windows 8 appeared, users encountered first big changes in
how the new OS was meant to be used. While a strong complain could be noticed
concerning the lack of start menu or the appearance of colorful tiled menu, the
changes stayed and further developed
into Windows 8.1 patch.
Photo: mobileopportunity.blogspot.com
The OS
evolved with each patch and so did the users. People started to see advantages
of new, easily distinguishable icons and of new, better "search"
functionality. The possibility of typing in the application's name instead of
trying to find it manually in multiple "start menu" sub-windows
became a powerful tool in hands of not only the professionals, but also the
casual users.
Focus on casuals
An import target connected with modern application
development is the ease of use for casuals. As the technologies popularized,
more and more non-experienced users are buying laptops, mobiles and tablets and
it is important for the software and OS to be intuitive even for a person that
never used them before. There is a strong focus on meaningful icon creation, on
gesture recognition (apps controlled by simple mouse/finger moves) and
readability of the settings menus.
It is important to notice that casual direction,
because Windows 10 shows us even more casual oriented changes. As it was
recently mentioned, the main settings panel will be disabled and its place will
be taken by more visual, simpler to use menu. Additionally, the tiled menu is
being further developed, but connected with the old, well known start menu. It
will be even easier to share our settings between our devices.
Photo: Microsoft commercial materials
As many of us are IT people, it is important to ask
ourselves if the new direction is really good for us.
How does the casual focus affect our development
process?
Are the new menus really better than the old ones? Why
did the "start menu" come back?
Idiot proof? Imposible!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.quickmeme.com/img/a2/a2b6ee2e88362e517aedaa029e43947e2cc1ca2454fdec0904df41b46108f66f.jpg
The idea is good. Systems shouldn't contain more and more functions, with we never use. We should seek more simple solutions. Especially when not only IT guys are using computers. Maybe multiplatform design is good.... maybe even great. It can be genius, but I'm still on windows 7 :)
Yes! 'Search' on new system is great, but...
Windows 8 and 10 too much reminds me of phones with windows, and I hate these phones!
Is it just prejudice? Maybe these phones aren't so bad?
If you want to be Multiplatform then you have to be sure that the system is good for every platfom, and I don't see it in case of Windows.
For me, Windows on phones is like Android on PC
It is however just one of the first steps in the real multiplatform development and for many companies these days it's like a huge leap. The ideas are just being tested and some solutions used for example during win10 and win8 development turned out to be good, other turned to be bad. They're testing them in order to achieve something well designed at the end.
DeleteI'm using windows 8 on my laptop and 2 tablets and I consider the connection between the devices, followed but a joining account, a great thing. You can synchronise things easily, share files, your contacts and stuff. It's just important to read about what these systems are providing and learn to use these things - in time you can see, that many applications that you never even considered as useful are of great used when you can share their results between account-connected devices.
Microsoft is going for the mind to the head. Apple this way did from very beginning, when the iPhone, iPad, Mac came into existence. It’s a good move. It will be easier for programmers to programme. Sceptically I am turned to graphical user interface. I think that interface's should be adapted for the device, but aren’t standardized. As the same as on Mac. The system is based on the same base. For programmers it’s easier to create the code and the best programmes.
ReplyDeleteI fully agree with you. Microsoft is going in the right direction but as we known this brand, we will wait a few years (and by the way the Windows version) to show completely universal Windows. So by that time I stay under the sign of Apple.
DeleteFor me this new form of interface is less comfortable. I prefer good old desktop with icons. I'm glad that the windows 10 returned to this scheme. I don't see any advantages to use multi-platform desing on PC.
ReplyDeleteFor main UI I also prefer the old, standard schemes. That's why on my pc I have Win 7 installed, cause it's more convenient for me to work on it. I always liked the icons, as when I have a lot of applications and files, it's difficult for me to organise them in the Win 8 style menu. Yeah, you can group them and colors are probably great (or they were meant to) but for me it's mess. It's difficult for me to browse through a bigger list of files on Win 8 using the start screen.
DeleteSystems are becoming more and more simple, I personally see it as good thing, because more people can get familiar with them and more easily find the thing they're looking for, instead of asking somebody to solve as easy tasks as installing application or anything.
ReplyDeleteI didn't like what Microsoft did with Windows 8, it was a disaster. Then they corrected their mistake in Windows 8.1, and restored beloved menu in Windows 10. For now, I think W10 is what W8 should be from the beginning.
Most PC users are not IT specialists, so it's no surprise that the systems become more and more "casual". I don't think that is bad, because - for one thing - we will adapt, and the common users will increasingly enjoy experiencing technology.
ReplyDeleteIt is however a problem for me that the experiences functions are more and more hidden in these user friendly systems. Whenever you want to find some more advanced system settings they are more and more hidden behind the friendly layer and you often need to google out something that in previous system editions were easily accessable in the control panel.
DeleteThe system must be simple to users. I am happy the Microsoft return to an older version scheme. This is good for all users.
ReplyDeleteI think that Windows 10 is merging a good things from the older version of Windows with simplicity. For me it's comfortable to use it and I don't have a problem with new interface. Microsoft is trying to catch up others IT gigants.
ReplyDeleteThe changes are an inseparable part of the development of technology. People very often first complain about something just because they must again learn how to use particular device. However, I think that in majority of cases the introduced changes have sense, especially in the long-term.
ReplyDeleteAll interfaces are going way of simplicity. It is just normal if you want sell as many as possible of your devices. Nowadays, computers, tablets, smartphones are big part of our lives and number of users grew up. That is the main reason why interfaces become more and more simply for 'normal user'. Not everyone is so smart as you. Normal user want use only intuition, not brain, to control his devices.
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ReplyDeleteSimplicity is always good if we talking about interfaces. After the recent defeats, they have done a good move.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, they still need to improve Windows OS for smartphones and I will be pleased :)
Interfaces becoming simpler is a good thing. Not everyone is an IT specialist or even everyday computer user. Removing the start button was a mistake and a lot of people complained about it so thats probably why it is back.
ReplyDeleteIn the past every casual user needed to know some computer pro to fix any problem with the computer or even install the system. It's much easier these days, the systems are intuitive, there are many 'wizards' that help users.
DeleteYeah, simplicity. Which MS apparently sees as, "Hey, see this cool phone? Let's make PCs the same way". Yet nobody noticed that barely any desktop PC or a laptop sports a touch-screen. Clicking on that stuff feels like poking a tablet with a stick. Who cares, let's make everything touchable.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't even get me started on this "flat" excuse for a theme they created.
Real buttons have curves.
Period.
I don’t like new Windows designs as they are not intuitive. However, developing multiple platform app seems interesting so I have to read up on it. I prefer Unix systems because they seems to me to be better designed. Also, I don’t like Microsoft market policy as they gather too much information about users.
ReplyDeleteI think the "Start" menu came back because users were very familiar with and too used to this. Microsoft threw it away entirely, with Windows 8, introducing new, fullscreen menu, which was too unexpected and a huge shock. For me, this new menu was very confusing and I had to install a program imitating classic "Start" menu. Only then I felt safe and could carry on working. After that, I never had to (or wanted for that matter) use that new tile-like, fullscreen and, in the end, useless menu.
ReplyDeleteFunny thing about start button is that it partially came back, because people complained a lot about its missing. It was however proven that many of these complaining people turned to new searching mode and then it was difficult for them to come back to standard "start" version.
DeleteAnd yes, I hate all these fullscreen modes and screen splitting kind of stuff (its central and side parts), never figured out its real usability.
I'm seeing the same problem. We programers are the power users and we like to have many many options to toggle. When Microsoft is going to simplify everything even settings app we won't have so many options like before. Operating system will have some features cut off and won't be so feature rich like we love it. Apps which should be be made cross platform/universal these are consumer apps and I mean it they should be made like that but apps like setting should be made for power users like us.
ReplyDeleteAbout start menu. New menu in windows 8 wasn't a problem for me it was working as it should and I can't say it was bad because it has tiles... But I think people should have option to choose so the new approach in Windows 10 is better because you can choose if you want full screen start menu or not.
I have to admit that the origins of the use of Windows 8 were for me very difficult, but the differences in use were evident. It took some time before I got used to using this software, but the benefits were enormous, which tempted me to use the next, improved version. Windows 10 right away to my liking, but after a while began to annoy me some shortcomings. I do not think I can say that the typical menu was better because it is all a matter of habit, but I miss him and I think most people have already forgotten about its existence.
ReplyDelete