Windows 8

Everyone seems to have an opinion about Windows 8 and most seem to hate it.  But one thing I've not seen mentioned in the IT press is the look and feel of the user interface (UI) they've given us on what's left of the desk top.

It's flat!  No more 3D window frames and controls.  It's not only hard to tell where the frame and controls (the 'chrome') ends and the actual document area begins, it's even hard to tell one window from another on a large screen with a bunch of open windows on the desk top.  And as for the flat scroll bars in Office 2013... huh?  Why?  You have to rummage around and try moving things to tell which is the button (the 'thumb') and which is scroll bar background.

The whole thing is aimed squarely at small screens - laptops and tablets - and users with only one app open at a time.  Microsoft have forgotten their core user base in a mad scramble to shout 'me too' in the tablet market.  Most people agree that tablets are great for tasks like emails, web browsing, looking at pictures - for consuming content, but they're b*&&~r all good for creating content - writing software, creating spreasheets, even typing letters is hard work with an on-screen keyboard. 

The computer market, like many others, is splitting into consumer and professional sections with different goals and methods (and budgets), and the sooner Microsoft get their heads around this idea the better.  They've foisted dozens of different 'editions' of Windows on us in the past: home, pro, server etc.  If ever there was a case for a new edition then the tablet and phone market place is it.

Date: October 2013   By: Mike Teare