Windows 8 design to radically depart from Mac OS X Lion
Microsoft has started to leak details of its plans for the upcoming release of Windows 8, highlighting a very different design philosophy compared to Apple's existing Mac OS X Lion.
A new blog entry by Steven Sinofsky, Microsoft's president of its Windows Division, indicates that one key element of Windows 8 will take the new release in a very different direction than Apple's outline for Mac OS X.
Sinofsky detailed his thinking behind changes planned for Windows Explorer, which is roughly analogous to Mac OS X's Finder.
A history of Windows file browsing
The Windows file system manager originally appeared as "MS DOS Executive," which exposed DOS commands in a graphical environment with little similarity to the icon-centric Mac desktop.
As Windows began to grow in popularity, Microsoft created an embellished graphical representation of the file system with File Manager. Then, as web browsing became popular, Microsoft brought a browser-like interface to the file system, renaming File Manager as Windows Explorer, complete with a URL-like address bar and prominent back button.
Microsoft has incrementally incorporated Mac-like interface elements in Windows Explorer, with icon-centric file browsing that links documents to their preferred application. Particularly since the release of Mac OS X, Microsoft has incorporated a similar user environment focus that presents the user's documents, pictures, music and videos rather than just a raw window into the root file system.
Windows 8 Ribbonized
However, Microsoft's biggest changes in Windows 8 will be an Office-like Ribbon that presents all the major functions in a tall, window-wide control bar. This marks a radical change in thinking compared to Apple's increasingly minimalistic interface in the Finder, which limits the default buttons to a grouping of view options, a new sorting feature in Mac OS X Lion, a Quick View button, an Action button, and a search field.
Microsoft's Windows 8 Explorer presents 19 visible buttons in five categories, and that's just the Home tab. The Ribbon also supplies four other tabs, which function similar to the Mac's main Menu Bar. Sinofsky explains, "The Home tab is the heart of our new, much more streamlined Explorer experience. The commands that make up 84% of what customers do in Explorer are now all available on this one tab."
Microsoft's Office Ribbon design is so different from the Mac environment that the company had to create a hybrid version of Office for Mac to adapt portions of the Ribbon concept into a window that Mac users could relate to. Apple's own design for iWork similarly takes a very different design path to present a limited number of default toolbar buttons. along with a strip of contextual controls (contrasted below).
Outside of the graphical interface, Microsoft's design goals for Windows 8 also mark a new era of computing centered around mobile devices such as tablets. Existing Windows 7 apps won't run on future ARM-based tablets, but a new secondary environment of web-based apps will, something Microsoft hopes will enable Windows to remain relevant even as the conventional PC market has plateaued and begun to shrink globally.
Apple sandboxes the file system
Apple's design direction for Mac OS X has opted to incorporate a variety of design elements originally created for iPad, including a simplified, window-less Full Screen mode for apps; limited and simplified control buttons in toolbars; an increasing use of touchpad gestures; and a new security model that encapsulates apps and their documents in a private sandbox.
Apple's iOS originally appeared on the iPhone without any "file browser," and even the latest version works hard to avoid any exposure of the underlying file system, despite supporting document-centric apps like iWork. Apps on iOS simply can not present a global view of the underlying filesystem, because all they can see is their own sandbox.
Apple's iCloud similarly reduces the exposure of file system, replacing MobileMe's iDisk with a new Documents and Data feature that secures an app's files and data from access by malware while making the user's files (and any changes) easier to manage across various devices.
Future versions of Mac OS X will likely continue along the same path, focusing upon self contained apps that create files, rather than a wide open file system (and the security issues related with having any piece of user-level software capable of accessing or wiping out any files in the local user folder).
Apple has demonstrated a mechanism for Mac OS X and iCloud that will allow apps to access other files, but only with the explicit permission of the user, adding a new level of per-app security that goes beyond the last decade's user-level security permissions.
A new blog entry by Steven Sinofsky, Microsoft's president of its Windows Division, indicates that one key element of Windows 8 will take the new release in a very different direction than Apple's outline for Mac OS X.
Sinofsky detailed his thinking behind changes planned for Windows Explorer, which is roughly analogous to Mac OS X's Finder.
A history of Windows file browsing
The Windows file system manager originally appeared as "MS DOS Executive," which exposed DOS commands in a graphical environment with little similarity to the icon-centric Mac desktop.
As Windows began to grow in popularity, Microsoft created an embellished graphical representation of the file system with File Manager. Then, as web browsing became popular, Microsoft brought a browser-like interface to the file system, renaming File Manager as Windows Explorer, complete with a URL-like address bar and prominent back button.
Microsoft has incrementally incorporated Mac-like interface elements in Windows Explorer, with icon-centric file browsing that links documents to their preferred application. Particularly since the release of Mac OS X, Microsoft has incorporated a similar user environment focus that presents the user's documents, pictures, music and videos rather than just a raw window into the root file system.
Windows 8 Ribbonized
However, Microsoft's biggest changes in Windows 8 will be an Office-like Ribbon that presents all the major functions in a tall, window-wide control bar. This marks a radical change in thinking compared to Apple's increasingly minimalistic interface in the Finder, which limits the default buttons to a grouping of view options, a new sorting feature in Mac OS X Lion, a Quick View button, an Action button, and a search field.
Microsoft's Windows 8 Explorer presents 19 visible buttons in five categories, and that's just the Home tab. The Ribbon also supplies four other tabs, which function similar to the Mac's main Menu Bar. Sinofsky explains, "The Home tab is the heart of our new, much more streamlined Explorer experience. The commands that make up 84% of what customers do in Explorer are now all available on this one tab."
Microsoft's Office Ribbon design is so different from the Mac environment that the company had to create a hybrid version of Office for Mac to adapt portions of the Ribbon concept into a window that Mac users could relate to. Apple's own design for iWork similarly takes a very different design path to present a limited number of default toolbar buttons. along with a strip of contextual controls (contrasted below).
Outside of the graphical interface, Microsoft's design goals for Windows 8 also mark a new era of computing centered around mobile devices such as tablets. Existing Windows 7 apps won't run on future ARM-based tablets, but a new secondary environment of web-based apps will, something Microsoft hopes will enable Windows to remain relevant even as the conventional PC market has plateaued and begun to shrink globally.
Apple sandboxes the file system
Apple's design direction for Mac OS X has opted to incorporate a variety of design elements originally created for iPad, including a simplified, window-less Full Screen mode for apps; limited and simplified control buttons in toolbars; an increasing use of touchpad gestures; and a new security model that encapsulates apps and their documents in a private sandbox.
Apple's iOS originally appeared on the iPhone without any "file browser," and even the latest version works hard to avoid any exposure of the underlying file system, despite supporting document-centric apps like iWork. Apps on iOS simply can not present a global view of the underlying filesystem, because all they can see is their own sandbox.
Apple's iCloud similarly reduces the exposure of file system, replacing MobileMe's iDisk with a new Documents and Data feature that secures an app's files and data from access by malware while making the user's files (and any changes) easier to manage across various devices.
Future versions of Mac OS X will likely continue along the same path, focusing upon self contained apps that create files, rather than a wide open file system (and the security issues related with having any piece of user-level software capable of accessing or wiping out any files in the local user folder).
Apple has demonstrated a mechanism for Mac OS X and iCloud that will allow apps to access other files, but only with the explicit permission of the user, adding a new level of per-app security that goes beyond the last decade's user-level security permissions.
Comments
Not depart from Windows 7, depart from OS X.
I love the contrast in simplicity between iWork and Office.
Oh, and CultOfMac mentioned that the buttons on the new Windows Explorer, according to Microsoft's own research, will be used by less than 50% of users. And they're still putting them on there.
Oh, and CultOfMac mentioned that the buttons on the new Windows Explorer, according to Microsoft's own research, will be used by less than 50% of users. And they're still putting them on there.
Research on Windows 7 button usage contains no information about buttons they've added in Windows 8?
Shocking!
...but i guess that's okay. i don't use windoze--on any regular basis enough to matter.
Research on Windows 7 button usage contains no information about buttons they've added in Windows 8?
Shocking!
So what makes you think it's Windows 7 research?
also, im reading MS's article on this and they make a few mistakes. They say that vertical realestate is really important in modern computers yet they add a huge ribbon interface. prbably optomised for touch. They also note that the majority of people right click, some people use hotkeys and few people use the menubar of an app and yet theyre making that take up half the screen? very strange way theyre developing.
http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/winrg
It's amazing how Microsoft can take something really bad and make it worse.
So what makes you think it's Windows 7 research?
Because they say they're using Windows log data from millions of customers in the blog post.
Because they say they're using Windows log data from millions of customers in the blog post.
Oh, okay.
That's pretty stupid, isn't it? Windows 8 is in the hands of people who matter; why wouldn't they just track their usage of the interface they've pushed out to see just how terrible it is?
They're getting even closer to Windows RG:
http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/winrg
It's amazing how Microsoft can take something really bad and make it worse.
Wow... Awesome!!! LOL
Unfortunately, Windows 8 is an example of ribbon abuse.
- The whole "clipboard" section is unnecessary and adds to confusion. Although clipboard can be used to copy, delete, and move files and directories, using clipboard for file management is ambiguous and made redundant with "organization" section that immediately follows.
- What's the difference between "open" and "edit"?
- "Select" section is also after thought. If they care about usability, learn from how email clients handle selection and put checkbox next to each file and directory.
Ultimately, Explorer/Finder are supposed to do just one of two functions: (1) helping users organize and (2) helping users find stuff. Apple is moving towards the direction of nixing Finder altogether (on iOS, you don't worry about organizing files... it just works). But Microsoft is choosing to stay in the past.That's just god-awful.
...leaving a blazing pair of skid marks ending at a telephone pole.
That's just god-awful.
Hey, you're making it sound like a good thing.
What could be more awesome than a time-traveling DeLorean?
This is what Windows 8 is like:
I love the title.
Not depart from Windows 7, depart from OS X.
I love the contrast in simplicity between iWork and Office.
Oh, and CultOfMac mentioned that the buttons on the new Windows Explorer, according to Microsoft's own research, will be used by less than 50% of users. And they're still putting them on there.
I just enjoy the comparison between XP and Lion. Not really very fair
I just enjoy the comparison between XP and Lion. Not really very fair
You're right. XP should be compared to something from its time period.
Mac OS 10.0 beta.
Are Microsoft's UI designers asleep or just stupid?
That said, the Finder sucks too. Does anyone actually use any of those hideous looking mini-Cover Flow Arrange By views? Does anyone like them?
That said, the Finder sucks too. Does anyone actually use any of those hideous looking mini-Cover Flow Arrange By views? Does anyone like them?
That's the absolute stupidest thing about Lion. I CAN'T FREAKING SORT MY STUFF (other than alphabetically, which is how I have it by default, anyway) IF I WANTED TO. I CAN'T SEE ANY OF IT. I DON'T WANT TO SEE FIVE AT A TIME, I WANT TO SEE A WALL OF ICONS.
The rest is fine, though.
They say that vertical realestate is really important in modern computers yet they add a huge ribbon interface. prbably optomised for touch.
How? Does it come with a pencil sharpener for your fingers? What has that confused, icon-bloated window got to do with touch?
As predicted, Windows 8 only pays lipservice to touch with an HTML 5 widget layer. I guess they get to tick two spec boxes though.
McD