Longhorn
(got from MacNN)
Count the similarities!
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/longhorn_aero.asp
For one: the GUI is called Aero, rather than Aqua. Wind? Water? Heart! Ahahaha, Captain Planet?
They've also made the "My Computer" icon a harddrive, and iTunes-like icons for music or media or whatever. So terrible.
(If this belongs somewhere else for whatever reason? well, oops.)
Discuss.
Count the similarities!
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/longhorn_aero.asp
For one: the GUI is called Aero, rather than Aqua. Wind? Water? Heart! Ahahaha, Captain Planet?
They've also made the "My Computer" icon a harddrive, and iTunes-like icons for music or media or whatever. So terrible.
(If this belongs somewhere else for whatever reason? well, oops.)
Discuss.
Comments
There are no similarities with Longhorn and OS X as those icons have been around since the XP launch (they just might make it more consistent and cleaner looking). It seems to me that many Mac Zealots think that if it doesn't look like Windows 95, it's automatically an OS X copy. Stop it now you're just being silly. We are approaching 2004 and GUIs will become enhanced whether you like the design or not. And NO, they all aren't copying Apple. OS 9 was not so hot and nothing better than Win 2000 as far as GUI is concerned. But, I guess we all see something different.
I do like the look and feel so far. It's sort of like each window appears as a webpage but only drawing instantly. There's a lot of work to be done, but for an alpha build, it's not that bad at all. That sidebar is an option by the way. If you don't want to use it, you don't have to and you won't see it if it's not your thing. However, with wide screens becoming the norm and desktop real-estate becoming plentiful, a sidebar utility that's highly customizable may just come in handy without getting in the way at all.
This is why I like to use both platforms. Two different kinds of computers and two different OSs to play with. To me, the only 'dark side' out there is the 'either or' mindset.
It's cozy. I mean, that UI makes me feel warm and fuzzy. But I'm finding that I don't want to feel warm and fuzzy anymore than I wanted to have the desire to 'lick' my operating system. I don't hate it though...
However, with wide screens becoming the norm
I have to disagree with that. I have seen very few wide screen monitors on the PC side. When I was purchasing my monitor, I had to splurge for a 20" because every 17" or 19" I saw had the 5x4 aspect ratio. No thank you.
Andrew
I find it flashy and garish as it is now. Looks like it's aimed at the absolutely computer illiterate Windows users and the disabled. Like it promises to hold my hand and walk me through everything. That is an unappealing user-experience to me.
You know what it's like? It's like someone performing a cover song. When you perform a cover, you tend to adopt it to yourself, make it your own; let it play through you as you, and not as an exact replica of the artist's original work. Well, the Longhorn UI is kind of like that. Microsoft has obviously observed that Apple has had some success with Aqua. that users seem to like the glossy, glass like UI. So Microsoft is taking what Apple has learned and making it their own. This happens all the time, and is quite the form of flattery. I cringe every time people people bring this up, as if there is still some holy war raging between Apple and Microsoft.
As for the UI being friendly, well, most computer users are computer illiterate. Most of them want to be walked through all the steps. While that is unappealing to me as well, it isn't to the majority of consumers, most of which do not know as much as we do about their computers.
I also don't see how the Longhorn UI is great for disabled users. Maybe those with vision problems, as the title bars and text seem to be large. But beyond that, I'm not sure how, from those screenshots, we can ascertain how it is particularly suited to disabled users. I'm quite happy with Apple's 'Universal Access' tools, but admittedly, I've never looked at what Windows has to offer.