Acmlm's Board - I3 Archive -- Microsoft Windows Vista Human Interface Guidelines -- New Reply

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Acmlm's Board - I3 Archive - Hardware / Software - Microsoft Windows Vista Human Interface Guidelines

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[quote=FreeDOS +]I first read the title... though it was a very good thing, finally trying to make Windows applications more sane. Boy was I wrong. They have a <a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/UxGuide/UXGuide/Resources/TopRules/TopRules.asp">condensed summary</a> that kind of explains everything, here's my view on it (note, it would probably be best if you read MS's page first, or read along it):

<h2>Rule 1: Force users into using Microsoft's choice of theme and font</h2>
AERO, AERO, AERO, AERO, AERO, AERO, *vocal cords break*
Well, it worked so well into making people think they're trendy with Luna and Trebuchet MS, didn't it?

<h2>Rule 2: Use screen-hogging dialogs that take up 1024x768 pixels</h2>
Macintosh did it all within a 512x384 screen, we can do better!

<h2>Rule 3: Use screen-hogging, resource-hogging translucency effects</h2>
Everybody loves to see their simple note-taking program with tons of eye-candy!

<h2>Rule 4: Use icons that are consistent with Vista, and people will believe Microsoft made the application</h2>
What's better than making people believe you didn't author an application, but the most monopolistic software company did!

<h2>Rule 5: Let's keep overly-ambigous dialogs for the sake of Windows 95 consistency!</h2>
Does the dialog make no sense if you simply slap OK|Cancel or Yes|No|Cancel on it? Then use it!

<h2>Rule 6: If you can't make a reasonable UI with properly-named menu and toolbar items, use an Aero-style Wizard!</h2>
Don't worry if the wizard is for the File|New command, users just love to waste time!

<h2>Rule 7: Make everything look like a web browser</h2>
Do you want to be snazzy? Add back and forward buttons even for applications without use for them!

<h2>Rule 8: Let users search for files anywhere</h2>
They won't even need to stop calculating to open a word processing document!

<h2>Rule 9: Everybody loves the andriod-like Microsoft tone</h2>
The more your users think you're a faceless developer, the more users won't care if your product sucks! Always assume your users are too stupid to read.

<h2>Rule 10: Keep using vague menu items that make no sense for the task at hand</h2>
Does your calculator need a <i>FIle</i> or <i>Edit</i> menu? No? Then put it in!

<h2>Rule 11: Everybody loves annoying virtual balloons</h2>
Just as much as they love web browsers without pop-up blocking!

<h2>Rule 12: Are your users making rumors about vapourware? Hurry up development and make it look pretty, no matter how unstable or buggy it is!</h2>
There's big profit in half-vapourware, after all![/quote]

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MathOnNapkins Posts: 922/1106	FreeDOS may have a point, but these are quite similar to the guidelines that I used to read about from Apple when I was trying to learn how to program on their OS (system 7.5 era). And I didn't have any problem with those guidelines. I have to disagree with the Wizard suggestion though. I HATE wizards and I hate Microsoft's love affair with them.
xpCynic Posts: 161/208	I'm actually using Windows Vista right now, and I read about this on Wikipedia. However, I'd like to argue against FreeDOS for a moment: Rule 1: You can still switch to Windows Classic, and they don't require signing on 3rd party thems (last time I checked). Rule 2: A lot of the redesigned dialogs can be resized, and ones that can't are under 640x480. Rule 3: here's what Notepad looks like on my computer. Translucency can be turned off, by the way. Rule 4: Bah. I read it and it didn't make much sense. Rule 5: Too tired to think of an argument. Rule 6: Well, some dialogs still don't make much sense, but most have been cleaned up by now. Rule 7: I guess they're going for making things easier to figure out (Back buttons in dialogs look like IE back button), but I did kind of like the old back buttons a little more, since I'm used to seeing them next to the "next" button. Rule 8: But doesn't searching speed up productivity and help you find and reorganize things? The virtual folders are a nice touch, I'd say. Rule 9: I don't actually notice an "android-like" tone. Most things are explained clearly like "show me all the files and folders I am sharing," and I read some of the help files which actually do have personality in them. Rule 10: It does seem weird to use a "file" menu if you think about it; they could change that but most people are used to seeing File. As a matter of fact, most menus are hidden by default unless you press Alt. Rule 11: they're actually making the balloons less annoying now, they fade out quietly by themselves and they don't pop up if you've got a game or something running fullscreen. Rule 12: No, they're working on bugs and stability, otherwise they wouldn't be letting people download and test Vista and send bug reports and such. A lot of annoying bugs I found in Beta 2 have been fixed at RC1, and the system is still very stable. Sorry if I sound like a snob who just wants to prove you wrong, but I think they're doing a decent job of improving the OS and the interface. That is all. You may now return to your regularly scheduled windows bashing ().
rm -rf / Posts: 22/25	I don't want my CPU power being spent drawing fancy buttons when it could be making my browser go faster. I use the "test 1" theme here. No fancy transparent pictures, just lines and text and very few pictures at all. And I really like it. It'd be cool if my computer looked like this.
neotransotaku Posts: 1788/1860	I just feel that Microsoft, Apple, or any OS with eyecandy is just taking advantage of the hardware available. CPU performance is all relative and in the grand scheme of things, most users won't see the difference. Of course, if it takes 1 minute for the explorer window to pop up or for notepad to start up on top of the line computer, then yeah...
Kailieann Posts: 537/808	"Perception is reality, and if your customers don't experience quality in your product throughout, they may conclude there is lack of quality everywhere." This, coming from Microsoft? I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
Ailure Posts: 2074/2602	Eh, I actually like the baloon thing compared to how programs do otherwise. Norton uses it's own solution on it, which is annoying. The last point seems to say that getting the GUI done is one of the most important things. Which might be true, but then sometimes the GUI is the simplest part of the application. I can't see devolopers spending majorority of the time on getting a button placed right.
FreeDOS + Posts: 997/1312	I first read the title... though it was a very good thing, finally trying to make Windows applications more sane. Boy was I wrong. They have a condensed summary that kind of explains everything, here's my view on it (note, it would probably be best if you read MS's page first, or read along it): Rule 1: Force users into using Microsoft's choice of theme and font AERO, AERO, AERO, AERO, AERO, AERO, vocal cords break Well, it worked so well into making people think they're trendy with Luna and Trebuchet MS, didn't it? Rule 2: Use screen-hogging dialogs that take up 1024x768 pixels Macintosh did it all within a 512x384 screen, we can do better! Rule 3: Use screen-hogging, resource-hogging translucency effects Everybody loves to see their simple note-taking program with tons of eye-candy! Rule 4: Use icons that are consistent with Vista, and people will believe Microsoft made the application What's better than making people believe you didn't author an application, but the most monopolistic software company did! Rule 5: Let's keep overly-ambigous dialogs for the sake of Windows 95 consistency! Does the dialog make no sense if you simply slap OK\|Cancel or Yes\|No\|Cancel on it? Then use it! Rule 6: If you can't make a reasonable UI with properly-named menu and toolbar items, use an Aero-style Wizard! Don't worry if the wizard is for the File\|New command, users just love to waste time! Rule 7: Make everything look like a web browser Do you want to be snazzy? Add back and forward buttons even for applications without use for them! Rule 8: Let users search for files anywhere They won't even need to stop calculating to open a word processing document! Rule 9: Everybody loves the andriod-like Microsoft tone The more your users think you're a faceless developer, the more users won't care if your product sucks! Always assume your users are too stupid to read. Rule 10: Keep using vague menu items that make no sense for the task at hand Does your calculator need a FIle or Edit menu? No? Then put it in! Rule 11: Everybody loves annoying virtual balloons Just as much as they love web browsers without pop-up blocking! Rule 12: Are your users making rumors about vapourware? Hurry up development and make it look pretty, no matter how unstable or buggy it is! There's big profit in half-vapourware, after all!

Acmlm's Board - I3 Archive - Hardware / Software - Microsoft Windows Vista Human Interface Guidelines

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