Windows 8.1 - The next great thing?
Windows 8 is a subject that is never far from my mind when doing any blog post, so today it was pretty nice to see the first look of Windows 8.1 drop.
Microsoft has always been the but of bad Usability jokes, and my biggest complaint was that Windows 8 felt like a really great idea, gone half way there. I shouldn't have been surprised as that is classic Microsoft. That is, put something out, get user feedback and then in the next release fix it.
I digress. This post really isn't a run through of all the latest features and my thoughts on them, partly because of time limitations, and partly because all first look videos are little more than marketing spin, so the reality will drop later when hands on tests start. But what is apparent is that Microsoft seems to have got maybe 80% of the way towards the vision that was Windows 8. Sure, a lot of these new features are window dressing, but window dressing is such an important part of UX (and functionality) that it cannot be overlooked. Moreover, it seems 8.1 is a strong step towards a genuinely satisfying OS for our times (just like 95 was twenty years ago). Most impressive of all is the holistic approach the design team seems to have taken. That is, rather than just tart up the apps or individual pieces, they seem to have pushed forward the experience in unison, seeing how to create a great experience as a whole package and not just 'pretty features on their own'.
But a negative must be given. One of my complains with Windows 8 is it's lack of relevance to the business world. Making the office more fun is a great idea and im sure it would boost productivity and worker satisfaction, but is this the way? Is a Modern UI designed for consumer enjoyment relevant for productivity? As I have written before, Microsoft should consider splitting the Windows OS into two. One 'tablet OS' similar to Phone OS, but, well, more tablet and consumer PC focused. Then Office OS, basically Windows 7 with a pleasing yet more work focused interface, possibly between Win 7 and 8. This could solve the current headache of Windows trying to be all things to all men, and increasingly being little to any.
One final thought, I for one am very keen to see what Jonny Ives does with iOS and OS-X now that he has full creative control. Could he pull a Steve Jobs of 2007 and deliver an updated OS that changes the world, doing that Windows 8 tried to be? Time will tell.
Microsoft has always been the but of bad Usability jokes, and my biggest complaint was that Windows 8 felt like a really great idea, gone half way there. I shouldn't have been surprised as that is classic Microsoft. That is, put something out, get user feedback and then in the next release fix it.
- 95 = ok
- 98 = great
- ME = DISASTER
- XP = God's gift to the PC
- Vista = DISASTER
- 7 = Great
- 8 = Disaster
- 8.1 = Great?
I digress. This post really isn't a run through of all the latest features and my thoughts on them, partly because of time limitations, and partly because all first look videos are little more than marketing spin, so the reality will drop later when hands on tests start. But what is apparent is that Microsoft seems to have got maybe 80% of the way towards the vision that was Windows 8. Sure, a lot of these new features are window dressing, but window dressing is such an important part of UX (and functionality) that it cannot be overlooked. Moreover, it seems 8.1 is a strong step towards a genuinely satisfying OS for our times (just like 95 was twenty years ago). Most impressive of all is the holistic approach the design team seems to have taken. That is, rather than just tart up the apps or individual pieces, they seem to have pushed forward the experience in unison, seeing how to create a great experience as a whole package and not just 'pretty features on their own'.
But a negative must be given. One of my complains with Windows 8 is it's lack of relevance to the business world. Making the office more fun is a great idea and im sure it would boost productivity and worker satisfaction, but is this the way? Is a Modern UI designed for consumer enjoyment relevant for productivity? As I have written before, Microsoft should consider splitting the Windows OS into two. One 'tablet OS' similar to Phone OS, but, well, more tablet and consumer PC focused. Then Office OS, basically Windows 7 with a pleasing yet more work focused interface, possibly between Win 7 and 8. This could solve the current headache of Windows trying to be all things to all men, and increasingly being little to any.
One final thought, I for one am very keen to see what Jonny Ives does with iOS and OS-X now that he has full creative control. Could he pull a Steve Jobs of 2007 and deliver an updated OS that changes the world, doing that Windows 8 tried to be? Time will tell.
Comments
Post a Comment