Alright, I have to ask: How many people, whether average consumers or tech users, actually
knew that Windows 8's left-edge swipe would cycle through apps, that left-edge swipe-and-back would bring up a recent app list with
only Modern apps or Desktop immediately after getting Windows 8? Was it absolutely clear to you guys that that was possible? Were all the other gestures easily discoverable and usable? Did anyone ever say, "Oh, move the mouse to the top left, then drag down, to show recent apps; that makes so much sense!" Or do we feel this all makes more sense than what Windows 10 is doing just because we don't want to "re-learn" a way of doing, ergo, because we are being forced to do it differently than what you're used to, it automatically sucks.
I know on my end, even with the tutorials Microsoft put for the gestures in 8.1, I'm
still showing people I know about the gestures for fast-switching apps, snapping apps, etc., because the gestures we learned to love is nowhere near discoverable to use, and only feels intuitive because
we learned it. But I digress, slightly.
When it comes to task switching here and now, Windows 8.1's system was as follows:
- Swipe from Left Edge; or Mouse Click from upper-left corner: Switch to last app, or cycle through apps. (1 or more gestures)
- Swipe from Left Edge, then Right, then Click; or Mouse to upper left, drag down, then click: Bring up a task list of only Modern apps or the Desktop, and click to move to that task. (3 gestures)
- Only Modern apps are shown individually; all desktop apps are only in Desktop.
Windows 10's Task View:
- Swipe from left edge, then click: See all running tasks, and move to another task. (2 Gestures)
- Click Task View on Taskbar, click: Same as above. (2 gestures).
- UWP/Modern Apps and Legacy Desktop Apps are all shown equally in Task View.
Comparing the 8.1 vs 10 ways, is 10 really that bad, people, or as unusable as everyone complains about? The only thing that I see, and feel using the preview, in the new way of task switching is it now takes me 2 gestures instead of just 1 to move to my last task. I think adding one more gesture to switch to last used task is well worth the effort for the benefits of W10's way of task switching.