I really hope this is where Microsoft is taking the Windows 9 Desktop

[Elitis]

Let's face it: pure live tiles are not working on multiple fronts. On the PC, the Modern/Metro UI doesn't work for devices that are not touch-enabled or for productivity. The desktop remains king on these fronts. On the other hand, on phones and tablets, live tiles are fine, but small live tiles serve no real purpose. They are no better than the static icons on other OS. In fact, small live tiles are static icons. We need a hybrid OS, because going full throttle in either direction is killing us. Small live tiles should just remain the original static icon (whether flat or 3D) we've come to know and love that is the hallmark of desktops. This should be for all devices, whether tablet, PC, or phone. If Microsoft does this, they can appeal to the broader audience on iOS and Android that simply don't like the Modern UI. The UI will no longer be entirely live tiles. Live tiles will be able to live beside static icons, just as widgets live alongside icons on Android. That is exactly what live tiles are in the first place: efficient widgets.

I think this concept explains what Microsoft should do a bit better. Also, excuse the Windows 7 taskbar. I wish the designer would have removed it:

Actually: These two concepts show how I'd like to see the desktop in Windows 9, even better than the first. The overall design of the first with the desktop live lives of the second would make a very appealing UI in my opinion. Really love the taskbar in the first. http://th02.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE...p___new_concept_by_danielskrzypon-d6x0ubo.png

http://th04.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/f/2014/028/d/e/windows_8_2_pro_by_nik255-d6aykno.png

 

[Laura Knotek]

That looks nice.
Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 using Tapatalk

 

[gedzum]

I think I tried that rainmeter skin one time. It was decent. I agree, I think they need to refine and integrate the two environments (metro/traditional desktop) a bit better. Switching between the two feels a bit cumbersome at times. Overall though, I like the functionality of some of the metro elements combined with the traditional desktop. Just needs more refining of the blend.

 

[smoledman]

That start screen looks like an abortion of an Android/OS X nightmare. No thanks. I want a nice, clean Windows desktop with my Gadgets and icons.

 

[Ashalinia]

Yeah, getting rid of the taskbar is a no-no.

Also, not all small tiles are static.

 

[stephen_az]

Let's face it: pure live tiles are not working on multiple fronts. On the PC, the Modern/Metro UI doesn't work for devices that are not touch-enabled or for productivity. The desktop remains king on these fronts. On the other hand, on phones and tablets, live tiles are fine, but small live tiles serve no real purpose. They are no better than the static icons on other OS. In fact, small live tiles are static icons. We need a hybrid OS, because going full throttle in either direction is killing us. Small live tiles should just remain the original static icon (whether flat or 3D) we've come to know and love that is the hallmark of desktops. This should be for all devices, whether tablet, PC, or phone. If Microsoft does this, they can appeal to the broader audience on iOS and Android that simply don't like the Modern UI. The UI will no longer be entirely live tiles. Live tiles will be able to live beside static icons, just as widgets live alongside icons on Android. That is exactly what live tiles are in the first place: efficient widgets.

I think this concept explains what Microsoft should do a bit better. Also, excuse the Windows 7 taskbar. I wish the designer would have removed it: View attachment 71264

Sorry but if I wanted something like this I would buy an android tablet and add an OSX clone skin. That is the most cluttered and distracting fantasy desktop I have seen to date. It would actually succeed in getting me to consider a Mac since at least that GUI is consistent,

 

[Elitis]

Sorry guys, I didn't mean exactly like the image. The main thing I wanted to point out were the live tiles on the desktop as a replacement for widgets (or gadgets or whatever they were called in 7). I do agree it's a bit cluttered, and the live tiles should have color instead of being transparent.

The main thing that needs to happen is they need to get rid of the two separate environments. The desktop, in general, is fine for touch. The cluttered multi-click menus need the overhaul. They need to refine the menus a bit. Metro, plain and simply, needs to go. The desktop isn't too bad for touch, but Metro is awful for mouse-and-keyboard users.

 

[gedzum]

Yeah that image isn't the best example. I have used that rainmeter skin and you can get a pretty minimalistic look if you would like. You can also customise each tile independently to look the way you like.

 

[Detectionable]

Forget hybrid rubbish, give normal keyboard/mouse desktop users a normal desktop back, and give touch / tablet users that hideous mess that is Metro

It's a simple solution to a problem that people and MS have made into a complete joke

No-one complained about the normal start menu & desktop before MS released Win 8, now suddenly people have always hated the useless start menu

Sorry, but no you haven't - glory supporters or what

 

[SwimSwim]

First example looks like all the worst elements of the legacy desktop, Metro Start Screen and the OSX were all just shoved together to form a UI that actually manages to be more inconsistent, cluttered, bloated and ugly than TouchWiz. I'm actually amazed at how horrible it is...

The others look fine, I guess, but I also see nothing new in them.

 

[Geddeeee]

No... Just no!!!!

 

[SPIFF Costa]

I don't like live tiles on the desktop. I think the way they are going to go (live tiles on the start menu and windowed apps) is the way to go. I really like that.

 

[astondg]

Metro is awful for mouse-and-keyboard users

Forget hybrid rubbish, give normal keyboard/mouse desktop users a normal desktop back, and give touch / tablet users that hideous mess that is Metro

I strongly disagree with both of those. I like using metro in a 'desktop' sense and have no trouble using it with a keyboard and mouse. I definitely think they can keep refining the experience but I have no issue now switching back and forth between the two, especially when I have more than 1 monitor. I look forward to apps I use frequently being released in the Metro store so I can use them instead of the desktop apps I use now. That's not to say I don't use the desktop too, I do a lot because I'm a software dev and most of my tools are still in that space, but I definitely don't think Metro is rubbish or exclusive to tablets.

Things I like about Metro apps that work equally well with keyboard and mouse:
- They scale well in low and high DPI situations
- They have deep integration with the OS and between apps, using things like the Share charms
- They integrate with the W8 push notification system (which I think can still be improved upon)
- They work well with screen/audio sharing like PlayTo and Miracast
- The snap feature is easy to use and works really well in 98% of the cases where I want more than 1 app on the screen at a time (combined with the nice app scaling mentioned in my first point). Desktop Windows are still more 'powerful' in this regard but I don't think as easy to use

 

[Elitis]

I don't like live tiles on the desktop. I think the way they are going to go (live tiles on the start menu and windowed apps) is the way to go. I really like that.

I like the live tiles in the start menu idea. It looks nice, but it doesn't serve much purpose. Unless you're going to have the start menu open all the time, the benefit of live tiles is negated. Luckily, there are some rumors about gadgets coming back to Windows 9, so we just might see live tiles on the desktop.

 

[Elitis]

I strongly disagree with both of those. I like using metro in a 'desktop' sense and have no trouble using it with a keyboard and mouse. I definitely think they can keep refining the experience but I have no issue now switching back and forth between the two, especially when I have more than 1 monitor. I look forward to apps I use frequently being released in the Metro store so I can use them instead of the desktop apps I use now. That's not to say I don't use the desktop too, I do a lot because I'm a software dev and most of my tools are still in that space, but I definitely don't think Metro is rubbish or exclusive to tablets.

Things I like about Metro apps that work equally well with keyboard and mouse:
- They scale well in low and high DPI situations
- They have deep integration with the OS and between apps, using things like the Share charms
- They integrate with the W8 push notification system (which I think can still be improved upon)
- They work well with screen/audio sharing like PlayTo and Miracast
- The snap feature is easy to use and works really well in 98% of the cases where I want more than 1 app on the screen at a time (combined with the nice app scaling mentioned in my first point). Desktop Windows are still more 'powerful' in this regard but I don't think as easy to use

The big problem with the Modern UI for mouse-and-keyboard users is more of a aesthetic one. The size of the live tiles is really the problem. The cursor is relatively small. It's great for precision. Live tiles, in comparison, are large. They are perfect for fingers, because our fingers (on a touch screen) are not precise. Live tiles and cursors have conflicting natures. They work fine together, but there is definitely a better way of going about this. If I've got a 10px cursor, I don't need a 500px tile to click.

From a developer standpoint WinRT is too locked down. It's not good. Some of the Win32 programs that were created would not even be possible if WinRT existed prior to now. Thankfully, it'll be a long time before Microsoft can really get rid of the Desktop and force developers to use their locked down WinRT API.

 

[astondg]

If I've got a 10px cursor, I don't need a 500px tile to click.

No, you don't, but that '500px tile' is a lot more than just a click target. It's a window into the app, a way to get news and notifications from the app without needing to open it. I'd say that's more reason why it's 500px. As a touch target, people have minimal issue touching on screen keyboard keys which are much closer to the typical Explorer icon size that you would be happy using with a mouse.

From a developer standpoint WinRT is too locked down. It's not good. Some of the Win32 programs that were created would not even be possible if WinRT existed prior to now. Thankfully, it'll be a long time before Microsoft can really get rid of the Desktop and force developers to use their locked down WinRT API.

Firstly, yes, the WinRT API & platform is more restrictive (particularly in areas like background tasks). But that's why we still have the desktop environment, I'm definitely not suggesting it should go away. I'm saying both Desktop & Metro are perfectly usable in a 'desktop' scenario, with keyboard & mouse, and can co-exist nicely. You said Metro is awful and needs to go away, I don't think that's true at all.

Secondly, Metro also offers a lot of stuff for much less cost than you would have in a Windows desktop app. For example push notifications and sharing. I'm a developer, I've built apps for Windows desktop and for WinRT and, while it can be a different way of thinking, you can often achieve exactly the same outcome on both platforms. This is especially true if you leverage things like Azure Mobile Services. WinRT is still maturing, I'm sure more APIs and features will come in the future to fill some of those gaps as well. If Microsoft can release the Office suite for WinRT then I think that's a big step forward for getting other apps across. (But again, I'm not suggesting there's no need for the Desktop environment).

EDIT: Btw I like the look & feel of your 2nd screenshot. I also think a nice, minimal, approach to 'widgets' on the desktop still have a place. Some of the rainmeter stuff is nice and if they could integrated with the Metro apps (like a music widget that integrates with Xbox Music) then that would be cool. I wouldn't want to recreate live tiles on the desktop though.

 

[Brandon Tobias]

i agree with the image above MS needs to flatten the UI more on the desktop to match metro.
that is Flat icons (white, light grey, Dark grey/black, coloured when needed). bounded by coloured elements of the UI boxes frames etc.
Revamp the Font for a cleaner look.
Windows Explorer needs a more minimalist look either rework the ribbon or get rid of it.

This is MS should do look at the images below


***
***
***


***
***



I love all to some extent, those with *** I like the most for MS to Implement.

See flat beautiful and would look good with windowed metro apps next to them on the desktop as well as flipping to a start screen would not be so jarring as the UI will now be harmonious.

 

[Brandon Tobias]

No, you don't, but that '500px tile' is a lot more than just a click target. It's a window into the app, a way to get news and notifications from the app without needing to open it. I'd say that's more reason why it's 500px. As a touch target, people have minimal issue touching on screen keyboard keys which are much closer to the typical Explorer icon size that you would be happy using with a mouse.



Firstly, yes, the WinRT API & platform is more restrictive (particularly in areas like background tasks). But that's why we still have the desktop environment, I'm definitely not suggesting it should go away. I'm saying both Desktop & Metro are perfectly usable in a 'desktop' scenario, with keyboard & mouse, and can co-exist nicely. You said Metro is awful and needs to go away, I don't think that's true at all.

Secondly, Metro also offers a lot of stuff for much less cost than you would have in a Windows desktop app. For example push notifications and sharing. I'm a developer, I've built apps for Windows desktop and for WinRT and, while it can be a different way of thinking, you can often achieve exactly the same outcome on both platforms. This is especially true if you leverage things like Azure Mobile Services. WinRT is still maturing, I'm sure more APIs and features will come in the future to fill some of those gaps as well. If Microsoft can release the Office suite for WinRT then I think that's a big step forward for getting other apps across. (But again, I'm not suggesting there's no need for the Desktop environment).

EDIT: Btw I like the look & feel of your 2nd screenshot. I also think a nice, minimal, approach to 'widgets' on the desktop still have a place. Some of the rainmeter stuff is nice and if they could integrated with the Metro apps (like a music widget that integrates with Xbox Music) then that would be cool. I wouldn't want to recreate live tiles on the desktop though.

Actually i agree with you but we can get rid of the desktop much faster than you think if Microsoft made the WIN RT API able to run in the background like regular apps as well as make API's that's very much similar to win 32/64 bit desktop apps that are more efficient while keeping RT stuff like sharing, location, notifications etc.

WIN RT will replace the desktop just not so soon it needs to mature, become more efficient, get more API's/functionality and the UI needs to evolve a bit more to Maximize space. when this happens i think windows phone will also get apps that can run in the background without killing windows phones excellent battery life. that and our dependence on flash has stopped lol.

 

[sd173]

I like Jay Machalani's concepts (Jay Machalani's Windows 8.2 concept - this is something you don't want to miss | Windows Phone Central) and the screenshot they showed at build 2014 the best. Some of his screenshots were used in the 17th post in this thread.