Would you use 'Touchscreen Mode'?

[ochhanz]

Hi all,

If there would be a mode for windows 10 similar to tablet mode but instead is more focused on using the touchscreen together with the keyboard and is more focused on multitasking than tablet mode is, would you use it?

So e.g. 'Touchscreen Mode' compared to 'Tablet Mode':
- windows won't be full screen automatically.
- desktop would still be accessible.
- bigger or perhaps broader icons for hide/maximize/minimize/close windows icons.

Same as tablet mode:
- apps can be swiped down to close in tab viewer (is that the right name?).
- more space between icons & bigger icons in explorer.

Some other changes for both modes:
- a bit more difficult to accidentally move away folder or files when scrolling in explorer)

If there would be a such a touchscreen mode or the current tablet mode will be altered, what would you like to see in it?

 

[DOGC_Kyle]

Some parts of the UI do this automatically (like all right-click context menus). Office has a touch mode exactly as you're describing as well, but not many other apps.


I personally don't think this is a good approach though.
It is better to design the UI for ALL input forms from the start. Doing changes that only cater to a specific use case is bad design IMO. It would lead to inconsistency in both quality and usability.

Tiny buttons are hard for mouse users too - there should be a minimum size for all controls. The default XAML button size is perfectly acceptable for touch and mouse, and also works well with MR and controller/remote on a TV.

Right-click menu works fine in its current state (spacing varies depending on whether it was launched from mouse or touch) but I think a better approach would be a sort of radial menu (like what OneNote used to have). This is easier to use with touch, reduces the distance a mouse cursor needs to travel, works really well with Xbox or MR controller, and works well with simple directional controls (keyboard or remote).

Window controls are slightly unintuitive for touch users right now, but I think it'd actually be best to eliminate the close gesture (swipe down), and keep the close button on-screen. It's hidden (there is no visual indication you can perform the gesture), you have to swipe very far down (otherwise it bounces back up), and it only works in tablet mode right now. If you try it on any other full-screen window, it only switches away from full-screen, which in inconsistent and jarring.
The close button doesn't "feel" as nice as swiping down, but it's predictable: you know exactly what it will do every time, and there's no minimum distance you have to do it. The close button is so well known, I don't think there's anything wrong with it. And of course it would need a minimum size, as with all controls, but I think the current size isn't too bad.
The close button works well across mouse, touch, and MR. Keyboard has the dedicated Alt+F4 which does the same thing.
Controller is one area where it doesn't work - but was that ever an issue? Since Xbox only does one app at a time, and that app is always full-screen (meaning you NEED to leave an app to go to another one), the need to close apps is not as significant as desktop, where apps will always stay on the screen or taskbar. Same thing with mobile.

The explorer thing is super annoying right now, but I imagine that File Explorer will soon receive a XAML redesign which would fix that issue. As I said, better to design it for all input forms from the start. No point in redesigning an old app when it's unusable with anything other than a mouse (maybe keyboard, but the ribbon isn't great for that either).

 

[Kevin Rush]

I use touch screen "tablet" mode all the time on my SurfacePro. It's easy.
Best Wishes

 

[ochhanz]

@Kyle, good points, I personally prefer the swipe down gesture over the close button (since its relative small and stuffed away in a top edge which with me atleast is further away than eg the start button cause the screen is tilted). But the swipe as you say is not very handy for bigger screens nor does it work with tablet mode disabled.

@Kevin, on my venue tablet tablet mode is fine, but on my 15 inch convertible laptop I miss access to the desktop (and viewing the desktop in explorer by pinning it to the start menu is not ideal I think) and ofcourse the lack of multiple windows.