Windows 8 Concept Start Menu On Surface Pro 2

[Daylife]

This is pretty amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ8ilQbc6EU&feature=c4-overview&list=UURzfYlV46qPB4raAQRoVaVA

 

[smoheath]

Holy cow. That's awesome. If it were faster it would be even better.

 

[MBytes]

This is not very good.

The idea and concept is very nice. Full respect to the creator. GUI design is extremely challenging, and it's really a full team of people working for years.
Like the Windows 8 Metro language.. started with the Microsoft Zune... it's the several evolution of it that we are experiencing now. Is it perfect? No, of course not. Much like Windows 95. It took time, but don't expect a fix soon, unless Microsoft is very lucky, and just gets a nice design. They are for sure going to try.

Anyway, here is what is wrong with the GUI.
- I already done the prototype side bar Start Menu, and people thought it was stupid (it looks like the one in the video, but had the look of the wireless network panel, but obviously to the left side, with the search box at the bottom, and an (->) button to go to the the Start Screen)), and people did care about it, and said it wasn't good. They wanted the Start Menu, and I was just told to make a Start menu, which I refused to do, because they are bunch of them out, and I don't agree with the Start Menu. I think the Start Screen is vastly superior. While I do like Windows 8, the prototype idea was just to experience and see people opinions on the design. So clearly, people want the Start Menu and nothing else.

- As expressed on my prototype when I explained it ('cause I am critical of my own things), much like you can see on the one above, you have less items being displayed than the Start Menu, which was a genuine complaint that people had when they gave the prototype a try (or looks at screen shots). The Start Screen works, as it's full screen

- Transitions and animations takes too much time. I am not watching a movie, I am using a system.

- The bottom highlight on the Task bar is wasted space. It means that your working area is less for nothing. Some people do more than Facebooking.

- The Start Screen switch is too slow. It looks like modes to switch in between. If someone switch by accident, then what the heck happened? Where is the desktop? Where is anything? How do I get back? Or, even, the reverse holds true. Why should I switch. I want desktop and modern UI apps full screen.

- The current design goes against Metro UI language in many levels. Metro UI deisgn is supposed to be flat and simple. Here we have glass effect, mixed with margins on panels, which is simply not following the Metro UI language properly.

So, in conclusions. Impressive work. I would definitely, most likely hire this guy for his original ideas, effort and dedications, but the idea in practice, is not very good.

People reaction to this, is the same as Windows 8. Everyone was amazed by Win8 directions at first. But when the OS was released, well.... different opinion then. They realized that they need to learn something new, and don't want to go out of their comfort zone. People want change, but don't like change.
On average, I have noticed from personal observation, it takes about 1 month to get used to it, and learn the Start Screen. Once you pass this, you are fine, and people end up enjoying the Start Screen, and many among them prefer it over the Start Menu.

People reaction to Win8 is not new... every single version of Windows it's the same story.
-> New version comes out
-> People complain none stop, on how before it was better, and how the previous version of Windows was better, and how unusable and non-intuitive the current version is.
-> 3 years later, new version of Windows comes out... same story. The OS they used to hate, is now their preferred one. Since Windows 95. Possibly even before that even.
It's just that now, you have the Vista effect kicking in "I heard/told that Vista was bad"... but is it really? Did you actually tried it? The answer is, no. Assuming of course, you had an ACTUAL Vista ready computer, and not the majority of the crap that OEMs was selling at the time, because they were trying to maximize profit, and consumer wanted impossibly low priced computers... well you get what you paid for... under Vista specs system. Anyway.

 

[stephen_az]

No offense but I am glad it is just your concept. I really just don't see the point in trying to create all sorts of start menu hybrids. Just use start8 and replicate the actual old start menu if desired. In addition, why waste CPU cycles and memory to create animations and effects?

 

[MBytes]

No offense but I am glad it is just your concept. I really just don't see the point in trying to create all sorts of start menu hybrids. Just use start8 and replicate the actual old start menu if desired. In addition, why waste CPU cycles and memory to create animations and effects?

Animations uses the GPU... since Vista.
In Windows 8 the whole Start Screen / Modern UI Apps are 100% GPU rendered.

 

[rocketboy]

I've seen this hyped a lot and quite frankly I don't love it. That long press is annoying just to watch and long presses in general are annoying and non-discoverable. I hate it on the iPad and don't want it to come to Surface/Windows. What would it behave like on a keyboard when you press the windows key?

I have really moved beyond the start menu and probably wouldn't use it even if MS does bring it back, but as start menu's go this concept is perhaps more interesting than the one in previous windows. I just can't bring myself to care about it. I like that I can punch up the start screen and at a glance statuses on weather, social media, e-mail, news, sports scores, software updates, etc. I can't do that on the start menu. Before anyone brings up gadgets I submit that they're good for making screenshots of your desktop but not terribly useful otherwise. I just have too much stuff always overlaying them.

Heck if anyone remembers there used to be Active Desktop way back in Win 98 where they tried to make your entire freak'n desktop background a web page! Start screen solves this problem well.

 

[spaulagain]

What I don't get is all the complaints and focus on the lack of a Start Menu. It was a horrible UI to begin with, and people want that **** back? This concept is hardly inspiring.

I think Microsoft needs to focus on improvements on the desktop for touch. Right now the file explorer is still clunky and small for touch. Also the close, minimize buttons are so small you have to be careful. They need to make them more like the circular icons on Windows Phone and parts of Windows 8.