Windows 10 not ready for prime time (based on 10158 install)

[SonOfDad]

I’m going to look at major elements when starting with the OS in this thread as to why I think Windows 10 is a cobbled together OS which is not nearly ready for deployment

YOUR NEW DESKTOP. After firing up build 10158 the only changes I have made are removing the completely unnecessary task view button and the extremely ugly Cortana text box, let’s start with the desktop icons UGLY, the user icon dates back to either Vista or Seven, the PC and Network icons look like something you’d see in an 80’s movie that’s set in the year 2000 and the Recycle Bin is rehashed from Windows 95 (I’m not sure if it’s in celebration of the Chicago interfaces 20th birthday).

Moving on to This PC (or My Computer) the folder icons are the next iteration of those dating to Windows Vista following Microsoft’s crackerjack design team being laughed out of the room with the attempt of a redesign! The rear of the folder is now flat rather than at a perspective and so to the overlay which identifies to folders purpose (music note, picture, etc) and come off as a little dull. Drive icons have been given a very, very slight revamp to resemble an external drive you’d plug into a commodore 64 although no one thought to change the Blu-ray icon in the same fashion as the DVD next to it despite the only difference being the banner overlay DVD > BR….?

While I don’t have any network drives mapped MS have continued the tradition of simply using a HDD with a big green toilet pipe underneath it!
Topping this off is the ribbon and while I’ve loved this Office invention since debut in the 2003 edition I don’t think it’s really paid off for Windows, making matters worse this time is the mismatch of icons sets breaking it down by section; Location is carried over from Windows 8, Network is Windows 10 style, System has the Metro style Settings yet legacy icons for the remaining three options it’s also worth noting that Settings does in fact open the touch inspired Settings control panel while the remaining options are all legacy Control Panel / MMC :?

Microsoft just get anyone designing Master Skins over at Win Customize onto your payroll please!



New and improved ACTION CENTER. The Action Center is one of my favourite features in Windows Phone 8.1 it’s great to use allows me to customise all my alerts and makes sure I never miss info I need, and it’s absolutely mangled in Windows 10 (and Windows 10 mobile). Firstly I’m on a desktop here, most of these options aren’t relevant why can’t Microsoft ask if I’m on a desktop or laptop/tablet and adopt based on my selection? Luckily I can change what these buttons do but not to anything not already shown. Why not throw in a few Control Panel choices which I might actually use if only once in a blue moon? Jeez even The option of Notepad would be more suited than One Note.



Segue nicely into the SETTINGS window, no longer just for touch users it’s now a depressing interface for everyone. Why all the blank space Microsoft? Make the damn icons bigger! It’s also very bland in part due to the fact you only chose one colour in Windows 10, unlike Windows 8 allowing a background and accent colour choice if I were to have my glyphs on this screen appear in aqua or scarlet I would have a matching taskbar and start menu, if I were working in tablet mode in which the window would change to full screen I’d be looking at even more blank space.



Time for the big daddy our START MENU has returned!!! And is also a bit of a mess. I’ll break this down as a noob venturing into the NEVER LEAVE ME AGAIN start menu

• Bottom of the menu a few settings and access to see all my apps pretty much as it has since XP apart from that abomination Windows 8 WHY DID YOU TAKE IT AWAY FROM ME MICROSOFT?
• Above that my most used application which has never worked properly, I open Calculator once and it sits in the list for six weeks!
• Now what are these Windows 8 tiles now lacking background colours doing? Am I choosing what appear here or is the PC? Why leave gaps, why a blank space at the top and why a scrollbar when it’s not required?

Getting out of noob mode note that mail shows one unread email but the notification no longer appears next to the glyph as if a part of the tile but as an afterthought in the corner.



Time now to mention what I consider one of Microsoft’s worst design concepts EDGE. The new browser with the dull name, dull look and very IE inspired icon. Firstly it looks like something they originally developed for Windows 95 but threw away. Seriously it’s all grey, they don’t even show you the address bar in the open, when I open my non identified favourites I can see we’re again in the desktop/touch one size fits all area whereby the much larger entries will only allow me to see a list of 17 on my 1920x1080 display before scrolling (IE would allow 34) also if I open a folder I am now in that folder seeing only it’s content rather than it expanding as I would expect. I find IE much easier to work on a desktop and the modern IE from Windows 8.1 easier to work with touch.



Where to next Edge asks. The hell away from Windows 10 I answer! Finally Michael Scott will give his verdict of Windows 10.

https://youtu.be/tRphDLZQCl0

 

[tangledW]

Says "cobbled together OS which is not nearly ready for deployment"... rants about icons as if a PC OS was made with crayons.

 

[SonOfDad]

Firstly you clearly didn't do a complete read through secondly cosmetics play a factor in all consumerism. Why didn't you add "it's only a beta" imply time for change is still available?

 

[ttsoldier]

"It's only beta" - hehe.

Seems like majority of your concerns are UI.

Guess what? Microsoft can't make everyone happy. It's impossible. If they change the UI to what you want, someone else is going to find it displeasing to the eye.

I am sure most people will like it. And who doesn't, it will grow on them.

However, if you have a suggestion where as Microsoft can Design an OS that everyone will love,visually, then please; enlighten us.

 

[Rasetech]

What I think is really a problem is that they once again not managed to remove the control panel totally, so on touch devices like the Surface family you once again need to dive deep into touch unfriendly setting menus. Thats enough for the press to kill Windows 10 the same way they did with W8.

 

[SonOfDad]

What I think is really a problem is that they once again not managed to remove the control panel totally, so on touch devices like the Surface family you once again need to dive deep into touch unfriendly setting menus. Thats enough for the press to kill Windows 10 the same way they did with W8.

It's not just settings. Really they got it wrong from the start by cramming touch apps into the legacy interface, it probably would have been a more sensible decision to make the touch interface more powerful and functional. given the centrepiece for "universal apps" has to be the desktop PC they want people accessing apps. The incentive to create (or port) universal apps isn't clear.

 

[JamesDax]

On July 29th we will find out how ready it is.

 

[DarthMengon]

I was not sure if better laugh or whine about this piece of bull**** thread. The thread name implies something serious, and is for 99% about personal UI preferences. I use Win10 both on PC and mobile since many builds, and I love it, especially since it gets better and better. Also love the new MS and their transparency and their work with the Insiders. Gabe and his team make a great job, but of course the developers also. In so little time they have done a miracle in my opinion, let not say a wonder.

And then there are comments like this, I hope the MS team doesn't take them too hard...

 

[Guils]

I have to agree with you in some points, but i think it'd be better to write it all in a less aggressive way and give it a title that focuses on the UI problem. But each one knows how to deal with your frustrations about the OS. So, talking about the UI...

1) The desktop icons, as said above, will please some people, and the others will have to accept it. Ands that's ok, they can't make everyone happy. But, in fact, we still have some inconsistency there. Everyone keep saying "it's not finished yet", and I can only hope they make something that is uniform at the end.

My most frustration in this point is the new apps and tiles design. On mobile, they are just taking away all the colors, making it all transparent, and putting the background option that everyone want. And, with this, the whole idea of tiles feels like disappearing. Appart from other companies tiles, if we just put the microsoft ones on start screen, it'd be better to end up with the empty square-mosaic and just let the white icons be there with the background. And the same happens with the PC version: I don't know if they are making this for some kind of consistent thing, but the tiles on start are dead, they are even taking away the squares on the taskbar icons.

Talking about the apps themselves, I'm not up to date with the opinions, but it seems people are enjoying the layout. I just think their layout are terrible. Let's take the old email and new email, or the old music and the new music app (the main one in this point, c'mon, the old music app had the layout I think every app should have, and they destroyed it... and that icon? that icon???). The icons inside apps are getting thinner. I won't try to argue with the hamburger menu, i hate it, but I don't have a lot of information of its pros and cons.

2) The settings. C'mon people, you can hate a lot of things he wrote, but this is the most accurate thing. So, so grey, and we still have the control panel vs settings inconsistent. Do we need an second bar just for the search and settings title?

3) I don't have a lot to say about the start menu. I never missed it, but a lot of people did, and it will attract them for the new version. The "most used programs" surely will be fixed.

But the tablet mode... I don't know the reasons, but couldn't they let the start screen be just the same? Why vertical? It feels so wrong.

P.S.: I don't know if everything was understood, still have some problems with english.
P.S.2.: Again: that music icon???

 

[SonOfDad]

I was not sure if better laugh or whine about this piece of bull****

I had the same thought about you

 

[clechner77]

I can't even express how thrilled I am with 10158 compared to Windows 8. This is what Windows 8 should have been. There are some minor gripes but the vast majority of Windows 10 is exactly where it needed to be, giving people a familiar feel with an upgraded UI that adds touch and support that appears logical to users. Add in the modular nature of updates like Windows phone and you have the ability to move forward quickly and fix deficiencies wherever needed. And compared to 10130....... it feels FAR different and more finished.

 

[jojoe42]

I'll agree with everyone else in saying that OP seems to be posting about his/her UI preferences (alongside some other things as well). If you don't like the new icons, replace them! That's the beauty of WIndows - you can customise as much as you want!!! That said, later builds of Windows 10 will be focusing more on polishing things up aesthetically as well as in terms of general bugs - the "little" things I guess. So things like icons, past features and button placement, etc. will be the main fixes with any future builds.

 

[DavidinCT]

UI aside (this a preference, like or hate it, this wont change much), This build still needs a lot of work. There is apps that still wont run, some apps will just close for no reason. Crashes on some programs are common (Edge crashed a few times but, it's due to the DAM ADS on this site, it's even laggy on W7).

It's starting to look polished but, the subsystem still needs a lot of work. I am sure there is a good chunk of tweaking that Microsoft needs to do but, at this time, If I went out an paid for this product, I would be expecting a refund. Over all pretty solid but, when built in apps crash or lock up, it's a bigger issue.

July 29th is coming soon, a few more weeks, It will be interesting how the RTM turns out. I hope this is not Vista Take:2 (where it was rushed out the door to meet a deadline and not even close to ready with the bugs). And I really don't want to install a new OS on release day and have 500 updates I need to take before I can use it...

Keep in mind, as you might not have any issues, hardware varies between users and other issues come up. You might not see it but, it could affect you after RTM so this needs to be addressed now.

 

[solarscreen]

Not one review of functionality, application compatibility, or anything to do with work or gaming.
Icons, whitespace, color, alignment, and options to modify the aforementioned appearance items.

Another "teen" it's not pretty review.

 

[Guils]

Being a design review doesn't imply of it being invalid. As if design wasn't one of the big factors that made people avoid Windows 8. And the main thing is not the design preference, but the inconsistency of it.

Let's play the Inconsistency Game:

• At least 6 different right-click design (taskbar, desktop, start menu, Edge,Edge tabs and other apps).
• 3 different kind of icons (apps, new ones and old ones).
• 2 different group of settings.
• Different kinds of option buttons in Windows apps (some have hamburger, some have three dots, some have hamburger on the main bar, ...)
• A vertical-scrolling tablet mode.
• Lack of personalization ("doesn't like? change it!" really? I'm even limited with the colors )
• The Wi-fi window layout on login screen is completely different from desktop screen.

Design IS something valid to argue. It's NOT just a personal afinity, and if you think the items above doesn't matter, so you are the one that doesn't urdestand about it and is thinking about your own preference.

 

[jdballard]

I had the same thought about you

He's not the only one who didn't know whether to laugh or whine.

Not ready for prime time? I've been using it at work, full time, for two weeks. Visual Studio, SQL Server Management Studio, Office 2016 Preview, VMWare Horizon View Client, VoIP, Skype, Skype for Business, Chrome, Adobe Premiere CC 2015 and on and on and on...they all run great. I've booted back into Window 8.1 once - simply to avoid installing something on Windows 10. The one thing that I would say is not ready for prime time is Edge. The great thing about Edge, though, is it can be updated through the start every day if they want, so it will get better quickly.

There are some oddities in the UI but it does work.

 

[AndyCalling]

"It's only beta" - hehe.

Seems like majority of your concerns are UI.

Guess what? Microsoft can't make everyone happy. It's impossible. If they change the UI to what you want, someone else is going to find it displeasing to the eye.

I am sure most people will like it. And who doesn't, it will grow on them.

However, if you have a suggestion where as Microsoft can Design an OS that everyone will love,visually, then please; enlighten us.

How about adding choice? Just that one element added to the UI and everyone would love it.

See? Not so hard to come up with, was it? Consider yourself enlightened, on me.

 

[pericle]

I have to agree with the OP on the look of Microsoft Edge and the settings menu. They look hideous and completely devoid of any colour. Hopefully they change it before the final release, but it's highly unlikely since we have only a few weeks to go before the release date.

 

[Zachary Boddy]

Microsoft will never be able to please everyone, it's just physically impossible. However, I think Windows 10 will come closer than any other OS Microsoft has ever released.
Even if you don't like the UI (and that's what this thread was all about...your personal UI preferences), the beauty of Windows 10 is it's ability to constantly evolve over time, adding, removing and refining. There will always be users giving Microsoft feedback and there will always be another update in the pipeline, ready to improve.
Besides, I think these last few weeks before release will be all about bug fixes, performance improvements, and UI refinement.

In my personal opinion, Windows 10 looks great. Of course there's a lot of UI inconsistencies that I would change but to be perfectly honest even with the UI inconsistencies I think Windows 10 looks and feels nicer than Windows 8.1 I've never been able to get around to the strange mix of Metro and 3D design in Windows 8.1 It constantly switches between 3D icons and flat icons, and the whole interface looks chunky and blocky. Again, my opinion (by the way, it's just as valid as yours, as is everyone else's).

 

[TechFreak1]

Read thorough the opening post and first thing that is easily noticeable there are far toooooooo many "I" s.

In essence the post is what you feel; not to mention it becomes increasingly subjective about the most subjective aspect of the O/S and that is the UI.

There is nothing in the post about what have made access to x,y,z more efficient in your opinion without rambling about the UI.

In addition there is no word on how resource efficient or inefficient you found the O/S to be on your respective system configurations or you have tested it in a multitude of environments ranging from a corporate test setting, to identifying what issues a new user may come across or what their experiences are like, a family environment etc etc.

If you can show that with solid evidence then you will have a lot more credibility as opposed to coming off as someone has whinging about the UI.

Especially when the title reads:
[h=1]"Windows 10 not ready for prime time (based on 10158 install)"[/h] Which clearly denotes a serious discussion / concern.

The UI can be easily changed however new feature(s) cannot be as easily added due to the amount of testing, re-iterations via dog foodding as it may need to meet a certain criteria or expectation.

The July 29 is a RTM release and not an off the shelf release, that will be a few months down the line plus the O/S is not a finished product. Once a O/S is finished a product it becomes EOL'd as development has finished (unless your willing to pay vast sums for out of cycle support). There is Red Stone rumoured for next year and that will no doubt bring new features to the table.

Microsoft have said it themselves, they are now Milestone dates not finalised shipping dates as Windows 10 will be the last O/S and will continuously be upgraded as times go forward (in Microsoft's Vocab Upgrade & Update mean two completely different things - Upgrade = New version of O/S | Update = Patches & bug fixes BUT sometimes they use it interchangeably which really doesn't help lol)

Lastly don't forget Microsoft is also conducting A - B Testing so what you are experiencing may not be same as some one in the other group.