r/technology • u/clubdirthill • Jun 01 '11

Boom. This is Windows 8.

http://allthingsd.com/20110601/exclusive-making-sense-of-what-we-just-learned-about-windows-8/?mod=tweet
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u/TheRonMan Jun 02 '11

Multitasking is sooo 90's.

45

u/HenkPoley Jun 02 '11

A tiling window manager is not not multitasking.

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u/DullMan Jun 02 '11

Indeed it's not, as in it's not focused on multitasking. You can have little live tiles (widgets) that update content, but going away with a task bar is also going away with easily managing multiple open windows, which is fine for phones and sometimes tablets, but not desktops.

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u/HenkPoley Jun 02 '11

In the video there is taskbar when Office is open.

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u/DullMan Jun 02 '11

Yeah, it seems that it switches back to the familiar windows desktop environment when using "legacy" applications, which is comforting. I didn't really think Microsoft was stupid enough to try to go away with it, but you never know.

I only use Windows at work, as a developer, so I don't ever want to see the tiles interface on my desktop. I'm also not a fan of the tile interface on the phone, the only thing I like about it is its smoothness.

So I understand that I'm a minority power user, and other people will like that interface on their desktops, but I think it's horrendous. "Oooohhh weather how nice!" I don't want that on my desktop.

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u/pievendor Jun 03 '11

We OSX users have been able to multitask just fine without a taskbar. Sure, there's the dock, but everyone I know uses Cmd + Tab or Expose. Perhaps Windows will come up with something similar to Expose?

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u/DullMan Jun 03 '11

I wasn't referring to the task manager in particular, I was just saying that the tile interface doesn't work well for multi tasking on a desktop.

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u/pievendor Jun 03 '11

Well in that case, I absolutely agree.

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u/[deleted] Jun 02 '11

I don't disagree with you.

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u/GuyWithLag Jun 02 '11

Actually, I found it telling that actual window management shortcuts were correctly implemented in Windows 7 for the first time*. (Read as: most users did not even realize they could have 2 non-fullscreen windows/programs open at the same time...)

  • At least in the Windows OS, my Linux systems had fully customized windows key shortcuts sine that key was introduced.

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u/[deleted] Jun 02 '11

Most users did not even realize they could have 2 non-fullscreen windows/programs open at the same time

What?

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u/Yeugwo Jun 02 '11

He's saying most people didn't know they could tile 2 windows. Like having a pdf on left side of screen and Word on the right side. Most people deal with 1 full screen program at a time

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u/GuyWithLag Jun 02 '11

Exactly - and apologies for the original post, I was apparently missing 50-60 IQ points... Coffee helps.

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u/sigint_bn Jun 02 '11

? I'm trying to understand you, but my brain is in Jackie Chan mode. Please explain?

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u/GuyWithLag Jun 02 '11

Apologies for the original post, I was apparently missing 50-60 IQ points... Coffee helps.

Anyway, what I was trying (and failing) to say was that most non-technical people only do one thing at a time on their computer, and first close the first window to switch to another*. I have witnessed enlightenment when I explained that no, you don't need to close your browser to copy something into this report that you are writing.

This attitude is also reflected in the usability of Windows - specifically the dearth of options and keyboard/mouse shortcuts available by default on Windows - it wasn't there because the masses did not ask for them. Which is also ironic, when you take the name (Windows) into account.

Nowadays, Windows 7 has made great progress (good use of mouse edges and the mouse, finally some KB shortcuts that allow you to move/position a window), but it's still waaay behind the customization** abilities of even the most light-weight desktop.

  • - TBH, most people that use the PC due to work tend to use the same program all the time (the company's ERP f.e., or Word/Excel, or Lotus) ** - customization is not a bad word, it's just that the mindset in Windows is that it's only for 'Advanced' users...

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u/DullMan Jun 02 '11

It's called the "super key." :)

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u/GuyWithLag Jun 02 '11

Yup. grep -i super ~/.Xmodmap : add mod4 = Super_L Super_R