Longhorn Pre-Beta 1 Released. OoooOO

[furryrabidbunny]

Here are some screenshots of the "next generation" operating system http://xerocool.innereyes.com/general/longhorn_5203_screenshots.php Man this thing keeps getting worse and worse looking. Anyone else find that translucent effect on every window annoying looking. How could that possibly be usable? Typing in an address on a text box that is sitting on multiple translucent windows? Whoever thought it would be great for windows in windows to be seethrough should be shot. Lets only hope you can turn that off... or 95 percent of computer users will be blind from squinting too much.

 

[eva01]

i agree on the windows i don't like that, other than that it looks ok, but looks are decieving

 

[Fukui]

Hmm, well anyone remember the annoying transparent title-bars in 10.0?
I don't know why MS is wasting thier time copying that!
Well, I don't know yet what is so amazing about longhorn from a user's perspective... MS Paint, whether in a transparent window or not is still the same damn paint since Win95...

I have a feeling though, like XP, they're holding the final "look" for the RC1.
Lets hope (for apple) like XP it looks worse than the beta.

 

[killuminati]

One thing I find stupid about windows is that they are still using the same icons that they have been using since Windows 95. Like in this image the icons look so outdated and so out of place.

 

[mlw1235]

Whoever thought it would be great for windows in windows to be seethrough should be shot. Lets only hope you can turn that off... or 95 percent of computer users will be blind from squinting too much.

**nods head in agreement**

I hate it. Totally hate it.


And lets do hope you can turn that off.

 

[ham_man]

THe only visible difference I can see between it and XP is the different task bar and menu bar, as well as a few updated icons. Other than that, it looks like the same ol', same ol'...

 

[0098386]

hah, transparent windows. how kitsch.

that certainly is a nice Apple-style X button too XD

how can Media Player say "more music, more choices" when iTunes has more music than them? (IIRC)

anyone notice the Apple-styled desktop images too? ROFL. looks like those ever so cheesy Windows flag desktops are gone.

wonder why that shot of the Computer Management window has 2 sets of minimize/close buttons? surely M$ are after a less confusing GUI?

to be frank that does look like somebody took XP and splashed a new theme over it. i know its real, but it looks baaad. M$? no thanks

 

[furryrabidbunny]

One thing I find stupid about windows is that they are still using the same icons that they have been using since Windows 95. Like in this image the icons look so outdated and so out of place.

Microsoft said they are going to be changing all the icons... updating them to 256x256, but i doubt they will go that deep.

 

[Phat_Pat]

that search bar in the start menu feels so out of place....

 

[Daveway]

Remember that the new UI will not be released until Beta 2.

 

[tech4all]

What's up with the recycle bin? Last time I checked recycled bins more "cubed" shaped. This one looks like OS X's trash can only glass.

I think the transparent title bar things is a neat idea, but isn't really working well, IMO.

 

[wdlove]

Very interesting, they have the report bugs icon right on the desktop. Most of the rest of it does look very familiar to prior Windows.

 

[dubbz]

anyone notice the Apple-styled desktop images too? ROFL. looks like those ever so cheesy Windows flag desktops are gone.

They changed that a long time ago. Windows XP default desktop are green fields and a blue sky with clouds...

 

[Flying Llama]

that search bar in the start menu feels so out of place....

And where did I see that magnifying glass icon? Oh yeah.

llama

 

[mac-er]

Comparing ONLY to prior Windows...I think this is a huge improvement. It looks a lot cleaner and a lot less Fisher Price looking.

Though they do seem to be blatantly copying OS X even more with the plastic task bar, reflective icons, new recycle bin icon...don't be surprised if this will be called "Windows X" when it comes out.

There is something about the way the windows are now that reminds me more and more of Apple Finder windows...

 

[mpw]

One thing I notice that appears to have changed, and for the worse IMO, is the menu short-cuts aren't displayed anymore making it more Mac-like.

I personally LIKE the way the menu lets you know the keyboard shortcut by underlining it ie File, now they seem to have gone all ctrl+X.

 

[Flying Llama]

One thing I notice that appears to have changed, and for the worse IMO, is the menu short-cuts aren't displayed anymore making it more Mac-like.

I personally LIKE the way the menu lets you know the keyboard shortcut by underlining it ie File, now they seem to have gone all ctrl+X.

I'm sorry, I don't understand what you're trying to say. The shortcuts are still there what are you talking about? And why would removing them make it more mac-like, macs have the shortcuts displayed to...

llama

 

[anubis]

Personally I like the system font they picked. Looks a lot better than every other system font they've ever used.

Otherwise it just looks like the same old thing. Doesn't look much different than XP. In fact I bet you could install system themes in XP to make it look exactly like those screenshots, minus the uglyass transparency

 

[mpw]

I'm sorry, I don't understand what you're trying to say. The shortcuts are still there what are you talking about? And why would removing them make it more mac-like, macs have the shortcuts displayed to...

llama

In Win95, 98, XP etc. the menu bar had
File
without touching my mouse or remembering a shortcut I could hit Alt+F, bingo I got me a menu with one option that is
File As
which I can invoke by hitting A etc. in OSX I do not know by looking at the screen how to get the File menu to drop down.

It's the top feature from MS WinXp I miss and would love to see in MacOSX.

 

[dotdotdot]

Just so people here know, this is pre beta. And while the transparent title bars look bad right now, Beta 2 will include Microsoft's promised advanced image technology which should make the windows look better.

My main complaint with all the shots - the taskbar (bottom bar w/ start, etc.) looks HUGE! AND the dark look looks HORRIBLE! I prefer the whiter look like XP Silver or Mac OS X. Also, releasing a black taskbar vs. OS X's White Finderbar will help people say, "I switched from the dark side!"

 

[snkTab]

It seems to microsoft UI is built by UI fanboys that like including everything into the actual GUI.

Operating systems should be simple.

 

[treblah]

Anyone notice the borders of the windows are transparent? How ***** ridiculous is that? Thats using transparency just because you can. Why not use border-less windows? I know this is 'beta 1' but most of MS's 'beta 1' become RTM.

 

[iAlan]

I hope Microsoft doesn't cruise the Mac forum sites, if they do they will get a lot of expert opinion on their beta versions and be able to change to meet the needs of Mac users

 

[mad jew]

I hope Microsoft doesn't cruise the Mac forum sites, if they do they will get a lot of expert opinion on their beta versions and be able to change to meet the needs of Mac users

Yeah, that'd be horrible.

Anyone wanna post the images, I'm not getting through to the site.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Orlando Furioso]

And where did I see that magnifying glass icon? Oh yeah.

llama

oh wow. you are right. The icon is just flipped and the handle is a little longer. The colors are swapped as well. Though a magnifying glass is a somewhat generic icon choice related to "searches", the styles of these icons are strikingly similar.