[Cialug] Windows 8

[Tim Wilson]

The metro interface is similar to the Windows 7 Phone interface.  From
what I understand, the "Windows 7" interface will be available.  But,
there's still some confusion about it.  It sounds like a developer can
write to whatever interface they want.  It kinda sounds like Gnome vs.
KDE, but I'm not sure.

On Tue, Sep 13, 2011 at 12:30 PM, Todd Walton <tdwalton at gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm watching the Microsoft Build Conference keynote right now.
> They're poring over the upcoming Windows 8.  All in all, it really is
> an improvement over Windows 7.  (Well, I really haven't used Windows 7
> very much.  But, the point being, there's lots of improvements.)
>
> There's a new login screen, where you have a picture of your own
> choosing, and you enter your "password" by tapping or drawing lines on
> the picture.  Like, nose, glass, line on railing.  That's cool.
>
> It has a whole new interface based on "Metro", which places a lot of
> emphasis on motion and words, versus a static screen and icons.  It's
> a lot like a modern phone interface.  I really have to wonder, though.
>  How does this thing work on non-touch screens?  And it's going to
> take a lot of relearning by the computer-intimidated and the
> hyper-productive.  Also, it looks like it's only going to reinforce
> the feeling of a glass barrier: play with your toys, but leave the
> hood closed.
>
> The main speaker said something that made me very angry.  He said,
> (roughly), "in the new world of computing apps must not be siloes and
> must communicate with other apps through more than just a narrow
> channel."  I know he's supposed to be 'oh wow' and 'gee whiz', but you
> know... the only reason Windows apps have been so siloed and greedy is
> because Microsoft has legislated and incentivized it for so long.  I
> learned Linux administration long before Windows, and when I came to
> Windows administration 5 years ago or so, this was one of the things
> that infuriated me so much.  Every little thing I'd want to do used
> it's own app, hidden away in its own place, using its own interface.
> And you could never take the output of one app and give it to another.
>  Agh!
>
> Anyway.  Here's an article about changes afoot in Ubuntu's Unity:
> http://www.zdnet.com/blog/open-source/whats-coming-in-ubuntus-new-unity-linux-desktop/9519
>
> --
> Todd
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-- 
Tim
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