4 ms·

Having the Windows button move left and right based on how many programs you have open was an insane, illogical design regression that was only greenlit because

Having the Windows button move left and right based on how many programs you have open was an insane, illogical design regression that was only greenlit because of a "copy Apple at all costs" design philosophy

Lendal 5y ago
You can change it back to left-aligned. It was the first thing I did after upgrading. After that, the only difference on the taskbar is the Windows logo now has a gradient on it whereas in Windows 10 it was just a plain white logo. As for the text labels the article is complaining about, I know what he's referring to but I haven't used the feature in so many years I can't make myself sympathize. Just get over it. A full-page article about one missing feature, and then tried to generalize it to sound like the whole OS was similarly bad. But only one example was provided to support the generalization. I'm more disappointed in this article than I am with Windows 11.
- Krasnol 5y ago
  It's a full-page article because it's so relevant to the user. Therefore it's not relevant how many problems there are it they are big enough.
- murermader 5y ago
  I do not get your attitude? Why should users "get over it"? Windows 11 is an operating system that should help its users complete tasks. Removing functionality (that is used by many) makes abosolutely no sense. Many people have a lot of windows open, and many of them of the same app (not unusual to have 5+ explorer windows open). Not being able to directly click on the right one is a big loss. Just because you don't do work that requires that kind of feature, does not mean that other people don't need it either.
anttiharju 5y ago
One thing I've noticed when people complain about Windows 11 UI changes is they don't seem to use keyboard shortcuts. For example, Kliksphilip (youtuber) complained about things being difficult to rename. Considering that he seemed to do a lot of renaming it seemed baffling he didn't know the F2 shortcut. Know your tools. Admittedly it's terrible for your cursor muscle memory to have the start menu button shift around, but most keyboards have a dedicated button for opening it. Why not use it? I know I might be in the minority here, but I vastly prefer the start menu popping up in the middle of the screen instead of the corner. That way I don't need to turn my head / redirect my gaze as much. Although I get it. Most people just want to work the way they've been working and treat changes to their workflow with hostility. And of course taking choice away from users ("authotarian minimalism" as some comment here put it) is a bad thing. Many of my friends liked to have a vertical taskbar and I'd imagine they're not happy taskbar repositioning being removed from Windows 11. edit: formatting
- yokoprime 5y ago
  I agree with this. On macOS you're pretty much dead in the water without keyboard shortcuts.
  - pindab0ter 5y ago
    How is that? Almost everything you need you can get by right clicking something and if it isn't there it's in the menus.
- jeroenhd 5y ago
  I personally enjoy GNOME so I can't be too critical about where the start menu does or doesn't pop up. However, "just use shortcuts" isn't a solution to bad design. People don't rename things too often, so such shortcuts are rarely picked up. F5 is the only shortcut I think most computer users know about, and I doubt they realise it'll work in explorer as well. Nobody cares about shortcuts when the problem is that the UI is unintuitive. If they did, they would've already learned and used them. At this point you might as well direct them to Powershell, because that's even more powerful. We're talking about features that people regularly used half a year ago and now can't do anymore. For young people this shouldn't be a problem, they just need to decode the new iconography, but for the elderly this change in behaviour means re-taking the entire "how to use a computer" course from the start. The continuous design overhaul Microsoft is trying to do for no apparent reason other than please designers who won't be using Windows anyway is only making everyone's life harder. If you're redesigning, people shouldn't ask where the buttons have gone. Their new location should be logical and intuitive after only a little bit of looking around. With the new context menu (and the new start menu, actually) this isn't the case. It feels to me like the design was made for an entirely new product instead of for an interaction of a product with thirty to forty years of history.
mackrevinack 5y ago
like having a door where the door handle changes position throughout the day. sounds fun. if they would just pin it dead center and keep it there it would be the easiest spot to reach, especially on big screens, but it would also mean you could organise apps on either side. maybe more permanent apps on the left and less used and then newly opened on the right. i kind of wish pinned tabs in browers would pin to the middle as well for the same reasons. easy to reach but also would let you organise stuff better. stuff you need to do or read later on the left and ephemeral stuff on the right.
- nikanj 5y ago
  Corners are much easier to reach than the centre of the screen.
  - mackrevinack 5y ago
    if youre using a mouse yes. with a touchscreen, not so much

Lendal 5y ago

You can change it back to left-aligned. It was the first thing I did after upgrading. After that, the only difference on the taskbar is the Windows logo now has a gradient on it whereas in Windows 10 it was just a plain white logo. As for the text labels the article is complaining about, I know what he's referring to but I haven't used the feature in so many years I can't make myself sympathize. Just get over it. A full-page article about one missing feature, and then tried to generalize it to sound like the whole OS was similarly bad. But only one example was provided to support the generalization. I'm more disappointed in this article than I am with Windows 11.

Krasnol 5y ago
It's a full-page article because it's so relevant to the user. Therefore it's not relevant how many problems there are it they are big enough.
murermader 5y ago
I do not get your attitude? Why should users "get over it"? Windows 11 is an operating system that should help its users complete tasks. Removing functionality (that is used by many) makes abosolutely no sense. Many people have a lot of windows open, and many of them of the same app (not unusual to have 5+ explorer windows open). Not being able to directly click on the right one is a big loss. Just because you don't do work that requires that kind of feature, does not mean that other people don't need it either.

anttiharju 5y ago

One thing I've noticed when people complain about Windows 11 UI changes is they don't seem to use keyboard shortcuts. For example, Kliksphilip (youtuber) complained about things being difficult to rename. Considering that he seemed to do a lot of renaming it seemed baffling he didn't know the F2 shortcut. Know your tools. Admittedly it's terrible for your cursor muscle memory to have the start menu button shift around, but most keyboards have a dedicated button for opening it. Why not use it? I know I might be in the minority here, but I vastly prefer the start menu popping up in the middle of the screen instead of the corner. That way I don't need to turn my head / redirect my gaze as much. Although I get it. Most people just want to work the way they've been working and treat changes to their workflow with hostility. And of course taking choice away from users ("authotarian minimalism" as some comment here put it) is a bad thing. Many of my friends liked to have a vertical taskbar and I'd imagine they're not happy taskbar repositioning being removed from Windows 11. edit: formatting

yokoprime 5y ago
I agree with this. On macOS you're pretty much dead in the water without keyboard shortcuts.
- pindab0ter 5y ago
  How is that? Almost everything you need you can get by right clicking something and if it isn't there it's in the menus.
jeroenhd 5y ago
I personally enjoy GNOME so I can't be too critical about where the start menu does or doesn't pop up. However, "just use shortcuts" isn't a solution to bad design. People don't rename things too often, so such shortcuts are rarely picked up. F5 is the only shortcut I think most computer users know about, and I doubt they realise it'll work in explorer as well. Nobody cares about shortcuts when the problem is that the UI is unintuitive. If they did, they would've already learned and used them. At this point you might as well direct them to Powershell, because that's even more powerful. We're talking about features that people regularly used half a year ago and now can't do anymore. For young people this shouldn't be a problem, they just need to decode the new iconography, but for the elderly this change in behaviour means re-taking the entire "how to use a computer" course from the start. The continuous design overhaul Microsoft is trying to do for no apparent reason other than please designers who won't be using Windows anyway is only making everyone's life harder. If you're redesigning, people shouldn't ask where the buttons have gone. Their new location should be logical and intuitive after only a little bit of looking around. With the new context menu (and the new start menu, actually) this isn't the case. It feels to me like the design was made for an entirely new product instead of for an interaction of a product with thirty to forty years of history.

mackrevinack 5y ago

like having a door where the door handle changes position throughout the day. sounds fun. if they would just pin it dead center and keep it there it would be the easiest spot to reach, especially on big screens, but it would also mean you could organise apps on either side. maybe more permanent apps on the left and less used and then newly opened on the right. i kind of wish pinned tabs in browers would pin to the middle as well for the same reasons. easy to reach but also would let you organise stuff better. stuff you need to do or read later on the left and ephemeral stuff on the right.

nikanj 5y ago
Corners are much easier to reach than the centre of the screen.
- mackrevinack 5y ago
  if youre using a mouse yes. with a touchscreen, not so much