4 ms·

Both a more efficient use of screen space (at least, compared to the default themes of XFCE, crucially, but also KDE, GNOME, and others), and an aesthetically b

by prvc 5y ago

Both a more efficient use of screen space (at least, compared to the default themes of XFCE, crucially, but also KDE, GNOME, and others), and an aesthetically better visual design. I am surprised to have just written this latter observation, considering this came from Microsoft, but I suppose the era when it was designed demanded it, both as a result of the lower screen resolutions used, and the the contemporary marketing needs for the release of Windows 95.

assttoasstmgr 5y ago
I wouldn't say marketing so much as Microsoft did a lot of usability testing back then where psychologists threw people in a room and took notes while they interact with the UI. I don't think any OSS projects have this luxury (or money needed to throw around for that sort of thing). Raymond Chen vaguely references it here https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20120126-00/?p=8453 https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20120126-00/?p=84... Also, back then, you had to make the best with the resources you had. Computers were slow so UIs had to be lightweight out of necessity. Yet here we are in 2022 and GUI applications have become so bloated they take longer to open up then they did in the 90s. And yes I'm looking at you, GTK and Windows 'Modern' apps.
- userbinator 5y ago
  and GUI applications have become so bloated they take longer to open up then they did in the 90s. ...while somehow being even less graphically complex.
- tadfisher 5y ago
  The Gnome project performs usability tests pretty often. That's what led to decisions like deprecating the secondary app menu (app menu in the title bar) and the newer horizontal workspace layout, iirc.
  - voidfunc 5y ago
    And the Gnome project consistently gets it wrong because they keep forgetting their primary target users are not rando's that have never used a computer but mostly season Linux vets.

by prvc 5y ago

assttoasstmgr 5y ago

I wouldn't say marketing so much as Microsoft did a lot of usability testing back then where psychologists threw people in a room and took notes while they interact with the UI. I don't think any OSS projects have this luxury (or money needed to throw around for that sort of thing). Raymond Chen vaguely references it here https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20120126-00/?p=8453 https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20120126-00/?p=84... Also, back then, you had to make the best with the resources you had. Computers were slow so UIs had to be lightweight out of necessity. Yet here we are in 2022 and GUI applications have become so bloated they take longer to open up then they did in the 90s. And yes I'm looking at you, GTK and Windows 'Modern' apps.

userbinator 5y ago
and GUI applications have become so bloated they take longer to open up then they did in the 90s. ...while somehow being even less graphically complex.
tadfisher 5y ago
The Gnome project performs usability tests pretty often. That's what led to decisions like deprecating the secondary app menu (app menu in the title bar) and the newer horizontal workspace layout, iirc.
- voidfunc 5y ago
  And the Gnome project consistently gets it wrong because they keep forgetting their primary target users are not rando's that have never used a computer but mostly season Linux vets.