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There was definitely a kind of warm, optimistic vibe that came with the Windows XP wallpaper. The whole UI language of the OS was similar too, with bubbly blues
by vsnf 2y ago
There was definitely a kind of warm, optimistic vibe that came with the Windows XP wallpaper. The whole UI language of the OS was similar too, with bubbly blues and greens everywhere. I suppose it captured a kind of positive cultural attitude towards computing.
- tavavex 2y agoI think it was aimed at making the OS look less threatening and complicated to a new user. Then again, people did complain about it being a "Fisher-Price UI", so maybe this overwhelmingly positive perception is a result of people spending so much time with the OS and getting used to the way things were.
- vsnf 2y agoI do recall the Fisher-Price complaints. As I recall it mostly came from the Linux (or Linux-inclined) crowd. I never really understood the complaints, though it was common enough that I must have just been missing something. But really, I don't get whats wrong with a functional UI that's also friendly and inviting.
- amatecha 2y agoJust today I was thinking about XP and the phrase "Fisher-Price" came to mind. I liked XP's UI, even as whimsical and toy-like (and easy to make fun of) as it was. I'd prefer if computers and OSes retained the whimsy and character of that late-90's-early-2000's era of Win XP and the colourful iMacs, etc.
- userbinator 2y agoI suppose it captured a kind of positive cultural attitude towards computing. It was a time when MS was about giving users tools to do whatever they want, and not trying to coerce them down a path to be milked for $$$. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34021851 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34021851
- sureIy 2y agoYes but also it was the same exact time when MS dominated and stagnated. IE6 shipped with Windows XP