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This should have been titled as Microsoft Visual Studio 2012 "UI" Reviewed. The post is mostly about VS 2012 as IDE and lacks review of any other new features.

by barista 14y ago

This should have been titled as Microsoft Visual Studio 2012 "UI" Reviewed. The post is mostly about VS 2012 as IDE and lacks review of any other new features. As a developer, the UI only matters to me for first few days or so and then it all just fades away in the background as the focus shifts to the code and the integrated tools. Sad that most of the reviews of VS 2012 that I have seen focus on its UI and color scheme rather than functionality. I doubt the color scheme matters to developers as much. May be to a fashion designer but not developers ...

vyrotek 14y ago
If you've been using Visual Studio for years prior to 2012 then this new UI is actually a pretty big deal. It's VERY different. I can get over the theme itself, but they also moved some buttons around which really messes with your motor memory for some things you've been doing for years. I'm looking at you "Transform All Templates" button!
- Smudge 14y ago
  IMO, the solution to "it's different" is either to learn how to use the newest version, or to not upgrade.
- seanmcdirmid 14y ago
  Its not really not that different. Its not the simplification that Cloud9 has done, and its nothing wild like LightTable is attempting. Actually, 2012 is very conservative, they polished the UI, but its still basically the same IDE as it was in 2005. I'm very excited to see new kinds of IDEs coming to market, Cloud9...and even LightTable. I think we are almost at the end of the line for SmallTalk-ish IDEs like Visual Studio or Eclipse.
- deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
Smudge 14y ago
Personally, I've found that I no longer think twice about the VS2012 UI (been using it since the beta). I don't know if I'm more or less productive than I was in VS2010, but the difference is likely marginal since I haven't noticed. It's the kind of thing that, after a week or two, our brains will incorporate and ignore, even if we consciously hate it at first.
drharris 14y ago
Indeed. I was one of the detractors at first, but the splashes of color they gave to the icons appeased my original complaints. After working in it for several weeks, I'd say it's just as easy (if not more so) to get around in code. I find the concept of "distractionless programming" to hold true; now when I go back to 2010 it feels overwhelming. My eyes are always leaving the code, where they should be. In general, we don't need icons or buttons or menus to write code, so props to MS for sticking to their guns on this. Sometimes it's better to have a benevolent dictator than a democracy.

by barista 14y ago

vyrotek 14y ago

If you've been using Visual Studio for years prior to 2012 then this new UI is actually a pretty big deal. It's VERY different. I can get over the theme itself, but they also moved some buttons around which really messes with your motor memory for some things you've been doing for years. I'm looking at you "Transform All Templates" button!

Smudge 14y ago
IMO, the solution to "it's different" is either to learn how to use the newest version, or to not upgrade.
seanmcdirmid 14y ago
Its not really not that different. Its not the simplification that Cloud9 has done, and its nothing wild like LightTable is attempting. Actually, 2012 is very conservative, they polished the UI, but its still basically the same IDE as it was in 2005. I'm very excited to see new kinds of IDEs coming to market, Cloud9...and even LightTable. I think we are almost at the end of the line for SmallTalk-ish IDEs like Visual Studio or Eclipse.
deleted 14y ago
[deleted]

Smudge 14y ago

Personally, I've found that I no longer think twice about the VS2012 UI (been using it since the beta). I don't know if I'm more or less productive than I was in VS2010, but the difference is likely marginal since I haven't noticed. It's the kind of thing that, after a week or two, our brains will incorporate and ignore, even if we consciously hate it at first.

drharris 14y ago

Indeed. I was one of the detractors at first, but the splashes of color they gave to the icons appeased my original complaints. After working in it for several weeks, I'd say it's just as easy (if not more so) to get around in code. I find the concept of "distractionless programming" to hold true; now when I go back to 2010 it feels overwhelming. My eyes are always leaving the code, where they should be. In general, we don't need icons or buttons or menus to write code, so props to MS for sticking to their guns on this. Sometimes it's better to have a benevolent dictator than a democracy.