Discussion: The problem with Windows 8

This topic is something I'm sure you can read a thousand blod posts about. The reason I want to talk about it is that I see similar patterns happen elsewhere.

I have used Windows 8 quite a bit, but basically only in school where we've only used a few programs. I have, for example, no idea how good the "Metro/Modern UI" applications (let's just call it "MUI" for simplicity) are. What I do know is that every time you change between MUI and the classic desktop, which is something you may not be able to avoid, my heart cries a little.

Windows 8 is basically split up into two parts: MUI and the classic desktop. When you start up your computer, it will be in MUI mode, which is a new, fancy interface filled with simple colors and shapes. And it's really pretty! The start screen basically replaces the old start menu, and is the hub from which you can access all your programs. If you click on any "old" application that isn't designed for MUI, you'll be taken to a classical desktop which looks basically like the desktop from Windows 7. That's a completely different visual style, in fact they could hardly be further apart. And that's the problem.

Changing between these completely different styles hurt. Your eyes adapt to whatever you're looking at, and expects more of the same. You will likely force yourself to blink every time you change between the styles, just to understand what you're really seeing. The way Microsoft did Windows 8 is practical for many reasons, but from a design standpoint it is an absolute mess. You pick a visual style, and you stick to it. That's more important than what style you've chosen to stick to. If you're consistent, people will at least get used to your style. But it's much harder to get used to changing styles constantly.

It wouldn't have been such a big deal if you could just enter desktop mode once and then stay there. But every time you want to launch a new application, the MUI is the only way to go. And even worse, there are some quick settings that appear on the side of the screen, and these are all designed in the MUI style. It looks horribly mismatched. And you may not be able to stay in MUI mode all the time either. The selection of applications is quite limited, at least for now, so you'll likely end up using desktop apps at least every once in a while.

It was necessary for Microsoft to create a new visual style, and the style they've made is awesome. It's just such a shame that they couldn't make a better transition from old to new. I'd love to use a computer or tablet with the new user interface, as long as all the stuff I need are in there. Maybe they should have kept developing Windows 7 for the desktop, while adding the MUI as a completely optional add-on, mostly for developers who want their apps to be ready when the new interface becomes the standard for the general public. But Microsoft could probably not afford such a slow approach. And that's a pity.

Windows 8 isn't the only ones who commit design crimes like these. I personally think the very same problem is one of the main reasons why Android skins are terrible. What happens there is that Google releases Android, which has it's own visual style for the launcher and apps (not all that different from Microsoft's MUI, in fact). And then companies that make Android phones change the visual style of all the built-in apps in order to differentiate their phones from competitors' phones. The problem is that all third-party apps are designed with Google's design, so if you install any apps from Google Play they will be completely different in style that the built in apps. Even some of the apps that are commonly built-in, like the excellent GMail app, feel wrong to use because they don't belong. They don't feel like they were designed to be there. If feels forced. Maybe somebody should make a non-Nexus phones that run pure Android with no custom skin...

Even iOS feels like it breaks this holy law sometimes. Some apps try to simulate real-life materials (the notes app and game center come to mind) while others are much more abstract in their design, with (now quite boring and old) blue gradient colors for surfaces. Also, all app icons look very different visually, which may not be as terrible, but compared to the beautiful tiles of Windows Phone, the iOS home screen looks quite messy.

My point: Pick a visual design, and stick to it. Constistency is beautiful.