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Windows 10 Impressions
FYI: I write long posts. If you want short posts, hang out over in Twitter Land. I am also using a touchscreen laptop and own a smartphone. I don't have a need for a tablet, personally.
All in all I'm pleased with the direction of Windows 10. We have more optimization for games, multiple desktops, support for more file types (like FLAC), slowly sizing down the OS, notification panel, and a bunch of other small under-the-hood changes. Is it perfect? Of course not. But with it being free, I'll be upgrading.
Now I'm going to get nit-picky here and point out things that still bug me.
Number one is the taskbar; I use a 13 inch laptop so everything is more cramped compared to a desktop monitor. This was fine until windows 10 and Cortana's search box took up at least one third of the task bar. I know I can switch to an icon, but honestly it feels weird when I open the search box and it overlays the icons. I don't dislike the search box, just torn. Maybe in later builds if I use the small task bar option it will still show the search box instead of just the icon. (If I pin 13 or so programs to the task bar and have a few other programs open, it gets cramped real quick).
I noticed a few concepts from Microsoft where pinned task bar icons where the same size as the task bar and closer together. I wonder if we'll see it in the final version?
Number 2 is the start menu (this will be long...so yeah ).
This is based on how I use my computer and may not be a problem for others. I like to pin the programs I use most to my task bar, rarely entering the start menu. When I do use the start menu it is to open up a program like Photoshop, Word or Excel. The start menu is basically a drawer for apps that I don't use frequently enough to pin to the task bar.
Now onto tiles; while I think having tiles in the start menu is nice, I'm not sure why I would use them. Since we have tiles it creates other problems like an app list that you scroll through forever. It ends up feeling cluttered and messy, especially (I would assume) for some of those who love the tablet mode.
Now what if I decide to use tiles? I would obviously want to get the most out of them. This means I have to go to the all apps list, pin some programs to start and then the most important ones to my task bar. Doesn't sound too bad, except for when I go full screen with the start menu and realize my tiles only take up a small section of the screen.
I have 12 or so pinned to start right now and it looks nice, but when I go full screen it's like a big square block of live tiles on the left and big open space on the right. Sure, I could pin enough apps to make it look full, but in that case why have an app list at all?
I could get rid of the tiles and shrink down the start menu, but then I feel like I'm losing the vision Microsoft intended for their operating system. I hope this is understandable.
Number three is mostly how the UI of the system looks. I like how a lot of the new apps look but wish they utilized a single title bar instead of two. Not a huge deal, as it does the job.
In the file manager I wish there was an option to make all of the folder icons have a closed look; I'm not too fond of the open look. I actually preferred the icons from Office that they had at the start.
I think they will eventually give file manager an overhaul since they promised to include tabs, so there is a lot of time for changes there. It might not make the summer release, but maybe for next year's update?
I like this concept: http://metroversal.deviantart.com/ar...heme-515479771
He has a white themed version, phone versions, and versions without transparency.
Number four is the multiple desktop feature. I'm surprised that I'm even posting this as I probably will never use them. But I loved it when they had the programs separated so you could only see what was open on the desktop you were on. I wonder if they will add the ability to change wallpapers and task bars and give people a save option for when they boot up?
The final question: what is left for Microsoft to add that they already haven't? I'd say that they could add native support for more file types so that you don't have to download programs like WinRAR, or hands-off features for your phone. Possibly a program to install themes for the OS?
Maybe Microsoft will add options to further customize the OS; instead of having us decide between frosted and clear transparency, they can make it an option and allow us to change the opacity. A more advanced color selector would also be nice.
Do you think it's good that Windows 10 is scheduled for summer or would you rather they wait until more of the features and apps are finished (extensions for edge, tabs in file manager, etc.)?
Long post finished.