The Windows 8 interface looks...interesting

[andrewducker]

Obviously more tablet-inspired than anything else, but I can see it working really well for browsing/apps. And it very-much looks like older applications are still happily running there - but in a contained environment rather than being the primary kind of application for it.

Hard to tell if it will take off - will people really start writing lots of applications for the new APIs? I guess we'll have to wait and see...

Comments

[call-waiting.livejournal.com]

So long as it still comes with a "Just make it look like Windows 2000" option, I'll be happy.

[andrewducker]

I can't see how, as the new apps don't use a desktop or anything like that.

Edit: In fact, it looks like the usual Windows Desktop is now just one of the apps that slides in and out.

[fearmeforiampink]

Depends; purely based on that video (I've not seen anything else about it) there's no reason why those apps couldn't be integrated into that flowing screen setup and still have a C:/Program file/MyWonderfulApp folder with all its files in.

[lpetrazickis.livejournal.com]

It feels a bit claustrophobic. We'll see.

If they are going for spatial, they better make sure there's a way to force specific slots empty.

[crm.livejournal.com]

jumbled, messy, probably consigned to the same fate as 'winFS', will ruin my work-stream, not enterprise friendly, 'built on web technologies' is hardly a plus point, over reliant on touch, no clear interface root, no clock on the screen any more, why are you listening to that music, get off my lawn.

[crm.livejournal.com]

addenda: what the undying jesus fuck noodle is a 'TouchSlate[tm](r)'

[andrewducker]

I _think_ a Slate is the MS way of referring to a single-use device. Like a Kindle, or something like that. So it might be running Windows under the surface, but you never get to see that.

But it's marketing speak, so I'm probably not up to date.

[anton-p-nym.livejournal.com]

In TabletPC speak, a slate is a pen-enabled computer that does not have an attached keyboard. In that context, a "touch slate" would be a TabletPC that works with finger touches or a stylus, and not just WACOM-style magnetic pens.

Dunno if that's the precise meaning intended by the video, but it makes sense to me.

-- Steve's had a 7" touchscreen slate for the past, er, 5 years now and loves it to bits.*

* For the first version I bought, a Samsung Q1, that's almost literally true; it took a few knocks including a tumble onto a Chicago El platform. I'm on my second version now, a Viliv X70.

[andrewducker]

Well played sir!