Legacy UI - Skeletons in the Vista Cupboard

OK, will we finally see the last of that horrid stone-and-chisel UI that
Windows 95 left us to remember it by, before Vista hits RTM?

Can they not replace/update the base drawing functions? Original coders
flown the coop for greener pastures and their yuppie replacements are left
dumbfounded?

I see that they have to honor the
ButtonFace/ButtonShadow/ButtonDarkShadow/ButtonHighlight/etc. color
properties for legacy applications, but Vista could just ignore them
altogether?

Draw the legacy elements in an absolutely flat, monochrome look, because
even something similar to Windows 3.1, if not Mac OS Classic, would look
more in-place and pleasing with the newer Aero.

If MS is at all sincere about a modern UI paradigm and not just after
emulating OSX we should see no trace of those ancient blocky elements
anywhere in the final Vista.

1,200 icons so far have been updated in Windows Vista, I am lobbying the
Administrative Tools, System/System 32, Windows and WINNT icons in those
folders be updated. The Classic UI itself is still essential, I preferrably
use it over Aero Express. I just wish they would make the flag on the Start
button in Classic colored, the white flag looks cheap.
--
--
Andre
Windows Connect | http://www.windowsconnected.com
Extended64 | http://www.extended64.com
Blog | http://www.extended64.com/blogs/andre
http://spaces.msn.com/members/adacosta

"Adahn" <administrator@localhost> wrote in message
news:81CAACC2-C43C-451A-802B-...
> OK, will we finally see the last of that horrid stone-and-chisel UI that
> Windows 95 left us to remember it by, before Vista hits RTM?
>
> Can they not replace/update the base drawing functions? Original coders
> flown the coop for greener pastures and their yuppie replacements are left
> dumbfounded?
>
> I see that they have to honor the
> ButtonFace/ButtonShadow/ButtonDarkShadow/ButtonHighlight/etc. color
> properties for legacy applications, but Vista could just ignore them
> altogether?
>
> Draw the legacy elements in an absolutely flat, monochrome look, because
> even something similar to Windows 3.1, if not Mac OS Classic, would look
> more in-place and pleasing with the newer Aero.
>
> If MS is at all sincere about a modern UI paradigm and not just after
> emulating OSX we should see no trace of those ancient blocky elements
> anywhere in the final Vista.

Adahn wrote:
| OK, will we finally see the last of that horrid stone-and-chisel UI that
| Windows 95 left us to remember it by, before Vista hits RTM?
|
| Can they not replace/update the base drawing functions? Original coders
| flown the coop for greener pastures and their yuppie replacements are left
| dumbfounded?
|
| I see that they have to honor the
| ButtonFace/ButtonShadow/ButtonDarkShadow/ButtonHighlight/etc. color
| properties for legacy applications, but Vista could just ignore them
| altogether?
|
| Draw the legacy elements in an absolutely flat, monochrome look, because
| even something similar to Windows 3.1, if not Mac OS Classic, would look
| more in-place and pleasing with the newer Aero.
|
| If MS is at all sincere about a modern UI paradigm and not just after
| emulating OSX we should see no trace of those ancient blocky elements
| anywhere in the final Vista.

I like the "Classic" look. I'm running it now and plan to run it with Vista.
I use those values to create Classic type themes in a number of colours and
contrasts. The Classic themes are plainer but nice and make Windows easier
to use in my opinion. I'm quite happy Vista, so far, has included the
Classic look for people who like it.

It's not bloat .. it's only two basic looks: Classic and Themed. Actually I
don't like the MacOS partly because there is no classic look. There are a
couple of anemic looking themes and that's it. Whereas with Windows, I
created a rich red Classic theme I run around Canada Day and a Classic green
theme for when I'm in that mood and so on. I use the ButtonShadow values
etc. to get the contrasts and shadows to the levels I like.

---
Grok

Not asking for complete annihilation of the Classic UI, just that there be
no traces of it whatsoever while we have Aero selected.

Right now, the whole Glass thing being handled by a background process
(UxSS) running on high priority feels like too much of a tacked-on hack job,
and leaving the classic UI still showing through in [too many] places makes
it even more of a kludge -_-

& before you reply with the usual "still in beta" note that it is the same
with XP as well, even after 2 service packs.

I strongly support your idea Adahn. Fax is still showing its ugly side
and I hope every single bit of UI right down to the pixel level WILL be
Aero Glass polished...

The only problem is... will MS do it?...

--
Nicholas...

"Overclock Your Life, Then The World"
"Adahn" <administrator@localhost> wrote in message
news:%...
> Not asking for complete annihilation of the Classic UI, just that
> there be no traces of it whatsoever while we have Aero selected.
>
> Right now, the whole Glass thing being handled by a background process
> (UxSS) running on high priority feels like too much of a tacked-on
> hack job, and leaving the classic UI still showing through in [too
> many] places makes it even more of a kludge -_-
>
> & before you reply with the usual "still in beta" note that it is the
> same with XP as well, even after 2 service packs.

"& before you reply with the usual "still in beta" note that it is the
same
with XP as well, even after 2 service packs."

LOL! Very true! XP has TONS of windows 3.1 UI designs, even after
Service Pack 2 which took 3 whole years!

I have a crystal ball in front of me but I don't need it. From MS's
personality I can bet 98% Vista will have LEGACY UI built deep into Aero
Glass, they call it "normal by design".

--
Nicholas...

"Overclock Your Life, Then The World"