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WOF: Windows 8 ditches Aero Glass -- will you miss it?
In a lengthy blog post, Microsoft has explained some of the logic behind Windows 8's interface. Much of the article discusses Metro, but a sizable chunk focuses on the desktop environment, including some significant changes that haven't been revealed in the Consumer Preview yet. Most notably, Microsoft says it's scrapping Aero Glass, the glossy, transparent border introduced with Vista, in favor of a flatter style that's less distracting:
"In the end, we decided to bring the desktop closer to the Metro aesthetic, while preserving the compatibility afforded by not changing the size of window chrome, controls, or system UI. We have moved beyond Aero Glass -- flattening surfaces, removing reflections, and scaling back distracting gradients...We want desktop windows to continue to feel light and airy, and we want a chrome style that doesn't distract from the content of the app."
Although I hope there's still a way to customize colors (the white default is too bright for my taste), I don't think I'll miss Glass at all. The transparency has distracted or otherwise misled me many times. A new track might play on Foobar or my desktop background might change and I mistake the activity for a new email or instant message. What say you? Is Aero Glass a tacky remnant or a reassuring familiarity of Windows Vista and 7?
User Comments: 104
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spikester48661 said:
hell no will I aero glass its a bad app for windows.more speed is the way to go!!
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I like simplicity!
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let me choose!
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Man I like Aero.
it gives me those new shiny look from a new OS compared to XP.
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JC713 said:
Aero is one of the best visually enticing features of Windows 7,I love it, and for Microsoft to ditch it confirms me of not buying W8. W8 losing the start button was a real mistake, thats what sets it apart from the Mac. You cant put a touch interface on a non touch system, it is absurd, and will lost Microsoft a lot of business.
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Doctor John said:
Plenty of Aero-glass type options for Gnome desktop (with and without start button!)
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I hate this new look. I wont upgrade to windows 8. I plan on using windows 7 on my next new desktop. I love the current look of 7. why do they change everything? I loved xp, and now I love 7. vista sucked and 8 will suck.
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I like the Aero-glass for the same reasons most other people do in this thread.
I won't be getting Windows 8, even if there is an option for Aero-glass installed. Fact is, I don't have stupid £££s to spend on something that looks and feels worse than what I've already got.
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(first, I'm a different guest than the previous one)
@Matthew: Yes, you can tweak Foobar to function exactly how you like. When a song starts you could have the artist and track title appear in the center of your screen for 2 seconds in size 70 font if you really want.
Myself I have the discography of almost all the artists I listen to, so I have an unbelievable amount of music. The easiest way to navigate through is sorting by artists with album sub menus like Windows Media Player 10 allowed, however nothing allows this anymore... and since WMP10 isn't supported by Windows 7. Foobar lets me customize it perfectly to suite my needs:
[link]
I set it up for usability, not for looks. You could replace all the UI, make it look beautiful if you were so inclined. Foobar really is the ultimate media player for Windows. It's the Firefox of Media Players (customize it to function and look exactly how you want).
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diego713 said:
No. Want performance, not eye candy!
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I can understand why such things (performance, simplicity, etc..) might be important for a tablet-like device, where display size and power is are important issues.. but, for a desktop OS with today's hardware? No.(n) I've never had the desire to turn off aero under Vista or W7 and run with it.
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I'm interested in how they're going to get tablet users to pay for an OS.
Unless MS starts making hardware, it's going to be an added cost.
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...and I liked Aero.
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I think the main problem with aero was that most people really had to use it, because the standard look was ugly as crap
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I said the above post in the sense that people used it whether or not their PC could handle it. It looked cool but affected performance for some people. But I dont think getting rid of it is a good idea.
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psycros said:
<p>They're just changing for the sake of change, to avoid people saying that they're paying for Seven all over again. Whiny internet people succeed again.</p>
If "whiny internet people" got their way, Metro would never be seen on a desktop, ever. Microsoft is desperately copying Apple in every way now - ignoring their userbase and pusing a "vision", limiting choice and being all-around jerks. Problem is, they don't have a zombie religion of customers so its going to backfire in a huge way.
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I didn't mind the aero, I thought it looked nice. As for the lack of a real startbar/button, screw 8. M$ already lost me by making everything too n00b friendly and candy colored.
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abysal said:
user choice... I'll stick with win7.
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<p>(first, I'm a different guest than the previous one<span style="text-decoration: line-through"></span></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: line-through">@Matthew: Yes, you can tweak Foobar to function exactly how you like. When a song starts you could have the artist and track title appear in the center of your screen for 2 seconds in size 70 font if you really want.</span></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: line-through"> </span></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: line-through">Myself I have the discography of almost all the artists I listen to, so I have an unbelievable amount of music. The easiest way to navigate through is sorting by artists with album sub menus like Windows Media Player 10 allowed, however nothing allows this anymore... and since WMP10 isn't supported by Windows 7. Foobar lets me customize it perfectly to suite my needs:</span></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: line-through"><a href="http://imagecrate.de/u/1337406464_whatever-you-wa
t.png" target="_blank" class="externalLink" rel="nofollow">http://imagecrate.de/u/133740646
_whatever-you-want.png</a></span></p><p><span style="text-decoration: line-through"> </span></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: line-through">I set it up for usability, not for looks. You could replace all the UI, make it look beautiful if you were so inclined. Foobar really is the ultimate media player for Windows. It's the Firefox of Media Players (customize it to function and look exactly how you want).</span></p>
You should make an account.
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VitalyT said:
Yes, I'm gonna miss the days when Microsoft was making sense....
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I don't care that Windows 8 will suck. The problem is that Microsoft is heading in a bad direction, and in a few years Windows 7 won't be a good option ? same as XP when 7 came out. A lot of the software I'm using requires me to use Windows and to be honest, I really like Windows 7.
I don't get what's the deal with flat 2d-looking graphics... It looks like shit.
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NTAPRO said:
I preferred the classic theme in vista and windows 7.
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yowanvista said:
The Windows XP of 2012? No thanks, I'll pass.
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xankazo said:
Sorry Windows 8, but you can't have me. Windows 7 has been too nice for me.
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Microsoft seems to be forgetting that their greatest strength against Apple is that when the mass-majority of folks go into a Best Buy, Microsoft's OS looks familiar but Apple's looks alien (ameliorated by ubiquity of iTunes, iPhone, etc.). The more different Microsoft's OS looks, the greater the risk they have of folks making the switch to Apple.
They can take aesthetic chances--they must. But they must also be loud and clear about the ability to run whatever they create in "classic mode". E.g., I generally like Win7, but run Taskbar Tweeker so that the behavior of my taskbar remains "classic". There is no such freeware option for their ribbon bar on Office--I.e., to use drop down menus. As such, even after 3 years of having to use 2007 at work, I still hate it. I can get Office 2007 (2010?) free as a grad student, butI have so far passed. When MS stops supporting Office 2003, that's when I make my break to Libre Office.
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