Sign up for a new account or log in here:
also @ TechSpot: Intel says Haswell will improve battery life by 50 percent
Windows 8 has once again come under fire over its questionable user interface. This time, it’s Jakob Nielsen from the Nielsen Norman Group voicing an opinion based on a recent case study conducted by the company. Simply put, Nielsen’s words aren’t very flattering.
The group invited 12 experienced PC users to try out Windows 8 on the new Surface RT tablet as well as a traditional computer. Sure the sample group was small but regardless, he was able to draw some pretty telling conclusions based on the users’ feedback.
Starting with the user interface, Nielsen likens Windows 8 to the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – referring of course to the PC-oriented desktop environment alongside the tablet-minded (Metro) interface.
Specifically, he said Windows 8 on mobile devices and tablets is like a tortured soul hoping for redemption and that on a regular PC, it’s like a monster that terrorizes poor office workers and strangles their productivity.
Having two environments on one device can lead to a number of problems, including having to remember where to go for which features. He also points out that switching between two environments will increase the interaction cost of using multiple features and because the two environments work differently, it will make for an inconsistent user experience.
In summary, Nielsen says Windows 8 has several hidden features, reduced discoverability, has cognitive overhead from dual environments and has reduced power from a single-window user interface and low information density. Perhaps these are some of the reasons that Windows 8 sales are below Microsoft’s projections at this point.
User Comments: 76
Got something to say? Post a comment-
1 person liked this |I'm a Gamer, Custom builder and I disagree with you and think he is right!
So as a custom builder, what will you build if Windows 8 does away with the desktop? I highly doubt you'll begin building custom ultrabooks, or liquid cooling them. Do you actually believe that you can eek out the same performance in a laptop/ultrabook/tablet, as you can in a desktop that has far more cooling/graphics/processing/motherboard/upgrade options? Do you honestly believe that an operating system has that much power, to completely eliminate an entire platform? Please enlighten me so that I can understand your reasoning.
I took that line of commenting to mean the Windows Desktop, not necessarily desktop computers in general... Now you've got me second-guessing myself! Heh
-
I wonder what the same test would show with less experienced users.
Windows hasn't changed its user interface this significantly in quite a few years.
If you make changes to a workflow that has been the same for years of course people would have reduced productivity.
The test should be repeated after a year of use and the results should be compared, this would be more accurate.
-
I took that line of commenting to mean the Windows Desktop, not necessarily desktop computers in general... Now you've got me second-guessing myself! Heh
If that's what he meant by his comment, then yes, I can certainly understand that. I was under the impression that he was speaking of the desktop computer platform, which I believe is here to stay for many years to come.
-
I took that line of commenting to mean the Windows Desktop, not necessarily desktop computers in general... Now you've got me second-guessing myself! Heh
I was referring to the windows desktop not general computers.
-
Am I only one who hates that Metro has to run full screen. I mean I want to run multiple metro windows. I have a 24" monitor for a reason. I personally just avoid the metro side and forget its there till I have to go back in there for something and remember how annoying it is. Can I ripe out Metro and have it just in a small desktop window...then maybe I could stand it. Till then the desktop of Windows 8 is at least rocking!
-
Am I only one who hates that Metro has to run full screen. I mean I want to run multiple metro windows. I have a 24" monitor for a reason. I personally just avoid the metro side and forget its there till I have to go back in there for something and remember how annoying it is. Can I ripe out Metro and have it just in a small desktop window...then maybe I could stand it. Till then the desktop of Windows 8 is at least rocking!
Install Start8
-
This whole ripping on Metro reminds me of people ripping on the Galaxy Note for having a big screen. If it's not what you want, then don't buy it, but stop telling other people that what they like sucks.
But, it's not quite the same... If you don't like the Note, you can still buy a S III or one of the wide range of other Android phones that meet your needs. What scares people is how hard Metro is being pushed even if we don't want it, and that it looks like it is here to stay - so if you want to use Windows, you don't have the luxury of choosing other options. Luckily there are workarounds and utilities to tweak the user experience - most of us just think those should have been provided from the start, and given the option on which interface to use.
-
I was referring to the windows desktop not general computers.
Well that makes MUCH more sense... lol
-
Not surprised by this at all.
-
dennis777 said:
If you haven't try windows 8 yet - don't complain... every software has its pro and cons.. live with it.
-
Purchased it. Tried it. Didn't like it. Went back to Windows 7.
-
ReederOnTheRun said:
Purchased it. Tried it. Liked it. Rockin Windows 8 from now on.
-
If you haven't try windows 8 yet - don't complain... every software has its pro and cons.. live with it.
But just know the majority of people who tried Win8 went back to Win7 because it had fewer cons which is a pretty big pro in hindsight.
-
Who or what is nielsen norman and why in the name of fishpaste should we give a hoot ?
-
Oo, whee, I bet if Narcissus had himself one of them thar Sur-facey tablet thingys, he wouldn't have set around staring at his own reflection in a puddle. Now you can take your puddle with you!
Face it...(pun intended), it too easy to get caught if you carry a genuine mirror around with you, and it's less of a PITA than unbolting the door to your microwave. (Which is unlikely to fit in your backpack anyway).
Window 8 rules, for narcissists and catatonics alike....!
-
I said it before, I'll say it again - I'm finding windows 8 excellent. It's new features are rocking. I don't even mind Metro. What is bugging me are the apps on Metro - the photo's, music, videos etc are all very lacking.I cannot for the life of me find out where to add an email account on mail for Metro.
And as said before, the file search is crap
So the Apps in Metro (the reason MS made Win8) all suck, but Win8 is rocking?
-
Try out the website. If that's his idea of UI / UX, I don't want that...
-
"The group invited 12 experienced PC users to try out Windows 8 on the new Surface RT tablet as well as a traditional computer. Sure the sample group was small but regardless, he was able to draw some pretty telling conclusions based on the users? feedback."
What did these users do for a living? Were they just experienced PC users that they got off the street or IT professionals? Depending on how experienced these people are, this could be a very one sided study.
In reality the only people that matter right now are people off the street that buy Windows 8 devices and so far from what I hear people who have them like them. I don't trust most bloggers, or analysts because I don't think they can be non-bias.
-
1 person liked this |avoidz said:
My 5 years old son use Win8 without problem...Right. And your 5-year-old knows so much about productivity and real computer use. To him it just looks colorful and moves in interesting ways. Not a good recommendation, but thanks.
-
Let's face it, some people like Windows 8 however based on various feedback that I have seen, most people prerfer Windows 7. I believe this is because most people are used to Windows 7, run it on a desktop or non-touch device and it is very solid OS. Enter Windows 8 with it's dual modes that doesn't add up for most people. I love how other people say, if you just add Start 8, don't use Metro and stay on the desktop it's great. So if you convert to Windows 7 style it's great? In any event to each his/her own, pick and choose what works for you.
-
I work at a networking help desk. I was just remoted into a Windows 8 machine yesterday and Server 2012 the day before. I have never wanted to kick a computer before, until yesterday. Do you have any idea how difficult it can be to explain to the end user who needs help turning his computer, why he no longer has a start button? Or better yet, explain to him what the Metro Interface even is?
Microsoft made a big mistake with Windows 8. They should have utilized windows 7 more into windows 8. Make the metro interface an "OPTION" and not an integral part of the OS. That way, you keep the best of Windows 7 and if you want to use their new Metro style, you could turn it on if you so choose.
Windows 8, while cool in some regards, just made the life of guys in my industry absolutely miserable.
-
And Windows 8 is UGLY. I will never use it, it will be a flop like Vista, wait....... even worse than Vista. Look for Windows 9 next year.
I think the words you're looking for are "Microsoft bob" running on a radioshack Tandy ugly.
-
JUST STOP......I think EVERYBODY need's to take a step back...breath In.....breath out...O.K.
Now...If you're not happy with win 8 don't use It, or buy It.
The bad men from Microsoft aren't going to come to you're house and force you to Install and use Win 8, Win 7 Isn't going to magically uninstall Itself, just keep using the OS you're happy with and we can wait for Win 9.
-
JUST STOP......I think EVERYBODY need's to take a step back...breath In.....breath out...O.K.
Now...If you're not happy with win 8 don't use It, or buy It.
The bad men from Microsoft aren't going to come to you're house and force you to Install and use Win 8, Win 7 Isn't going to magically uninstall Itself, just keep using the OS you're happy with and we can wait for Win 9.
But really, don' you think that if enough people encourage M$ by saying nice things about Win 8, and buying it, that might embolden M$ to make Windows 9 even worse?.
-
1 person liked this |Yes - it does kind of feel like there are "dual environments" but having used it for a while now..I can actually see the desktop being eliminated in the future, it is no longer necessary.
If MS eliminates the desktop in Windows it will be the end of them. The casual web surfing, email only, one thing at a time user which I'm guessing you are could deal with this. Power Users, Professionals, and anyone that routinely runs multiple programs or needs to compare data between two applications is going to be put off by something like Metro.
I'm a database developer by trade, my development workstation has 3x 24" monitors... there are times when I could use a 4th. It is not uncommon for me to see RAM usage north of 10GB... as I type this I have outlook, Internet Explorer, Waterfox, a virtual machine, a remote desktop sesson, visual studio, an access database, and a copy of my current programming project all running. All three monitors are in use... If MS were to drop support for the desktop I would be forced to drop support for them because I could not do my job in that kind of environment.
I'm in the exact same boat. I have 3 x24" monitors and I often have 8+ programs running from Visual Studio, Sql Server, Filezilla, Virtual Machines, Remote Desktop, Photoshop, Outlook, Training Videos, multiple copies of Word/Excel, IM, etc. ...and as much as I'm trying to like Win8, it's a productivity killer. I tried very hard to use it for a couple of weeks, then had to go back to Win7 since my productivity fell off a cliff.
It scared me when all the "on stage" demos always showed them flipping through a picture-book and showing me how nice it was for looking at family photos, and that I "could even see the weather" on the side (inside, I went "uh-oh"
. I love the fast boot and better networking, but that's not enough to endure 4 or 5 clicks to what used to be 1 or 2, and then for their apps to go full screen on my 24" monitor? (it's like going from a power user to Dora the Explorer, and yes,...that is why the 5 year old kids are 'fine' with it.)I don't know why they are shunning people who need to be productive all day/night, and are throwing us off the bus for people who like to turn on TV, watch a movie, and look at digital picture frames. Microsoft has been so shocked at Apples sales that it's throwing its "cash-cow" user-base under the train for "new-blood" that it'll never find. Microsoft, you'll never be Apple, so stop trying, and use your strengths in the productivity world, not the picture-book world. (Apple will never be the platform of power users, yes there are a few, but that's not Apples market).
Most Popular
| Trending | Featured |
Featured on Cases
Subscribe to TechSpot
Get free exclusive content, learn about new features and breaking tech news.