Windows 7 Ideas

DCMonkey wrote:

Start menu jokes aside, I don't understand why exit needs to be a top level item, always visible on the desktop.

Moreover... there is clearly still a Windows Logo and menu construct (or of sorts) so why not just make the Exit things a pop up from the Logo.... move all that crap to the LHS (to maintain familiarity) and that leaves the RHS for things like "View" etc...  which is akin to the Notication area people are already used to.

I have a few scenarios that I'd like Win7 to consider:

* Reading e-mails

* Manage / Search "Office" documents

* Browsing pictures

* Surfing the internet

* Manage "generic" files

* Manage people connections

* Paying bills

* Viewing car scheduled maintenance

* Browse viral videos


And I think these things need to be re-imagined to be totally different than what we do today. Because today, we have crap! crap! crap! when it comes to the non-computer literate crowd.

I think some mind-altering substance is required by MS designers prior to tackling those. I'll give it a shot, too, though.

Idea Summary:

Idea 1.  none (for name) 
Windows 7 will probably have a new name (as calling 7 in 2009 wont really work)  In a way it is too bad. Ive never liked "names" for windows.  Its windows.  That one is up to ms.

Idea 2.  Tag.  Windows ____ : Above and Beyond
As mentioned in posts - i liked this because it sounds big.  above the clouds - beyond the competition.. google moon.. xprise - or linux etc

Idea 3. Invisible taskbar - Search moved out of startmenu - centered
Again as mentioned: if MS is competing with google for real (from pcs to phones) they need the default main page UI to have search.  It cant go in center of wallpaper (as it would wreck the look of family photos) but it could go in the center of the - invisible - bar.

Idea 4: Tag win flag logo  to search box (not View or Open menu)
This just re-enforces the "when we say we are going to kill f$%$ google - we mean it!" 

Idea 5: Start menu is replaced with full width panel
Ive been going on about this one forever.  why just 25% of screen?

Idea 6: No "switch user" / "hibernate". 
It either says log in - or logged in as.  To change - type a different name and hit enter. hibernate is sleep (it figures it out ..laptop / desktop)

Idea 7.  Move shutdown options to top level
I put them far right.  this is more for cross device consistancy

Idea 8: Flip3d - goes in a circle
Shows more at once - round is fun

Idea 9: No borders on JPGs (till mouseover)
Just like youtube.  Looks nicer to view as just a photo.  Worse case scenario - add a white border around them (like old kodaks - not the polaroid borders like today though)

idea 10: it is consistent with look of windows live

How long until these hit Digg as real mockups?

jamie wrote:

Idea 5: Start menu is replaced with full width panel
Ive been going on about this one forever.  why just 25% of screen?

An extra wide start menu means you've got to move the mouse even further to get to some things (depending on exactly where your start panel sprouts from).

I can see why some people would like the Vista programs "list" to be resizable, but I haven't had a problem with the default size myself.

jamie wrote:

Idea 7.  Move shutdown options to top level
I put them far right.  this is more for cross device consistancy

What devices? On my desktop I'd use it once per session. On my laptop I can just close the lid. On my phone, tablet or UMPC I can press the physical button on the side.

Foolish consistency etc...

re- Devices (above one): i was picturing an iphone with NO buttons = exit/close needs to be top level.  oops i mean Surface mobile

jamie wrote:



re- Devices (above one): i was picturing an iphone with NO buttons = exit/close needs to be top level.  oops i mean Surface mobile

Perhaps the only thing requred is the logo... you don't need a separate "start" and everything else can appear on pointing at or clicking on the logo.

pushing it... (but these go with it...)








* crap = WGA / DRM / UAC etc (steveb stuff)

** it is suppose to be ..humorous.. like - we are SO above and beyond that NOW! ..all those negative articles?  theyre in the past dude... move on! we are!


Edit:  (Windows Live ad)   Get a Live!



</end>

that was a good days work! fun!

OK, I'll post a concept:

(a way to combine the taskbar with the sidebar / multiple sidebars/taskbars)


-- Different taskbar panels, selected by 'tabs' at bottom
-- Can stack panels on top of each other, stay on top, or temporarily
-- Panels are basically particular presentations of particular types of info/content



-- Flexibility allows you to move media player from Open Tasks to Gadgets, if a gadget is available
-- Or from Quick Access to Feeds, etc.



-- If you press a Shortcut Key it slides the panel you're selecting in at the bottom below other open panels
-- i.e. Windows+Tab slides in the Open Tasks Panel



-- Alt-Tab features a transition between the Tasks Panel, where it comes from the bottom and zooms into the center of the screen

Idea 11 : A Mazie screensaver, wallpaper, and agent

j/k

Mazie Agent:  A new murder mystery - coming soon to a K9-park near you

i think it would be good to get a windows 7 idea / feature request wiki ... with different sections. i think it would be good to have one section for just small touches and addons to the OS, like we discussed in another thread.. and another section with more foudnational concepts and or design ideas

brian.shapiro wrote:

OK, I'll post a concept:

..for sure! everyone post ideas.

then we can come back in 3 years to ...look at them

creditcard wrote:

Start from scratch from a FreeBSD or Linux kernel.

I personally think Microsoft should just give up. :/

I would like something when you start up to "boot to email" or "boot to document". Reason being is if I need to fire up my laptop to read a doc from a flash drive I dont want to have to wait for everything in the OS to load...the same goes for Outlook.

jamie wrote:

Idea 2.  Tag.  Windows ____ : Above and Beyond

Windows Space: Above and Beyond?

..above and beyond refers to : the call of duty