Designing the Windows 7 Taskbar
- Posted: Jan 08, 2009 at 9:28AM
- 7 comments
Windows 7 offers a new way of controlling your desktop, managing your windows, and launching applications. The Windows 7 Taskbar is a new application-launching and window-switching mechanism that consolidates the functionalities from previous Windows OS Desktop mechanisms such as Quick Launch, Recent Documents, Notification area icons, desktop shortcuts, and running application windows.
Watch Yochay Kiriaty, Windows 7 Technical Evangelist, and Taskbar product team designer Stephan Hoefnagels as we present the evolution of the Windows 7 Taskbar through the different design iteration cycles, and of course, we will see the famous “Bat Signal.”
Designing the Windows 7 Taskbar is one of a series of Channel 9 videos about the new Windows 7 Taskbar. Other videos include:
1. Designing the Windows 7 Taskbar
2. Windows 7 Taskbar Behind the Scenes
3. Jump in to Windows 7 Taskbar Jump Lists
For more technical information on the Windows 7 Taskbar, read the Windows 7 Taskbar Part 1 – The Basics. And for more technical content on Windows 7, along with a few cool code samples, go to the Windows 7 Blog for Developers.
If you missed the PDC sessions on the Windows 7 Taskbar, you can always watch their videos:
Welcome to Windows 7 Taskbar and
Integrate with Windows 7 Taskbar – but I know you already saw them few times. 
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More entries in this blog
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Windows 7 New Taskbar - An Overview
-
Designing the Windows 7 Taskbar
-
Windows 7 Taskbar - Behind the Scenes
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But raises an interesting question:
At least for 2 times the space consideration was raised: one of the time to explain why the button (on the left to each icon) was removed.
So, if space is such a big issue, why the empty space around the icons?
Wouldn't a better space management address a little bit better that question? I would really like to see some comments on that in order to better understand the UIX.
While touch friendly interfaces are rising it should not be used as a catch all. If any interface is designed to be used for the finger, than more than increasing space around icons should be done.
In that case, an specific theme should be used for finger-oriented interfaces that boost the spaces and inputs.
Also, the rest of the users should not be handicapped for something that they will never take advantage off.
I would like to see a screenshot of W7 with a few windows open in a small screen device such as an EeePC....
With no text on the items in the taskbar this doesnt seem like a possibility.
My issue, and this comes up in software design often, is by making everything visual and grouped... the problem of finding 2 similar apps with similar names is solved, however... if i know what i am doing already, now there is an extra step of mouse over and then click on the thumbnail to get back to my app. Further, if I have 5 or so IE tabs, that could mean moving my mouse back and forth across the screen. With monitors at 22 and 24 inches, this becomes a hassle.
http://www.istartedsomething.com/20090105/measuring-up-windows-7s-new-super-taskbar/
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