The font, buttons and how everything is spaced is just perfect. I wish we could have a minimalistic Windows, that have this UI.
Just x3, x4 integer scaling so it can display on modern screens.
No crapware included by default. And then you download software you need form the net, like browsers, mailclient, torrent client, games, or what ever you need.
Does ReactOS tick the requirements? It is FOSS.
I think the 98 side panel added to 95 would be the best usability. Not every user knows it is safe to open the programs in the control panel (maybe it’ll change something if I run it!) so the select icon to view description was a really good idea imho.
That's why old Windows versions had Cancel buttons in every configuration window.
- opens a folder
- opens a document
- executes a program
I think it is reasonable for a user to assume those icons in the control panel are programs and worry whether they’ll open a dialogue with an “okay” and “cancel” option or just do something.
We have the same problem on the command line. We can reasonably assume that `config-program -—help` won’t execute anything, but we don’t know until we try. However, we are assured that `man config-program` won’t execute anything.
The sidebar brings intermediate users closer to assurance and helps novice users understand where they are.
At least that’s how I see it as a good UX addition to windows. I wouldn’t be surprised if most scared users wouldn’t even look at the sidebar.
If you design an app which writes anything into a document file as soon as you open the document in them you are doing it really wrong.
This given, the confusion you describe comes straight from lack of awareness of the UI metaphor logic in the software engineers. A well-designed GUI app (a non-GUI app should not be executed by double-clicking at all) would do virtually nothing to leave any traces (let alone break anything) right after you run them, by just launching them or "launching" any specific document to be opened in them.
But I get your point. From the practical point of view - given the reality, what we actually have, you are perfectly right.
It's form over function so hard it hurts, in a place where function is all I want. I'm not on a "journey" or having an "experience" or whatever they're aiming for. I just want to change a setting, so show me ALL the settings programs, RIGHT NOW. It's laughable how much you need to click on random stuff to see where stuff may be hiding.. Search is great, if you can remember what it's called, but often, I can't and I need to look through the options to be reminded.