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Microsoft Vista User Interface Guidelines Published
SEMW writes "Microsoft has published the preliminary Official User Interface Guidelines for Windows Vista. Highlights include Top 12 Rules for the Windows Vista User Experience — and the use of screenshots from Windows XP as examples of what not to do. The full guidelines are as yet incomplete, but what is there makes for interesting reading."
Be polite, supportive, and encouraging. The user should never feel condescended to, blamed, or intimidated.
That's a really bitching Notepad icon. They've clearly been hard at work.
ResidntGeek
They really did this because of the copyright issues concerning tree views...good old Microsoft. Always watching their ass. (^_~)
The heavens do not fall for such a trifle.
"Keep the user guessing."
It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
Do not install Vista. :)
> examples of what not to do
Updates complete. Restart now?
What about now?
Now?
Now?
Now?
Just wanted to know if I should restart now?
What about now?
Are you ready to restart?
Shall I restart now?
Should I not restart later?
I think I should restart now.
Wouldn't it be good if I restarted now?
Who's up for a restart??
"You can justify anything by putting it in quotes, adding a famous name and making it a sig" - Albert Einstein
Do no evil interface design... Oh, wait a minute, that's the Google guidelines.
*cough*
Evil interface design acceptable if you're writing an application, virus or spyware.
Do NOT install Vista. ;-)
Forget thrust, drag, lift and weight. Airplanes fly because of money.
I just loved this bit;
"# Focus on what users really need to know. Don't avoid important text--be explicit whenever necessary--but don't be redundant or verbose. Because users often scan text, make every word count. Simple, concise text not only saves screen space, it most effectively conveys an important idea or action.
# Remove redundant text. Look for redundant text in window titles, main instructions, supplemental instructions, content areas, command links, and commit buttons. Generally, leave full text in instructions and interactive controls, and remove any redundancy from the other places.
glad to see MS don't break their own rules!
*''I can't believe it's not a hyperlink.''
Did hell just freeze over? Is Windows Media Player Vista going to recommend .OGG for media files?
Is crushing a suspect's child's testicles illegal?
John Yoo: "No, [if] the President thinks he needs to do that."
They could have saved a lot of typing by just linking to the Apple Human Interface Guidelines.
But will MS follow their own rules? Hold on a sec . . .
Anyway, given the many complaints on Vista's security, it would seem MS isn't following their own rules--
While there maybe good reason to lock down Vista, you would think that MS would make it less annoying--
WTF? %$%#&@!
Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
After reading the guidelines I got the distinct impression that they were trying to instill Vista with Genuine People Personality(tm).
"Happy Service!"