Is the Desktop Having an Identity Crisis?
Good read on what Apple and Microsoft are doing to their desktop operating system roadmaps.
Both new operating systems reflect a tectonic shift in personal computing. They incorporate elements from mobile operating systems alongside more conventional desktop features. But demos of both operating systems suggest that users could face a confusing mishmash of design ideas and interaction methods.
Even though I disagree with this wave of incorporating mobile UI into the desktop I agree with some of the concepts that Apple has been bringing into OS X. The new perspective on the file system is great for average users. Full screen applications help users with window management. Gestures are great but I’m not sure how an average user adapts to them. Now disappearing scrollbars and mission control, eh. Not sold on those.
The direction that Microsoft is taking just boggles my mind. It looks like Windows Phone on the desktop. To be fair Windows8 is still under development so we will have to wait and see what that looks like.
