It’s been a little over two months since Redmond released its Visual Studio 11 beta, and now the company has cooked up a release candidate that has an adjusted user interface, gleaned from user feedback.
In my time using the VS11 beta, the UI hasn’t really got in my way, but the user base wanted “more visual ‘energy’ and contrast”. And, so, Microsoft has delivered.
Visual Studio 11’s beta look. (Credit: Microsoft)
Visual Studio 11 RC’s new look.
(Credit: Microsoft)
I like the lighter grey tint of the interface, and the return of colour to icons should help recognition — good job on those efforts.
Then, there’s that all-caps issue of the menus. It’s really baffling, considering that the choice was made to remove the caps from tool window titles, auto-hidden tabs, and tab group members. Having an interface that is less shout-y can only be a good thing.
Updated look for tabs.
(Credit: Microsoft)
So why would Microsoft throw out decades of UI practices, to re-create this?
Can I pass on this aspect of the new look?
(Credit: Microsoft)
I’m stumped. Hopefully, developers will give enough feedback to Microsoft on this issue to have them restore the standard menu style. Of course, I could use the RC and learn to love it. We will see, over the coming days.
How distasteful is all-caps regarded, as a usability choice?
This very week, workers from Melbourne’s Metropolitan Fire Brigade conducted a number of work protests, one aspect of which was to use their computers with Caps Lock on.
If a group of people is using your new UI feature as a form of protest, I would recommend that you quickly reconsider that choice.
I look forward to your all-caps comments below.
