Why User experience of windows 10 is getting bad?
Many of us are so used to Windows Operating System from our childhood that we end up disabling stuff that is not needed and try our best to make it work the way it should, without bloatware apps and intrusive ads which are disguised as app suggestions.
“Everything should be made as simple as possible,
but not simpler.” — Albert Einstein
Need for Improvement in Windows 10:
Windows 10 is now in place on 700 million devices, comprising a broad range of products which will increase heavily by January 2020 after the end of Service Support for Windows 7. As per the latest report on Net Marketshare puts Windows 10 in the top spot for the desktop operating systems with a market share of 87%.
Microsoft has presented Fluent design system which is simple and coherent through a shared, open design system across platforms but it is not enough. They also have to apply it and there is still a lot of room for improvement in Windows 10 user experience. Some key changes are :
1. Separate package for 3D/Mixed Reality Apps
Currently, Windows 10 is loaded with 3D apps like Paint 3D, 3D viewer, and Print 3D which are not needed for a regular user.
Solution: Simply giving an option to download and install these apps can save memory and make the user feel empowered to have a choice.
“The user should always feel in control of the software, rather than feeling controlled by the software.”
2. CMD and Powershell
Newly introduced Powershell, can do all the work of CMD(Command Prompt) plus it also allows us to access deeper system task automation, supports pipes for taking output of one command and pass it as the input (or pipe it) to the next command(concept of console-based shells) and another interesting feature that lacks Cmd is “Aliases”.
3. Inconsistency in the design of Control Panel and Settings
Even though Windows 10 is equipped with the latest fluent design system but not in all apps which makes the design feel inconsistent with Windows 10. More importantly: some settings are still only available in the old Control Panel interface, while others are only available in the new Settings interface.
In other cases, one will even direct you to the other. For example, you need to visit the Settings application to add a new user account or configure many settings for your current account. If you visit the User Accounts pane in the Control Panel, it will just send you to the Settings interface. Read more here
- Why there are two interfaces for a simple user action?
- Why Control panel settings can’t be included in the Settings to make it a central point of Control for the system?
It’s terrible both in terms of UI and UX. It’s not like Microsoft lacks the resources to fix this mess, but they seem to be extremely slow at doing so.
4. Edge Vs Internet Explorer
Two, default Browser of Windows 10, one is old and another one with modern tools.
Why Microsoft is promoting two browsers in Windows 10 even though Edge is more powerful than Internet Explorer?
In terms of Performance, Edge is more powerful than Chrome, with less ram usage and more standard in-built features like Web Note, Easy reading tools, and one of the best is snoozing tabs for later.
5. More Double Apps in the list :
For Music: Windows Media Player and Groove Music
For Movies: Windows Media Player, Films/TV, and Surprisingly Photos app can also open the Video.
For Photos: Photos app which is worst for opening photos due to high latency.
[<<Surprise from Microsoft>>] : Photos app can play our videos and songs too.😜
6. Mirror Notifications From Android to Your PC
Your Phone app is an unsung hero of Windows 10. It provides real value by letting you reach for the phone less often, whether to answer a text, check a notification, or move some pictures.
But, Messaging App also allows you to manage your messages.
Why a new app with sub-functionality of Your Phone?🙄🤷♂️
As it’s my first article on Medium, I have written about UX Design Critique of Windows 10, things we overlook in everyday life but don’t recognize it loud enough to speak and notice from a design and usability perspective. I truly understand that Microsoft has a huge user base in Billions and this article is critical about Windows 10 which needs to be compact with only usable app for users to run smoother, and to have a seamless experience across any Windows 10 device.
Microsoft should follow some techniques from their own article of great user experience of designing desktop applications, like Combine what should be combined and Eliminate what can be eliminated. Both Linux and macOS don’t suffer from these problems, and they could strike Microsoft at any time now.
Feel free to leave comments or suggestions. You can also email me at 9rishav@gmail.com Or let’s connect on 🤝🏻LinkedIn✔.
Thanks for reading! 😊
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😃Hi, I’m a developer who is learning the art of UX design through practice and studying various product designs. Feel free to express your opinion in the comment section and If you have felt the same issue, then tweet to @MicrosoftRI to make this article count and make our User Experience better of Microsoft.
