Windows 7 Windows 7 Taskbar: A Step Backwards Aesthetically

mightymilk · Jan 8, 2009

looking at the screen shots and having tried it for a few minutes, i think one aspect in particular is a step backwards aesthetically. that change being the windows Start button icon. when Vista came out with the circular start button that slightly overlapped the rectangular taskbar i thought that was quite a nice choice. it was an interesting choice, and also helped to make the Start button stand out a little, as the Main function button for the operating system.

the new Windows 7, has the circle entirely surrounded by the rectangular taskbar and becomes lost in the taskbar. this is a really bad choice, and in most ways seems to be a step backwards from Vista.

i hope microsft reconsiders this change, or at least can come up with a different way to accent the Start button as Vista did.

that's all

exabyte · Jan 11, 2009

YES, i agree with MightyMilk 100 percent

this is one thing i noticed right off, the Vista Circle does not flow with the aesthetics of the square task bar, and is awkward if you have small icons set when the taskbar is not sized down.

IMO MS needs to change the start icon for W7, i think a square window icon or an icon that is more definitive as a start button would be ideal.

+ i dont think they need to have it as straight forward as saying "start" again, but just something that would blend more with the look and feel, but also that would set it apart as something unique.

hammydown · Jan 8, 2009

mightymilk said:
looking at the screen shots and having tried it for a few minutes, i think one aspect in particular is a step backwards aesthetically. that change being the windows Start button icon. when Vista came out with the circular start button that slightly overlapped the rectangular taskbar i thought that was quite a nice choice. it was an interesting choice, and also helped to make the Start button stand out a little, as the Main function button for the operating system.

the new Windows 7, has the circle entirely surrounded by the rectangular taskbar and becomes lost in the taskbar. this is a really bad choice, and in most ways seems to be a step backwards from Vista.

i hope microsft reconsiders this change, or at least can come up with a different way to accent the Start button as Vista did.

that's all

I think this is a joke that you would say this. Everyone knows that the taskbar start icon is in the lower left hand corner and is very easy to get to. Such a little detail doesnt make any difference and for the fact that most people hated it. If you make your taskbar with smaller icons then the start button will look like the one in vista.

mightymilk · Jan 8, 2009

you both missed my point entirely. you want software to be straight forward, yes most people who've been in contact with Windows know exactly where the Start button is aside from the elderly or people living in the sticks.

the point is however, when you design software it's supposed to make sense visually. i'm not saying it won't work, but i am saying it's poor design, and there is a difference. the overlap of the round start button, was the defining feature that said "hey i'm a special button, click me", as it's the main access point to pretty much everything in the operating system. the current design looks like an amature handled the layout, instead of a multi-million dollar company.

Link Removed
now theres a screen shot, and suddenly the start button looks like it's a program, just like Media Player and Internet Explorer next to it. it looks like mush, and it looks like a standard application, instead of the main windows component.

i'm sorry if you can't understand what i'm talking about, but that doesn't make it a joke, or a worthless idea.

Fabio · Jan 8, 2009

TBH, i like it and think it is easy on the eye IMO. I pretty much always use the Win Key to access the start menu, so the fact it doesn't protrude in an obvious manner makes no difference to me. The taskbar would lose its aesthetic appeal to me if it were to be changed to accentuate it.

Hey! its all about opinions i guess, and one mans drink is another mans poison

RandysSOHC · Jan 8, 2009

I like it looking like a programbut I do see what you mean,,,,not the mush part though...

I wish we could drag it where ever we wanted to across the task bar....
even all the way to the other side.

now theres an idea!

Radenight · Jan 8, 2009

mightymilk said:
looking at the screen shots and having tried it for a few minutes, i think one aspect in particular is a step backwards aesthetically. that change being the windows Start button icon. when Vista came out with the circular start button that slightly overlapped the rectangular taskbar i thought that was quite a nice choice. it was an interesting choice, and also helped to make the Start button stand out a little, as the Main function button for the operating system.

the new Windows 7, has the circle entirely surrounded by the rectangular taskbar and becomes lost in the taskbar. this is a really bad choice, and in most ways seems to be a step backwards from Vista.

i hope microsft reconsiders this change, or at least can come up with a different way to accent the Start button as Vista did.

that's all

You do know you can make the taskbar smaller which in turn makes the start button look exactly like the one in Vista right?...

hammydown · Jan 9, 2009

Heres the deal everyone. Microsoft made a good choice in making the taskbar about 30% bigger than it was in VISTA. They also made a good choice of leaving the start button the same size so that it doesnt take away from the screen size. I asked 6 elders over 60 and they all agreed that they all knew where the start menu was. Microsoft made the most magnificant taskbar ever and i hope they keep it this way for a long time.

mightymilk · Jan 9, 2009

Radenight said:
You do know you can make the taskbar smaller which in turn makes the start button look exactly like the one in Vista right?...

the taskbar scales and the start button does not?
if that's the case, i still think the old design should be the default, or at least have a choice between the two.

exabyte · Jan 11, 2009

YES, i agree with MightyMilk 100 percent

this is one thing i noticed right off, the Vista Circle does not flow with the aesthetics of the square task bar, and is awkward if you have small icons set when the taskbar is not sized down.

IMO MS needs to change the start icon for W7, i think a square window icon or an icon that is more definitive as a start button would be ideal.

+ i dont think they need to have it as straight forward as saying "start" again, but just something that would blend more with the look and feel, but also that would set it apart as something unique.

tjwoosta · Jan 11, 2009

yes, jsut put a check in the box that says "use small icons", this will make the taskbar icons smaller which in turn makes the taskbar itself skinnier but the start button stays the same size (so it looks almost like vista)

exabyte · Jan 11, 2009

yeah, still not a fan of the vista circle though.

mightymilk · Jan 11, 2009

exabyte said:
YES, i agree with MightyMilk 100 percent

this is one thing i noticed right off, the Vista Circle does not flow with the aesthetics of the square task bar, and is awkward if you have small icons set when the taskbar is not sized down.

IMO MS needs to change the start icon for W7, i think a square window icon or an icon that is more definitive as a start button would be ideal.

+ i dont think they need to have it as straight forward as saying "start" again, but just something that would blend more with the look and feel, but also that would set it apart as something unique.

i'm glad some people can acknowledge my point, since i highlighted it very clearly. i'm not saying everyone should agree with me... however.

1. it blends in with all the other icons, which is poor design
2. from a graphic design stand point, it's pretty unattractive

i'm kinda glad there is an option to get the old Vista feel, but the default needs some reworking. maybe they can come up with something even better, and that can become the new standard.

tjwoosta · Jan 12, 2009

i have to agree there

a square icon would be a great improvement

TdA7freestyle · Jan 15, 2009

mightymilk said:
the point is however, when you design software it's supposed to make sense visually. i'm not saying it won't work, but i am saying it's poor design, and there is a difference. the overlap of the round start button, was the defining feature that said "hey i'm a special button, click me", as it's the main access point to pretty much everything in the operating system. the current design looks like an amature handled the layout, instead of a multi-million dollar company.

At first I didn't agree with you but now I see exactly what you mean.

You're 100% right it doesn't stand out at all. Visually it is not set apart from the rest of the icons

Talderon · Jan 15, 2009

Does not bother me one way or the other as I rarely click on the Start Button anyway. I normally hit the Windows key on my keyboard as I don't use the mouse too much in my day-to-day usage other than gaming or scrolling pages.

Although, I know I am in the small majority.

hammydown · Jan 15, 2009

The taskbar start button in vista was made to stick out more and make it look not as part of the taskbar. Many people disliked this because they the regular square taskbar. That is why Microsoft has decide to leave the start button the same size no matter how big your taskbar is. This i a good standard that they have set. They dont wanna make the taskbar any bigger than they have to so they dont take away from the screen. That is the reason they took the sidebar away because it takes up too much room. They want to keep the taskbar to a minimum while still making it usable.

mightymilk · Jan 22, 2009

iroken22 said:
The taskbar start button in vista was made to stick out more and make it look not as part of the taskbar. Many people disliked this because they the regular square taskbar. That is why Microsoft has decide to leave the start button the same size no matter how big your taskbar is. This i a good standard that they have set. They dont wanna make the taskbar any bigger than they have to so they dont take away from the screen. That is the reason they took the sidebar away because it takes up too much room. They want to keep the taskbar to a minimum while still making it usable.

ok please provide proof, of the first part of your statement... until then that's entirely here say.

more importantly, the oversized start button in Vista overlaps at best 1cm maybe 2. break out a ruler and see for yourself if you don't believe me.

if you disagree fine, but how about stating some facts (with proof) and not exaggerating things.

hammydown · Jan 22, 2009

If you had attended PDC 08 you would know that this is the case. The start button stays the same size so that it doesnt compete with the rest of the screen in 7. Same thing when in like XP when you made a bigger taskbar the start button stayed the same way. IT follows the same principles. there would be no point to making the start button stick out with the larger toolbar. It would just take up more screen resolution. Obviously Microsoft felt the same way since that is what they did with the taskbar.

mightymilk · Jan 22, 2009

iroken22 said:
If you had attended PDC 08 you would know that this is the case. The start button stays the same size so that it doesnt compete with the rest of the screen in 7. Same thing when in like XP when you made a bigger taskbar the start button stayed the same way. IT follows the same principles. there would be no point to making the start button stick out with the larger toolbar. It would just take up more screen resolution. Obviously Microsoft felt the same way since that is what they did with the taskbar.

as i said, you're talking about 1-2cm.

let's see some proof

justifying your statement, but referencing a task bar that has COMPLETELY changed, does not equal proof.

hammydown · Jan 22, 2009

how does it not equal proof. If microsoft had liked the VISTA start button stick out they would have left it that way in 7. Obviously they didnt. I'm not gonna get into an argument that is pointless. Microsoft made a decision lets deal with it.

Windows 7 Windows 7 Taskbar: A Step Backwards Aesthetically

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