Microsoft reveals the story behind Metro UI in Windows 8

If you’ve always wanted to know what was Microsoft’s reasoning behind the implementation of Metro UI in Windows 8, you’re in luck. In the official Windows 8 blog, the company discusses about where it is taking Windows 8 in terms of its user interface, and the story of how Metro came about.

Microsoft had started planning Windows 8 in the summer of 2009 – before Windows 7 was even shipped, with the mindset of reimagining Windows which covered everything from the most basic elements of the user model all the way to the operating system’s architecture.

Microsoft also mentions its reason for not completely eschewing the “classic” Windows interface and completely replacing it with Metro instead: even though a lot of things can be done with the touch-oriented Metro UI, using the mouse, keyboard or trackpad is just better in some situations, and users even have the choice not see the “classic” UI if they want to.

“Essentially, you can think of the Windows desktop as just another app.” is a nice way to sum it up. Essentially, users will be able to use Windows 8 in any way they want – as a touch OS or like the Windows they’ve been used to operating all these years – which means that Microsoft will be pleasing both sides of the camp. What do you think? You can read the full post here.

George Wong
Categories: Computers
Tags: metro ui, Microsoft, ui, Windows, Windows 8