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Why Stardock's Tiles is the killer app for Windows 8

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Why Stardock's Tiles is the killer app for Windows 8

from JoeUser Forums

So by now, many of you have probably seen some of the videos of Windows 8.  If you haven’t, let me walk you through it.

The Windows 8 experience is going to be dominated by a new user interface currently called “Metro”. There’s no “desktop” which means no taskbar, no system tray no start menu. You work with Windows in a way that’s similar to the way one would work with their iPad or Android device.

I have to say, I think it’s pretty cool in many respects. Or more to the point, I think it will be cool once they iron out all the usability gotchas in it (which I think may take them a version or two).

Making Metro make sense

That’s where Stardock’s upcoming program, Tiles comes in. A couple of years ago, when I started seeing what Microsoft was doing with what came to be called Windows Phone, I thought about how the current Windows desktop metaphor was pretty long in the tooth.

So I got talking to Neil (the lead on such programs like WindowBlinds and Multiplicity) and sketched out how one might manage their stuff in the future.  We’d already made virtual desktop programs in the past as well as various side-bar programs (Control Center and ObjectBar to name two). 

What we needed was something that made sense in today’s PC world. A world where lots of people have multiple monitors and are increasingly dealing with tasks that involve lots of different programs and are running systems that might be up for days or weeks at a time.

That’s the origin story of Tiles.  And as you learn more about Windows 8 and how it relegates the existing Windows desktop to being just a single “tile” in the Metro universe, I think you’ll find Tiles as being the killer app. 

And don’t worry, Stardock plans to extend the Metro experience for users who are using Metro on their PC (i.e. we don’t want PC users to have to sacrifice usability so that others can use it as a tablet OS).

image

Stardock Tiles Beta

If you want to get access to the next Stardock Tiles beta, get Object Desktop. It’s our full suite of Windows experience enhancements.

97,141 views 47 replies
Reply #26 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Ok NewGen isn't on the main page but you can find it if you enter the name in the search box.

Offworld Trading Company
Reply #28 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I notice that nobody except Kitty and me realizes the potential with T I L E S... ? Has anyone skinned it ? Or even Tried it ??

Reply #29 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting neone6, reply 28
I notice that nobody except Kitty and me realizes the potential with T I L E S
End of neone6's quote

I doubt that....;)

Reply #30 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Jafo, reply 29



Quoting neone6,
reply 28
I notice that nobody except Kitty and me realizes the potential with T I L E S


I doubt that....
End of Jafo's quote
Ok. All good then

Reply #31 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting neone6, reply 28
I notice that nobody except Kitty and me realizes the potential with T I L E S... ? Has anyone skinned it ? Or even Tried it ??



Reduced 91%

Original 623 x 480
End of neone6's quote

The nice thing about the tiles skin format is it comes with many of the advanced features like layers, alphablend modes and textured text.

Reply #32 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Starker's wrote: "Microsoft has regressed to the Fisher Price look"

 

Excellent description.  It does look like the colors and images on a toy.  

Reply #33 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting neone6, reply 28
I notice that nobody except Kitty and me realizes the potential with T I L E S... ? Has anyone skinned it ? Or even Tried it ??

Reduced 91%Original 623 x 480
End of neone6's quote

 

Looks quite cool & useful.

Better userinterfaces are always welcome. I can't say how to improve the Windows 7 experience but then again I have very little imagination so I'm always the wrong person to ask about such things :P

 

Anyway, I'm interested in the UI enhancements of Windows 8.

Reply #34 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Gwenio1, reply 18
Quoting Island Dog, reply 17You really don't need that, the desktop and the "Aero" look are still present under Metro.

 

But you do if you want the Start Menu (or at least if you want it to be reached via the Start Button).
End of Gwenio1's quote

Quoting DrJBHL, reply 13
If one feels uncomfortable doing the regedit, a new (and first) app created by The Windows Club can do that and more for W8:

https://forums.wincustomize.com/412073
End of DrJBHL's quote


Reply #35 from WinCustomize Forums Top

No offense to the developers of Tiles, but all I really see is a snazzed-up sidebar. What happened to everything else? Windows 8 is something I will most likely pass on entirely because it is a new development entirely and is aimed largely at tablets etc. I am a writer and sans keyboard and mouse I am nothing. What is the point from my perspective.

Besides, I just purchased a new laptop not that long ago - why should I even consider a tablet? You can't sit the thing on your lap and write. If you get anything on your fingers it ends up all over the screen. Touch keyboards on the screen are a pain in the netherregions, and the metro interface is for people who have ten applications open all the time.

I have been diligently downloading windowblinds, icon packages and etc. in fear that skinning will be aimed at this Tiles thing I will most likely never use. Windows 7 can sit on my desktop and laptop until hades freezes solid, or Microsoft gets its collective act together.

Reply #36 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Howdy all

Does anyone in Stardock Land  know when we can expect the next beta rollout of Tiles? Just curious.

I  do like the features and its skinability so far is cool.  Just want to see the effects that are shown in some of the recent posts by island dog and Frogboy.

 

Cheers

Reply #37 from Stardock Forums Top

I don't have an exact date, but I know they are working on it now putting in some updates and fixes.  I can't imagine it being too far off. :)

 

Reply #38 from Elemental Forums Top

I have an HP touchsmart in the kitchen.  I don't know but I think Windows 8 makes sense on that machine.

Reply #39 from WinCustomize Forums Top

So let me see... this is a new task-switcher.

I have the "super-bar".

I have alt-tab.

I have win-tab.

I need another?

Its a good idea for a tablet, the task switching on the iPad stinks but this isn't going to be productive on a PC.

 

Reply #40 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting TwoWolves, reply 39
Its a good idea for a tablet, the task switching on the iPad stinks but this isn't going to be productive on a PC.
End of TwoWolves's quote
I LOVE the fact that I can have a Tiles "page" based on task (like "web dev" or "app dev" or "sales" or "finance") and have all the appropriate apps running and visible for just those tasks.  HUGE productivity booster!

I also have two monitors for each PC I use . . and the taskbar is often pretty far away from the cursor.  Tiles (running on the second monitor) lets me access all the taskbar options faster.  I like faster.

Reply #41 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Zubaz, reply 40

Quoting TwoWolves, reply 39Its a good idea for a tablet, the task switching on the iPad stinks but this isn't going to be productive on a PC.I LOVE the fact that I can have a Tiles "page" based on task (like "web dev" or "app dev" or "sales" or "finance") and have all the appropriate apps running and visible for just those tasks.  HUGE productivity booster!

I also have two monitors for each PC I use . . and the taskbar is often pretty far away from the cursor.  Tiles (running on the second monitor) lets me access all the taskbar options faster.  I like faster.
End of Zubaz's quote

Very good point Zubaz, that sounds like a good idea. I may install it at work, it will be interesting to see how it copes with a dozen X-Terms - passing colleagues will think I'm very progressive, maybe even a secret Mac owner.

 

 

 

Reply #42 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting TwoWolves, reply 41
Very good point Zubaz, that sounds like a good idea. I may install it at work, it will be interesting to see how it copes with a dozen X-Terms - passing colleagues will think I'm very progressive, maybe even a secret Mac owner.
End of TwoWolves's quote
I'll have to look at how Tiles handles multiple windows of the same process . . or how it can identify them if they are different process for the same app.

Reply #43 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I decided to give Tiles a try and have been running it for a week.  I still don't see it's real purpose.  It's sort of a minimal program launcher and application switcher rolled into one.  I don't see how it's better than ObjectDock.  I keep my running icons on the left side of the screen, my main dock on the bottom and my system tray on the right.  With Tiles, everything is jammed into one side of the screen.  Why have a 24 inch monitor running better than HD reolution and then jam everything together like that? 

Reply #44 from WinCustomize Forums Top

OK, I've been using it at work on my dual screen set-up. It is very useful when used like this, I have an extra page for my x-terms and another for dev tools.

My only criticism is the animations and updates need smoothing (it’s a rather low-spec VHD).

However, its rather a narrow use-case. I hated it on my home PC.

Reply #45 from WinCustomize Forums Top

The point of differentiating between multiple open instances of the same app is well taken. Colors and numbers come to mind or a large thumbnail evoked by a gesture...

The "Why tiles and no traditional Start Menu?" was really answered well here:

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2011/10/04/designing-the-start-screen.aspx

Tiles really should become the "killer app" for touchscreens.

 

Reply #46 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Hello, is the production version of Tiles out yet...or...If not, is there a "planned" date for final release?

Thanks,

~roystreet

Reply #47 from Elemental Forums Top

Public beta release: tomorrow.