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Ask HN: Why did they break Windows 11?

by high_byte on 3/12/23, 5:42 PM with 5 comments

Rant / I want to ask your experience.

There are so many breaking changes to Windows 11, especially to user interface which ruins power user's (or any user's) experience.

Some examples include: - Alt-Tab does not work like it used to; it's worse imo - Context menu is very different, less accessible - Folders behave differently - Task bar cannot "never combine" windows like why the hell would you remove features

I see so many breaking changes most of them without a way to revert, or need to go through burning hoops to change. most guides saying to change 10 options in registry often don't even work.

I miss Windows 7. I will even settle for 10 now...

Also I recommend reading this post about UI inconsistencies in Windows 11: https://ntdotdev.wordpress.com/2023/01/01/state-of-the-windows-how-many-layers-of-ui-inconsistencies-are-in-windows-11/

  • by navjack27 on 3/12/23, 11:07 PM

    I would argue that power users can also be fluid thinkers and be able to adapt to changes... But I've been proved wrong about this over and over and over. I agree that there are a whole lot of changes in Windows 11 and the upcoming Windows next preview that will ruffle the feathers of a lot of users who are slow to update their operating systems and update their habits. Only thing that I could suggest is don't disable any of your analytics hopefully send Microsoft a good signal with different usage patterns so they go back and make things the way they used to be or at least have options.

    I'm an insider right now on the canary branch of windows and have been an insider testing the bleeding edge versions of Windows 10 before the windows 11 transition and windows 11 when it finally came out and I feel your pain... But also I've gone back to use Windows 10 on other computers that I have and it feels like an old operating system to me now so my brain is completely changed and has adapted to Windows 11 at this point.

    Edit: my brain is so broken and has so accepted Windows 11 at this point that I even formatted my steam deck and installed the latest Canary build of Windows on it and am greatly enjoying it.

    Edit edit: the amount of things that have changed and become inconsistent in the UI of Windows 11 is offset for me by the amount of things that are more compatible even when it comes to older software. Everything just kind of runs better when you have a system that just works with Windows 11 really well. I dunno

  • by PaulHoule on 3/12/23, 6:04 PM

    That's an old story in Windows. The motto of Windows user is "Who Moved my Cheese".

    Around 1993 I was a Linux advocate, wound up with a Windows desktop in 2002, and circa 2006 I was also administering a hodge-podge of Windows computers and little difference between Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, and XP would drive me nuts.

  • by RGamma on 3/12/23, 10:25 PM

    Only an insider would be able to answer this unfortunately.

    If you bring these obvious failings/regressions up on the MS forums they'll tell you to vote them on the Feedback Hub.

    Only that thing is a fucking dumpster fire, quite hilariously so actually (some nice friday evening light entertainment on there).

  • by azatom on 3/12/23, 7:48 PM

    Old people use old software, new software are for kids.

    In that way the kids never knew it could be better, and when it became better, they can sell it once more or higher price in a separate service.

  • by simonblack on 3/13/23, 1:39 AM

    I miss Windows 7. I will even settle for 10 now...

    In my humble opinion, Windows 7 was "peak windows".

    While I keep tiny Windows partitions on my machines, I very rarely boot them - mainly just to run Windows Updates. If I must use Windows, I have a Windows 7 guest running in VirtualBox that lets me continue on with my normal Linux day at the same time.