Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - Microsoft announces Surface

opendoor · 06-18-2012, 08:16 PM

I just wonder how user friendly it'll be. Even in Windows 8, most programs (at least to start) are still going to run in the classic desktop interface which means you'll basically be forced to use the keyboard and trackpad as the interface for a lot of stuff given that you're working with a 10" screen.

I guess depending on peoples' perspective it'll either provide the best or worst of both worlds. On the one hand you'll get a tablet that can run full blown Windows programs and is more portable than a laptop. But on the other hand one might see it as getting a tablet with an interface that almost necessitates treating it like a laptop except you'll get stuck with an inferior keyboard and trackpad to a laptop.

Personally I'd fall into the second camp, as even using a screen as small as netbook to run a computer OS is testing the limits of my patience. If I'm running a full blown OS I prefer it in an environment with a larger screen and a proper keyboard. But when I'm using a smaller device I much prefer an OS designed for that interface like iOS or Android. Others will probably have a different opinion though. Maybe when (or if) the Metro interface gains traction Windows will bridge that gap.

06-18-2012, 08:16 PM	#61
opendoor Franchise Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Exp:	I just wonder how user friendly it'll be. Even in Windows 8, most programs (at least to start) are still going to run in the classic desktop interface which means you'll basically be forced to use the keyboard and trackpad as the interface for a lot of stuff given that you're working with a 10" screen. I guess depending on peoples' perspective it'll either provide the best or worst of both worlds. On the one hand you'll get a tablet that can run full blown Windows programs and is more portable than a laptop. But on the other hand one might see it as getting a tablet with an interface that almost necessitates treating it like a laptop except you'll get stuck with an inferior keyboard and trackpad to a laptop. Personally I'd fall into the second camp, as even using a screen as small as netbook to run a computer OS is testing the limits of my patience. If I'm running a full blown OS I prefer it in an environment with a larger screen and a proper keyboard. But when I'm using a smaller device I much prefer an OS designed for that interface like iOS or Android. Others will probably have a different opinion though. Maybe when (or if) the Metro interface gains traction Windows will bridge that gap.