ChromeOS-competitor Windows Lite to Feature a Reimagined UI, Chucks "Metro" Live Tiles

[btarunr]

Windows Lite is a new upcoming PC operating system by Microsoft designed as a competitor to Google's ChromeOS, and being designed for machines with extremely slim hardware specifications. The OS could also target devices that work as "edge computers," with much of their processing being performed over the cloud. ChromeOS beats the bloated Windows 10 in one key department - a lightweight and uncluttered user-interface. This is the area where much of Microsoft's design efforts lie - UI elements and graphics that are lightweight not just on memory, but also Internet bandwidth, if the device is streaming a remote session (a la Citrix). Below is a concept by UX designer Jay Machalani.

The Windows Lite desktop looks familiar, with a taskbar and app buttons, and a Start menu, but one that's been redesigned without live tiles, but a simple list of icons. At this point it's unclear just how far Microsoft intends to go with the lightweight OS concept without cannibalizing sales of Windows 10 Home. The OS definitely features UWP, and from the looks of the screenshot doing rounds, also appears to support legacy Win32 apps, however, Microsoft has in the past restricted functionality of its cheapest OS products so as to not kill pricier Windows versions. Microsoft is innovating two brand new Windows user-interfaces for launches through 2019-2020, codenamed "Polaris" and "Andromeda."



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[Darksword]

So I'm guessing this will only come as a pre-installed option and not as a stand-alone OS you can purchase?

 

[btarunr]

So I'm guessing this will only come as a pre-installed option and not as a stand-alone OS you can purchase?

Yes, that's highly likely. The distribution method of this OS (along with device-specific drivers) will make sure Windows 10 Home doesn't die.

 

[Arrakis9]

"gaming OS" would be willing to throw ms $25 for this if it improved my fps by 10-15...are you listening Microsoft?

 

[Kaotik]

Oh come on @btarunr - you're not even reading the source material anymore?

(Header image is a mockup based on Jay Machalani concept)

 

[XXL_AI]

people were, are and going to be pinning all the stuff to the taskbar. if you want to make your stuff more efficient, put little windows with hover'n'zoom capability to increase efficiency. modern gpus can handle that job.

 

[Wavetrex]

Hey, I remember this thing with icons and text on a flat color from somewhere... where was it...

Ah yes:

 

[Vayra86]

Hey, I remember this thing with icons and text on a flat color from somewhere... where was it...

Ah yes:

Yeah I don't know, these live tiles they speak of? I'll delete them myself, thanks MS.

 

[Readlight]

Almost all there apps are not needed becouse i only browse internet play games wach video photo and listen music.
Nothing is optimized for my pc.

 

[ShurikN]

If they give the ability to downgrade from 10 Home to this, I might give it a shot on my Atom powered convertible.
The only things I do on it is watch movies and browse the web anyway. And 2GB of ram is a drag in certain occasions, so getting rid of all the unnecessary background stuff is welcomed.

 

[Basard]

Yeah I don't know, these live tiles they speak of? I'll delete them myself, thanks MS.

View attachment 115200

Yup, all deleted here. Thanks MS for constantly ruining everything we love. It's always fun when version of windows gets released--always gotta figure out how to fix what they broke.

 

[Kaotik]

Yup, all deleted here. Thanks MS for constantly ruining everything we love. It's always fun when version of windows gets released--always gotta figure out how to fix what they broke.

Yes, because what you love has to be the only right way (ye i get it, would be nice to get options to pick something with the past design, but IMO (and in many others opinion) live tiles is one of the best things that happened to start menu since search)

 

[Axaion]

Thankfully after Classic Shell, someone picked it up and its now Open Shell

 

[iO]

Guess they still haven't learned their lesson with the failures of Win RT, Win on ARM and Windows S.
But their determination to sell a crippled version of Windows is quite respectable.

 

[oxidized]

I only use the forecast tile. It looks pretty ok if you ask me, i like to have a clean desktop, with just a few icons.

 

[Blinken]

there's nothing like hitting the start button and having half your screen taken up by empty space.
It really should not have been so hard for MS to let go of Metro UI and let users customize or revert the start menu.

 

[Raptor_i]

A gaming/editing/designing clean OS is very much needed.

 

[Kaotik]

A gaming/editing/designing clean OS is very much needed.

You get to really pick only one, compatibility or performance. MS is doing helluva great job on the performance front considering they've picked compatibility (which is essential to keep the customer base.

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

m$ developing a bloat-free OS, only after Hell freezes over. m$ doesnt know the meaning of "Lite", just look at all the junk they added to their phone OS.

 

[natr0n]

Will be interesting to get to play with this when it leaks.

 

[TheGuruStud]

"gaming OS" would be willing to throw ms $25 for this if it improved my fps by 10-15...are you listening Microsoft?

But then you can only play non-DX games lol

 

[SL2]

I only use the forecast tile. It looks pretty ok if you ask me, i like to have a clean desktop, with just a few icons.

Why is it so important that the taskbar stays pretty much like it was it is after a clean install? I've never understood why this is so common among Windows users.

I only use the start menu for searching, and it's been my habit since Windows 7, you know, when MS got their shit together and realized that you could use the same button in the taskbar for both starting and switching to a program.
Quick launch was a silly idea.

 

[oxidized]

Why is it so important that the taskbar stays pretty much like it was it is after a clean install? I've never understood why this is so common among Windows users.

I only use the start menu for searching, and it's been my habit since Windows 7, you know, when MS got their shit together and realized that you could use the same button in the taskbar for both starting and switching to a program.
Quick launch was a silly idea.

I don't follow, i said i like to have my desktop clean, i only have "this pc" and "user's files" icons on the desktop, when i need to open a program i just open start and click, very simple.

 

[eidairaman1]

I wonder if ReactOS is still being Worked on

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

I wonder if ReactOS is still being Worked on

https://www.reactos.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=17936