AfterDawn: News

Microsoft drops Aero Glass from Windows 8

Microsoft has shown off another large change to the upcoming Windows 8's desktop user interface.

The company has removed the popular Aero Glass UI that was first shown off with Vista and then in Windows 7.



By dropping Aero, Windows 8 will have visual changes including "flattening surfaces, removing reflections, and scaling back distracting gradients."

In response to questions about whether it will be tough for users to learn the new OS, which has some stark changes from past OS, the company does not seem to be worried: "We will help people get off on the right foot and we have confidence that people will quickly find the new paradigms to be second-nature."

Windows 8 Release Preview launches next month and the final release of the OS is expected to launch in late October.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 19 May 2012 0:34

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• 11 comments

• Morreale

  But I like Aero :(
  

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  19.5.2012 01:53 #1

• neil2047

  What is the point of windows 8 if this is the case? since windows 98se and xp , we have seen more and more stripped from each windows incarnation , ie outlook express , we had to use window live , and windows mediacentre is supposed to go , so is native dvd playback being left to us to stump up for roxio or nero for similar to playback dvds , and now aero also!!! what exactly will be windows 8 but a glorified jped welcome screen as it certainly wont have much to offer in the way of features , I liked windows good old xp , hated vista and thought og good windows 7 is not bad seems microsoft learnt nothing since the horrible vista failure did they ??

  19.5.2012 06:08 #2

• xnonsuchx

  Simple answer is that Aero is horribly inefficient and it's probably better for MS to axe it than to have spend any resources trying to make it better.

  19.5.2012 06:14 #3

• KillerBug

  So, they release aero when most systems were slow enough to be hurt by it, then remove it when most systems are not noticeably effected by it. As for native DVD support, vlc is better anyway, no need to buy some extra app that still isn't as good as vlc.
  

  
  

  19.5.2012 06:28 #4

• A5J4DX

  Originally posted by Morreale: But I like Aero :( me too :(
  

  19.5.2012 08:40 #5

• ZippyDSM

  Seems like the features in Win8 is katchup.......
  

  Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy!
  Ah modern gaming its like modern film only the watering down of fiction and characters is replaced with shallow and watered down mechanics, gimmicks and shiny-er "people".
  http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/

  19.5.2012 10:19 #6

• buxtahuda

  Originally posted by KillerBug: So, they release aero when most systems were slow enough to be hurt by it, then remove it when most systems are not noticeably effected by it. As for native DVD support, vlc is better anyway, no need to buy some extra app that still isn't as good as vlc. Haha, I was just thinking this. Makes no sense for them to push the visuals as soon and as much as they did, and now that your average machine will actually handle it they are admitting just how resource-intensive it is and scrapping it?
  
  Have they added in options for that silly metro yet? It would be ok if it only consumed like half your screen..

  19.5.2012 11:19 #7

• Jeffrey_P

  Originally posted by KillerBug: So, they release aero when most systems were slow enough to be hurt by it, then remove it when most systems are not noticeably effected by it. As for native DVD support, vlc is better anyway, no need to buy some extra app that still isn't as good as vlc. I agree.
  
  Personally I like Aero. Guess it's not for everybody.
  
  The way M$ keeps hacking features we might as well reinstall Windows 3.1. j/k
  
  Jeff

  19.5.2012 15:15 #8

• ivymike

  Perhaps this will be the "New XP" we've all been waiting for.....

  19.5.2012 18:23 #9

• xtago

  Originally posted by xnonsuchx: Simple answer is that Aero is horribly inefficient and it's probably better for MS to axe it than to have spend any resources trying to make it better. It uses up GPU memory but it also reduces the GUI effect on the CPU.
  
  They must figure everyone will have multi cores and they can just section off 1 or 2 just for windows itself and everything else can use whats left

  20.5.2012 05:07 #10

• ThePastor

  Does this mean that the Aero features that are EXTREMELY useful are gone now?
  I don't really care that I can see through my title bar when it's being dragged, but I damn sure like the app preview icons and other Aero features.
  

  Oh, Im sorry... Did the middle of my sentence interrupt the beginning of yours?

  24.5.2012 18:22 #11