Though Windows 8 is winning rave reviews for its touch-friendly tablet experience, many feel that the operating system’s “Modern-style” UI makes life more difficult for PC users. Count usability expert Raluca Budiu of the Nielsen Norman Group among these critics. Though she has not conducted any formal studies on Windows 8, the former Xerox PARC researcher and user experience  specialist has used the new OS enough to conclude that, for productivity tasks on the PC at least, Windows 8 is less user friendly than its predecessors.

Budiu explained to us why the design principles Microsoft used don’t make sense for PCs and have the potential to confuse desktop users and slow them down.

Windows 8 is a bold, and I daresay a courageous, move by Microsoft. This quote from “Yes Minister” seems appropriate:

Sir Humphrey:  If you want to be really sure that the Minister doesn’t accept it, you must say the decision is “courageous”.
Bernard:  And that’s worse than “controversial”?
Sir Humphrey:  Oh, yes! “Controversial” only means “this will lose you votes”. “Courageous” means “this will lose you the election”!