If you haven't been to the Building Windows 8 Blog yet, I highly recommend bookmarking it as the Windows 8 team has been updating it frequently.
Today's post comes from Alex Simons and takes a brief look at the history of Windows Explorer (going back to MS-DOS Executive in Windows 1.0) and a very interesting look at the telemetry data (the data we use when we ask you to opt into the Customer Improvement Experience Program for many of our products) from our users to see how they are using the product and how we can make the products better.
Goals of the new Windows Explorer
We set out to accomplish three main goals with this new version of Explorer.
- Optimize Explorer for file management tasks. Return Explorer to its roots as an efficient file manager and expose some hidden gems, those file management commands already in Explorer that many customers might not even know exist.
- Create a streamlined command experience. Put the most used commands in the most prominent parts of the UI so they are easy to find, in places that make sense and are reliable. Organize the commands in predictable places and logical groupings according to context, and present relevant information right where you need it.
- Respect Explorer's heritage. Maintain the power and richness of Explorer and bring back the most relevant and requested features from the Windows XP era when the current architecture and security model of Windows permits.
Read more at Improvements in Windows Explorer