New interface, available in MicroSoft WindowsXp.

Main point is to simplify the user interface. The idea is that a typical window will have a list of useful commands in the left 1/3 and a bunch of things to click on in the right 2 / 3.

Clicking on an icon changes the commands available.

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What disturbs me as a MacOsx user, is the freakin' inconsistency of the UI. Seems like FrogDesign didn't help much.

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Anyone know where I can see some screen shots of this? A search at MS revealed not much. I _did_ see a screenshot of an Explorer window with a bunch of tasks at the side:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/images/bizmydocsbig.jpg

If that's what it means, I _really_ hope that there's a way to go back to a simple "Details" listing... That clutters up the interface too much for my liking. I don't want to have to maximise my Explorer windows just to dive through my filesystem. -- RobertWatkins

The interface is not meant for expert users like us. But it seems pretty reasonable for people who really don't want to know what extension represents a MS Word file or how many bytes it is. Apparently it's a continuation of the MSN Explorer theme. 

''Yeah, just look at what they're working on: Contract, Proposal, Presentation - who would want to do crap like that?''
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The interface also features "thumbnail" views, so if you have a folder full of pictures or movies, you'll see them in the icons.  And the traditional list and detail views are available for those who don't like the dumbed-down views. --KrisJohnson

The thumbnail views already existed in WindowsMe. Are they more widespread in WindowsXp?

''They were even in Windows 98, IIRC.''

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I've gotta say I like the interface, even if the default theme feels like it was designed by an art school dropout.  And this is coming from a WindowsXp hater.  Bring the interface on over to Windows 2000, where I'm not required to have stuff like WindowsMessenger installed, and I'll be a happy man. :-)

''You '''can''' not install Windows Messenger. When you install Windows, it asks you what components to install. Just deselect it. You can also uninstall it later by going to add/remove Windows components. Strangely, though, after doing just that, the exe is still there. I wonder why. --DorKleiman''


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More information about the XP interface can be found here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/01/11/XPShell/XPShell.asp