In a fresh development, or mechs stomping back and forth with hellfire. Microsoft’s suite of killer Windows utilities, called PowerToys, might be getting another utility soon that lets you do just that. Imagine your Windows taskbar was replaced by a soft green meadow of gently swaying grass, with small bunnies hopping about.
According to the latest update, distracting, even. But one of the ways Microsoft is trying to reconnect with its audience is with different ways to make Windows feel more personal. An animated footer on your screen might be one such path Microsoft goes down. It might not sound like the most productive tool.
The report highlights that microsoft typically designs these utilities in-house, but also adapts utilities that have been dropped as open source. Microsoft’s PowerToys is a suite of free Windows utilities that has been around for years, with everything from an improved version of Windows Snap to a utility that makes it easy to move crowded apps around on your desktop.
According to the latest update, (Windows Insiders meetups were staples of the Windows 10 development process, and Microsoft is bringing them back as part of its re-commitment to Windows users.). Clint Rutkas, who has been the public face of PowerToys as the principal product manager lead for developer SDKs at Microsoft, showed off what I’d call a concept of a fresh utility at a meetup for Windows Insiders in advance of the Microsoft Build developer conference on Monday night.
Industry observers note that “So I built grass,” he said, showing off a virtual meadow made of pixel art, with some small animations to liven it up. Rutkas told the audience that he was trying to come up with something visual to show the Insider audience, so he started playing around with various frameworks.
As part of the ongoing story, rutkas apparently took the “quiet” metaphor more literally. My guess is that you’d be able to treat the animated footer as like a screensaver—possibly on all the time, but maybe appearing after a period of inactivity. One metaphor you might hear in the coming weeks and months is the concept of “quiet,” as in a “quiet operating system.” Other attendees used the same term, indicating that the emphasis is more on allowing users to focus, or at least manage the demands on their time.
Industry observers note that “Once we figure out the correct UX metaphors, we’ll teach you all how to do this same thing that I helped create for you all.”. “This will be dropped probably on PowerToys at some point,” Rutkas said.
Industry observers note that i think it’s also worth paying attention to Microsoft’s “quiet” metaphor and whether it’ll stick. We could all use a little calm and focus in our workday. It’s still a concept—not even a prototype—but personalization rather than utility would be an underutilized direction for PowerToys to take.
The report highlights that he has authored over 3,500 articles for PCWorld alone, covering PC microprocessors, peripherals, and Microsoft Windows, among other topics. Mark has written for publications including PC Magazine, Byte, eWEEK, Highly adopted Science and Electronic Buyers' News, where he shared a Jesse H. Neal Award for breaking news. He recently handed over a collection of several dozen Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs because his office simply has no more room. Mark has written for PCWorld for the last decade, with 30 years of experience covering technology.