Add some color to Visual Studio 2012
Usability studies have shown that both shape and color help to distinguis visual elements in a UI. The upcoming/current beta release of Visual Studio 2011 has removed color from the toolbars and from icons in e.g. the Solution Explorer.
Please make this optional so those of us that want a more accessible and user friendly IDE can have their cake and eat it too.
Michiel
shared this idea
Hi folks,
Take a look at the VS 2012 Color Theme Editor – it is an option for creating and editing your own Visual Studio themes.
http://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/366ad100-0003-4c9a-81a8-337d4e7ace05
thanks,
Doug Turnure – Visual Studio PM
1155 comments
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Anonymous
commented
Doug, are you guys going to add an optional VS 2010 theme or are we wasting our time here?
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Mike Bursill
commented
As with everyone else here I also feel RC was a big let-down. Color was added to only a handful of icons. We need more! The solution explorer is very difficult to use in its current state.
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Роман Семенов
commented
Usually developers don't design content in VS they write code! We don't need graphical editor enhancements in text editor. Leave this monochromatic GUI for blend.
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shareptmaster
commented
The Release Candidate did not bring back nearly enough color. It is still largely bland. The new Source Control Explorer in VS 2012 RC is absolutely atrocious. It literally makes it completely unusable. Seriously, if this is what Windows 8 and "Metro" is all about, I have to say without a doubt that I absolutely hate the concept and I will definitely recommend that all of my friends and fellow developers boycott anything that has to do with VS 2012 and Windows 8. Long live VS 2010 and Windows 7!!
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Anonymous
commented
Is it because Apple ditched color in their logo a decade ago?
Only 10 years behind Microsoft. -
Anonymous
commented
Even my TRS-80 COLOR computer had color. In 1981.
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Anonymous
commented
Please add back in the color! I absolutely hate the new UX. My productivity took a big hit and I think it actually gave me a headache.
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Gordon Tucker
commented
The new colored icons are a step in the right direction. Unfortunately that is only one step of a mile journey you need to make back to color. I still think the best solution is to allow users to replace the icons with any they want. Giving the user power when a good chunk of your users are power users would be best.
OH, AND DO YOU EVEN UNDERSTAND THAT WE DON'T WANT ALL CAPS ANYWHERE? Ugh...
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Anonymous
commented
They certainly showed how much they're "listening" to us with RC.
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shareptmaster
commented
The color in the New Project dialog is barely noticeable (almost exactly the same as the Beta). More color needs to be added back to the New Project dialog at a minimum. Preferably, the New Project dialog will end up looking just like it did with Visual Studio 2010.
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Ralph Trickey
commented
I'll keep it a little constructive. I have to say that the 'new' UI is horrible. Almost no color, and the items with contrast are the items I don't care about (the VS Logo in the top left, save button, etc.) In addition, the 'shouting' ALL CAPS menu and BOLD text in inappropriate places (Team explorer sidebar) make this product look like it was designed by a group of 20 bleeding edge designers who did not talk to each other. The start menu being all black while the TFS explorer window and the rest of the window are white is just one example of a project which feels like it got too big and is being pushed too fast. The individual functionality seems to be there (based on VS 11 Beta) but this product feels to me like a huge open source project where the lead designer changed the main UI and everyone else is trying to catch up.
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Sergey
commented
RC - Nightmare! I need to get together with the forces to comment on!
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Mike O'Brien
commented
RE VS 2012 RC: I swear you guys added color to like 2 icons and then thought that resolved this issue. Whoever is clinging to this monochromatic design needs to just let go. Color ALL the icons! COLOR COLOR COLOR. GIVE ALL ICONS COLOR. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE WORDS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF YOUR USERS MOUTHS? What? Don't yell? Oh yeah, all caps is just as bad as no color. Please fix before RTM, please. COLOR!
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Anonymous
commented
I know that it is appropriate to do this with UIs to support tablets, phones, etc. However is anyone really hacking away at Visual Studio from any of these devices?
I can't imagine anything more painful than coding without a keyboard, and on screen will not suffice. The bottom line is that design should not exceed function.
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kristina
commented
I have heard from people on forums that Win98 is the last thing Microsoft have made his best. Can you check your team that which UI guys you lost after win98. I am sure they play a great role in win98.
I am tried VS11 beta in Win8 and set the theme #1 high contrast. its' make many thing not worked. CTRL + K + D not worked.
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Anonymous
commented
I completely agree to this, I looked at it. As a developer who looks at the same application day in and day out making it grey makes it look like a very undesirable looking product.
Who cares about windows 8 and the metro look and feel if you dont satisfy the developers Microsoft Windows 8 will become the new Vista.
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brian
commented
Chris Field said Dreadful UI. Seriously, did a dog design this?
Chris - you have seriously insulted my dog grrrr.....!But being fair to you and dogs they are partialy colour blind (well dichromatic vision actually) which explains the design by Microsoft then.
Just wonder why its so hard for Microsoft to listen to its users. lets be thankful they don't design hammers.....
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Chris Field
commented
Dreadful UI. Seriously, did a dog design this?
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Alon Kobets commented
VS2011 was the first VS I uninstalled and I've been using every version ever was, including betas, starting with 2003.
UI is ugly and not intuitive. Developers, as most people, are creatures of habit. When you do such drastic changes, you confuse them, thus demanding a learning curve, thus reducing productivity.
In short, bring back old 2010 UI or we will not upgrade our licenses when 2011 is RTM.
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Mohammad Sanati
commented
I hate this ugly UI. it looks like the wall of jail.
