Why Stardock's Tiles is the killer app for Windows 8
Monday, September 19, 2011 by Frogboy | Discussion: Personal Computing
So by now, many of you have probably seen some of the videos of Windows 8. If you haven’t, let me walk you through it.
The Windows 8 experience is going to be dominated by a new user interface currently called “Metro”. There’s no “desktop” which means no taskbar, no system tray no start menu. You work with Windows in a way that’s similar to the way one would work with their iPad or Android device.
I have to say, I think it’s pretty cool in many respects. Or more to the point, I think it will be cool once they iron out all the usability gotchas in it (which I think may take them a version or two).
Making Metro make sense
That’s where Stardock’s upcoming program, Tiles comes in. A couple of years ago, when I started seeing what Microsoft was doing with what came to be called Windows Phone, I thought about how the current Windows desktop metaphor was pretty long in the tooth.
So I got talking to Neil (the lead on such programs like WindowBlinds and Multiplicity) and sketched out how one might manage their stuff in the future. We’d already made virtual desktop programs in the past as well as various side-bar programs (Control Center and ObjectBar to name two).
What we needed was something that made sense in today’s PC world. A world where lots of people have multiple monitors and are increasingly dealing with tasks that involve lots of different programs and are running systems that might be up for days or weeks at a time.
That’s the origin story of Tiles. And as you learn more about Windows 8 and how it relegates the existing Windows desktop to being just a single “tile” in the Metro universe, I think you’ll find Tiles as being the killer app.
And don’t worry, Stardock plans to extend the Metro experience for users who are using Metro on their PC (i.e. we don’t want PC users to have to sacrifice usability so that others can use it as a tablet OS).
Stardock Tiles Beta
If you want to get access to the next Stardock Tiles beta, get Object Desktop. It’s our full suite of Windows experience enhancements.
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Reply #24 Tuesday, September 20, 2011 12:59 PM
I agree with you Snowman, Newgen allows me to have the taskbar and system tray visible on the fancy tile screen. If Win 8 makes it difficult to see or access these then I'll have a BIG problem with it. Wizard1956 makes a good point. I got Win 7 cause I needed a new box. I suspect preloaded on a system will again be the easiest route. If it will use Win 7 drivers things should be managable. Big IF. Safest thing is probably to watch the comments on the Dev Preview, then the Beta, maybe try the RC.
Reply #25 Wednesday, September 21, 2011 10:59 PM
I went to the CodePlex site and they have something called Mosaic, that looks like Metro, but didn't see NewGen.
Reply #26 Wednesday, September 21, 2011 11:00 PM
Ok NewGen isn't on the main page but you can find it if you enter the name in the search box.
Reply #28 Thursday, September 22, 2011 1:15 AM
I notice that nobody except Kitty and me realizes the potential with T I L E S... ? Has anyone skinned it ? Or even Tried it ??
Reply #31 Thursday, September 22, 2011 6:55 AM
Reduced 91%
Original 623 x 480
The nice thing about the tiles skin format is it comes with many of the advanced features like layers, alphablend modes and textured text.
Reply #32 Friday, September 23, 2011 7:49 PM
Starker's wrote: "Microsoft has regressed to the Fisher Price look"
Excellent description. It does look like the colors and images on a toy.
Reply #33 Saturday, September 24, 2011 12:11 AM
Reduced 91%Original 623 x 480
Looks quite cool & useful.
Better userinterfaces are always welcome. I can't say how to improve the Windows 7 experience but then again I have very little imagination so I'm always the wrong person to ask about such things 
Anyway, I'm interested in the UI enhancements of Windows 8.
Reply #34 Saturday, September 24, 2011 12:33 AM
But you do if you want the Start Menu (or at least if you want it to be reached via the Start Button).
https://forums.wincustomize.com/412073
Reply #35 Saturday, September 24, 2011 10:48 AM
No offense to the developers of Tiles, but all I really see is a snazzed-up sidebar. What happened to everything else? Windows 8 is something I will most likely pass on entirely because it is a new development entirely and is aimed largely at tablets etc. I am a writer and sans keyboard and mouse I am nothing. What is the point from my perspective.
Besides, I just purchased a new laptop not that long ago - why should I even consider a tablet? You can't sit the thing on your lap and write. If you get anything on your fingers it ends up all over the screen. Touch keyboards on the screen are a pain in the netherregions, and the metro interface is for people who have ten applications open all the time.
I have been diligently downloading windowblinds, icon packages and etc. in fear that skinning will be aimed at this Tiles thing I will most likely never use. Windows 7 can sit on my desktop and laptop until hades freezes solid, or Microsoft gets its collective act together.
Reply #36 Friday, September 30, 2011 1:08 AM
Howdy all
Does anyone in Stardock Land know when we can expect the next beta rollout of Tiles? Just curious.
I do like the features and its skinability so far is cool. Just want to see the effects that are shown in some of the recent posts by island dog and Frogboy.
Cheers
Reply #37 Friday, September 30, 2011 11:38 AM
I don't have an exact date, but I know they are working on it now putting in some updates and fixes. I can't imagine it being too far off. 
Reply #38 Friday, September 30, 2011 11:59 AM
I have an HP touchsmart in the kitchen. I don't know but I think Windows 8 makes sense on that machine.
Reply #39 Friday, September 30, 2011 7:26 PM
So let me see... this is a new task-switcher.
I have the "super-bar".
I have alt-tab.
I have win-tab.
I need another?
Its a good idea for a tablet, the task switching on the iPad stinks but this isn't going to be productive on a PC.
Reply #40 Friday, September 30, 2011 9:18 PM
I also have two monitors for each PC I use . . and the taskbar is often pretty far away from the cursor. Tiles (running on the second monitor) lets me access all the taskbar options faster. I like faster.
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Reply #21 Tuesday, September 20, 2011 12:06 PM
If I ever get an overwelming urge to turn my PC into an overpowered, overweight, furniture bound tablet..........nah, not going to happen.
My prediction (although I'm no scientist but that's another thread,lol) is that on launch,Windows8 will be the next Vista. Backward compatiblity? Drivers? Older hardware? Who cares? Release the OS first and sweat the details later. Sure,MS will fix the bugs but by the time Win8 SP2 is out to fix things, Windows9 will be out. Lather, rinse, repeat.