**Update April 2015: The article got over 100k views and 250+ comments..Thanks!!**
Since Hotmail was not crappy enough, Microsoft decided to put more lipstick on its pig.
The Microsoft definition of a Quantum Leap: make the header fixed..
The old Hotmail was stupid and slow but let’s look at the bright side the new outlook design has nothing revolutionary in it and it’s also stupid and slow.
The Design Sucks!
1. Are you trying to blind me ?
Light gray text on a white background..you think it looks cool huh ? I will comment no further, I will just kindly guide you to the contrast rebellion guys they will surely take care you.
2. Checkbox background select from Hell
Bagagagagaaaa
3. Theme Colors from Hell part 2
No Microsoft you can’t use the Microsoft Office font color palette for a background..you just can’t.
4. Enter The Revolution!!
So instead of removing the fat ugly Ad on Hotmail, they added guess what..5 more Ugly Ads and they come customized with your crapy theme color..you can be happy now
5. You Can Now Close the Ads!! .. No wait what’s this O_o
Since the innovation level in Microsoft is that high, they want to make us Users happy at any cost. They now give you the freedom to close an Ad so it can gracefully be replaced with another Ad.
Users love Ads, bring in more Ads.
6. Inhumane Navigation!
Let’s open a message and see the navigation..
The UI was designed by Mechanical Engineers
7. Silverlight Magic
Lots of user like to open a folder in a new tab..but guess what you’re not allowed to.
You will do what we say
8. New Message
Let’s open a new message to compose.
I’m a human I want to write an email like humans do. The problem with Microsoft is that they try to look innovative and cool but they end up making something stupid. They focus more on the looks and functionality more than usability.
We want you to be confused, because it looks cooler this way
Many people while writing an email need to look up an old email to get some info from it, in the new design you have to get back to the inbox and open an email get the info then open your draft message !
9. Ugly Smiley
“With our new design, you can now scare people with our smileys!”
10. This Guy’s Pose
This is how Microsoft wants its Modern Email People to look like
I’m not talking about his looks, I don’t like to make fun of people. I’m talking about the weird pose and the green laptop.
So please Microsoft focus more on usability more than functionality and your metro looks. Study your users and don’t enforce your technology on them.
I leave you with this
Author: Mahmoud El-Magdoub – Product Manager at Wuzzuf.com Twitter: @Magdoub WebSite: Magdoub.com
I know this is old, but it’s worse now. This look certainly did suck, but after beta testing for months and having everyone tell them the new design was even worse, they rolled it out anyway. Still ignoring feedback, they just killed the only way to access the old view without fixing any of the UI complaints. It’s like they WANT to lose customers. Had Hotmail since the 90s, this may be it for me.