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ndiddy • yesterday at 11:02 PM • 1 reply • view on HN

Windows 10 reversed a lot of the controversial UI changes from Windows 8, but the mouse/keyboard UX was still largely a regression from Windows 7 due to the introduction of giant padding regions on any new/redesigned software so people could use their fingers. Maybe people haven't noticed this as much because the economics have worked out such that most software is now designed for web/mobile first, so having giant padding regions on desktop is more normal.

Macs had managed to avoid this degradation for a while because they didn't have touchscreens, but Apple put in the giant finger-friendly padding regions as part of the UI changes in Tahoe, which got a lot of negative feedback. Now that they're introducing touchscreen laptops, it's unlikely that they'll ever fully revert those changes since it will make the touch experience worse.


Replies

Grombobulous • today at 12:59 AM

Padding is also there because screens got a lot bigger and higher resolution in the 17 years since Windows 7 came out.

This is even true with laptops since bezels have dramatically shrunk in size.