backdrifter Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 (edited) I had put together an imaginary Winrar interface back a while and thought I'd share it with you to hear your thoughts about it. I'm using Winrar daily for years to send and receieve stuff over email, and while I don't have any particular problems, its interface is generally old and outdated. Maybe a refresh would encourage people to actually buy the thing and get rid of the nags :) ps. sorry for my shoddy photoshop skills, I'm still not very good at that. I'm aware that my mockup doesn't include all the features that are in winrar, this is more like a basic version for people who don't use anything more, like me. This is the main window which users will see after opening an archive from explorer. It will show the contents on the left with a breadcrumb bar and a view choice. On the right is a list of locations that can be customized. Click on a location to extract all files to a new folder under that location. Or select files and drag&drop them to that location button. Once a location button is hovered, it shows the exact address to be used on a second line. (like in the first button in the mockup) Once you initiate an extraction, the window shrinks upwards and leaves you with the progress mode. Once the job is done, the winrar window starts counting down to close itself unless you click on something else. You can also open the folder you had extracted the files to. This is the archive mode. The left part is empty so you can drag and drop files to be compressed there. And on the right there is a couple of options to set for your archive and finally the button to start the job. Edited July 4, 2009 by backdrifter Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Social Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 well, I don't like it, that's for sure. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591230262 Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnuman Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 That mockup is just too "loud". You would have to make it simpler. I used to get asked for my opinions back in the day for a main skin for their product such as Blaze Media Pro and the author took my suggestions. I miss those days... Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591230698 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deathray Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 It would definitely fit in better with Vista and Windows 7 with your UI concept, but I have never really been bothered with the winrar ui... most of the time i'm just extracting files in the background Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591230704 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccoltmanm Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 Simplicity is the key here. You use it every day, most of us just right click on a rar file and unzip, not really worrying about the program or its looks. And yeah, that makes me look around to much for things, give me the tab at the top. Now a ribbon interface.... Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591230712 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hani Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 not bad! could use some improvements though. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591230728 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambroos Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 ccoltmanm said: Simplicity is the key here. You use it every day, most of us just right click on a rar file and unzip, not really worrying about the program or its looks. And yeah, that makes me look around to much for things, give me the tab at the top.Now a ribbon interface.... Powerarchiver has a ribbon. Oher than that Powerarchiver is quite crappy in my opinion. Nothing beats the speed and compression quality of WinRAR. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591230740 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Garth Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 Good job! I have often felt the same way about not only Winrar but MOST of the extraction programs. I use mostly 7Zip and it sucks so bad. I finally found skins for it so it isn't bad. I really like what you've done here, nice colors and everything seems to click. Keep up the good work. Keep going - maybe the developer is WATCHING? Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591230742 Share on other sites More sharing options...
James123 Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 If WinRAR was changed to look anything like that I would stop using it :p Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591230746 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jamesyfx Subscriber² Posted July 4, 2009 Subscriber² Share Posted July 4, 2009 Not sure about that interface - it looks like it's only useful with large screens. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591230776 Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiagosilva29 Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 ccoltmanm said: Now a ribbon interface... The ribbon is the freaking panacea for all UI-tards. Protip: It isn't. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591230790 Share on other sites More sharing options...
backdrifter Posted July 4, 2009 Author Share Posted July 4, 2009 Thanks for the input guys, I got the message that it's too crowded as it is. And that's totally true if you're only doing drag and drop operations but the when you try to do anything through the dialogs, it's a bit disturbing. I remember trying to split up an archive to pieces and I had to spell the mb and kb words exactly right before it went right. (no slider, no drop down boxes no nothing) I just think it could be more intuitive... Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591230814 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linkinfamous Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 If done properly with Aero Glass, it could be nice. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591230820 Share on other sites More sharing options...
keypox Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 right click > unrar here right click > add to achieve. Of course this takes you to a basic ui. Thats all it needs or will ever need. You want some over complicated UI use apple. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591230858 Share on other sites More sharing options...
boogerjones Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 ccoltmanm said: Now a ribbon interface....A ribbon interface is the last thing WinRAR needs. It would be a great example of what the ribbon was not designed for. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591230870 Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeza Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 I actually like it. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591230880 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozgeek Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 I didn't know WinRAR had an explorer-style interface :p I just use the right-click thingy and it even still works when it expires and it don't nag you at all. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591230996 Share on other sites More sharing options...
VidER Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 I like it. Try to email them the files. VidER Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591231050 Share on other sites More sharing options...
AltecXP Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 There is a lot of good ad a lot of bad in that mock up. Its good work, but just doesn't "flow" fully with Vista or Windows 7. Its definitely a lean in the right direction. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591231084 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subject Delta Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 I like WinRar the way it is. I don't really like it when people try to 'OSXify' windows applications, it just doesn't fit in with the UI Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591231216 Share on other sites More sharing options...
backdrifter Posted July 4, 2009 Author Share Posted July 4, 2009 I don't think I OSXified Winrar, at least that wasn't my intention, but it's probably due to my lack of Photoshop skills to imitate native Windows elements :) Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591231246 Share on other sites More sharing options...
svnO.o Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 You know WinRar does let you customize the icons: http://www.rarlab.com/themes.htm While it isn't a drastic UI change, at least you can get much better looking icons. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591231282 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killerj Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 Frank Fontaine said: I like WinRar the way it is. I don't really like it when people try to 'OSXify' windows applications, it just doesn't fit in with the UI Yep, I love the way it is. But if they want to change, i hope they give us a lite version or something like the current UI. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591231288 Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikey_richie Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 Are you aware of Neilsen's usability heuristics? http://www.useit.com/ He'd have a thing or two to say about it! Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591231298 Share on other sites More sharing options...
micro Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 I never use the winrar UI, much faster to use menu shortcuts. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/792854-winrar-ui-concept/#findComment-591231300 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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