Microsoft Expression UI

I just got Microsoft Expression studio, and thought it might be interesting to some that the UIs of Design, Encoder, and Blend are very similar to Blender’s. There was an article on Blendernation about Blender’s Suzanne model being used throughout Expression Blend Bible in examples, also. Anyway, I thought this was kind of cool. There’s a screenshot below.

http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/7315/expressionencoderrz1.th.jpg

Can the windows be split and rearranged like Blenders?

Yeah; they’re non-overlapping (unless you undock a window), rearrangable, resizable. And the style is like Blender’s “rounded” theme.

Hehe… now that looks surprisingly familiar…:eek:

Aligorith

Seems like they have a blenderhead in their team!

I know that I am directly responsible for educating at least one Microsoft employee on Blender. I cannot verify that he works on that team but he is on one of the GUI teams.

Microsoft is used to copying good ideas. :spin:

This is just another step in the Blender world domination plan. :evilgrin:

Mystery

Microsoft just copied Blender’s interface, at least if I get that the interface won’t be confusing.

If you haven’t noticed, Adobe took CS3 entirely Non-overlapping. (you can still pull the panels off, but only do it for the occasionally used ones)

For me this is just another conformation that Blender’s UI philosophy isn’t as off as some people like to see it.

ehh… i knew they would do it at some point… :wink:

the interface isnt bad at all

it just has screen scree space wast issues
and some inconsistency inside the menus.

I think we have to accept the fact that there is a real possibility that Microsoft may decide to dedicate 124 developers to releasing a product that mimics and in some cases surpasses Blender functionality.

the UI reminds me more of Max, with the list of menu/panels down the side.But I did notice that you didnt have any toolbars full of buttons…so if you told me that you get a popup menu or context-sensitive options by pressing spacebar in any window…i would be afraid…I would be very afraid.

But then again, MS will still have to sell the program to have any benefit from it. And it isn’t that easy to surpass Blender’s functionality. You don’t just throw a group of coders in a room and get a cool program, you need experience, passion and community spirit and this is where Blender excels.

Okay. Microsoft Expression now need new gui. I think it need gui like 3DS MAX or Maya.

:wink:

did MS ever had a history of being innovative or talented in interface design?

best example is how retarded MS word is.

did MS ever had a history of being innovative or talented in interface design?

best example is how retarded MS word is.

I have no idea what you’re talking about. MS Word is great.

But I did notice that you didnt have any toolbars full of buttons…

There aren’t too many toolbars in Expression; just specialized windows with buttons. No spacebar functionality. :slight_smile:

By the way, I only posted this because I found it interesting, not to say Microsoft is stealing Blender’s ideas (because they aren’t). We might as well start bad-mouthing Blender because it lets you customize its theme, or because it deals with 3d, as many programs before it have. Oh wait, it edits and composites video too. We’d better call up Adobe about some copyright infringement.

Who wouldn’t like it if other programs took on Blender’s interface style? The only way it could hurt Blender is if Max and Maya stole it; then former Autodesk users might go back to those programs (if they still surpassed Blender at that point in time).