17074 – Clear Progress

This build is showing a lot of progress. For one, the visual promise of Fluent Design is making its mark, and it’s truly improving Windows. The whole UX feels more alive, more dynamic. The in-box apps continue to improve, and feel really great. Sure, they might not have every feature added to say, Outlook Express between 1995 and 2014, but hell… Maybe that’s for the best. People spent years complaining about how bad Microsoft’s apps were, then when they take the chance to rebuild them from scratch, the same people just keep complaining.

Can’t win, can ya?

Oh well.

The whole system really feels like it’s coming together. If only they’d update the old msstyles theme to match the light/dark them options.

Conversation 3 comments

  • SWCetacean

    Premium Member
    13 January, 2018 - 9:35 pm

    <p>I agree. I just installed build 17074 on my home desktop this afternoon (coming straight from Fall Creators Update) and I think the UI is good. The improvements to the Edge UI like the Hub are great (and I use Edge as my daily browser). The Fluent Design touches on the Start menu and inbox apps are appreciated and I actually find the new Quiet Hours feature useful as it informs me of the notifications I've missed during my hours-long gaming sessions. UI-wise, build 17074 is a great improvement over the FCU.</p><p><br></p><p>Now I've also spent the evening filing feedback items, because there are a lot of things that are going wrong in this build. I think some of them (like Edge not saving downloads unless the folder gives full control to 'Authenticated Users', and apps installed to a non-system drive not launching after the update) might be related to my upgrade from build 16299. Others are hardware-related (I can't overclock my main monitor to 165 Hz anymore; I need to use the base refresh rate of 144 Hz or I lose signal) and others have to do with third-party software (Dolby Atmos for Headphones won't install). But I would rather find these out now, and file feedback for them to be fixed, rather than find out when the finalized update has released to the public.</p>

    • jimchamplin

      Premium Member
      14 January, 2018 - 12:36 am

      <blockquote><a href="#237513"><em>In reply to SWCetacean:</em></a></blockquote><p>I had the same issue with apps on an external drive. It was enough of a PITA that I reset Windows. </p>

  • anchovylover

    14 January, 2018 - 1:03 am

    <p>Agreed, I haven't used 17074 however the list of improvements is impressive. It's such a shame MS released W10 and especially Edge before they were ready. MS continues to fail to grasp the importance of first impressions.</p><p><br></p><p>FWIW, I have W10 configured to my tastes and really enjoy the experience. So many detractors think W10 is like it was at release and refuse to acknowledge how far it has come. </p>

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