NT8 UI annoyances
I have been using NT7 for a long time, but after the release of 8.0.4 I decided to switch over. After having used the new version for some time, I find it less than pleasant to use.
Here is a list (in no particular order) of some of the things that I find annoying or a step back from NT7. Please let me know what I can do to solve these annoyances. If there is nothing I can do, please consider putting them on the suggestion list.
1. General style
I quite like the fact that the new version is skinnable. Putting the buttons on the title bar is a great idea, I like it a lot. Is there a way to go skinless though (while keeping the title bar buttons)? I would like NT8 to pick up the system settings (fonts and colors), and have a similar appearance to all the other applications (I am using Win 7, btw), especially where menus, popus, preference lists, etc are concerned.
2. Font rendering
The fonts are not rendered as nicely as in NT7 or any other application. The fonts in NT7 are crisp, and blurry or smudgy in NT8. It is not even possible to set them up the same as in NT7.
A few examples:
NT7 Editor: Consolas 9 - very nice and crisp. Try the same in NT8 Editor: Consolas 9 - tiny, practically unreadable. Consolas 12 - similar size as Consolas 9 in NT7, however not as clear and crisp, kind of blurry, tiring for the eye after a while.
NT 7 Chart: Arial 8 - very nice and crisp. NT8 Chart: Arial 8 - tiny, unreadable. Arial 11 - Similar size as Arial 8 in NT7, but not as crisp and clear, kind of smudgy, line thickness varying. Have to use Lucinda Console 11 for a better experience.
3. Chart rendering
In NT7 bars have the same size and distance (gap) between them with equidistant bars. NT8, not so much. I like my bars close to each other, with about 1 (or maybe 2, not sure) pixels between them. In NT7 it is not a problem, however in NT8 the bars are sometimes stuck together, sometimes there is a bigger than normal gap between them. I find it distracting, because those stuck together bars and larger gaps draw attention to them and away from what I am trying to do.
4. Littering
Not sure that is right word to use. Sometimes (not often, but often enough) when I have other windows (NT or other apps) open overlapping parts of an NT8 window (especially charts), and then close the other window, it leaves parts behind on the NT8 window. Those remnants don't go away until I do something with the NT8 window, occasionally they need to be minimized and restored.
Another way 'littering' happens is when I have NT8 windows open, and then quit. The windows go away, but leave parts on the desktop. Those remnants stay on the desktop until another window is opened in that area.
I don't know how to reproduce it, it just happens sometimes.
5. Color picker
No custom or system colors. There seem to be a way to put in hex values, but they don't get saved.
6. Maximized windows disable the task bar
When I maximize an NT8 window, I cannot use the task bar any more (task bar is set to auto hide). When I move the mouse to the task bar area, nothing happens. When I press the windows or menu buttons on the keyboard, the task bar still does nothing (or maybe it does, but hidden, same result: unusable task bar).
7. Performance
NT8 is generally (back test, optimization, data load, etx) faster than NT7. The UI seems to be different, with NT7 being faster than NT8. When I interact with a window (minimize, maximize, resize, move) in NT7, it is instantenious. In NT8 there is a quite noticable delay.
That is all for now. Any help is appreciated.
Here is a list (in no particular order) of some of the things that I find annoying or a step back from NT7. Please let me know what I can do to solve these annoyances. If there is nothing I can do, please consider putting them on the suggestion list.
1. General style
I quite like the fact that the new version is skinnable. Putting the buttons on the title bar is a great idea, I like it a lot. Is there a way to go skinless though (while keeping the title bar buttons)? I would like NT8 to pick up the system settings (fonts and colors), and have a similar appearance to all the other applications (I am using Win 7, btw), especially where menus, popus, preference lists, etc are concerned.
2. Font rendering
The fonts are not rendered as nicely as in NT7 or any other application. The fonts in NT7 are crisp, and blurry or smudgy in NT8. It is not even possible to set them up the same as in NT7.
A few examples:
NT7 Editor: Consolas 9 - very nice and crisp. Try the same in NT8 Editor: Consolas 9 - tiny, practically unreadable. Consolas 12 - similar size as Consolas 9 in NT7, however not as clear and crisp, kind of blurry, tiring for the eye after a while.
NT 7 Chart: Arial 8 - very nice and crisp. NT8 Chart: Arial 8 - tiny, unreadable. Arial 11 - Similar size as Arial 8 in NT7, but not as crisp and clear, kind of smudgy, line thickness varying. Have to use Lucinda Console 11 for a better experience.
3. Chart rendering
In NT7 bars have the same size and distance (gap) between them with equidistant bars. NT8, not so much. I like my bars close to each other, with about 1 (or maybe 2, not sure) pixels between them. In NT7 it is not a problem, however in NT8 the bars are sometimes stuck together, sometimes there is a bigger than normal gap between them. I find it distracting, because those stuck together bars and larger gaps draw attention to them and away from what I am trying to do.
4. Littering
Not sure that is right word to use. Sometimes (not often, but often enough) when I have other windows (NT or other apps) open overlapping parts of an NT8 window (especially charts), and then close the other window, it leaves parts behind on the NT8 window. Those remnants don't go away until I do something with the NT8 window, occasionally they need to be minimized and restored.
Another way 'littering' happens is when I have NT8 windows open, and then quit. The windows go away, but leave parts on the desktop. Those remnants stay on the desktop until another window is opened in that area.
I don't know how to reproduce it, it just happens sometimes.
5. Color picker
No custom or system colors. There seem to be a way to put in hex values, but they don't get saved.
6. Maximized windows disable the task bar
When I maximize an NT8 window, I cannot use the task bar any more (task bar is set to auto hide). When I move the mouse to the task bar area, nothing happens. When I press the windows or menu buttons on the keyboard, the task bar still does nothing (or maybe it does, but hidden, same result: unusable task bar).
7. Performance
NT8 is generally (back test, optimization, data load, etx) faster than NT7. The UI seems to be different, with NT7 being faster than NT8. When I interact with a window (minimize, maximize, resize, move) in NT7, it is instantenious. In NT8 there is a quite noticable delay.
That is all for now. Any help is appreciated.
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