>When Microsoft chooses to "improve" on the Word interface, it will undoubtedly be in conjunction with "improvements" to the rest of Microsoft Office, Visual Studio, and Windows itself. And Microsoft does issue dictates on interface design: The GUI Design Guide, which can be found at

Of course. What I was saying is that I don't think that guide addresses explicit edit and save buttons.

>By "new user", I am referring to a somewhat experienced Windows user (let's assume they've been using it at home or work for word processing, e-mail, and Web surfing, the most common apps for a novice) who is just sitting down to use your application. When they are confronted with a menu structure or series of commands which vary greatly from the other Windows apps they are familiar with, the learning curve becomes a brick wall.

That's true (and it's why I wouldn't change these menu items without a very good reason). My point, however, is that, in the grand scheme of things, most users haven't even been born yet. We need to accomodate the "old new" users, but that shouldn't prevent us from trying to make things easier for those who come to computers with no preconceptions.

>I'll grant you that many applications are not what one would call user-friendly. What I am saying is that, for better or worse, we are working in the shadow of Windows. Whatever innovations we choose to make in our user interface must still conform to the basics of the Windows standard. Actually, making your programs as similar to every other Windows app as possible should be a benefit. By conforming to the GUI standard, it frees us of the task of creating a clever and intuitive interface, and allows us to concentrate on creating better code underneath.

Basically, I agree. However, I don't think that should prevent the truly brilliant UI designer from going against the flow. Most of us don't fit into that category, so we should just follow Microsoft.

>>This is a perfect example of how Microsoft has changed its UI "standard." SetForegroundWindow() used to unilaterally bring any window to the top. In Windows 98, however, it just flashes the taskbar button. This is great! (Although some Microsoft products still seem to be able to violate this, somehow).
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>Is this a Windows-global setting, or does it need to be set for each Windows application? If it is global, please tell me where I can locate it. If I can turn off some of the dialogs that Outlook and the Print Manager sends my way, my life would be SO much easier.

I was talking about the SetForegroundWindow() API call. Microsoft changed the way it works in Windows 98. But you're right: some Microsoft apps have figured out how to circumvent this, and it's very annoying.

>I think you just said it best yourself: any paradigm shift in the Windows user interface must come from Microsoft itself. Unless we are willing to create an application which does not have a Windows-standard interface, and have it branded as such, the best we can do is to poke and prod the 800-pound gorilla in Redmond with suggestions.

I don't think that's true--I certainly hope it isn't! To its credit, Microsoft designed Windows so that a developer can do most anything she wants. If someone comes up with a great idea (Quicken's AutoFill is my standard example), then I don't see why they shouldn't use it, and let the marketplace decide.