Vista - Desktop Composition and Flip-3D

I have not been able to find a way to turn off flip-3D without turning off
transparency in the Vista UI.

Flip-3D is cute-looking but slows down workflow for two reasons: a) any
animation takes time, and (mainly) b) the mouse cursor is does not land by
default on the last-used-window, as the old Alt-Tab does, and it requires a
considerably larger mouse movement to pick a window than to pick from a
pop-up list. My Logitech super-mouse (the MX Revolution) has a special
thumbwheel that activates the flip function. It is a <500 ms action to select
another window on a pick list with a mouse movement of 10mm or less. With
flip 3D the animation alone takes longer than that, besides the extra mousing
time and motion.

This is probably not objectionable unless, like me, you work with four or
five major apps (Photoshop, InDesign, Bridge, MS Word, Acrobat)
simultaneously and have to flip back and forth among them repetitively, many
times an hour.

I have no objection to the transparency, and it's useful enough that I would
keep it turned on, but the Flip-3D is so annoying that I have to turn off
Desktop Composition, which seems to eliminate both. (It took some searching
even to find the definition of "Desktop Composition", since it's not in the
included Help.) An option to retain one without the other would be welcome.

As a note, I realize I am probably in a minority. My preferred "user
experience" (I *hate* that term) has to do only with getting stuff done, not
how entertaining the UI is -- especially animations that take time with no
practical return.

----------------
This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow this
link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
click "I Agree" in the message pane.

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/com....vista.general

Why not just use Alt-Tab instead then for the old functionality rather than
using Win-Tab?

It's still there and works just fine.


"Alan G" <AlanG@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:F5282AA5-3C12-48ED-9F1D-490DAE8DE69F@microsoft.com...
>I have not been able to find a way to turn off flip-3D without turning off
> transparency in the Vista UI.
>
> Flip-3D is cute-looking but slows down workflow for two reasons: a) any
> animation takes time, and (mainly) b) the mouse cursor is does not land by
> default on the last-used-window, as the old Alt-Tab does, and it requires
> a
> considerably larger mouse movement to pick a window than to pick from a
> pop-up list. My Logitech super-mouse (the MX Revolution) has a special
> thumbwheel that activates the flip function. It is a <500 ms action to
> select
> another window on a pick list with a mouse movement of 10mm or less. With
> flip 3D the animation alone takes longer than that, besides the extra
> mousing
> time and motion.
>
> This is probably not objectionable unless, like me, you work with four or
> five major apps (Photoshop, InDesign, Bridge, MS Word, Acrobat)
> simultaneously and have to flip back and forth among them repetitively,
> many
> times an hour.
>
> I have no objection to the transparency, and it's useful enough that I
> would
> keep it turned on, but the Flip-3D is so annoying that I have to turn off
> Desktop Composition, which seems to eliminate both. (It took some
> searching
> even to find the definition of "Desktop Composition", since it's not in
> the
> included Help.) An option to retain one without the other would be
> welcome.
>
> As a note, I realize I am probably in a minority. My preferred "user
> experience" (I *hate* that term) has to do only with getting stuff done,
> not
> how entertaining the UI is -- especially animations that take time with no
> practical return.
>
> ----------------
> This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
> suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
> Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow
> this
> link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
> click "I Agree" in the message pane.
>
> http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/com....vista.general

> Why not just use Alt-Tab instead then for the old functionality rather than
> using Win-Tab?

If it were a matter of flipping between only two programs, or if I could use
only the keyboard, that's what I'd do. Neither is the case. There are several
programs involved, so a quick Alt-Tab doesn't cut it. Depending on the
particular project, I may spend several hours working exclusively with
graphics tablet, mouse and navigator (Logitech NuLOOQ). I don't want to reach
for the keyboard if I don't have to, so Win-Tab is also a pain -- especially
since there's a quick-flip button built into the mouse. Maybe if I were
working with a generic mouse I'd be using Alt-Tab and would never have made
my original post, the little flip-wheel on the MX Revolution is so quick, and
so transparent, that I guess I'm spoiled.

<sermon>
<body>
Workflow is all about transparency. Things that distract interrupt the flow
and disturb concentration. Flip 3-D is a distraction. Moving from
mouse/graphics tablet to keyboard (while doing graphics work) is a
distraction. Moving from keyboard to mouse (when working on text) is a
distraction. Anything that should be instant (like flipping from one window
to another) but isn't, is a distraction.

Adobe really got this message a few years ago. The reason the Creative Suite
has grabbed such a large and increasing share of the design market is that it
is supremely workflow oriented: it lets you get more done in less time at
higher quality and with fewer distractions. Only the die-hards use Quark
Xpress anymore.
</body>
</sermon>

So, no, it's not a matter of Alt-Tab.

"Shane Nokes" wrote:

> It's still there and works just fine.
>
>
> "Alan G" <AlanG@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:F5282AA5-3C12-48ED-9F1D-490DAE8DE69F@microsoft.com...
> >I have not been able to find a way to turn off flip-3D without turning off
> > transparency in the Vista UI.
> >
> > Flip-3D is cute-looking but slows down workflow for two reasons: a) any
> > animation takes time, and (mainly) b) the mouse cursor is does not land by
> > default on the last-used-window, as the old Alt-Tab does, and it requires
> > a
> > considerably larger mouse movement to pick a window than to pick from a
> > pop-up list. My Logitech super-mouse (the MX Revolution) has a special
> > thumbwheel that activates the flip function. It is a <500 ms action to
> > select
> > another window on a pick list with a mouse movement of 10mm or less. With
> > flip 3D the animation alone takes longer than that, besides the extra
> > mousing
> > time and motion.
> >
> > This is probably not objectionable unless, like me, you work with four or
> > five major apps (Photoshop, InDesign, Bridge, MS Word, Acrobat)
> > simultaneously and have to flip back and forth among them repetitively,
> > many
> > times an hour.
> >
> > I have no objection to the transparency, and it's useful enough that I
> > would
> > keep it turned on, but the Flip-3D is so annoying that I have to turn off
> > Desktop Composition, which seems to eliminate both. (It took some
> > searching
> > even to find the definition of "Desktop Composition", since it's not in
> > the
> > included Help.) An option to retain one without the other would be
> > welcome.
> >
> > As a note, I realize I am probably in a minority. My preferred "user
> > experience" (I *hate* that term) has to do only with getting stuff done,
> > not
> > how entertaining the UI is -- especially animations that take time with no
> > practical return.
> >
> > ----------------
> > This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
> > suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
> > Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow
> > this
> > link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
> > click "I Agree" in the message pane.
> >
> > http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/com....vista.general
>

Well you also realize that you don't have to use the mouse/keyboard to flip
right?

You can use the pen to just select the window you want and it will pop to
the foreground with no flipping required once Flip3D is activated

"Alan G" <AlanG@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8487A851-BE9B-4E4F-AADC-6D7724A7F3AF@microsoft.com...
>> Why not just use Alt-Tab instead then for the old functionality rather
>> than
>> using Win-Tab?
>
> If it were a matter of flipping between only two programs, or if I could
> use
> only the keyboard, that's what I'd do. Neither is the case. There are
> several
> programs involved, so a quick Alt-Tab doesn't cut it. Depending on the
> particular project, I may spend several hours working exclusively with
> graphics tablet, mouse and navigator (Logitech NuLOOQ). I don't want to
> reach
> for the keyboard if I don't have to, so Win-Tab is also a pain --
> especially
> since there's a quick-flip button built into the mouse. Maybe if I were
> working with a generic mouse I'd be using Alt-Tab and would never have
> made
> my original post, the little flip-wheel on the MX Revolution is so quick,
> and
> so transparent, that I guess I'm spoiled.
>
> <sermon>
> <body>
> Workflow is all about transparency. Things that distract interrupt the
> flow
> and disturb concentration. Flip 3-D is a distraction. Moving from
> mouse/graphics tablet to keyboard (while doing graphics work) is a
> distraction. Moving from keyboard to mouse (when working on text) is a
> distraction. Anything that should be instant (like flipping from one
> window
> to another) but isn't, is a distraction.
>
> Adobe really got this message a few years ago. The reason the Creative
> Suite
> has grabbed such a large and increasing share of the design market is that
> it
> is supremely workflow oriented: it lets you get more done in less time at
> higher quality and with fewer distractions. Only the die-hards use Quark
> Xpress anymore.
> </body>
> </sermon>
>
> So, no, it's not a matter of Alt-Tab.
>
> "Shane Nokes" wrote:
>
>> It's still there and works just fine.
>>
>>
>> "Alan G" <AlanG@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:F5282AA5-3C12-48ED-9F1D-490DAE8DE69F@microsoft.com...
>> >I have not been able to find a way to turn off flip-3D without turning
>> >off
>> > transparency in the Vista UI.
>> >
>> > Flip-3D is cute-looking but slows down workflow for two reasons: a) any
>> > animation takes time, and (mainly) b) the mouse cursor is does not land
>> > by
>> > default on the last-used-window, as the old Alt-Tab does, and it
>> > requires
>> > a
>> > considerably larger mouse movement to pick a window than to pick from a
>> > pop-up list. My Logitech super-mouse (the MX Revolution) has a special
>> > thumbwheel that activates the flip function. It is a <500 ms action to
>> > select
>> > another window on a pick list with a mouse movement of 10mm or less.
>> > With
>> > flip 3D the animation alone takes longer than that, besides the extra
>> > mousing
>> > time and motion.
>> >
>> > This is probably not objectionable unless, like me, you work with four
>> > or
>> > five major apps (Photoshop, InDesign, Bridge, MS Word, Acrobat)
>> > simultaneously and have to flip back and forth among them repetitively,
>> > many
>> > times an hour.
>> >
>> > I have no objection to the transparency, and it's useful enough that I
>> > would
>> > keep it turned on, but the Flip-3D is so annoying that I have to turn
>> > off
>> > Desktop Composition, which seems to eliminate both. (It took some
>> > searching
>> > even to find the definition of "Desktop Composition", since it's not in
>> > the
>> > included Help.) An option to retain one without the other would be
>> > welcome.
>> >
>> > As a note, I realize I am probably in a minority. My preferred "user
>> > experience" (I *hate* that term) has to do only with getting stuff
>> > done,
>> > not
>> > how entertaining the UI is -- especially animations that take time with
>> > no
>> > practical return.
>> >
>> > ----------------
>> > This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
>> > suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the
>> > "I
>> > Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow
>> > this
>> > link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and
>> > then
>> > click "I Agree" in the message pane.
>> >
>> > http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/com....vista.general
>>