I agree with this. Regular computer users are fin and like these UI changes. Most professional users don't, because it hinders them. You want to have all the horsepower available and to be able to work quickly, not prettier.
> Regular computer users are fin and like these UI changes
My experience is that regular users hate changes, period. Doesn't matter if it looks much prettier now. The button isn't where it was or changed color and they are now confused.
This is starting to change as more people had computers in a phase of their life where they were happy to experiment. But it will still be many years until the majority of the working population evaluates changes on design and performance criteria instead of just disliking them for being different than before.
I don't like this about myself, but these days when Google or Microsoft mess with the software I've been using for a few decades my first feeling is frustration and my immediate reaction is to turn off the new feature.
A few days ago, a new search bar showed up in Windows 11 and I immediately closed it without trying it in any way. Months ago, I switched to DuckDuckGo because I couldn't disable Google's search result highlighting. I hate the new microwave in our house because it doesn't let me type in seconds and instead I have to push some "Automatic 1" for a fixed 60 second interval (there's probably a better way, but my wife threw away the manual).
Sometimes, better is worse. I am so close to switching to a basic Linux distro like Gentoo just to avoid these surprises.
Like Windows 11 for some reason centers the buttons on the screen. I'm not quite seeing what that improves since now things move around, and the start button is no longer in the very comfortably reachable corner by default.
> I agree with this. Regular computer users are fin and like these UI changes.
<citation needed>. I don't think I ever saw anyone say more than "ok it looks kinda neat" and that isn't commentary on "liking" just "well, they changed it and it is not terrible yet".
Most of UI changes in long running software honestly looks like designers (or their managers most likely) trying to excuse their employment than anything acutally useful for the user
> Regular computer users are fin and like these UI changes.
Why would you think so? It's not like any vendor goes and asks them about it, before making a UI overhaul.
In my experience - which I recognize is anecdotal - they absolutely hate those changes, even more than professional users, because it's even harder for them to find their bearing again. Non-tech-savvy people in particular don't have the experience and developed mental models to pin-point and describe the sources of their dissatisfaction, so they round it up into "tech sucks" or "my computer is slow, maybe it has viruses, I probably need a new one".
But I guess we're the minority!