[nehalem]

To me personally, it feels like Windows 2000 was the last and maybe only consistent UI onto which all later versions bolted what they considered improvements without ever overhauling the UI in full.

[reddalo]

I think Windows XP did a pretty good job for the home market, making Windows appear friendly and easy to use to a wide audience (and without too many style inconstistencies).

Moreover, Windows XP let you switch the interface back to the classic 9x look, if you wanted a more serious appearance, and better performance.

[consp]

> back to the classic 9x look

If i remember correctly this is the windows 2000 look.

[reddalo]

We're both right. Windows XP had two different legacy themes: "Windows Standard" which looked like Windows 2000 and "Windows Classic" which looked like Windows 9x.

[hilti]

Totally agree!

Although I‘m a Mac user for a long time, I still remember that I got work done using Windows 2000.

I‘d buy a license and switch back to Windows if we could get the productivity of this UI.

Typing this on iOS with Liquid Glass that drives me nuts

[bloppe]

Windows 8 was a pretty big overhaul. But I agree with the author it was a most unwelcome overhaul.

[vanviegen]

Yeah, but many of its 'advanced' settings and such still pop-up windows 95-styled interfaces. And these are actually the most user-friendly parts of the OS.

[anonymars]

I think one of the fundamental issues is "...to those raised on computers, rather than smartphones"