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New project dialog for VSD in Orcas

Wed, March 28, 2007, 09:16 AM under MobileAndEmbedded
UPDATE: After Beta 1 I updated the text below with a new addition/screenshot and struck out the inapplicable text (bug fixed).

Nick blogged about this first, and Neil followed. Both have screenshots on their blogs so check them out.


If you ask me, we needed this simplicity for newbies to device development because the old approach was way too confusing. Having said that, previously I could create any project type in two clicks and now I need a lot more; so penalising the expert user is definitely the case here IMO. Rule number one of UI development: less clicks is good. Rule number two: offer two navigation paths: one for the novice, one for the expert.

Regardless of the above, before Orcas RTMs, we have to fix the combobox behaviour: When I select NETCF version 2.0 in the bottom combobox and then select a platform in the top, why the heck does the value in the bottom combobox revert to the default of 3.5? Rule number three of UI development: If I have made selection, don't revert it based on another selection on the same dialog! What makes it worst in this instance is that when selecting something in the top combobox, the bottom combobox is hidden out of view so the change goes unnoticed unless you are looking for it.

Also, again regardless to the above, I would expect those combobox values to be remembered between different launches but unfortunately they are not (yet?).

As of Beta 1, the dialog has a new addition at the bottom: a hyperlink to get new SDKs (e.g the WM6 SDKs).
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