Microsoft will take a new approach to copying and moving files in Windows 8, the next version of its PC operating system — aiming to clean up, clarify and consolidate the jumble of dialog boxes that Windows users have long suffered through.
It’s not the type of thing that will get people to line up around the corner, but it suggests an attention to detail that bodes well for Windows 8 overall. (Msnbc.com is a joint venture of Microsoft and NBC Universal.)
Windows 8 will show users the progress for multiple files in a single dialog box, rather than opening one dialog for each action. From the same unified dialog, users will be able to pause, resume and stop files from copying, and opt to see more details including a real-time throughput graph that plots the data-transfer speed over time.
Microsoft also is simplifying the process of resolving “file name collisions,” when a copied file has the same name as a file in the location to which it’s being copied. The confusing menu of options in Windows 7 will be replaced with a simple dialog with checkboxes for selecting the files to keep.
The changes are outlined in a post on the Building Windows 8 blog by Microsoft’s Alex Simons. Watch this Microsoft video for demos.
Microsoft previously showed a default, tile-based interface for Windows 8 that’s a dramatic departure from the traditional Windows appearance, although a classic view will also be available.
The company hasn’t given a release date for Windows 8, but it’s widely expected in 2012. More details are expected at a Microsoft conference next month in Anaheim, Calif.
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