Windows Longhorn/Longhorn Days

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A screenshot of a Windows "Longhorn" demonstration displayed in a Longhorn Days video.

Longhorn Days is a set of Macromedia Director demos created by Microsoft to demonstrate the capabilities intended for the Windows "Longhorn" operating system. The name Longhorn Days is from ReflectiaX, when he shared in 2009 screenshots of the demos.[1]

Videos

Portions of the demos appeared in a promo video for PDC 2003, with "Get the Party Started" by P!nk playing in the background.

Stephen Chapman also made two videos based on these demos. These may be accessed here and here. These demos were also used to generate screenshots for patent filings.[2][3] See the black-and-white photos in the Gallery.

Demos

Some of the demos are available at the website of Heesung Koo, product designer for the Windows team during "Longhorn" development.[4]

The executable files showing how the Basket tile was intended to function were previously available at here. The .exe files have been archived by the Wayback Machine. Koo's page detailing how the Basket tile was designed to work (with links to the .exe files) is available here. A demo, bin4.exe, could not be opened. ReflectiaX analyzed its contents and concluded, "I think the file upload of bin4.exe died before it was complete and the client wasn't set to resume failed uploads."[5]

Other demos were also available here, but access to this page has since been forbidden. The .exe files were archived by the Wayback Machine. These demos are:

  1. bin8.exe - Longhorn Listmaker,
  2. burn1.exe - Burn to CD wizard,
  3. e2e photos.exe - My Pictures and Videos (the basic functionality of this is in Windows 10's Photos app, though not the user interface and the auto-rotate function),
  4. msxday.exe - My Music library,
  5. tree1.exe - Longhorn Listmaker navigation.

Other demos, including unused ones, were made available by ReflectiaX and may be downloaded here.

Gallery

These images and their captions were taken from Heesung Koo's website, specifically on his "Longhorn Music & Radio Overview" page,[6] except when otherwise noted.

Acquire

M3

M4 (Partner-WMP) Ownership of specs (per LHMC discussions, next steps are to decide on the actual spec owners and roles for Music, including Acquisition and Playback). Next steps: Drive the specifics. Owner: TonyCh. Usability test planned for grouping algorithm.

— Heesung Koo, Longhorn Music & Radio Overview, [6]

"Insert CD"[7]
  • "Since music place is not a physical space we can promote many virtual views. One we promote here is "most recently added" grouped view where cds users have copied recently are populated."[7]
"Automatically copy and play"[7]
  • "Whenever users insert a cd our default experience is to copy and play it at the same time. We will provide a cue via countdown mechanism where users are given a choice to select other options. If users let it go, we will begin copying once the countdown has expired."[7]
"Animating currently copy CD in most recently added"[7]
  • "Users can see animating CD in most recently added in music library. When users click this album, they can see the detailed status about it."[7]
"Status of copying CD"[7]
  • "We want to leverage the preview pane to show progress off copying music to shell library. Here we will indicate Which song is being copied and what the overall copy Status is."
  • "The status shows which song is playing and copying and how much time it does remain to finish."[7]

First experience

M3

Designed a place holder null select preview pane.

M4 Define first experience in music library with new frame work.

— Heesung Koo, Longhorn Music & Radio Overview, [6]

"First experience"[8]
  • "As first experience, we promote most recently add and music library. Most recently added is based on usage pattern we find songs that recently added in users' library."
  • "We want to promote three tasks that we want to bubble up to users. These three tasks are not decided yet."
  • "If users don't have metadata for thier CD, how do we want to update thier metadata? do we want to do it forground? or background?"[8]
"Missing metadata"[8]
  • "Issue: We consider what the best experience to update and get metadata for music. which experience will be forground or background?"
  • "Longhorn starts filling in the blanks for meta-data in your music collection automatically."
  • "Missing Album art starts filling in, and a list of recently added music is created dynamically"[8]
"Most recently added"[8]
  • "LH music will support auto preset based on users' usage patterns. Most recently added is one of these functions. After we filled up missing metadata, then users can see "most recently added album" from their music library."[8]

Browse/Organize

M3

Music Library - Defined preview pane - Designed list views

M4 (New frame work) Music Library - Define preview pane - Define taks pane - Define filter & pivots - Design list views - Design properties page - Preview song (p2)

M5 - Services Integration - Radio Integration - eHome Integration

— Heesung Koo, Longhorn Music & Radio Overview, [6]

Music library

"All Albums"[9]
  • "Expose five pinned pivot in music library which are all tracks, all albums, all artists, all playlists, and most recently added. There are more auto preset using usage pattern under more auto-search."[9]
  • "open issue: has to decide an appropriate terminology for other pivot -own by stacy lewis"[9]
  • "Expose two filters -albums and artist"[9]
  • "open issue: where is group by? I assume that group by is with view by, so that user click the icon of view by, users can see both of them."[9]
  • "Let user navigate into get songs. double click to open an album"[9]
"All Artists"[9]
  • "Open issue 1: here is two different opinions that First, we need to have consistent users behavior with all albums and all artists. The reasons is that there is one more tiers, then we have to let user navigate into the second tier. We have to give consistent view like albums. All artists view is supposed to thubmail of artist picture, not expose sub tiers. Then what is this view can be? call by " all in one view" which we add another pivot."[9]
  • "Open issue 2: On the other hands, Pivot has individual strength or benefit to present users to be albe to see and do easily and quickly. It doesn't have to keep consistenting behavior this case. Another consideration is we already have enough pivot that user has to understand and use. Do we have to add another pivot which call by "all in one view" which actually this view is that the same presentation of all artists."[9]
"Filter 1"[9]
  • "Now in LH build you can see that it shows all sub catagories under genre, year, size and duration. Even though the catagories are different here. In music UX team will decide what we think to be filter lists here."[9]
  • "open issue: is it better to show sub catagories in drop down? or if this is MRU, then users choose one of filters, show the sub catagories under it."[9]
  • "The default will be albums and artist, but the filter area will be MRU, so that it will be changed whatever you used recently."[9]
"Filter 2"[9]
  • "The default will be albums and artist, but the filter area will be MRU, so that it will be changed whatever you used recently."[9]
  • "open issue: is it better to show sub catagories in drop down? like LH Build has the function now. If the lists are so long, is it an appropriate choice to present to user? or if this is MRU, then users choose one of filters, show the sub catagories under it."[9]

Preview pane

"Preview Pane 1"[10]
  • "Open issues: how do we want to expose contextual tasks with related to more tasks and general tasks with related to more tasks. Do we want to put togehter all more tasks that it doesn't matter what the tasks are involved in such as contextual or general. Terminology has to defined, if we will seperate two different tasks."[10]
  • "This design presents that more activities will show all other tasks both of contextual and general tasks."[10]
Preview Pane 2[10]
  • "Open issues: how do we want to expose contextual tasks with related to more tasks and general tasks with related to more tasks. Do we want to put togehter all more tasks that it doesn't matter what the tasks are involved in such as contextual or general. Terminology has to defined, if we will seperate two different tasks."[10]
  • "It presents that we might be seperate "more activities" to present more contextual tasks and other tasks using different location and term. Terminology has to be defined in this case differently."[10]

Playback

M3

M4 (partner-WMP) Define UI on playback - from preview - from list views - from bar parts - from list maker - ehome intergrarion

— Heesung Koo, Longhorn Music & Radio Overview, [6]

Music library / first experience

"Docked player - first experience"[11]
  • "The player is docked to the bar by default allowing for easy access to music while doing other things."[11]
"Docked player"[11]
  • "When users start to play music, it will display album art and album title. Also the title line will animate horizontally to show between song title and album title."[11]
"Flyout from docked player 1"[11]
  • "In LH media player is optimized for playback experience with the ability navigate through music collections in a light way. Here users can change my play list to others such as auto playlist, albums, or etc."[11]
"Flyout from docked player 2"[11]
  • "Users can easily and quickly replace music through flyout from docked player in sidebar."[11]

Find songs/albums like this / Soundslike

[[File:browse13.jpg|"soundslike view 1"Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag }}

Design explorations

Concept 1

"View 1:: This allows users to select an album and click on a task "show me all music that sounds like this"and we will return user with a rich view of all albums in his computer that are similar to the album selected."[12]
"view 2: Users also can save this view as a smart playlist."[12]
"view 3: You can browse here richly by clicking on any albums and again LH will return users with similar albums by the selected album."[12]
"view 4: LH will bring media contents up available from variety services such as WM.com."[12]

Concept 2: What would be the essential tasks in the tool bar? preview a song/album, add to now playing, burn to a CD, save as a playlist or smart playlist? do we need a preview pane?

"visual design 1: Orcahstra view I-the main selection is the middle and big. Would Other albums be the same size? or Is it important to keep size and proximity to the selected items indicated how similar the contents are relative to each other."[12]
"visual design 2: sound wave view-support rich tool tip when users hover on the object instead of full function of preview pane. If users want to see preview pane, they could change soundslike view to the list view"[12]
"visual design 2: sound wave view-support rich tool tip when users hover on the object instead of full function of preview pane. If users want to see preview pane, they could change soundslike view to the list view"[12]
"visual design 3: spirial view-users can drag and drop other album to the middle, and then the selection would reorder or change. Q: does a double click to play or reorder base on the item that a user selects? what happen with single click? It supports rich tool tip when users hover on the object instead of full function of preview pane. If users want to see preview pane, they could change soundslike view to the list view."[12]
"visual design 4: Orchastra view II: the visual layout of contents goes from left to right. It is a same concept with visual design1, but a different visual layout. It supports rich tool tip when users hover on the object instead of full function of preview pane. If users want to see preview pane, they could change soundslike view to the list view."[12]
"Entry point and layout:preview pane task, in the transport. Linear presentation would be intereting to approch like time line view or carousel view. ALso four quadrant is one of interesting views could present a specfic group by genre, mood, tempo, style, and etc."[12]

Music playlist

Music Playlist

M3 music playlist - Designed UI for static playlist - Heurastic evaluation and small group of usability test

M4 - Playlist creation and editing - Playlist basket tasks - Define final UI design for static playlist - Define what smart (dynamic) collection is (simple query scenarion)

M5 - CD/ DVD burning - Smart (dynamic) collection (complex query)

— Heesung Koo, Longhorn Music & Radio Overview, [6]

Device

Share

M3

M4

M5 - Integration with Devices - Show interaction on Device - Show how Audiotron devices use same music collection and filters/playlists. - Synch music we could (location: bar part, preview like copying CD) New Playlist(s) New CD(s) New Preset(s) Currently playing+queue on PC Album art+ rich metadata

— Heesung Koo, Longhorn Music & Radio Overview, [6]

"Device 1"[13]
  • "Home media devices become great PC peripherals with Longhorn."[13]
  • "Plug in any digital audio device."[13]
"Device 2"[13]
  • "Synch music we could (location: bar part, preview like copying CD)-assume enough storage for whole collection"[13]

"New Playlist(s) New CD(s) New Preset(s) Currently playing+queue on PC Album art+ rich metadata"[13]

"Device 3"[13]
  • "Show interaction on Device (Q: Is the device UI the same as Window eHome?)"[13]
  • "Playing the song you were listening to on your PC (queue)"[13]
  • "Picking another song to play"[13]
"Device 4"[13]
  • "While you are synching up your music to your device, you can see the indication on the sidebar. When users click it, the flyout will show the contents that are synching up now."[13]
"Device 5"[13]
  • "When users go out to part to listen music through thier device. However, they find that some songs are unable to play, so that they want to connect their computer to get these songs again."[13]
"Device 6"[13]
  • "unable to play some songs."[13]
"Device 7"[13]
  • "They connect their computer to get these songs again."[13]
"Audiotron device"[13]
  • "Show how Audiotron devices use same music collection and filters/playlists. show their UI with the Longhorn music collection"[13]

Other images

  • Acquire3.jpg
  • Acquire4.jpg
  • Virtual folder - all songs

    Virtual folder - all songs

  • Virtual folder - Most frequent played

    Virtual folder - Most frequent played

  • Virtual folder - all artists 1

    Virtual folder - all artists 1

  • Virtual folder - all artists 2

    Virtual folder - all artists 2

  • Virtual folder - all artists 3

    Virtual folder - all artists 3

  • Virtual folder - all artists 4

    Virtual folder - all artists 4

  • Virtual folder - all artists 5

    Virtual folder - all artists 5

  • soundslike view 1

    soundslike view 1

  • soundslike view 2

    soundslike view 2

  • soundslike view 3

    soundslike view 3

  • soundslike view 4

    soundslike view 4

  • soundslike view 5

    soundslike view 5

  • soundslike view 6

    soundslike view 6

  • visual design 2: sound wave view-support rich tool tip when users hover on the object instead of full function of preview pane. If users want to see preview pane, they could change soundslike view to the list view

    visual design 2: sound wave view-support rich tool tip when users hover on the object instead of full function of preview pane. If users want to see preview pane, they could change soundslike view to the list view

  • Music Library

    Music Library

  • Structure

    Structure

  • Create a playlist

    Create a playlist

  • Add music I

    Add music I

  • Add music II

    Add music II

  • Add music III

    Add music III

  • Add music IV

    Add music IV

  • Add music V

    Add music V

  • Add music VI

    Add music VI

  • Add music VII

    Add music VII

  • Add music VIII

    Add music VIII

  • Add music VIII

    Add music VIII

  • Add music VIV

    Add music VIV

  • Rename the playlist

    Rename the playlist

  • All playlist place

    All playlist place

  • soundslike view 5

    soundslike view 5

  • soundslike view 6

    soundslike view 6

  • Send e-mail experience in XP: Users have incosistent emailing experience: Entry point from task in shell, right mouse click, and from mail programs.

    Send e-mail experience in XP: Users have incosistent emailing experience: Entry point from task in shell, right mouse click, and from mail programs.

  • Send e-mail experience in LH: User will have consistent emailing experience:Entry point from task in shell, right mouse click, and from mail programs.

    Send e-mail experience in LH: User will have consistent emailing experience:Entry point from task in shell, right mouse click, and from mail programs.

  • "FIG. 9A is a screen shot showing an open application" (Source: US7669140B2 patent)[2][3]

    "FIG. 9A is a screen shot showing an open application" (Source: US7669140B2 patent)[2][3]

  • "FIG. 9B is screen shot showing the application of FIG. 9A minimized in the sidebar" (Source: US7669140B2 patent)[2][3]

    "FIG. 9B is screen shot showing the application of FIG. 9A minimized in the sidebar" (Source: US7669140B2 patent)[2][3]

  • "FIG. 9C is a screen shot showing important features available in the application minimized in the sidebar" (Source: US7669140B2 patent)[2]

    "FIG. 9C is a screen shot showing important features available in the application minimized in the sidebar" (Source: US7669140B2 patent)[2]

Implementation

Build 4015 has a playlist maker, the UI of which is similar to one of the images above from Heesung Koo's website.[14]

  • My Documents from build 3706 Media Center Edition, note UI similarities with the images from the demos

    My Documents from build 3706 Media Center Edition, note UI similarities with the images from the demos

  • My Music from build 3706 Media Center Edition

    My Music from build 3706 Media Center Edition

  • My Pictures from build 3706 Media Center Edition

    My Pictures from build 3706 Media Center Edition

  • My Documents from build 3713, note UI similarities with the images from the demos

    My Documents from build 3713, note UI similarities with the images from the demos

  • My Pictures from build 3713

    My Pictures from build 3713

  • My Documents from build 4002, note UI similarities with the images from the demos

    My Documents from build 4002, note UI similarities with the images from the demos

  • My Music from build 4002

    My Music from build 4002

  • My Pictures from build 4002

    My Pictures from build 4002

  • Stacks in Music Library in build 4008. Note the quick links at the left and compare with the screenshots from the demos above.

    Stacks in Music Library in build 4008. Note the quick links at the left and compare with the screenshots from the demos above.

References

  1. ↑ ReflectiaX (19 September 2009). Unseen Windows Longhorn UI Screen Shots. Retrieved on 12 April 2021.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 David A. Matthews, Charles Cummins, Justin Mann, Judson Craig Hally, Mark Ligameri (21 August 2003). System and method for providing rich minimized applications. Google Patents. Retrieved on 31 March 2022.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 True meaning of RMA. Longhorn.MS. Retrieved on 31 March 2022.
  4. ↑ Koo, Heesung. ResumeKoo.pdf. heesung.jctsolution.com. Archived from the original on 28 August 2019. Retrieved on 3 April 2022.
  5. ↑ ReflectiaX (13 January 2018). Re: Longhorn Director demos. Retrieved on 9 April 2021.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Koo, Heesung. Longhorn Music & Radio Overview. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved on 3 April 2022.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 Koo, Heesung. copy CD. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved on 3 April 2022.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Koo, Heesung. First experience. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved on 3 April 2022.
  9. ↑ 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 9.12 9.13 9.14 9.15 Koo, Heesung. Music library. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved on 3 April 2022.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Koo, Heesung. Preview pane. Archived from the original on 7 April 2021. Retrieved on 3 April 2022.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 Koo, Heesung. Docked player. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved on 3 April 2022.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 12.7 12.8 12.9 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named soundslike
  13. ↑ 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 13.11 13.12 13.13 13.14 13.15 13.16 13.17 13.18 13.19 Koo, Heesung. Device -cell phone & Audiotron. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved on 3 April 2022.
  14. ↑ Melcher (25 May 2017). 4015 playlist maker. Retrieved on 7 April 2021.

External links

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