The UI design of 2026.06.11200

[nuhi]

But why? What is being gained by hiding frequently used information and replacing it with giant empty space? What is the point? It requires additional effort and gives nothing in return.

Less stress to the user, and please read more detailed explanation in the reply above. Does not mean if it's empty we should fill it, goal is to focus on a task and not squint between the lines.
Moving a mouse is hardly an effort, you need to do it to keep track or expand description when all are presented at once as well.
I'm really puzzled how much some of you like the old way, but OK, I just want to know how those that disagree look at it.

 

[Anonymous Internet User]

Less stress to the user, and please read more detailed explanation in the reply above. Does not mean if it's empty we should fill it, goal is to focus on a task and not squint between the lines.
Moving a mouse is hardly an effort, you need to do it to keep track or expand description when all are presented at once as well.
I'm really puzzled how much some of you like the old way, but OK, I just want to know how those that disagree look at it.

Sorry Nuhi, but I disagree. You've just confirmed what I said above that Modern UIs "are meant to coddle the average user by lowering the amount of options and information on the screen". This is an unfortunate trend in software design these days.

Scanning a wall of visible text is way faster than moving your mouse over multiple items and pausing each time to see the popup. As I said in the previous post: some items don't have any info and that adds additional pause and friction. Also, by having the info visible your eye can catch some things that you'd otherwise miss if all the info is hidden.

If "squinting between the lines" is a problem you might consider adding options to increase the text size or line separation but hiding everything at once is not a solution.

Thanks for agreeing to bring the old wall of text back, but I strongly disagree with your reasoning in defense of the new UI. At least you are open to suggestions and listen to us, which I greatly appreciate. Many devs take the "my way or the highway" approach, you don't, you take our opinions into account. Please don't change that.

Thank you!

 

[16309]

I'm really puzzled how much some of you like the old way

People like what they like, each to their own.

Modern UIs "are meant to coddle the average user

I am "average user plus" and i dont need coddling. Have done very well up till now poking around and tinkering.

Keep the new UI style, have option to always show additional information and i can work with that

 

[Anonymous Internet User]

I am "average user plus" and i dont need coddling. Have done very well up till now poking around and tinkering.

That's exactly what I figured. So that's why I was surprised when you opposed my "we ain't afraid of wall of text" comment. You always sounded to me like a fairly serious tinkerer

 

[16309]

Walls of text do frighten me but at least its all there and things have a habit of catching your eye.
Cannot abide menu's/multi layer menu's.

 

[tistou77]

The thing I don't like about modern interfaces, like the approach MS took for a while, is that everything is often "bigger."
They are designed more for tablet or touch-based use.

 

[clarensio]

I also find viewing dependencies directly, rather than hovering over them, better, but I realize this may require more resources from NTLite.

Perhaps a display option (old or new) in NTLite's settings, if possible, might be the best option for users, regardless of what others have previously discussed.

 

[devilink]

OK, please tell me what do you glance at when it's shown all at once, and how easy is that to be able to focus which text on the right belongs to which component?
To explain why I'm asking:
- descriptions, you read them once when getting to know the component, no way that it's better to show all instead of just on hover. Hover is also easier to read as you know exactly which component it is for and better formatted, not one big line.
- locks/compatibilities, same thing, also if the compatibilities are the only reason, then we can talk about them, not components.
Meaning the Compatibility window should be expanded and compatibilities get their Hover with component list in them, for example.


Do let me know what bothers you. But let's not repeat what was said in this topic, I already agreed to add the option to return the wall of text.

The UI display in the new version is less clear and intuitive compared to the old version. In the new interface, to view the information for each entry, you have to hover your mouse over it to see the content. In the old version, you could simply scroll with the mouse to keep viewing records without needing to hover over each one individually. By default, the Component column is collapsed. Double-clicking Size (MB) can uncollapse it, but that then leaves a large blank space.

 

[MacVap]

If I need to hover over component 1, then over component 2, by component 3 I have already forgotten all about component 1.

 

[nuhi]

The UI display in the new version is less clear and intuitive compared to the old version. In the new interface, to view the information for each entry, you have to hover your mouse over it to see the content. In the old version, you could simply scroll with the mouse to keep viewing records without needing to hover over each one individually. By default, the Component column is collapsed. Double-clicking Size (MB) can uncollapse it, but that then leaves a large blank space.

If I need to hover over component 1, then over component 2, by component 3 I have already forgotten all about component 1.

Since both comments say a similar thing, basically just repeating how it seems to you, I'll repeat the question.
How does it help to have all the descriptions shown at once?
Don't you remember the component name and its meaning, not description's off-the-focus look?

I think you are just fixating on the "simpler UI is for idiots" spiel.

Let me rephrase it, we are talking about is moving a mouse over the name better than a wide row of text to the right which no one can read at once and needs to poke with a mouse anyway to see the full line.

That said, option is done, will try to upload today.

 

[nuhi]

Updated, option is up - Components page toolbar - Descriptions set to Always.
Let me know if anything missing from the old experience, or how to elevate it.
Thanks.