14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has overhauled the online hub offered to developers leveraging its various technologies.
Devs that head over to the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) will undoubtedly be able to notice that the websites sports a new look and feel, as well as additional examples of its most recent new stage of evolution.
The redesign introduced by Microsoft is bound to be the first clue of the overall revamping suffered by MSDN.
“Exciting times, folks – overnight the MSDN website has metamorphosed and adopted an altogether better looking design,” revealed Microsoft’s Rachel Collier.
The MSDN facelift involves the adoption of a range of elements specific of the Metro user interface (UI), which made its debut with Windows Phone 7, and that has been consistently adopted throughout a variety of the software giant’s products, services, websites, etc.
The Metro UI design has also inspired the new Immersive chromeless UI that will be sported by Windows 8 when running on next generation form factors.
Most recently, another of the Redmond company’s online properties, the Microsoft Download Center was also redesigned, and now features a Metro UI inspired style.
Developers already familiar with MSDN will notice that the new site has been divided, content-wise, between two portals: Platforms and Tasks.
The Platforms portal focuses on the desktop, web, Cloud and phone while the Tasks portal has coding, testing and learning at heart.
“You’ll also notice there are now two homepage tabs: Platforms and Tasks. Hit the Tasks tab to learn about, test and get stuck into coding, with fast access to the tools and references you need. The Platforms tab presents all the info you’re used to seeing on MSDN, whether your dev work focuses on Windows, Windows Phone, web or Azure,” Collier added.
If users want to get an idea of just how vast the changes introduced in this MSDN redesign are, they can visit TechNet and see what the developer network site used to look like before the facelift.