Windows 7 was the last Windows gui optiized for keyboard and mouse users. Anything after that was sacrificed to Microsoft's desperate attempts to compete in the mobile space chasing that sweet 30% store tax.
If I had the option, I would Windows-7-ize the interface for everything on any later version.
Is that crochety nostalgia, or the innate peak of the interface design? Hard to say.
But I liked buttons that are distinct from the background, a judicious use of color, evoked depth and texture—especially for things that were supposed to pop "in" and "out" of the page, scrollbars I could always find, and things generally being keyboard-navigable in a pinch...
There used to be a competent theme for the Cinnamon DE that replicated Windows 7 fairly well from the "boomerang project" group. May still exist, but it's been a while since I've used it or checked on whether it's been updated.
