Link to download page:
http://www.blender.org/download/get-25-alpha/

The developpers of Blender have set quite a goal for their newest release since Blender 2.49; to do a complete GUI overhaul to give the tool a more professional look, but to also make the new GUI "better" and clearer.

I've been playing around with the alpha for a bit. Though I've already experienced some odd crashes when executing simple tasks, I must say that I am very, very impressed. Though I still haven't relocated all the shortcuts, I found this version much quicker in use. Blender has gotten a completely new look and I can't say that I miss the old one. There is now a permanent location for the timeline, a separate tab for commonly used tools that are cleverly divided in 2 tabs and several other additions that, in my opinion, all Blender users will appreciate.

Several additions that I've already noticed and that are small, but awesome:
- opening a new file is no longer done by pressing "ctrl + x", instead, Blender has now joined the rest of the world by making the new shortcut be "ctrl + n"
- when rendering (f12), there no longer opens up a separate window, but the render will be made inside the main screen. You can go back by pressing escape.
- The "snap to ..." "front view/side view/top view" buttons now no longer 'snap'; your view will now smoothly move to these new positions instead of popping to them
- "world" settings are now better organised. "ambient occlusion" is now called "environment lights"

So what do the people here think about this?


Screenshot of Interface:

101% better UI. I hated the old one, which is why I stopped using Blender. This new one looks much better, and more professional as you said. It is, as far as I'm concerened, a great improvement.

I think i'll wait until they fix up all the bugs before upgrading....do you think one of you guys could post a pic of the GUI so we can see it before dl'ing?

Here you go: