Boycott: Not buying Leopard until those Jellybeans die!
Here's the current Leopard UI:
Here's a draft suggestion I made up:
Macs went translucent, (translucent) Aqua arrived. Macs go metal, Aqua gets replaced by metal. Ok, so my mock-up may not be perfect, but the point is I really think Apple needs to finish off what they started, and I think this is the general direction they need to go. Highlight blue when clicked is out, push-in when clicked is in. It's about functionality and consistency.
I personally love the push-aspect to the metal buttons present in some parts of OS X & iTunes, much better UI design then Aqua in my opinion. It's like popping bubble-wrap, the metal buttons are a pleasure to click, and that's the way it should be for your computer use, a pleasure. Aqua is not only not as fun (anymore), but worse, it's very dated looking now.
Leopard is going to be a great release, it would be a shame to leave all these blue Aqua parts, would seem kind of unfinished to me - like they didn't have enough time to do the last lap - an unchecked box in the Leopard list if you will. The last bit of polish is left in the jar. Enough metaphors for you?
The new menus, contextual included, have no pinstripes, no sharp corners, and have a nice, subtle, rich-blue mouse-highlight gradient in them (different to Tiger). Three changes which convey a nice attention to detail. Why not go the whole way Apple? Why not clean up the aged look that is Aqua - a nice metal look to go along with all those metal iMacs and Cinema Displays perhaps? Clean it all up and give the OS a unified, strong, modern, understated look, that's also a pleasure to interact with.
Frankly I'm in disbelief that Aqua is as it was, at this stage in Leopard's development. I mean how much more time would it take (Waits for impatient screams.. "I want it now, I can't wait any longer", please.) to do it right? It doesn't make sense to take Aqua out of the top of each window, Safari, System Preferences etc., yet leave the rest of it inside that same window, it's like running half a marathon - I mean why even bother if you're not going to finish it? Steve said Leopard is finally going to bring consistency to OS X, well where is it then Steve-O?
I have a sneaking suspicion Apple intends to keep the complete, metal UI overhaul either until the last moment - perhaps reveling it at some sort of pre-release special event? And I hope to God I am right, cause it'd be a shame if it didn't happen. If they aren't going to do that, then I hope they read this. I hope they are aware we Mac users actually care about things like this. Apple is meant to be about attention to detail after all.
I'm saying this cause I like OS X, and I'll be using Leopard everyday. If a friend has egg on their chin you tell them right?
Here's a draft suggestion I made up:
Macs went translucent, (translucent) Aqua arrived. Macs go metal, Aqua gets replaced by metal. Ok, so my mock-up may not be perfect, but the point is I really think Apple needs to finish off what they started, and I think this is the general direction they need to go. Highlight blue when clicked is out, push-in when clicked is in. It's about functionality and consistency.
I personally love the push-aspect to the metal buttons present in some parts of OS X & iTunes, much better UI design then Aqua in my opinion. It's like popping bubble-wrap, the metal buttons are a pleasure to click, and that's the way it should be for your computer use, a pleasure. Aqua is not only not as fun (anymore), but worse, it's very dated looking now.
Leopard is going to be a great release, it would be a shame to leave all these blue Aqua parts, would seem kind of unfinished to me - like they didn't have enough time to do the last lap - an unchecked box in the Leopard list if you will. The last bit of polish is left in the jar. Enough metaphors for you?
The new menus, contextual included, have no pinstripes, no sharp corners, and have a nice, subtle, rich-blue mouse-highlight gradient in them (different to Tiger). Three changes which convey a nice attention to detail. Why not go the whole way Apple? Why not clean up the aged look that is Aqua - a nice metal look to go along with all those metal iMacs and Cinema Displays perhaps? Clean it all up and give the OS a unified, strong, modern, understated look, that's also a pleasure to interact with.
Frankly I'm in disbelief that Aqua is as it was, at this stage in Leopard's development. I mean how much more time would it take (Waits for impatient screams.. "I want it now, I can't wait any longer", please.) to do it right? It doesn't make sense to take Aqua out of the top of each window, Safari, System Preferences etc., yet leave the rest of it inside that same window, it's like running half a marathon - I mean why even bother if you're not going to finish it? Steve said Leopard is finally going to bring consistency to OS X, well where is it then Steve-O?
I have a sneaking suspicion Apple intends to keep the complete, metal UI overhaul either until the last moment - perhaps reveling it at some sort of pre-release special event? And I hope to God I am right, cause it'd be a shame if it didn't happen. If they aren't going to do that, then I hope they read this. I hope they are aware we Mac users actually care about things like this. Apple is meant to be about attention to detail after all.
I'm saying this cause I like OS X, and I'll be using Leopard everyday. If a friend has egg on their chin you tell them right?
Comments
The itunes look is good, but not great. i like the look in the iLife apps, but again, it isn't anything to shout about like Aqua was. but that's fine. We don't need any cray changes at this point.
i do agree that Aqua does not look like it fits with the platinum look that Apple is giving leopard.
I am thinking that perhaps the rumored announcements may have something to do with leopard and will show previously undisclosed UI changes and a couple of undisclosed features.
It makes sense for the announcement to come the week of launch as Apple has been so secretive until now. That way, they can drum up all the sales excitement in one day as opposed to a year with tiger (I still remember the lines at the Apple store).
I am thinking that perhaps the rumored announcements may have something to do with leopard and will show previously undisclosed UI changes and a couple of undisclosed features.
It makes sense for the announcement to come the week of launch as Apple has been so secretive until now. That way, they can drum up all the sales excitement in one day as opposed to a year with tiger (I still remember the lines at the Apple store).
I truly hope you're right. I'd be shocked if it wasn't something along those lines. I'm really quite surprised more people aren't shouting about this - it's a big deal. In my case, even a deal breaker. And for those who mention Shapeshifter, I think it's really up to Apple to finished what they started, and not expect some 3rd part to come along a clean up the mess, not to mention you have to buy the app, and do the fiddling yourself, and again on reinstalls.
Ok, I'm no expert, that blue may not be perfect, but I can't believe Aqua is still present in Leopard. It looks out of place, and frankly, its very existence now at this point is a disgrace.
This your first major update? Sure sounds like it.
This your first major update? Sure sounds like it.
Good old Walter is back.
Here's the current Leopard UI:
Here's a draft suggestion I made up in 30 minutes:
Ok, I'm no expert, that blue may not be perfect, but I can't believe Aqua is still present in Leopard. It looks out of place, and frankly, its very existence now at this point is a disgrace.
Nice job. I agree. It looks too much like a "toy". If they want to compete in the business world, they need to make it look nice.
If people start to think about 'problems' like these, nothing's really wrong...
That's no excuse not to fix it. After all, Steve was the one who promised consistency. Personally I think it's important.
Maybe they are waiting on the new 'metal' MacBooks to kill Aqua, who knows? Aqua served Apple well, but its day has passed.
If people start to think about 'problems' like these, nothing's really wrong...
Something is wrong, as the UI happens to be one of the most important parts of OS X and Steve Jobs took the time to make it clear that a unified UI was going to be part of Leopard.
I'd like to see that come about, as it has been one of the most annoying things about OS X for me. They've got a good thing going with the iTunes interface, now it's time to migrate that to the rest of OS X.
Non-conformist UIs are OK with third party software, or Apple software that requires it for special purposes (some of Apple's creative apps, for example) but not the OS. It's about as simple of a fix as one could imagine, and I'd really, really love to see it implemented across the board.
It's like being a famous artist and having a few hundred gallons of paint and a bunch of painters who will work for free, but having them stop after repainting 1/5 of your house. It doesn't make any sense, it looks like crap and makes people think you just don't care that much, while undermining your credibility on aesthetic matters.
I truly hope you're right. I'd be shocked if it wasn't something along those lines. I'm really quite surprised more people aren't shouting about this - it's a big deal. In my case, even a deal breaker. And for those who mention Shapeshifter, I think it's really up to Apple to finished what they started, and not expect some 3rd part to come along a clean up the mess, not to mention you have to buy the app, and do the fiddling yourself, and again on reinstalls.
I could not agree more here. This is a job for Apple. But I think the iPhone effect is here and it shows. Apple has too many fronts open. And while we are at it, anyone knows what was the Apple development personnel e.g in the Panther release and what is now?
Hoping for a last minute surprise.
That's no excuse not to fix it. After all, Steve was the one who promised consistency.
Hmm, he also promised something about Mac games and guess what we got with the new iMacs. If there is anything to learn from him the last 4-5 years, is to not take his word literally.
I'll give up playing games (and I am such a kid at heart) as long as I can update my apps without one them telling me that I have a counterfeit copy of the OS, that came with my machine and all I can find is admonitions that I must have bought it from an unscrupulous dealer (didn't know dell was that unscrupulous. I also wonder how I could create over 200 web pages on a trial copy of FrontPage.
I don't care what color the buttons are, as long as they work, I don't care if the mouse that ships only has one button, I don't care if each computer costs more than 1000.00. All I know is that I don't have to spend hours each week running virus scans, and three spyware and adware scanners and cleaners, my programs work, I don't have to regularly clean my registry, My kids can't kill my computer by downloading really bad things from miniclip, and when I hit submit, this post won't disappear into never never land.
Want problems, come see me, I have 9 PC's and a Bridge in Brookland I can sell you. Just stay away from my Macs
I'm a switcher and I love my imac. While I respect your opinion but to me it seems like such a minor thing.
One of the reasons for the success of the Mac is the user base that is vocal about getting things right. We don't fit into the category of people who can put up with Windows Vista and keep quiet about it. Apple survives because it tends to keep an eye out for what the users want and understands the significance of the user experience.
http://forums.appleinsider.com/showp...27&postcount=4
This is a very rough mock-up, but I think something along these lines would be nice...
Hmm, he also promised something about Mac games and guess what we got with the new iMacs. If there is anything to learn from him the last 4-5 years, is to not take his word literally.
I'm not being naive, but I wont deny being pissed off when he promises something as trivial as window consistency when it comes to something as major as an OS release. He doesn't have control of the game industry. OS inconsistencies are his thing.