Metallic iMail for 10.4?

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 26
    torifiletorifile Posts: 4,024member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Kickaha

    A skin that doesn't alter the UI otherwise is just eye-candy, and as far as I'm concerned, doesn't alter usability one way or another in any appreciable way.



    my thoughts exactly.
  • Reply 22 of 26
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by dfiler

    Contrast levels between interface elements greatly affect saccade efficiency among many other things.



    While we'll never come close to a consensus on whether metal or aqua is 'better', each has discernable effects on usability.




    As a tiny delta of usability, sure. But changing the color of a window border is a tiny, one might almost say *negligible* effect when compared to actually changing UI elements and workflow.



    Yes, there's an effect. A tiny one.
  • Reply 23 of 26
    amorphamorph Posts: 7,112member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Kickaha

    As a tiny delta of usability, sure. But changing the color of a window border is a tiny, one might almost say *negligible* effect when compared to actually changing UI elements and workflow.



    Yes, there's an effect. A tiny one.




    It's something Apple definitely has taken into account, though. The MacOS historically has tried to be cheerful and relaxing, which is where all the whites and pastels and rounded corners come from. And, of course, the Mac 128K was the first computer to feature textured beige on the case, in order to appear more organic.
  • Reply 24 of 26
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Agreed. I'm just stating that in comparison to other UI changes that directly target usability and interaction, the effect is somewhere close to noise.



    Yes, it matters.



    No, it doesn't matter *much* for the purposes of redesigning an entire UI for an app to focus on new functionality or mode of thinking. (ie, taking Mail from 'I file things in folders' to 'smart folders file things themselves'.) In the midst of a large jump like that, the metal or Aqua debate becomes 'which one will put the user in the mindset that we want, the fastest?'. Probably metal, since that's what they've been training us all on. :}
  • Reply 25 of 26
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Amorph

    It's something Apple definitely has taken into account, though. The MacOS historically has tried to be cheerful and relaxing, which is where all the whites and pastels and rounded corners come from. And, of course, the Mac 128K was the first computer to feature textured beige on the case, in order to appear more organic.



    *cough* Apple ][ *cough*



  • Reply 26 of 26
    dfilerdfiler Posts: 3,420member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Amorph

    It's something Apple definitely has taken into account, though. The MacOS historically has tried to be cheerful and relaxing, which is where all the whites and pastels and rounded corners come from. And, of course, the Mac 128K was the first computer to feature textured beige on the case, in order to appear more organic.



    This is what I was getting at but I'm also beginning to think that Kickaha and I are somewhat in agreement.



    We're definitely nitpicking here in comparison to other significant UI decisions... like that damned drawer.



    The reason for this attention to detail is that the details are what has made the Mac platform what it is. Sure, window shadows don't really have a discernable effect... but at the same time it provides a subconscious crutch, allowing users to focus more on their work.



    Rounded corners, knurling, widget spacing, lack of true themes, all tiny details that add up to a significant difference.



    One of the tiniest ones I can remember: the interface sounds for OS9 menu interaction were horizontally localized to the widget's location.
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