1. clicking on the zoom-button (green) always does the same thing (sometimes fills the screen, sometimes zooms to cover all that there is)
This is not entirely Apple's fault, as it's up to the application to figure out what "size to content" really means - after all, the application is what knows about the content.
What Apple could do is rescind the bletcherous misfeature in Interface Builder that supplies a default behavior of "maximize" for the green button.
Quote:
3. No metal (except perhaps for iTunes)
I could never figure out the militancy about this. QT 4 infuriated me because the interface sucked, not because it looked like a piece of metal. As long as the interface is polished, I could frankly care less. In the case of Safari, the developers decided that it set the application interface apart from the content of the page better than Aqua did. Fine with me.
Quote:
10. smart-folders
11. dock-folders are also spring-loaded
13. services in a menu when alt-clicking
Sounds good to me.
Apple really needs to do something with services. In fact, it just occurred to me: Services need metadata. Aha!
BTW, you can use ICeCoffEE to do this for the time being.
So true, one just can't endorse IceCoffee often enough.
I'm looking forward to (or would like):
- the announced screen reading component, Spoken Interface (which is fairly modest, and is really just Apple making the OS more access-friendly, fulfilling gov't requirements, and filling a sudden 3rd party hole) fitting into a larger UE framework of enhanced speech controls and capabilities, including natural voice synthesis...
I don't think voice navigation is going replace keyboards and mice by any means, but it could it be a very interesting supplement and have a great deal of "wow" factor. ("Tiger roars"-style taglines, anyone?)
- improved, more sophisticated notification
- Cocoa text system (thus TextEdit) gaining new increasingly WP-like capabilities
- seeing what direction Apple takes in enhancing the Dock (10.5 maybe?)
- and of course, the dozens and dozens of l'il improvements Apple sprinkles throughout their apps and the UI
QT 4 infuriated me because the interface sucked, not because it looked like a piece of metal. As long as the interface is polished, I could frankly care less. In the case of Safari, the developers decided that it set the application interface apart from the content of the page better than Aqua did. Fine with me.
And lest anyone forget just how clunky, unattractive, and misguided (if ambitiously misguided) parts of the QT4 interface were, you can visit 'em here.
I think I'm finally getting a grasp on what Apple is doing with the different flavors of look & feel they've been experimenting with for different applications. It was GarageBand that finally drove it in -- it both respects the UI history of audio applications, and looks just plain cool and fun to play with. It's a philosophy of fun and variety over consistency, with usability taking both a hit (for people who can't remember that metal windows can be dragged from any point, while Aqua windows can't) and a boost, as interfaces are more specifically tailored to the kinds of apps they are.
It's a fine line, I suppose, but the lack of an iron-clad rule for separating normal, metal, or even more customized windows just doesn't bother me as much as it used to.
It's a fine line, I suppose, but the lack of an iron-clad rule for separating normal, metal, or even more customized windows just doesn't bother me as much as it used to.
The thing that people forget is that there were hardly any iron-clad rules, ever. There were guidelines, and as the authors of the Inside Macintosh series admitted up front, some of the guidelines were contradictory - meaning that of two guidelines they'd offer, one or the other would make sense depending on context, but you couldn't follow both.
However, it's not necessarily true that following the guidelines as closely as possible would produce a good Mac app, because it's always possible to follow the letter of a law while violating its spirit. By the same token, it's possible to violate the letter of a law while honoring its spirit. And in the case of an application design, the designer's judgment is the alpha and omega, and the guidelines - while incredibly thorough, and useful - are just guidelines.
Make the red window button quit the program, not keep it running without a window (WTF?).
Make the minimize button windowshade the program so I never have to use the freakin' dock ever again. Bless you X-Assist.
Give me a way to change the color on the menubar clock. I haven't put up with black colored clocks since system 6! Where's (free) superclock X?
Why can't I go directly to the control panel I want without opening the System Preferences panel first? (I can using X-Assist, but I shouldn't have to.) This was supposed to be Mac OS, not winblows.
Fix the stability. If OSX could play music in itunes and solitare at the same time without crashing it would be nice (10.3.2, G4 450, 768 MB RAM). I can play both in OS9 without any problems.
Fix the stability. If OSX could play music in itunes and solitare at the same time without crashing it would be nice (10.3.2, G4 450, 768 MB RAM). I can play both in OS9 without any problems.
Excuse me??? OS X is one of the most stable things on the market. I doubt your issue with those programs has to do with the OS. My eMac (10.3.3, G4 800, 512 RAM) let's me do iMovie, iDVD, iChat, Photoshop 7, iCal, and Mail all at the same time without crashing and without too much slowing of the system.
Make the red window button quit the program, not keep it running without a window (WTF?).
Make the minimize button windowshade the program so I never have to use the freakin' dock ever again. Bless you X-Assist.
Give me a way to change the color on the menubar clock. I haven't put up with black colored clocks since system 6! Where's (free) superclock X?
Why can't I go directly to the control panel I want without opening the System Preferences panel first? (I can using X-Assist, but I shouldn't have to.) This was supposed to be Mac OS, not winblows.
Fix the stability. If OSX could play music in itunes and solitare at the same time without crashing it would be nice (10.3.2, G4 450, 768 MB RAM). I can play both in OS9 without any problems.
-What if you only want to close one window from the program? how do you do that without losing everything you have open? As you say later, is not Windows, It behaves as a Mac OS should.
-I suppose this is a matter personal preference. Regardless, the windowshade was done away with and I don't imagine it will be back.
-The items in the status bar (right side of the menu bar) are black and white on purpose. There's no color up there to distract the eye. The only color that shows up in any standard status bar icon is when the battery is low and the icon turns red. No color then suddenly RED draws your attention effectively to something that requires your attention, otherwise, the status bar should be unobtrusive (something it would not be with a lot of color)
-I use prefling for this, but you're right, it would be nice for it to be built into system preferences (ps, what does this have to do with Mac/Windows?)
-If merely running two applications is crashing your computer, there is something wrong (the first place I'd check is Solotaire) and you should see to fixing it. I regularly run 7 or 8 applications and all I notice is a bit of a speed hit.
After reading Bruce Horn's interview at Macthemes.net (plug), I wish Apple would bring back Apple Data Detectors. It was the slickest way to click on content and get options to send email, add to the address book, go to a web site, bookmark an url etc., all without having to exactly highlight the text (like you have to do in Safari to open a new page with that url).
Make the red window button quit the program, not keep it running without a window (WTF?).
No! Metal (mainly) single-window apps, myabe. Not for Photoshop, Word, Create or any other multi-document apps I use.
Quote:
Why can't I go directly to the control panel I want without opening the System Preferences panel first? (I can using X-Assist, but I shouldn't have to.) This was supposed to be Mac OS, not winblows.
Click and hold on the System Peferences Dock icon.
Quote:
Fix the stability. If OSX could play music in itunes and solitare at the same time without crashing it would be nice (10.3.2, G4 450, 768 MB RAM). I can play both in OS9 without any problems.
Something's very wrong with the setup you have there if the OS is unstable. Maybe check that solitaire app.
I crashed Safari a couple weeks ago, and I haven't crashed the OS in at least a couple years.
...I want to be able to close minimized windows in the dock.
cant you do that by right clicking with a 2-button mouse? a keyboard shortcut just seems illogical here and the last thing mac needs is another key combo...it is time for a two button mouse with a delightfull little scrollwheel. The mouse is the only drawback that many pc-users have about mac, on windows or linux, right click, on mac, if you use the factory mouse, its cmd+click this and option+ctrl+click that so useing that logic, wouldent a 2-button mouse be "easier"?
I am verry intently looking at macs, but now I am an old pc guy so consider the source.
cant you do that by right clicking with a 2-button mouse? a keyboard shortcut just seems illogical here and the last thing mac needs is another key combo...it is time for a two button mouse with a delightfull little scrollwheel. The mouse is the only drawback that many pc-users have about mac, on windows or linux, right click, on mac, if you use the factory mouse, its cmd+click this and option+ctrl+click that so useing that logic, wouldent a 2-button mouse be "easier"?
I am verry intently looking at macs, but now I am an old pc guy so consider the source.
I'll forgive you for suggesting a contextual menu, this time
No, at the moment you can only close a minimized window in the dock if it is a Finder window.
Oh, and please don't drag up the two buttons is better than one. It's not. You're never going to convince me of it. Let's just be friends.
* Some great new desktop pics. It is a primitive yet efficient way to make your Mac feel upgraded and new once again.
* Much better intergration between iCal, Mail and my documents in the Finder. Let's face it, most of our workdays in front of the computer are project oriented. There's always a few different strands of acitivity where e-mails are connected to a bunch of documents and appointment etc. Why should I be content with keeping the connections between these activities in my mind alone? That's why I've got a computer in the first place. There must be a great new way of organizing one's work on the Mac - if not Piles, maybe a sort of Dock on the side where my current projects are? Hell, even the new Office suite is making inroads into this territory...
* iChat being compatible with all the other networks.
* Speed. I use a late 20th century PC-laptop running XP. And sure enough, it is faster in many things compared to my brand new Powerbook.
* Bluetooth assing serial ports on its own. Now I have to separate Salling Clicker from the Adress Book with that BT serial port tool - without really understanding what I did to make it work.
* Forget all that messy Virtual Desktops stuff. That's not what the Mac is all about.
* BCC in Mail - can't seem to find that anywhere in there.
* Loads of new slick animations - to turn the head of at least some PC users.
* Much better intergration between iCal, Mail and my documents in the Finder.
How? This keeps coming up, but no one seems to be able to give an example of what they mean.
Quote:
Let's face it, most of our workdays in front of the computer are project oriented. There's always a few different strands of acitivity where e-mails are connected to a bunch of documents and appointment etc. Why should I be content with keeping the connections between these activities in my mind alone? That's why I've got a computer in the first place. There must be a great new way of organizing one's work on the Mac - if not Piles, maybe a sort of Dock on the side where my current projects are? Hell, even the new Office suite is making inroads into this territory...
Two words: Meta. Data.
That's all that is, and all that the Mac needs... and then you'll be able to organize *any* info collectively into projects, groups, themes, workspaces, or what have you. Not just what MS thinks you should.
Quote:
* iChat being compatible with all the other networks.
* Forget all that messy Virtual Desktops stuff. That's not what the Mac is all about.
I unhumbly beg to differ.
Quote:
* Speed. I use a late 20th century PC-laptop running XP. And sure enough, it is faster in many things compared to my brand new Powerbook.
* Loads of new slick animations - to turn the head of at least some PC users.
Ummm... you want more eye candy, but complain that XP is faster? Which do you really want? Pick one.
Comments
Originally posted by dividend
9. stickies or something work as memos or palm (now only with a shareware-app)
hmm i see you havent found Apple's FREE program called "Stickies" that comes with OS X. it's in either the apps or utilities folder.
Originally posted by dividend
1. clicking on the zoom-button (green) always does the same thing (sometimes fills the screen, sometimes zooms to cover all that there is)
This is not entirely Apple's fault, as it's up to the application to figure out what "size to content" really means - after all, the application is what knows about the content.
What Apple could do is rescind the bletcherous misfeature in Interface Builder that supplies a default behavior of "maximize" for the green button.
3. No metal (except perhaps for iTunes)
I could never figure out the militancy about this. QT 4 infuriated me because the interface sucked, not because it looked like a piece of metal. As long as the interface is polished, I could frankly care less. In the case of Safari, the developers decided that it set the application interface apart from the content of the page better than Aqua did. Fine with me.
10. smart-folders
11. dock-folders are also spring-loaded
13. services in a menu when alt-clicking
Sounds good to me.
Apple really needs to do something with services. In fact, it just occurred to me: Services need metadata. Aha!
Originally posted by ZO
maybe we'll see Piles ?
I gotta see that with 100+ icons if it comes out.
Apps leave pref files, folders in Application Support, sometimes in the Documents folder...
*I* know where to find this stuff, but not a noob
Originally posted by dividend
13. services in a menu when alt-clicking
BTW, you can use ICeCoffEE to do this for the time being.
Originally posted by BuonRotto
BTW, you can use ICeCoffEE to do this for the time being.
So true, one just can't endorse IceCoffee often enough.
I'm looking forward to (or would like):
- the announced screen reading component, Spoken Interface (which is fairly modest, and is really just Apple making the OS more access-friendly, fulfilling gov't requirements, and filling a sudden 3rd party hole) fitting into a larger UE framework of enhanced speech controls and capabilities, including natural voice synthesis...
I don't think voice navigation is going replace keyboards and mice by any means, but it could it be a very interesting supplement and have a great deal of "wow" factor. ("Tiger roars"-style taglines, anyone?)
- improved, more sophisticated notification
- Cocoa text system (thus TextEdit) gaining new increasingly WP-like capabilities
- seeing what direction Apple takes in enhancing the Dock (10.5 maybe?)
- and of course, the dozens and dozens of l'il improvements Apple sprinkles throughout their apps and the UI
Originally posted by Amorph
QT 4 infuriated me because the interface sucked, not because it looked like a piece of metal. As long as the interface is polished, I could frankly care less. In the case of Safari, the developers decided that it set the application interface apart from the content of the page better than Aqua did. Fine with me.
And lest anyone forget just how clunky, unattractive, and misguided (if ambitiously misguided) parts of the QT4 interface were, you can visit 'em here.
I think I'm finally getting a grasp on what Apple is doing with the different flavors of look & feel they've been experimenting with for different applications. It was GarageBand that finally drove it in -- it both respects the UI history of audio applications, and looks just plain cool and fun to play with. It's a philosophy of fun and variety over consistency, with usability taking both a hit (for people who can't remember that metal windows can be dragged from any point, while Aqua windows can't) and a boost, as interfaces are more specifically tailored to the kinds of apps they are.
It's a fine line, I suppose, but the lack of an iron-clad rule for separating normal, metal, or even more customized windows just doesn't bother me as much as it used to.
Originally posted by Hobbes
It's a fine line, I suppose, but the lack of an iron-clad rule for separating normal, metal, or even more customized windows just doesn't bother me as much as it used to.
The thing that people forget is that there were hardly any iron-clad rules, ever. There were guidelines, and as the authors of the Inside Macintosh series admitted up front, some of the guidelines were contradictory - meaning that of two guidelines they'd offer, one or the other would make sense depending on context, but you couldn't follow both.
However, it's not necessarily true that following the guidelines as closely as possible would produce a good Mac app, because it's always possible to follow the letter of a law while violating its spirit. By the same token, it's possible to violate the letter of a law while honoring its spirit. And in the case of an application design, the designer's judgment is the alpha and omega, and the guidelines - while incredibly thorough, and useful - are just guidelines.
Make the minimize button windowshade the program so I never have to use the freakin' dock ever again. Bless you X-Assist.
Give me a way to change the color on the menubar clock. I haven't put up with black colored clocks since system 6! Where's (free) superclock X?
Why can't I go directly to the control panel I want without opening the System Preferences panel first? (I can using X-Assist, but I shouldn't have to.) This was supposed to be Mac OS, not winblows.
Fix the stability. If OSX could play music in itunes and solitare at the same time without crashing it would be nice (10.3.2, G4 450, 768 MB RAM). I can play both in OS9 without any problems.
Originally posted by guest
Fix the stability. If OSX could play music in itunes and solitare at the same time without crashing it would be nice (10.3.2, G4 450, 768 MB RAM). I can play both in OS9 without any problems.
Excuse me??? OS X is one of the most stable things on the market. I doubt your issue with those programs has to do with the OS. My eMac (10.3.3, G4 800, 512 RAM) let's me do iMovie, iDVD, iChat, Photoshop 7, iCal, and Mail all at the same time without crashing and without too much slowing of the system.
Originally posted by guest
Make the red window button quit the program, not keep it running without a window (WTF?).
Make the minimize button windowshade the program so I never have to use the freakin' dock ever again. Bless you X-Assist.
Give me a way to change the color on the menubar clock. I haven't put up with black colored clocks since system 6! Where's (free) superclock X?
Why can't I go directly to the control panel I want without opening the System Preferences panel first? (I can using X-Assist, but I shouldn't have to.) This was supposed to be Mac OS, not winblows.
Fix the stability. If OSX could play music in itunes and solitare at the same time without crashing it would be nice (10.3.2, G4 450, 768 MB RAM). I can play both in OS9 without any problems.
-What if you only want to close one window from the program? how do you do that without losing everything you have open? As you say later, is not Windows, It behaves as a Mac OS should.
-I suppose this is a matter personal preference. Regardless, the windowshade was done away with and I don't imagine it will be back.
-The items in the status bar (right side of the menu bar) are black and white on purpose. There's no color up there to distract the eye. The only color that shows up in any standard status bar icon is when the battery is low and the icon turns red. No color then suddenly RED draws your attention effectively to something that requires your attention, otherwise, the status bar should be unobtrusive (something it would not be with a lot of color)
-I use prefling for this, but you're right, it would be nice for it to be built into system preferences (ps, what does this have to do with Mac/Windows?)
-If merely running two applications is crashing your computer, there is something wrong (the first place I'd check is Solotaire) and you should see to fixing it. I regularly run 7 or 8 applications and all I notice is a bit of a speed hit.
Originally posted by guest
Make the red window button quit the program, not keep it running without a window (WTF?).
No! Metal (mainly) single-window apps, myabe. Not for Photoshop, Word, Create or any other multi-document apps I use.
Why can't I go directly to the control panel I want without opening the System Preferences panel first? (I can using X-Assist, but I shouldn't have to.) This was supposed to be Mac OS, not winblows.
Click and hold on the System Peferences Dock icon.
Fix the stability. If OSX could play music in itunes and solitare at the same time without crashing it would be nice (10.3.2, G4 450, 768 MB RAM). I can play both in OS9 without any problems.
Something's very wrong with the setup you have there if the OS is unstable. Maybe check that solitaire app.
I crashed Safari a couple weeks ago, and I haven't crashed the OS in at least a couple years.
Originally posted by HOM
...I want to be able to close minimized windows in the dock.
cant you do that by right clicking with a 2-button mouse? a keyboard shortcut just seems illogical here and the last thing mac needs is another key combo...it is time for a two button mouse with a delightfull little scrollwheel. The mouse is the only drawback that many pc-users have about mac, on windows or linux, right click, on mac, if you use the factory mouse, its cmd+click this and option+ctrl+click that so useing that logic, wouldent a 2-button mouse be "easier"?
I am verry intently looking at macs, but now I am an old pc guy so consider the source.
Originally posted by a_greer
cant you do that by right clicking with a 2-button mouse? a keyboard shortcut just seems illogical here and the last thing mac needs is another key combo...it is time for a two button mouse with a delightfull little scrollwheel. The mouse is the only drawback that many pc-users have about mac, on windows or linux, right click, on mac, if you use the factory mouse, its cmd+click this and option+ctrl+click that so useing that logic, wouldent a 2-button mouse be "easier"?
I am verry intently looking at macs, but now I am an old pc guy so consider the source.
I'll forgive you for suggesting a contextual menu, this time
No, at the moment you can only close a minimized window in the dock if it is a Finder window.
Oh, and please don't drag up the two buttons is better than one. It's not. You're never going to convince me of it. Let's just be friends.
* Some great new desktop pics. It is a primitive yet efficient way to make your Mac feel upgraded and new once again.
* Much better intergration between iCal, Mail and my documents in the Finder. Let's face it, most of our workdays in front of the computer are project oriented. There's always a few different strands of acitivity where e-mails are connected to a bunch of documents and appointment etc. Why should I be content with keeping the connections between these activities in my mind alone? That's why I've got a computer in the first place. There must be a great new way of organizing one's work on the Mac - if not Piles, maybe a sort of Dock on the side where my current projects are? Hell, even the new Office suite is making inroads into this territory...
* iChat being compatible with all the other networks.
* Speed. I use a late 20th century PC-laptop running XP. And sure enough, it is faster in many things compared to my brand new Powerbook.
* Bluetooth assing serial ports on its own. Now I have to separate Salling Clicker from the Adress Book with that BT serial port tool - without really understanding what I did to make it work.
* Forget all that messy Virtual Desktops stuff. That's not what the Mac is all about.
* BCC in Mail - can't seem to find that anywhere in there.
* Loads of new slick animations - to turn the head of at least some PC users.
Originally posted by richardb
* BCC in Mail - can't seem to find that anywhere in there.
Compose a new mail. Under the View menu there is "BCC Header".
Originally posted by HOM
Compose a new mail. Under the View menu there is "BCC Header".
Great! Thanx...
Originally posted by richardb
* Much better intergration between iCal, Mail and my documents in the Finder.
How? This keeps coming up, but no one seems to be able to give an example of what they mean.
Let's face it, most of our workdays in front of the computer are project oriented. There's always a few different strands of acitivity where e-mails are connected to a bunch of documents and appointment etc. Why should I be content with keeping the connections between these activities in my mind alone? That's why I've got a computer in the first place. There must be a great new way of organizing one's work on the Mac - if not Piles, maybe a sort of Dock on the side where my current projects are? Hell, even the new Office suite is making inroads into this territory...
Two words: Meta. Data.
That's all that is, and all that the Mac needs... and then you'll be able to organize *any* info collectively into projects, groups, themes, workspaces, or what have you. Not just what MS thinks you should.
* iChat being compatible with all the other networks.
* Forget all that messy Virtual Desktops stuff. That's not what the Mac is all about.
I unhumbly beg to differ.
* Speed. I use a late 20th century PC-laptop running XP. And sure enough, it is faster in many things compared to my brand new Powerbook.
* Loads of new slick animations - to turn the head of at least some PC users.
Ummm... you want more eye candy, but complain that XP is faster? Which do you really want? Pick one.