Aaaaghhhh...my eyes! OS X has come a long way. The only reason we were so enthralled by Aqua back in the days was because it was a radical departure from the GUIs that existed before it. The idea that transparency effects were possible was all very cool. But lemme tell you, I'm very glad Apple removed the overused pinstripes and transparency effects.
I can see how people may enjoy Vista's GUI though...it's the same kind of step from OS 9 to OS X in terms of GUI capabilities. But I'm sure a lot of people will be going through the same thought process as Mac users have between OS X revisions.
wow... an entire site dedicated to GUIs.... I'm looking at OS X 10.0 and I don't see it... ?
You can argue that Dropshadows do not contribute anything, but it's still nice to look at my screen and not see everything is flat.
As for it being tricky and not worth the effort, since when does apple care about the Effort involved for the tineist things?
Sebastian
I think everything needs a museum, and if Burt Reynolds has a museum, then something that everyone looks at should have a record. Dropshadows contribute a lot, since they define the differences between windows and make the experience more like the desktop metaphor. They help make things more apparent. Transparency confuses and adds no new information, just mixes it up.
And Apple usually does not spend time on insignificant things, because improving clarity is never insignificant. Even the starfield in Time Machine helps you understand the nature of the program, if in a whimsical sci-fi way. Once the novelty dies down, though, I bet this will be removed, and replaced with something simpler.
Transparency stuff is 10 years old. It might be cool in games, but for work transparent menu is really annoying, distracting and hard to read. Back in 96 I myself did one for program I was working on. It was fun for a week, after that I switched back to standard ones.
as for Transparency, I guess it's a matter of choice... illuminous looks like it's going to be glassy instead with reflections if itunes is any indication.
I really like Aero. The transparency effects are very nice and the glass effect is very innovative. I don't think it's distracting at all, rather very tastefully done. I would dare say it looks better than Aqua. Luna (XP) was terrible but MS has really come a long way.
Vista is a huge step forward and for the first time Windows will be on par with Mac OS (sorry guys, it's true). I think Jobs realizes this, so he's going to counter with something really big to maintain the lead.
I needed to upgrade my ancient P4 PC and was really interested in a Mac. But since Apple refused to offer a $1300-1500 expandable headless desktop (i.e. a Conroe Mac Pro), I stuck with Windows. Having tried Vista, I feel good about the decision. When I eventually get a laptop, it will probably be a Mac though.
Vista is a huge step forward and for the first time Windows will be on par with Mac OS (sorry guys, it's true).
Do you mean visually? Because Vista still feels like Windows 95 if you bring it back to the basics...even if the underpinnings are different and modern, it still feels like the OS I hate the most.
I really like Aero. The transparency effects are very nice and the glass effect is very innovative. I don't think it's distracting at all, rather very tastefully done. I would dare say it looks better than Aqua. Luna (XP) was terrible but MS has really come a long way.
Vista is a huge step forward and for the first time Windows will be on par with Mac OS (sorry guys, it's true). I think Jobs realizes this, so he's going to counter with something really big to maintain the lead.
Well, I guess it's a metter of taste.
I tried Vista this weekend, and it while it's better than XP (wich is not that hard), it still feels like a look-ma-no-hands interface with 'tastefull' transparancy effects wich have no other functionality than just because they can do it. The glossy fake-3D look is soo 20th century ! It reminds me at all those ugly Flashgame sites.
And no, I'm not a jealous or envy Mac zealot. If MS would have made their OS more sober and simple. That would be a revolution. But no, they do what they usualy do: look at Apple and do the same -times 10- and without much taste. You call that 'on par' ?
And we're not even talking about functionality here. If you play a little with Vista, you get the same annoyances: popups all over, useless and irritating 'help', stupid wizzards, complicated control panels, dll's ... And then there's security. The first holes are already found.
And what's the deal with the 'modernised' menu's ? Good God, all menu's are differently placed in every application now. Have you tried IE7 ? And the new Office ? No consistency whatsoever. You got to hire a detective to find everyting in the menu's (or to find the menu's themselves). What a mess.
Nope. It's not 'on par' with OSX. Not even close. Sorry.
....And we're not even talking about functionality here. If you play a little with Vista, you get the same annoyances: popups all over, useless and irritating 'help', stupid wizzards, complicated control panels, dll's ... And then there's security. The first holes are already found.
And what's the deal with the 'modernised' menu's ? Good God, all menu's are differently placed in every application now. Have you tried IE7 ? And the new Office ? No consistency whatsoever. You got to hire a detective to find everyting in the menu's (or to find the menu's themselves). What a mess.
Nope. It's not 'on par' with OSX. Not even close. Sorry.
It's the IE7 interface that I hate the most. Inconistent, useless, and it feels like IE6 with a new skin, AND I had to disable a critical shield in Spy Sweeper just so they could install the thing
Personally I'm rather fond of the Office 2007 interface. I only had a chance to test the test drive though because the last thing I will do is "buy" a Beta. I found everything to be exactly where it should be in Word, Outlook, Excel, Powerpoint, and OneNote. The other Apps didn't interest me, and out of those, OneNote, Outlook, and Word are the only ones I would consider using.
Think Aperture 1.5's navigation window raised to the next level via dynamic CoreAnimation lighting effects and I think you've got a serious Illumnious/Leopard UI contender.
It's interesting that Microsoft started down this road just a bit in Vista with Aero's dark glass Taskbar... but didn't take it all the way (and instead added that tacky, fake-looking "shine" on every window -- ick). I think Apple will take the ball and really run with it.
You guys are setting yourselves up for huge disappointments.
I hope you're wrong, but yea, I'm picturing Steve getting up there in a few weeks and showing Leopard with basically the same UI as Tiger but with a few refinements - but not nearly enough change to the UI. I hope we're wrong about this because the current UI REALLY NEEDS A MAJOR OVERHAUL. I'm going to plan on being dissapointed. If the UI is not overhauled I will be dissapointed whether or not I get my hopes up.
I hope you're wrong, but yea, I'm picturing Steve getting up there in a few weeks and showing Leopard with basically the same UI as Tiger but with a few refinements - but not nearly enough change to the UI. I hope we're wrong about this because the current UI REALLY NEEDS A MAJOR OVERHAUL. I'm going to plan on being dissapointed. If the UI is not overhauled I will be dissapointed whether or not I get my hopes up.
Get your tears out now, keep dry later, and smile, smile, smile.
theres always a surprise; no one ever knows whats gonna happen. kinda off topic but i really hope steve does the Keynote this MWSF himself like the good old days, i always love watching him present us with new things
Comments
wow... an entire site dedicated to GUIs.... I'm looking at OS X 10.0 and I don't see it... ?
You can argue that Dropshadows do not contribute anything, but it's still nice to look at my screen and not see everything is flat.
As for it being tricky and not worth the effort, since when does apple care about the Effort involved for the tineist things?
Sebastian
No, drop shadows contribute a lot. To argue against those would be stupid.
But transparency doesn't really add that much, with the exception of the inspector in iPhoto/Aperture. On every window theyre obnoxious.
I can see how people may enjoy Vista's GUI though...it's the same kind of step from OS 9 to OS X in terms of GUI capabilities. But I'm sure a lot of people will be going through the same thought process as Mac users have between OS X revisions.
wow... an entire site dedicated to GUIs.... I'm looking at OS X 10.0 and I don't see it... ?
You can argue that Dropshadows do not contribute anything, but it's still nice to look at my screen and not see everything is flat.
As for it being tricky and not worth the effort, since when does apple care about the Effort involved for the tineist things?
Sebastian
I think everything needs a museum, and if Burt Reynolds has a museum, then something that everyone looks at should have a record. Dropshadows contribute a lot, since they define the differences between windows and make the experience more like the desktop metaphor. They help make things more apparent. Transparency confuses and adds no new information, just mixes it up.
And Apple usually does not spend time on insignificant things, because improving clarity is never insignificant. Even the starfield in Time Machine helps you understand the nature of the program, if in a whimsical sci-fi way. Once the novelty dies down, though, I bet this will be removed, and replaced with something simpler.
as for Transparency, I guess it's a matter of choice... illuminous looks like it's going to be glassy instead with reflections if itunes is any indication.
Sebastian
Vista is a huge step forward and for the first time Windows will be on par with Mac OS (sorry guys, it's true). I think Jobs realizes this, so he's going to counter with something really big to maintain the lead.
I needed to upgrade my ancient P4 PC and was really interested in a Mac. But since Apple refused to offer a $1300-1500 expandable headless desktop (i.e. a Conroe Mac Pro), I stuck with Windows. Having tried Vista, I feel good about the decision. When I eventually get a laptop, it will probably be a Mac though.
Vista is a huge step forward and for the first time Windows will be on par with Mac OS (sorry guys, it's true).
Do you mean visually? Because Vista still feels like Windows 95 if you bring it back to the basics...even if the underpinnings are different and modern, it still feels like the OS I hate the most.
I wonder what surprises may be around the corner for you, Slewis?
Hopefully none, I always hated surprises. With a False Fire Alarm and my Sink being yanked out of the wall tomorrow, I'm sure you can understand why.
Sebastian
I really like Aero. The transparency effects are very nice and the glass effect is very innovative. I don't think it's distracting at all, rather very tastefully done. I would dare say it looks better than Aqua. Luna (XP) was terrible but MS has really come a long way.
Vista is a huge step forward and for the first time Windows will be on par with Mac OS (sorry guys, it's true). I think Jobs realizes this, so he's going to counter with something really big to maintain the lead.
Well, I guess it's a metter of taste.
I tried Vista this weekend, and it while it's better than XP (wich is not that hard), it still feels like a look-ma-no-hands interface with 'tastefull' transparancy effects wich have no other functionality than just because they can do it. The glossy fake-3D look is soo 20th century ! It reminds me at all those ugly Flashgame sites.
And no, I'm not a jealous or envy Mac zealot. If MS would have made their OS more sober and simple. That would be a revolution. But no, they do what they usualy do: look at Apple and do the same -times 10- and without much taste. You call that 'on par' ?
And we're not even talking about functionality here. If you play a little with Vista, you get the same annoyances: popups all over, useless and irritating 'help', stupid wizzards, complicated control panels, dll's ... And then there's security. The first holes are already found.
And what's the deal with the 'modernised' menu's ? Good God, all menu's are differently placed in every application now. Have you tried IE7 ? And the new Office ? No consistency whatsoever. You got to hire a detective to find everyting in the menu's (or to find the menu's themselves). What a mess.
Nope. It's not 'on par' with OSX. Not even close. Sorry.
Well, I guess it's a metter of taste....
....And we're not even talking about functionality here. If you play a little with Vista, you get the same annoyances: popups all over, useless and irritating 'help', stupid wizzards, complicated control panels, dll's ... And then there's security. The first holes are already found.
And what's the deal with the 'modernised' menu's ? Good God, all menu's are differently placed in every application now. Have you tried IE7 ? And the new Office ? No consistency whatsoever. You got to hire a detective to find everyting in the menu's (or to find the menu's themselves). What a mess.
Nope. It's not 'on par' with OSX. Not even close. Sorry.
It's the IE7 interface that I hate the most. Inconistent, useless, and it feels like IE6 with a new skin, AND I had to disable a critical shield in Spy Sweeper just so they could install the thing
Personally I'm rather fond of the Office 2007 interface. I only had a chance to test the test drive though because the last thing I will do is "buy" a Beta.
Sebastian
http://www.appleology.com/2006/12/10...ce-illuminous/
That's a good, pretty thoughtful article.
Think Aperture 1.5's navigation window raised to the next level via dynamic CoreAnimation lighting effects and I think you've got a serious Illumnious/Leopard UI contender.
It's interesting that Microsoft started down this road just a bit in Vista with Aero's dark glass Taskbar... but didn't take it all the way (and instead added that tacky, fake-looking "shine" on every window -- ick). I think Apple will take the ball and really run with it.
You guys are setting yourselves up for huge disappointments.
I hope you're wrong, but yea, I'm picturing Steve getting up there in a few weeks and showing Leopard with basically the same UI as Tiger but with a few refinements - but not nearly enough change to the UI. I hope we're wrong about this because the current UI REALLY NEEDS A MAJOR OVERHAUL. I'm going to plan on being dissapointed. If the UI is not overhauled I will be dissapointed whether or not I get my hopes up.
I hope you're wrong, but yea, I'm picturing Steve getting up there in a few weeks and showing Leopard with basically the same UI as Tiger but with a few refinements - but not nearly enough change to the UI. I hope we're wrong about this because the current UI REALLY NEEDS A MAJOR OVERHAUL. I'm going to plan on being dissapointed. If the UI is not overhauled I will be dissapointed whether or not I get my hopes up.
Get your tears out now, keep dry later, and smile, smile, smile.
don't you get?
btw, i am really looking forward to using spaces, especially on my macbook's 13" screen....wow its gonna be good