My controversial idea for Apple's new OS UI in Leopard.

Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
Kill blue, go black.





We are seeing more and more with Leopard seeds that Apple is growing fond of the color black. Let's assume for a second that Apple uses iTunes 7 as a model for it's new Leopard UI. Which is not to far fetched being that iTunes is relatively new, and is noticeably different from iTunes 6 and Tiger in certain specific aspects of its UI. Most noticeably Aqua appears to be gone in iTunes 7.



Step one, change all Aqua blue scroll bars from blue to the new iTunes color. In this case black would be too strong a color as it would drag the users eyes unnecessarily away from what they are doing to the side of the screen. I suspect Apple chose that particular new gray/blue color so the scroll bars would get out of the way, and eventually begin to look good too.



Next going with that utilitarian look that is present in iTunes 7, in which Apple almost suggests that usefullness is more important than looks, even at the expense of looks (but let's not underestimate how long Apple's UI designers took to choose that color for the scroll bars, and their reasons for picking it, and their reasons for killing most if not all Aqua present too). Actually the more I look at iTunes 7, the more I like it, and I think Apple wanted it that way. Initial woh, then acceptance, then the penny drops as to why they did it, then.. actually now I like it, and I'll tell you why.



This iTunes 7 UI would also apply to all Aqua buttons system wide too, they would all be replaced for more utilitarian push-like buttons, that appear to move instead of just changing color.



Take the source list in iTunes 7. Why did Apple go with the near black color to show what section you have chosen in iTunes. Simple, black stands out, and black is the opposite to white. Black stands out, so the user can see with ease which section they are in, and being the opposite color to white it also highlights the white font title of that section best at the same time. So here's a new UI design idea that's already proven to have worked, and may I suggest it works better then the old ideas. Then why not use it system wide. Yes that's right, i said system wide. That means black spotlight icon and drop down box for spotlight, black apple in menu bar, and black to highlight menu selections instead of blue. In fact black to highlight selections everywhere. Black to highlight what Mail message you have selected, black in Finder, black everywhere. White text shows up more on black than it does on blue. So in that case black, black, black!



Aqua is dead, black cherry is here to stay.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 72
    slewisslewis Posts: 2,081member
    Seems like you didn't give it that much though, "black black black"





    Actually I'm more fond of Green 8)



    So Black is Dead, Spring Green is here to stay



    Sebastian
  • Reply 2 of 72
    Why not kaleidoscope?
  • Reply 3 of 72
    slewisslewis Posts: 2,081member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by C.A.T.S. CEO View Post


    Why not kaleidoscope?



    Or better... AERO
  • Reply 4 of 72
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Slewis View Post


    Seems like you didn't give it that much though, "black black black"





    Actually I'm more fond of Green



    So Black is Dead, Spring Green is here to stay



    Green wouldn't highlight white text as well as black would. And green wouldn't stand out as much, making it harder to see with ease.
  • Reply 5 of 72
    I'm holding out for their being just two choices:

    - Flower Power or

    - Blue Dalmation
  • Reply 6 of 72
    glossgloss Posts: 506member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mrtotes View Post


    I'm holding out for their being just two choices:

    - Flower Power or

    - Blue Dalmation



    I concur.
  • Reply 7 of 72
    Or they could bring back DrawingBoard and Gizmo.
  • Reply 8 of 72
    amoryaamorya Posts: 1,103member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mrtotes View Post


    I'm holding out for their being just two choices:

    - Flower Power or

    - Blue Dalmation



    In this mixed-up century, we've had Blue Power (that was Aqua)... so next expect Flower Dalmatian!



    Amorya
  • Reply 9 of 72
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    What a mess.
  • Reply 10 of 72
    i think we are better off leaving choice of theme colours to the experts - Apple. I am sure they pump many millions of £/$ into research, and I have every faith that they *know* what the general Apple Mac user wants. I think if they shipped the OS with the default config, and left the *individual* owner to decide what looks best on their personal machine (which maybe they do i dunno... I'm an Apple n00b!) then this is the best resolution!.
  • Reply 11 of 72
    You don't want to over used black or it looks depressing and goth. Certain UI elements should use black, but if you were to switch to primairly black UI elements, I think it would look ugly.
  • Reply 12 of 72
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by icfireball View Post


    You don't want to over used black or it looks depressing and goth. Certain UI elements should use black, but if you were to switch to primairly black UI elements, I think it would look ugly.



    Maybe, but if they did, you just know their implementation of it would be sweet.

    I just thought I throw it out there.
  • Reply 13 of 72
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by icfireball View Post


    You don't want to over used black or it looks depressing and goth. Certain UI elements should use black, but if you were to switch to primairly black UI elements, I think it would look ugly.



    Mac OS X 10.6 "Emo Cutter Freak"
  • Reply 14 of 72
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by turnwrite View Post


    Mac OS X 10.6 "Emo Cutter Freak"



  • Reply 15 of 72
    slewisslewis Posts: 2,081member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    Maybe, but if they did, you just know their implementation of it would be sweet.

    I just thought I throw it out there.



    With that logic, Green would totally Rock and you know it



    Sebastian
  • Reply 16 of 72
    I beg to differ.



    I realise you said your idea was controversial, but I think we?ll be seeing something iTunes 7-esque in Leopard, with the grey-purple colour scrollbars, and shiny black gloss. Now that I've got used to it, I wouldn?t really mind if Leopard went that way.
  • Reply 17 of 72
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by max_naylor View Post


    I beg to differ.



    I realise you said your idea was controversial, but I think we?ll be seeing something iTunes 7-esque in Leopard, with the grey-purple colour scrollbars, and shiny black gloss. Now that I've got used to it, I wouldn?t really mind if Leopard went that way.



    You're not being different, you're agreeing.
  • Reply 18 of 72
    svinsvin Posts: 30member
    I think the topic starter is right. (allthough the idea is not controversal since itunes 7)



    Apple has finally realised that a more professional looking operating system is the way to go.



    And I think its true that itunes 7 is indicative of what leopard or 10.6 will look, IE more black highlights (are they actually slightly colored towards blue?)



    Light gray/ white/ black with almost gray scrollers and light colored icons is very sleek, and professional looking, yet still friendly.



    A bit like the userinterfaces of professional 3d software like lightwave and others.



    Also the way they have put the "headlines" to the left in Itunes (Library, Store, Playlists) is a quite new direction to go. Its almost the like using oldschool printed text, to create hierarchy (large font, bold letters, capitalized). It looks cool and intuative in a new way.



    I would really like to get rid of brushed metal and candy colloured scrollers.





    But i dont think the apple icon in the apple menu will ever be black.

    Look at the itunes interface again. Black text, black/blue highlights, light black/gray/grayish backgrounds, but coloured ICONS. You want icons to have colour.
  • Reply 19 of 72
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    You're not being different, you're agreeing.



    Sorry I didn't read your original post the whole way through. Although I do disagree with GREEN.
  • Reply 20 of 72
    josa92josa92 Posts: 193member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by max_naylor View Post


    Sorry I didn't read your original post the whole way through. Although I do disagree with GREEN.



    green rox sox...
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