Apple unifies interface look in new Leopard seed
The latest development build of Mac OS X Leopard finally tackles issues with consistent style that many say have plagued the Apple software for years.
While most of the test versions of the future operating system have so far handled only the many bugs still left in its code, this week's edition allegedly contains the first signs of obvious visual differences between itself and 2005's Mac OS X Tiger.
The brushed-metal look that first appeared in earnest with Panther has almost completely faded away, according to reports. Well-known holdouts for the style, including Finder, Photo Booth, and Safari, have purportedly abandoned the metallic sheen in favor of the simpler, gradiated style that first appeared in Apple Mail 2.0 and later transferred to Leopard's version of iChat and the more widely available iTunes 7.
A frequent sticking point with critics of Apple's user interface has been its tendency to use different visual elements for program windows without a clear shift in purpose, such as the use of the gradient style for System Preferences versus the metal of Finder or the Aqua style of generic windows.
See more Leopard build 9A410 screenshots supplied by hackint0sh and Flickr.
While most of the test versions of the future operating system have so far handled only the many bugs still left in its code, this week's edition allegedly contains the first signs of obvious visual differences between itself and 2005's Mac OS X Tiger.
The brushed-metal look that first appeared in earnest with Panther has almost completely faded away, according to reports. Well-known holdouts for the style, including Finder, Photo Booth, and Safari, have purportedly abandoned the metallic sheen in favor of the simpler, gradiated style that first appeared in Apple Mail 2.0 and later transferred to Leopard's version of iChat and the more widely available iTunes 7.
A frequent sticking point with critics of Apple's user interface has been its tendency to use different visual elements for program windows without a clear shift in purpose, such as the use of the gradient style for System Preferences versus the metal of Finder or the Aqua style of generic windows.
See more Leopard build 9A410 screenshots supplied by hackint0sh and Flickr.
Comments
Not sure I like the squared-off corners, but Apple complying with their own GUI guidelines in a consistent manner can't be a bad thing. Honestly though, to me the squared-off corners say "placeholder graphics" to me - I don't know about those "illuminous" or "onyx" names, but I think we're going to see more of a glossy black UI come this June when Leopard is showcased more fully.
The square corners was supposedly a screenshot issue and not how it really looks.
Also, it looks like they're progressing with the resolution independent graphics. The refresh and webclip buttons both look both look vector to me. I think one of the reasons they decided to do away with the brushed metal effect is that it's not feasible to do with a resolution independent interface. A simple gradient like they have in this build makes much more sense.
It does look a lot like Uno, which makes sense. It's the most logical progression of the OS X interface.
Either way this is good, as it makes the interface more consistent and paves the way for consistent, overall interface upgrades.
Now lets just hope they can get these cowboys who work on the iTunes UI in check...
I just want my Spaces.
And I wonder if Leopard will do anything about thread-hopping (my own term). If you have MenuMeters and a Quad-something you can see what I mean. If you run some app that only has one thread you can see that thread execute first on one core for a bit, then another, and another, etc. It's got to be a bit inefficient since it will be reloading the processor cache every time it switches cores (or at least switching between chips).
I really hope Apple also do some significant work, not just advertisments and sales tricks -- I'd like to see some "revolutionary" (and I mean REVOLUTIONARY, not just in the marketing sense) new ideas in Leopard. For example a radically different GUI where we can zoom into apps rearrange spaces and zoom them in ("pinch", using the new touch mouse?) etc - if apple really stands for innovation, then some window borders and color change is ... well, nil!!
If they are moving to a entirely new UI it would make a lot of sense to unify all existing programs as a first step (get them to use the same UI framework).
Either way this is good, as it makes the interface more consistent and paves the way for consistent, overall interface upgrades.
This is my feeling as well. I think it's obvious that they will ned consistency regardless of a new "theme" for the OS, but it would be vital to make sure the plumbing is in place if they want to send water down the pipes!
Now lets just hope they can get these cowboys who work on the iTunes UI in check...
Can't really say how the iTunes codebase looks since it's in many ways now a cross-platform app, but I imagine they do not make use of the same "hooks" as the OS X-native apps do--which explains some of its ongoing inconsistencies.
In many ways iTunes is now in the same boat as a Photoshop or a Word: it needs a common codebase and can't always take advantage of 100% of the features of the "host" platform...
Square or not I get the impression from these screenshots that the interface change is incomplete. In a couple of them there is a too abrupt transition (black line, then light window dressing below). This could very well be by design, but I hope not.
Yea--the abrupt contrast reminds me of vista--yuck!
Personally I prefer the brushed metal if I had the two side by side and had to choose one. But there is so little difference to me that I think you really have to be a nit-picker to get in an uproar over either one.
Eh... brushed-metal always makes me think of QT5 and its stupid roller-wheel volume control. The issue with brushed-metal was it was always a "consumer device" mimic theme, in original intent--then Safari showed up with it and I have to ask--when's the last time you bought a Panasonic Web Browser at Best Buy?
Apple was trying for a "theme for app function" method for awhile and it sort of fell apart. Better to resume consistency.
I just want my Spaces.
Hear, hear! Esp. if it's "sticky" (i.e. apps remember their "Space" between loads).
And I wonder if Leopard will do anything about thread-hopping (my own term). If you have MenuMeters and a Quad-something you can see what I mean. If you run some app that only has one thread you can see that thread execute first on one core for a bit, then another, and another, etc. It's got to be a bit inefficient since it will be reloading the processor cache every time it switches cores (or at least switching between chips).
My feeling is this has more to do with distibuting load. MenuMeters et al. probably have low priority threads and thus they are likely to be bumped when a higher-priority process wants processor cycles. If you'll notice, OS X tends to try and disribute processor load pretty evenly--at least when you're in an "idle" situation.
As the MacOS has been able to deal with multiple processors at least on an application level since the System 7.5 days, I don't think it's worthwhile to second-guess how Apple's engineers have decided to do this. Probably any imagined performance hit is more than made-up for by the load optimizations...
Not sure I like the squared-off corne.
you really notice the squared edges.
How is it not obvious that it's the result of a screenshot.
Eh..looks just like UNO to me.
Nothing UNO isn't doing now.
UNO rocks!
I don't think they should unify, but just go through all apps one by one, and make them look lighter. More dominated by their content and less by their controls.
I am glad to see the GUI getting a revamp, but unification is not necessary. Individual apps should have the best GUI for them, regardless of what others are doing. And Expose doesn't work as well when all apps look the same.
I don't think they should unify, but just go through all apps one by one, and make them look lighter. More dominated by their content and less by their controls.
I, personally, prefer a unified look among OS X, but you make a good argument with Expose.