GUI ideas for Mac OS X.3? X.5?

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  • Reply 41 of 134
    ibrowseibrowse Posts: 1,749member
    [quote]Originally posted by pyr3:

    <strong>



    It could be just space. Nothing says that the entire dock must be filled with something. The Dock icons are squares as far as res goes. All that have to do is scale while keeping aspect ratio. Therefore (assuming the dock is on the bottom of the screen) the height of the dock determines the size of the icon, and the leftover space is just blank. I'm not saying this is the best way, but it's such an easy question to answer... You assume that the dock has to be completely filled at all times. Why does this have to be the case?



    [ 08-11-2002: Message edited by: pyr3 ]</strong><hr></blockquote>



    I was just wondering if you wouldn't mind having large empty spaces between your icons. I guess it wouldn't look that bad, because if you use your dock that much to care about that (I for one am very picky about how my Dock is set up) then you probably will have enough icons in your dock to not leave too big of spaces in there. It's a good idea though, I wish you cold customize your Dock more without third party apps, like Tinker Tool.
  • Reply 42 of 134
    rokrok Posts: 3,519member
    wow, i think this is the first thread i have started that's gone to two pages. cool! (i will ignore the fact that i have posted, what, ten times in it to keep it going? oh well)...



    seems like everyone has a problem with how utterly uninformative the "empty trash" command is, even compared to the old classic way, which wasn't that great, but better than nothing.



    why couldn't mac os x utilize the "smart playlists" functionality used within itunes 3 to the rest of the system (idn't someone already say this?), using all the relational database goodies under the hood to give you awesome search and organizational abilities. i would love to have afolder that just kept track of all files that have not been modified in the last month, or applications that have not been launched in the last three months. [edit: by the way, before someone says that fine file.../sherlock has been able to search for this sort of stuff by way of date modifieds, etc., you have to initiate the search, and then cull all the files from whatever folders into some common area... plus, maybe there could be some use for the indexing of content of all those files on a drive.. computer: find all of the quark documents i worked on sometime this summer that referred to the big account, but weren't worked on by joe or jane, and tell me which one referes to their boss as a raving lunatic, and tell me who wrote that... then compose a letter firing the jackass who wrote it...)



    i kinda wish i could see icons in a slightly larger view while in column view.



    i really like making services available from the contextual menus... heck, put it in both places. i like redundancy.. makes up for my lack of attention and concentration.



    i wish apple could use system sounds CORRECTLY. in other words, unlike the "clicka-ticka" sound of window scrolling in os 9's platinum sound, have a pleasant, unobtrusive sound that LOWERS in pitch the LOWER you scroll in the document. you see, it makes sense! though, if they can't figure out how to do system sounds correctly, they should just remove 'em altogether and forget the idea.



    i wish there was a modifier key i could hold down to allow me to "reach through the dock" - i hate it when i go to reach for the window resize corner tab, but the dock icons swell in my way because it's in front. or else let me slide the dock to one side or the other with a modifier key (like the option key and the control strip), as opposed to the clunky pinning contextual menu of the current incarnation.



    these are great brainstorming ideas, folks. keep 'em coming.



    [ 08-11-2002: Message edited by: rok ]</p>
  • Reply 43 of 134
    Tabbed folders, or a tabbed dock, with the option of having multiple tabs for different user-defined classifications. A little "dock picker" tab on the side of the screen, ah la the OS 9 control strip, so those of us with Wacom tablets can actually unhide the dock.



    Contextual menu item: "Open this folder in a new window". Can't even mention the hundreds of times I wished this was available.



    A database-enabled Finder to search by multiple attributes and natively hook in with other apps. Allow PHP scripting, so it can be used in webdev without another DB-- just straight from the OS file system. Talk about a great way to dominate web serving!



    A GUI interface for Apache httpd.conf Another way to allow to dominate webdev. Allows borderline developers/designers serve their own sites. A boon for small business.



    "Open Desktop in a New Window" Contextual Menu item



    Windowshade



    Integrate iPhoto into finder, so if you open an images folder, you can switch to photo mode and do the same things iPhoto does w/o launching the app.



    Font management tool along the lines of Super ATM. Font Reserve and Suitcase both suck.



    That's it for now. Some of you guys have great ideas for making the OS better!
  • Reply 44 of 134
    amoryaamorya Posts: 1,103member
    [quote]Originally posted by browncow:

    <strong>Integrate iPhoto into finder, so if you open an images folder, you can switch to photo mode and do the same things iPhoto does w/o launching the app.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    While I would hate that (Lo MSIE?), it does give me another idea. How about have an "Open folder using ___" get info pane. If you had a folder full of MP3s, it'd open in iTunes in a new window, with the contents in the library. (It wouldn't change iTunes' database). Photos in iPhoto is another one. App developers would have to specifically code in folder opening, since the whole point is each app doing it differently, that's why it's useful.



    Users could select "Default to folder's set behaviour" or "Default to opening in finder windows" in the preferences. To use the other one, a modifier key would be used, so to open a picture folder in the finder when it's set to use iPhoto you'd (for example) control-double-click it.





    Amorya
  • Reply 45 of 134
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    [quote]Originally posted by Amorya:

    <strong>



    While I would hate that (Lo MSIE?), it does give me another idea. How about have an "Open folder using ___" get info pane. If you had a folder full of MP3s, it'd open in iTunes in a new window, with the contents in the library. (It wouldn't change iTunes' database). Photos in iPhoto is another one. App developers would have to specifically code in folder opening, since the whole point is each app doing it differently, that's why it's useful.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Er... Why not just open the folder, hit Cmd-A for 'Select All', then bring up the contextual menu and select 'Open with...'?



    Same idea, no coding necessary by the app developers, and it's already built in.



    [ 08-11-2002: Message edited by: Kickaha ]</p>
  • Reply 46 of 134
    rolandgrolandg Posts: 632member
    What I am hoping for is a maximize function - like MS Windows - to enlarge windows to fullscreen with a single click.



    By-the-way, what is the single-app-mode people are talking about?
  • Reply 47 of 134
    buonrottobuonrotto Posts: 6,368member
    [quote]Originally posted by RolandG:

    <strong>What I am hoping for is a maximize function - like MS Windows - to enlarge windows to fullscreen with a single click.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Not if I have any say in it!



    [quote]<strong>By-the-way, what is the single-app-mode people are talking about?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Single Window Mode was an early feature idea Apple had for Aqua. Any window would have a purple widget in the upper right (there was no toolbar widget at the time) that when clicked, would minimize all other windows. At that point, bringing up any other windows would send any others into the Dock automatically so only one window was at full size at a time. It was meant as a cleaner, simpler solution to window management, but they had too many problems trying to implement it, so they dropped it well before the final 10.0 hit the streets.



    [obligatory stupid mistake]



    [ 08-11-2002: Message edited by: BuonRotto ]</p>
  • Reply 47 of 134
    rokrok Posts: 3,519member
    [quote]Originally posted by RolandG:

    <strong>By-the-way, what is the single-app-mode people are talking about?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    first shown while mac os x public beta was released, at wwdc (i forget which year... 2000?). basically, in place of the clear window-widget which currently hides a toolbar items, there was a purple widget that, when clicked, kept only one application visible at any time, and hid all others instantly. switch to another app, and the current one was hidden, while the one you clicked on came forward. it was awsome for managing screen clutter with lots of windows everywhere.



    but, of course, there were some human-interface problems. first of all, having the widget on every window was unnecessary. the now-freeware application ASM (check out versiontracker to find it) takes a much better approach, where there is a simple global menu-bar toggle to switch it on and off. plus, it kinda broke the convention that window widgets were supposed to affect *windows*, whereas this feature affected applications (though, really, just their windows' visibility).



    i think it mght have also been a bear to explain to computer newbies "where all their windows went" ina concise manner.



    either way, i loved it, it got applause from the audience at wwdc (read as: power-users and geekboys like me), but then got nixed before final release. but it's always been there. and the freeware ASM app reactivates it, plus a few other cool features.



    [ 08-11-2002: Message edited by: rok ]</p>
  • Reply 49 of 134
    rokrok Posts: 3,519member
    oh, one other thing, i would like an "encrypt" feature back under os x. i don't use it often, but i do use it when sending sensitive info. across email or something.



    funny how we keep asking for a lot of the features that we got accustomed to under the old classic regime.
  • Reply 50 of 134
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    [quote]Originally posted by RolandG:

    <strong>What I am hoping for is a maximize function - like MS Windows - to enlarge windows to fullscreen with a single click.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Oh, *absolutely*!



    It's always best to waste as much screen real estate as possible in an effort to keep the app developers from having to *think* about UI issues...



    If you want that, then just make the window the maximum size on the screen... *THEN* hit the green zoom button.



    Regardless what most people seem to think, the green '+' button does NOT maximize. It zooms between two sizes: 1) the size the user sets, 2) the size the app determines is the minimum required to show all the content - ie, the 'optimum' size. It will flip between these two constantly.



    This is actually, what's the word I'm looking for... oh yeah *intelligent* design.



    If you want full-screen, make it so. Don't insist that the apps be dumbed down.



    To be honest, I have *never* understood what the appeal is to have a single window take over the *entire monitor*, regardless of how much space is actually used in that window for the data. It's just a waste, and it keeps you from seeing more than one window at a time. I don't know about you, but I multi-task just fine.
  • Reply 51 of 134
    woozlewoozle Posts: 64member
    The appeal of single window operation on windows is because lots of windows apps are MDI - that is, they have a master window which contains lots of little windows with your stuff in them. It is a complete PITA, and the solution to it was to maximise your windows to full screen. Once you get used to operating like that you soon maximise all your windows, because it is consistent.



    Additionally, windows apps usually make very inefficient use of screen real estate, making them unbearable to use in small windows.



    However, as a consequence, recent software has started using 'tabbed' interfaces. JBuilder has a tab for each file you have open, Opera and Mozilla can do it for each web page. It is actually quite nice, but its lack of OS integration makes it less capable than it could be ( cant tear tabs off into their window, or drag windows onto the tabs ).



    At any rate, when you get used to using the Mac you stop missing ful screen apps ( I am however qute dependent on hide/show to keep my screen clean ).



    BeOS had it right with workspaces, I really want them in MacOS.
  • Reply 52 of 134
    iFTP.



    No, really.
  • Reply 53 of 134
    [quote]Originally posted by digitalandres:

    <strong>iFTP.</strong><hr></blockquote>Please elaborate.



    Don't you realize FTP is already integrated into the Finder in 10.2?
  • Reply 54 of 134
    Gah. no I didn't.



    I just meant It'd be cool to have an easy iApp style Apple Native FTP client. Most are so convoluted and customizable they're rendered useless for someone like me, who just wants to leech some music and vids



    Of course, I also don't want something TOO simple, which sounds like a "Finder integrated FTP" may be.



    So I guess I meant just that. "iFTP". An Apple Native FTP client that gets the job done fast and reliable, something simple that makes hosting and leeching a breeze, in usual iApp fashion. Simple, compatible, reliable.



    Speaking of- why does everyone allready seem to be running 10.2? *looks at calender*



    ...
  • Reply 55 of 134
    eugeneeugene Posts: 8,254member
    iFTP with special bonus iCleartext password feature!
  • Reply 56 of 134
    pyr3pyr3 Posts: 946member
    [quote]Originally posted by digitalandres:

    <strong>Gah. no I didn't.



    I just meant It'd be cool to have an easy iApp style Apple Native FTP client. Most are so convoluted and customizable they're rendered useless for someone like me, who just wants to leech some music and vids



    Of course, I also don't want something TOO simple, which sounds like a "Finder integrated FTP" may be.



    So I guess I meant just that. "iFTP". An Apple Native FTP client that gets the job done fast and reliable, something simple that makes hosting and leeching a breeze, in usual iApp fashion. Simple, compatible, reliable.



    Speaking of- why does everyone allready seem to be running 10.2? *looks at calender*



    ...</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Just see SmartFTP (for windows) to see what he means about too many configuration options.
  • Reply 57 of 134
    pyr3pyr3 Posts: 946member
    [quote]Originally posted by iBrowse:

    <strong>



    I was just wondering if you wouldn't mind having large empty spaces between your icons. I guess it wouldn't look that bad, because if you use your dock that much to care about that (I for one am very picky about how my Dock is set up) then you probably will have enough icons in your dock to not leave too big of spaces in there. It's a good idea though, I wish you cold customize your Dock more without third party apps, like Tinker Tool.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    you could just make the dock transparent. Then you wouldn't see the spaces.



    [ 08-12-2002: Message edited by: pyr3 ]</p>
  • Reply 58 of 134
    pyr3pyr3 Posts: 946member
    [quote]Originally posted by Kickaha:

    <strong>



    Oh, *absolutely*!



    It's always best to waste as much screen real estate as possible in an effort to keep the app developers from having to *think* about UI issues...



    If you want that, then just make the window the maximum size on the screen... *THEN* hit the green zoom button.



    Regardless what most people seem to think, the green '+' button does NOT maximize. It zooms between two sizes: 1) the size the user sets, 2) the size the app determines is the minimum required to show all the content - ie, the 'optimum' size. It will flip between these two constantly.



    This is actually, what's the word I'm looking for... oh yeah *intelligent* design.



    If you want full-screen, make it so. Don't insist that the apps be dumbed down.



    To be honest, I have *never* understood what the appeal is to have a single window take over the *entire monitor*, regardless of how much space is actually used in that window for the data. It's just a waste, and it keeps you from seeing more than one window at a time. I don't know about you, but I multi-task just fine.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Think web pages at fullscreen. You see more of the page. Same with word processing and programming. Anything that manipulates text or images works best at fullscreen because you can see more of the whole than a little tiny window of the whole thing.
  • Reply 59 of 134
    pyr3pyr3 Posts: 946member
    [quote]Originally posted by Kickaha:

    <strong>



    Er... Why not just open the folder, hit Cmd-A for 'Select All', then bring up the contextual menu and select 'Open with...'?



    Same idea, no coding necessary by the app developers, and it's already built in.



    [ 08-11-2002: Message edited by: Kickaha ]</strong><hr></blockquote>



    think 'non-tech' users. The more steps there are in doing something the more people will complain about it not being simple enough.
  • Reply 60 of 134
    pyr3pyr3 Posts: 946member
    [quote]Originally posted by rok:

    <strong>oh, one other thing, i would like an "encrypt" feature back under os x. i don't use it often, but i do use it when sending sensitive info. across email or something.



    funny how we keep asking for a lot of the features that we got accustomed to under the old classic regime.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    That would be cool. I would like a 'encrypt folder' option. Like in Windows2k/XP. I don't use it on my PC desktop, but when I get my PowerBook it would be nice to encrypt all my personal info in case it gets stolen. I don't worry much about my desktop being stolen, but my laptop will be much more prone.
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