OK, Apple REALLY needs to stick with a consistent UI scheme. Having different skins for everything makes it seem non-cohesive or whatever.. would you all agree?
I don't agree at all. I think that wanting to force consistency for its own sake is a pitiable display of obsessive compulsive disorder.
I think that wanting to force consistency for its own sake is a pitiable display of obsessive compulsive disorder.
You're almost certainly trolling, but anyway, previous versions of OS X that didn't have a consistent UI looked clumsy and a bit amateurish. So there is a good reason to want to avoid it.
You're almost certainly trolling, but anyway, previous versions of OS X that didn't have a consistent UI looked clumsy and a bit amateurish. So there is a good reason to want to avoid it.
I'm not trolling. Someone asked if everybody agreed. I figured since I'm part of "everybody" and I don't agree that I should reply with my genuine feelings. I honestly think that people carry the consistency torch to their own detriment.
Two of these pencils are a familiar yellow, so I know what they're for and how to use them. But, OMG, the others are so confusing and completely unusable. Good grief.
I quite like the new look of QuickTime... and who knows, it might be a small clue as to an overall UI overhaul for Snow Leopard...
I agree Apple has often introduced little hints to what lies ahead in hardware as well as GUI design. I remember the first G3 towers (the beige ones) had a transparent green plastic button which opened to the inside. The first iMac, Bondi blue came out about a year later. OS X and it's candy drop interface was a melding of software and hardware with the fruit colored iMacs. The austere Pro machines and the recent Aluminum look throughout the hardware and Finder windows. The black edged displays, iPhone and Macbook keys all are trending towards black as the new white. I'm very excited about the refinements coming to Snow Leopard, unlike some I prefer a smooth evolution to radical jumps.
The handwriting recognition looks cool to me because I wonder if there is going to be an API for developers to use the multitouch trackpad in their own similar but different ways.
I don't mind the black title bar but I just don't foresee toolbars looking that good in black, and they would also result in rather thick black chunks at the tops of windows.
I also find it a bit surprising when Safari 4 seems to suggest at slight changes to the GUI (which I still think suck) that would also rather fail if things went black. Less surprising but nightmarish would be Safari 4's title bar tab structure hitting other apps, e.g. Finder, QT.
Interestingly QuickTime's interface is quite similar to QuickLook's - maybe that's their QuickGUI?
As for universal keyboard shortcuts, the concept came in in Panther IIRC, and in the almost six years since, custom shortcuts have NEVER stuck beyond a few restarts - the prefpane consistently just forgets they were ever there, rendering ever making any, completely pointless. Even if they could just fix that it would pretty much be a worthwhile update.
I'm beginning to think that it is the new color for the menu bar which I like. It would go well with paler blues and gray. Very mininalistic and subdued.
I love the look, combine it with the new iTunes interface (scroll bars and such) it will be an excellent overhaul. I just want everything to be consistent.
I kind of feel sorry now for all the devs who've put so much time into writing screen recording apps for OSX. I mean, it's something that i've felt should have been built in since i was an 8 year old using OS 9.. but, for the most part, this kills alot of products by alot of developers.
It only kills the most basic products. And there's still a lot those developers haven't done yet. Like making it easy to pause on a frame for a set duration. Or easily add flexible text annotations. Or have the interface clickable during playback to allow navigation through a screencast...
As someone who makes a ton of screencasts I've found the Mac tools somewhat lacking. Screenflow is good but not comprehensive. There's significantly more to be done.
Man, what gives? Shapeshifter for OS 9 had themes that were light years ahead of this tired and worn look, plus it had more customizable functionality.
The black bar is ok, but the rest of the OS needs to look the same, or give us some control of our own desktop appearance.
My biggest complaint is the stupid little translucent ball on a translucent dock that is almost impossible to see... to signify the app is open. Seriously... give me back the black triangle from Panther at least if your going to make such stupid design decisions like that one.
OK, Apple REALLY needs to stick with a consistent UI scheme. Having different skins for everything makes it seem non-cohesive or whatever.. would you all agree?
Yes I agree 100%! Quicktime being the only application with that black bar seems weird.
I don't agree at all. I think that wanting to force consistency for its own sake is a pitiable display of obsessive compulsive disorder.
Things like varying scroll bar styles add nothing to the look or utility of the OS. At the moment, they're not allocated according to any perceivable system.
OTOH, consistent UI cues do bring utility, especially in an "app centric" environment like the Mac.
Variation for its own sake in no improvement over rigid conformity.
I don't mind the black title bar but I just don't foresee toolbars looking that good in black, and they would also result in rather thick black chunks at the tops of windows.
I agree with you if I'm looking at what you're looking at. I don't see Apple moving to QuickTime X's translucent black title bar for other applications. That ignores the whole point of QuickTime X's translucent title bar: that it fades away to show...the video playing. Most applications have buttons just beneath the title bar, so a black translucent top would look horrible.
A more realistic change would be the replacement of the current black-text-on-white theme of the Menu Bar (which is shared by other contextual menus) with something similar to QuickTime X's white-text-on-black theme.
Yes I agree 100%! Quicktime being the only application with that black bar seems weird.
Note, though, that the screen shots are of QT driven modal states, not "app windows" per se (a start recording toggle, probably invoked in the services menu or via keyboard shortcut, an export/size dialogue box and the floating transport control).
If you look closely at the export screen, you can see that the "black menu bar" is actually overlaying the frontmost app being recorded, so this is a new state for OS X-- the idea of a process "being done to" an open app without closing that app, operating under the assumption that that process is a temporary state that will be invoked and dismissed while primary focus remains on the open, frontmost app.
As such, it's not surprising that Apple would come up with a different windowing convention. Remember that "Quicktime" is properly understood as a cluster of technologies underlying much of Apple's media services, the "Quicktime Player App" has always been a bit of an odd duck.
What's being shown are Quicktime technologies at work in much the same way that the genie effect is Core Animation at work. The difference is that for what's being done there needs to be user input, so there has to be some kind of distinguishing UI-- but one that doesn't rise to the level of an open and functioning "app."
Man, what gives? Shapeshifter for OS 9 had themes that were light years ahead of this tired and worn look, plus it had more customizable functionality.
The black bar is ok, but the rest of the OS needs to look the same, or give us some control of our own desktop appearance.
So what exactly is fugly then? Unless you consider the way things look in Leopard fugly in general. The only thing that's different is the title bar, so what are you calling ugly?
Quote:
Originally Posted by rain
My biggest complaint is the stupid little translucent ball on a translucent dock that is almost impossible to see... to signify the app is open. Seriously... give me back the black triangle from Panther at least if your going to make such stupid design decisions like that one.
Leopard's Dock isn't translucent, it's reflective; it may appear translucent as it reflects the desktop picture, but it's not translucent. The blue "running app" indicators aren't translucent either.
Perhaps you've set your Dock to be very small...or you need glasses. At any rate, this may be of some use to you:
It only kills the most basic products. And there's still a lot those developers haven't done yet. Like making it easy to pause on a frame for a set duration. Or easily add flexible text annotations. Or have the interface clickable during playback to allow navigation through a screencast...
As someone who makes a ton of screencasts I've found the Mac tools somewhat lacking. Screenflow is good but not comprehensive. There's significantly more to be done.
It doesn't kill them at all. In fact, it provides them a clean API to then extend for their applications which as you noted go beyond the basics.
Guys... do you think Apple would start changing the look of apps randomly?
This doesn't strike me as a random change. In fact, it seems very logical to have the UI elements of a video window fade away during playback (or screen capturing, which QTX will gain in Snow Leopard).
Comments
OK, Apple REALLY needs to stick with a consistent UI scheme. Having different skins for everything makes it seem non-cohesive or whatever.. would you all agree?
I don't agree at all. I think that wanting to force consistency for its own sake is a pitiable display of obsessive compulsive disorder.
I don't agree at all. I think that wanting to force consistency for its own sake is a pitiable display of obsessive compulsive disorder.
You do realize you're on a Apple blog right??
I think that wanting to force consistency for its own sake is a pitiable display of obsessive compulsive disorder.
You're almost certainly trolling, but anyway, previous versions of OS X that didn't have a consistent UI looked clumsy and a bit amateurish. So there is a good reason to want to avoid it.
You're almost certainly trolling, but anyway, previous versions of OS X that didn't have a consistent UI looked clumsy and a bit amateurish. So there is a good reason to want to avoid it.
I'm not trolling. Someone asked if everybody agreed. I figured since I'm part of "everybody" and I don't agree that I should reply with my genuine feelings. I honestly think that people carry the consistency torch to their own detriment.
Two of these pencils are a familiar yellow, so I know what they're for and how to use them. But, OMG, the others are so confusing and completely unusable. Good grief.
I quite like the new look of QuickTime... and who knows, it might be a small clue as to an overall UI overhaul for Snow Leopard...
I agree Apple has often introduced little hints to what lies ahead in hardware as well as GUI design. I remember the first G3 towers (the beige ones) had a transparent green plastic button which opened to the inside. The first iMac, Bondi blue came out about a year later. OS X and it's candy drop interface was a melding of software and hardware with the fruit colored iMacs. The austere Pro machines and the recent Aluminum look throughout the hardware and Finder windows. The black edged displays, iPhone and Macbook keys all are trending towards black as the new white. I'm very excited about the refinements coming to Snow Leopard, unlike some I prefer a smooth evolution to radical jumps.
I also find it a bit surprising when Safari 4 seems to suggest at slight changes to the GUI (which I still think suck) that would also rather fail if things went black. Less surprising but nightmarish would be Safari 4's title bar tab structure hitting other apps, e.g. Finder, QT.
Interestingly QuickTime's interface is quite similar to QuickLook's - maybe that's their QuickGUI?
As for universal keyboard shortcuts, the concept came in in Panther IIRC, and in the almost six years since, custom shortcuts have NEVER stuck beyond a few restarts - the prefpane consistently just forgets they were ever there, rendering ever making any, completely pointless. Even if they could just fix that it would pretty much be a worthwhile update.
I'm beginning to think that it is the new color for the menu bar which I like. It would go well with paler blues and gray. Very mininalistic and subdued.
I love the look, combine it with the new iTunes interface (scroll bars and such) it will be an excellent overhaul. I just want everything to be consistent.
I kind of feel sorry now for all the devs who've put so much time into writing screen recording apps for OSX. I mean, it's something that i've felt should have been built in since i was an 8 year old using OS 9.. but, for the most part, this kills alot of products by alot of developers.
It only kills the most basic products. And there's still a lot those developers haven't done yet. Like making it easy to pause on a frame for a set duration. Or easily add flexible text annotations. Or have the interface clickable during playback to allow navigation through a screencast...
As someone who makes a ton of screencasts I've found the Mac tools somewhat lacking. Screenflow is good but not comprehensive. There's significantly more to be done.
Man, what gives? Shapeshifter for OS 9 had themes that were light years ahead of this tired and worn look, plus it had more customizable functionality.
The black bar is ok, but the rest of the OS needs to look the same, or give us some control of our own desktop appearance.
My biggest complaint is the stupid little translucent ball on a translucent dock that is almost impossible to see... to signify the app is open. Seriously... give me back the black triangle from Panther at least if your going to make such stupid design decisions like that one.
OK, Apple REALLY needs to stick with a consistent UI scheme. Having different skins for everything makes it seem non-cohesive or whatever.. would you all agree?
Yes I agree 100%! Quicktime being the only application with that black bar seems weird.
I don't agree at all. I think that wanting to force consistency for its own sake is a pitiable display of obsessive compulsive disorder.
Things like varying scroll bar styles add nothing to the look or utility of the OS. At the moment, they're not allocated according to any perceivable system.
OTOH, consistent UI cues do bring utility, especially in an "app centric" environment like the Mac.
Variation for its own sake in no improvement over rigid conformity.
I don't mind the black title bar but I just don't foresee toolbars looking that good in black, and they would also result in rather thick black chunks at the tops of windows.
I agree with you if I'm looking at what you're looking at. I don't see Apple moving to QuickTime X's translucent black title bar for other applications. That ignores the whole point of QuickTime X's translucent title bar: that it fades away to show...the video playing. Most applications have buttons just beneath the title bar, so a black translucent top would look horrible.
A more realistic change would be the replacement of the current black-text-on-white theme of the Menu Bar (which is shared by other contextual menus) with something similar to QuickTime X's white-text-on-black theme.
Yes I agree 100%! Quicktime being the only application with that black bar seems weird.
Note, though, that the screen shots are of QT driven modal states, not "app windows" per se (a start recording toggle, probably invoked in the services menu or via keyboard shortcut, an export/size dialogue box and the floating transport control).
If you look closely at the export screen, you can see that the "black menu bar" is actually overlaying the frontmost app being recorded, so this is a new state for OS X-- the idea of a process "being done to" an open app without closing that app, operating under the assumption that that process is a temporary state that will be invoked and dismissed while primary focus remains on the open, frontmost app.
As such, it's not surprising that Apple would come up with a different windowing convention. Remember that "Quicktime" is properly understood as a cluster of technologies underlying much of Apple's media services, the "Quicktime Player App" has always been a bit of an odd duck.
What's being shown are Quicktime technologies at work in much the same way that the genie effect is Core Animation at work. The difference is that for what's being done there needs to be user input, so there has to be some kind of distinguishing UI-- but one that doesn't rise to the level of an open and functioning "app."
Apple simply wants to bar to fade into the video upon playback and thus
imitate the horizontal black bars that are on many HDTV when playing some
widescreen video.
I don't think Apple's going to do the whole OS like this. Probably more of a cohesive
gray with nice shading and iTunes scrollbars.
FUGLY
Man, what gives? Shapeshifter for OS 9 had themes that were light years ahead of this tired and worn look, plus it had more customizable functionality.
The black bar is ok, but the rest of the OS needs to look the same, or give us some control of our own desktop appearance.
So what exactly is fugly then? Unless you consider the way things look in Leopard fugly in general.
My biggest complaint is the stupid little translucent ball on a translucent dock that is almost impossible to see... to signify the app is open. Seriously... give me back the black triangle from Panther at least if your going to make such stupid design decisions like that one.
Leopard's Dock isn't translucent, it's reflective; it may appear translucent as it reflects the desktop picture, but it's not translucent. The blue "running app" indicators aren't translucent either.
Perhaps you've set your Dock to be very small...or you need glasses. At any rate, this may be of some use to you:
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.p...07101815375480
The AppleScripts are great for switching back and forth.
I guess (and hope) this is part of the new UI look...
It only kills the most basic products. And there's still a lot those developers haven't done yet. Like making it easy to pause on a frame for a set duration. Or easily add flexible text annotations. Or have the interface clickable during playback to allow navigation through a screencast...
As someone who makes a ton of screencasts I've found the Mac tools somewhat lacking. Screenflow is good but not comprehensive. There's significantly more to be done.
It doesn't kill them at all. In fact, it provides them a clean API to then extend for their applications which as you noted go beyond the basics.
Guys... do you think Apple would start changing the look of apps randomly?
This doesn't strike me as a random change. In fact, it seems very logical to have the UI elements of a video window fade away during playback (or screen capturing, which QTX will gain in Snow Leopard).