There's been lots of good discussion in this thread - hopefully someone at Apple is paying attention! Personally, I prefer the Slider Tab over the "depressed tab" look. The depressed tab UI is confusing. Is that last button depressed or disabled?? Grayed out UI elements make me think they are disabled, not selected. My initial thought is that it is disabled. The slider tab UI made it clear that all of the options are enabled, with the button indicating the "active" tab.
I hope Apple reconsiders this reconsideration and goes back to the initial Preview 2 look.
Hmm. I like the new look! It would work well for color-blind people, too. It's a good thing they revised it. The original look in DP2 with a giant "slider" was horrible.
Still, a dash of color would be nice. I think somewhere between how Aqua is now, and this new Lion look. I bet they'll tweak it a tad more before release. Overall it seems nice. Faux leather though, ugh. These silly weirdo interfaces they throw on iApplications sucks. Also the new iTunes sucks. Hugely. I'm on the fence about the new "Black" for lack of better word, interface in QuickTime. The transparent-ish interface that comes in Full Screen in QT, iPhoto, etc. I think it's alright but could use a bit of tweaking as well. Actually I really like. It also could just use a dash of color. Color + texture + shape is how we see things, so use them all. Also as I get older I always want things bigger. I wish all the UI elements were a touch bigger. But then again, I really reeeeaally hope they manage to get Resolution Independence. That'd take care of that!
I also liked the slider like tabs. Sure, it was an adjustment, but why not adjusting to something that's nice. It really looked good and made a lot of sense. Bummer!
Agreed. I liked the preview 2 tabs better. I like that the brightest one is selected. That makes the most sense to me and is very easy to read. I don't like this new look. I think the selected item is not clear.
Preview 2 was a step forward. Preview 3 - big step back.
Also, for all of you asking for color, here is one who disagrees. I don't think the color is helpful. It is noise and it is the first thing I turn off. I don't want my OS to entertain me, I want my content to be what I see. The OS and apps should disappear.
Agreed. I liked the preview 2 tabs better. I like that the brightest one is selected. That makes the most sense to me and is very easy to read. I don't like this new look. I think the selected item is not clear.
Preview 2 was a step forward. Preview 3 - big step back.
Also, for all of you asking for color, here is one who disagrees. I don't think the color is helpful. It is noise and it is the first thing I turn off. I don't want my OS to entertain me, I want my content to be what I see. The OS and apps should disappear.
You don't want System 6 do you?
I would like a dash of color. Perhaps more muted than the intense Cyan Aqua or Bondi blue or whatever it is. But definitely not black and white. Of course there's always the Graphite mode. In fact I think Apple should allow users to select any color they want in "Appearance" in Appearance instead of just Aqua and Graphite. Like Platinum. I mean that doesn't really affect much. Widgets are still the same shape/location. I think for myself I'd pick either a darker blue, or some sort of dark blue-green.
I would like a dash of color. Perhaps more muted than the intense Cyan Aqua or Bondi blue or whatever it is. But definitely not black and white. Of course there's always the Graphite mode. In fact I think Apple should allow users to select any color they want in "Appearance" in Appearance instead of just Aqua and Graphite. Like Platinum. I mean that doesn't really affect much. Widgets are still the same shape/location. I think for myself I'd pick either a darker blue, or some sort of dark blue-green.
I am really not as bothered with the color issue as I am with the way these tabs are indicated but I don't think color is as helpful as people here think it is. I used System 6 and I don't think we have that problem here. What I don't like is when the UI is all cutesy. I like the UI stuff to be clean, simple.
And the red yellow green buttons are silly. The green button has been broken from day one. Same for the toolbar toggle - all of that is a mess.
I refuse to learn how the green button works, therefore it must be broken because I demand it to work like the button in Windows that shouldn't be doing half of the things it does. All of this is irrelevant thanks to the full-screen button in Lion, so if, for whatever incorrect reason, I want to full-screen my browser, I can do that while completely ignoring the much more useful green button that will resize any window to fit its content.
Maybe you need to learn how to post? Or are trying to be funny by putting words in my mouth that I did not say?? These forums are too confusing and jumbled for that.
The problem with the green button is that it is so unpredictable. Like in Safari when I clicked it just now it made the window smaller and mostly off screen. In iTunes it toggles the size of the window in a set way. In Mail it made the window bigger. I never know what is going to happen when I click it. That is what I mean when I say it is broken. The action resulting from clicking the button should be clear to the user prior to pressing it.
Funny, you say that and you don't even know me. Many other people on here think the new interface sucks too. I do not always upgrade just to "upgrade" or have the latest and greatest for no reason. It has to make sense for me to do the update as newer is not always better. I don't need my MacBook pro to feel like an iPad. That's why I have an iPad. What I have currently runs fine - when it makes sense to upgrade, then I will.
Maybe you need to learn how to post? Or are trying to be funny by putting words in my mouth that I did not say?? These forums are too confusing and jumbled for that.
The problem with the green button is that it is so unpredictable. Like in Safari when I clicked it just now it made the window smaller and mostly off screen. In iTunes it toggles the size of the window in a set way. In Mail it made the window bigger. I never know what is going to happen when I click it. That is what I mean when I say it is broken. The action resulting from clicking the button should be clear to the user prior to pressing it.
I analyzed the different tab designs Apple proposed and came up with a design that would incorporate the benefits while avoiding many of the visual failures of the Mac OS X Lion DP2 & DP3 designs.
Mac OS X Snow Leopard
Touch interaction
• Tap inactive tabs
• No effect if tapping or dragging active tab
• No way to preview other tabs
Pointer interaction
• Click inactive tabs
• No other action supported by scroll wheel/ball
Lion Developer Preview 2 (DP2)
Touch interaction
• Tap inactive tabs
• Drag active tab to inactive tab title
•Possibly preview inactive pane while dragging (Since I do not have the OS I cannot say if this occurs, but it could be implemented)
Pointer interaction
• Click inactive tabs
• Drag from active to inactive tab title
• While pointer within tab area the scroll wheel/ball could allow switching between tabs (Possible if not already implemented)
Lion Developer Preview 3 (DP3)
• See Snow Leopard since this design does not support any new interactions
The possible interactions for the DP2 implementation are desirable but the specific design frustrated many developers (based on the change in DP3).
Drawbacks to the DP2 implementation:
• Identifying active tab when only 2 visible (although I would argue it is worse in DP3)
• Slider above tab titles implies the title on slider will move when slider moves but it does not (from what I have seen the active title fades out and the inactive title fades in)
• Unlike the iOS on/off sliders which only ever have 2 positions there can be many tabs so the slider behavior when clicking inactive tab titles is unclear.
• The contents of the pane associated with the tab do not move, just fade in/out (assumed since I do not have OS) so there is no correlation between the slider behavior and the related pane.
My proposal is to add the functionality of DP2 while giving the proper visual cues to users
The tab bar would look like it does in Snow Leopard without the blue highlight for the active tab. Just below the tab bar would be a scrollbar the width of the tab titles without scroll buttons on the ends. A scroll thumb the width of the active title and just below it would indicate which pane is visible. The style would match whatever Apple uses for other scrollbars. A new element would be a glow above the tab thumb that highlights the active tab title so it has a higher contrast than the inactive tab titles.
Touch interaction
• Tap inactive tab titles
• Drag tab scroll thumb
• Drag the tab scroll thumb left/right to see the pane scroll right/left in real time (just like data in a window while scrolling)
• Use multi-finger gesture to drag pane left/right to switch to tabs on either side (similar to moving through history in Safari)
Pointer interaction
• Click inactive tab title
• Drag tab scroll thumb to see pane scroll in opposite direction (just like all scrollbars)
• User assumes scroll wheel/ball works since it looks like a scrollbar
daVisionary Tab Thumb Benefits
The tab thumb is a familiar UI widget which users will recognize and be comfortable dragging. When a user first drags the tab thumb the pane will start moving to the side and the edge of the next pane will appear. While dragging the tab thumb it is possible to ‘preview’ other tabs without clicking each one in turn. The visual relationship between the active visible pane and inactive panes matches iOS springboard mechanics, “Back to the Mac”. The animated transition between panes will give them a spatial consistency which users more easily remember. The active tab gets a unique look with higher contrast, the preferred style based on reading the forums.
Another possible behavior is to pinch zoom the tab thumb to see all the panes simultaneously. The user could expand the tab thumb to show all panes scaled down accordingly in a row across the window then tap one to zoom in to full size and have it fill the window.
I will add a mockup when I have the time in the next day or so.
I like the grey, but I understand why others wouldn?t. I don?t understand why Apple doesn?t a basic monochrome/colored icon option under System Preferences » Appearances for those that want or need the flashier icons.
I agree. Apple just needs to make it optional. Let those who prefer the dull gray look have and let those of us who prefer color have it as well. I've been using the mac for over 20 years now ... I thought we left the monochrome gray back in OS 6!
Comments
I hope Apple reconsiders this reconsideration and goes back to the initial Preview 2 look.
Funny, you say that and you don't even know me. Many other people on here think the new interface sucks too.
People hated Aqua, too.
It has to make sense for me to do the update as newer is not always better.
The under the hood improvements are the reason for upgrading to Lion, then.
Still, a dash of color would be nice. I think somewhere between how Aqua is now, and this new Lion look. I bet they'll tweak it a tad more before release. Overall it seems nice. Faux leather though, ugh. These silly weirdo interfaces they throw on iApplications sucks. Also the new iTunes sucks. Hugely. I'm on the fence about the new "Black" for lack of better word, interface in QuickTime. The transparent-ish interface that comes in Full Screen in QT, iPhoto, etc. I think it's alright but could use a bit of tweaking as well. Actually I really like. It also could just use a dash of color. Color + texture + shape is how we see things, so use them all. Also as I get older I always want things bigger. I wish all the UI elements were a touch bigger. But then again, I really reeeeaally hope they manage to get Resolution Independence. That'd take care of that!
I also liked the slider like tabs. Sure, it was an adjustment, but why not adjusting to something that's nice. It really looked good and made a lot of sense. Bummer!
Agreed. I liked the preview 2 tabs better. I like that the brightest one is selected. That makes the most sense to me and is very easy to read. I don't like this new look. I think the selected item is not clear.
Preview 2 was a step forward. Preview 3 - big step back.
Also, for all of you asking for color, here is one who disagrees. I don't think the color is helpful. It is noise and it is the first thing I turn off. I don't want my OS to entertain me, I want my content to be what I see. The OS and apps should disappear.
Agreed. I liked the preview 2 tabs better. I like that the brightest one is selected. That makes the most sense to me and is very easy to read. I don't like this new look. I think the selected item is not clear.
Preview 2 was a step forward. Preview 3 - big step back.
Also, for all of you asking for color, here is one who disagrees. I don't think the color is helpful. It is noise and it is the first thing I turn off. I don't want my OS to entertain me, I want my content to be what I see. The OS and apps should disappear.
You don't want System 6 do you?
I would like a dash of color. Perhaps more muted than the intense Cyan Aqua or Bondi blue or whatever it is. But definitely not black and white. Of course there's always the Graphite mode. In fact I think Apple should allow users to select any color they want in "Appearance" in Appearance instead of just Aqua and Graphite. Like Platinum. I mean that doesn't really affect much. Widgets are still the same shape/location. I think for myself I'd pick either a darker blue, or some sort of dark blue-green.
You don't want System 6 do you?
I would like a dash of color. Perhaps more muted than the intense Cyan Aqua or Bondi blue or whatever it is. But definitely not black and white. Of course there's always the Graphite mode. In fact I think Apple should allow users to select any color they want in "Appearance" in Appearance instead of just Aqua and Graphite. Like Platinum. I mean that doesn't really affect much. Widgets are still the same shape/location. I think for myself I'd pick either a darker blue, or some sort of dark blue-green.
I am really not as bothered with the color issue as I am with the way these tabs are indicated but I don't think color is as helpful as people here think it is. I used System 6 and I don't think we have that problem here. What I don't like is when the UI is all cutesy. I like the UI stuff to be clean, simple.
And the red yellow green buttons are silly. The green button has been broken from day one. Same for the toolbar toggle - all of that is a mess.
The green button has been broken from day one.
Hey, I'll fix this for you.
I refuse to learn how the green button works, therefore it must be broken because I demand it to work like the button in Windows that shouldn't be doing half of the things it does. All of this is irrelevant thanks to the full-screen button in Lion, so if, for whatever incorrect reason, I want to full-screen my browser, I can do that while completely ignoring the much more useful green button that will resize any window to fit its content.
Hey, I'll fix this for you.
Maybe you need to learn how to post? Or are trying to be funny by putting words in my mouth that I did not say?? These forums are too confusing and jumbled for that.
The problem with the green button is that it is so unpredictable. Like in Safari when I clicked it just now it made the window smaller and mostly off screen. In iTunes it toggles the size of the window in a set way. In Mail it made the window bigger. I never know what is going to happen when I click it. That is what I mean when I say it is broken. The action resulting from clicking the button should be clear to the user prior to pressing it.
Funny, you say that and you don't even know me. Many other people on here think the new interface sucks too. I do not always upgrade just to "upgrade" or have the latest and greatest for no reason. It has to make sense for me to do the update as newer is not always better. I don't need my MacBook pro to feel like an iPad. That's why I have an iPad. What I have currently runs fine - when it makes sense to upgrade, then I will.
Jackass.
So beautifully said!
Maybe you need to learn how to post? Or are trying to be funny by putting words in my mouth that I did not say?? These forums are too confusing and jumbled for that.
The problem with the green button is that it is so unpredictable. Like in Safari when I clicked it just now it made the window smaller and mostly off screen. In iTunes it toggles the size of the window in a set way. In Mail it made the window bigger. I never know what is going to happen when I click it. That is what I mean when I say it is broken. The action resulting from clicking the button should be clear to the user prior to pressing it.
You're right: it's so unpredictable!
Mac OS X Snow Leopard
Touch interaction
• Tap inactive tabs
• No effect if tapping or dragging active tab
• No way to preview other tabs
Pointer interaction
• Click inactive tabs
• No other action supported by scroll wheel/ball
Lion Developer Preview 2 (DP2)
Touch interaction
• Tap inactive tabs
• Drag active tab to inactive tab title
•Possibly preview inactive pane while dragging (Since I do not have the OS I cannot say if this occurs, but it could be implemented)
Pointer interaction
• Click inactive tabs
• Drag from active to inactive tab title
• While pointer within tab area the scroll wheel/ball could allow switching between tabs (Possible if not already implemented)
Lion Developer Preview 3 (DP3)
• See Snow Leopard since this design does not support any new interactions
The possible interactions for the DP2 implementation are desirable but the specific design frustrated many developers (based on the change in DP3).
Drawbacks to the DP2 implementation:
• Identifying active tab when only 2 visible (although I would argue it is worse in DP3)
• Slider above tab titles implies the title on slider will move when slider moves but it does not (from what I have seen the active title fades out and the inactive title fades in)
• Unlike the iOS on/off sliders which only ever have 2 positions there can be many tabs so the slider behavior when clicking inactive tab titles is unclear.
• The contents of the pane associated with the tab do not move, just fade in/out (assumed since I do not have OS) so there is no correlation between the slider behavior and the related pane.
My proposal is to add the functionality of DP2 while giving the proper visual cues to users
The tab bar would look like it does in Snow Leopard without the blue highlight for the active tab. Just below the tab bar would be a scrollbar the width of the tab titles without scroll buttons on the ends. A scroll thumb the width of the active title and just below it would indicate which pane is visible. The style would match whatever Apple uses for other scrollbars. A new element would be a glow above the tab thumb that highlights the active tab title so it has a higher contrast than the inactive tab titles.
Touch interaction
• Tap inactive tab titles
• Drag tab scroll thumb
• Drag the tab scroll thumb left/right to see the pane scroll right/left in real time (just like data in a window while scrolling)
• Use multi-finger gesture to drag pane left/right to switch to tabs on either side (similar to moving through history in Safari)
Pointer interaction
• Click inactive tab title
• Drag tab scroll thumb to see pane scroll in opposite direction (just like all scrollbars)
• User assumes scroll wheel/ball works since it looks like a scrollbar
daVisionary Tab Thumb Benefits
The tab thumb is a familiar UI widget which users will recognize and be comfortable dragging. When a user first drags the tab thumb the pane will start moving to the side and the edge of the next pane will appear. While dragging the tab thumb it is possible to ‘preview’ other tabs without clicking each one in turn. The visual relationship between the active visible pane and inactive panes matches iOS springboard mechanics, “Back to the Mac”. The animated transition between panes will give them a spatial consistency which users more easily remember. The active tab gets a unique look with higher contrast, the preferred style based on reading the forums.
Another possible behavior is to pinch zoom the tab thumb to see all the panes simultaneously. The user could expand the tab thumb to show all panes scaled down accordingly in a row across the window then tap one to zoom in to full size and have it fill the window.
I will add a mockup when I have the time in the next day or so.
What do you all think?
daVisionary
I like the grey, but I understand why others wouldn?t. I don?t understand why Apple doesn?t a basic monochrome/colored icon option under System Preferences » Appearances for those that want or need the flashier icons.
I agree. Apple just needs to make it optional. Let those who prefer the dull gray look have and let those of us who prefer color have it as well. I've been using the mac for over 20 years now ... I thought we left the monochrome gray back in OS 6!