I would love it if they get rid of Drawer UI elements, and it looks like they did in Mail. Cool.
They can't get rid of it this late in the game. It would break way too many apps.
Besides, the drawer is fine when it's used correctly...for scarcely used items/options. It's just too bad developers and even Apple made the drawer look like an idiotic UI element.
Wonder if they have improved Exchange support. I see the iCal integration. That's hopeful. Now if it had real GAL support and public calendar views it would rule.
[B]Yeah, drawers are usually more annoying than useful.
I like them, most of the time - especially in Mail as I usually only use my InBox anyhow. Mind you, there have been some atrocious uses of drawers, too, so I guess I see your point!
What's really useful in Mail's drawers is that they automatically slide out when you drag messages to the edge of the window, so you can drop messages into a different mailbox, and then they close themselves again afterwards.
I thought this was a great feature and should be used by more apps, but apparently it's an app-specific thing implemented by Mail rather than in the OS (so if Apple want to improve drawers at all, having system-wide functionality like that available to apps would be great!).
with all these big changes which seem to be going on (they are working just as hard if not more than they were on panther last year!) i'm wondering when the next dev seed will get out, also, the topics of core image and core video have been pretty silent as far as how they will be used in the os, i wouldnt be surprised to see preview get some core image effects (color correction stuff maybe?)
anyways as a graphics person im definately looking forward to realtime gausian blurs and ripple effects, that's just plain stunning.
Looks great. Hopefully the silver UI will eventually replace both standard Aqua and brushed metal. I rather think it has the best qualities of both.
What happened to the Junk Mail mailbox, I wonder? And is it still possible to use the Mail bar (a la Safari's Bookmarks bar) instead of the sidebar, or is that feature replaced by the new interface?
I really like that the drawer is leaving mail. Anything that Apple can do to unify the look of their apps is great. Placing things on the left and containing them within the window (ala iTunes, etc) in my book is the way to go.
At the first I liked drawers. Now I really find them bothersome. I would like to see the drawer disappear in iCal as well.
Coming back full circle to Platinum is also welcome. The blue bubbles created attention. Brushed metal has never been real popular. Platinum is comfortable.
It's funny that people (and MacRumors, natch) are calling this Platinum. I suppose one could see that way, but it's definitely -- at the very least -- Platinum 2.0.
Besides, given Apple's UI team to, ah, gather visual inspiration from the look + feel of current Apple hardware... might not Aluminum be a more appropriate nickname?
Why, so you can have old stuff clogging your brain? :P
OS7-9 was good.
OS X is better, if not as 100% consistent.
In OS X, open a Finder window in List view mode.
Click at the bottom of the list in the white area.
Drag upward.
Nothing happens.
Is that better?
Everyone I know who uses OS X has a top ten list of stupid little UI issues that never get addressed. The amount of goodwill from OS X users would certainly be worth the effort for Apple.
Some UI inconsistency in OS X is good/understandable since it usually is the result of Apple application engineers developing new UI elements that have yet to be turned into system toolkit calls for other applications to use.
Explain what the Apple Menu under OS 9 was for. Now the Application Menu. Explain why applications can show up in both to a new user.
*Overall* OS X is better. Yeah, it has some annoying things, no doubt about it. But *overall* it is so much more well though out that it isn't funny, in my opinion.
In my case, it passed the Mom test. My mother could *never* remember where things were under 9, or why. I had to show her X's layout *once*, and she got it. If you knew my mother, you'd know why that's a major coup for Apple.
Personally, not being a fan of Aqua, I love this new theme! To me, it doesn't scream Longhorn, it screams Apple and how they consistently seem to come out with awesome interfaces. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing Tiger in action next year...
Wait, you don't like Aqua, but then say Apple comes out with awesome interfaces?
Chris G's scheme makes sense--a "set of panes" could be considered something different from a toolbar. If so, I don't think customizability is the issue--System Preferences has a customizable bar, but it changes views just like any app preferences.
In that case, toolbars that just change views are really just another kind of tab. Maybe they could be styled that way--icons held with a big row of blocks that are glassy like Panther's tabs (which don't look like tabs anymore of course).
I too think the drawer serves little function in Mail. But drawers in general aren't a useless UI element--really, they're just a way to re-size a window when adding/subtracting optional content, so that the other content stays the same size. The drawer appearance makes this behavior obvious, while hiding/showing a pane WITHIN a window isn't so obvious: Does the other content re-size (as when hiding iTunes Browse panes)? Or does it stay the same and the window as a whole changes size? Either way could be awkward. With a drawer, you know just what's going to happen.
It's funny that people (and MacRumors, natch) are calling this Platinum. I suppose one could see that way, but it's definitely -- at the very least -- Platinum 2.0.
Besides, given Apple's UI team to, ah, gather visual inspiration from the look + feel of current Apple hardware... might not Aluminum be a more appropriate nickname?
I have been thinking to myself what this theme reminds me of and that is the aluminum motif Apple has been using.
I personally like the new theme. If they were to replace Aqua with this and still keep the brushed metal, there would be a lot more consistency. While they may not be using one universal theme, Apple would have two themes that do look similar in some ways.
(By the way, I said the "the title bar gradient is not the background for both." That was a typo, too late to edit. The gradient is NO[b]W]/b] the background for both.)
Yeah, I agree. It seems nothing less than the latest step in Aqua's long, slow evolution towards a silvery gradient and away (sllllllowly) from the pinstripes.
What's exciting (for me) about the leaked Mail 2.0 pic (as much as the new look) is the (finally!) official de-emphasizing of drawers and beginning of a kind of savvy sidebar, akin to the Finder's, in all applications. Much, much better, and a big step forward from the so-so drawer concept, toward a better UI.
But the new(ish) Aluminum Aqua looks awfully good, too. I too hope (and expect) it to extend to all Aqua apps, and eventually one day replace brushed metal as well.
Yeah, drawers are usually more annoying than useful.
Seconded, although the drawer in Mail was one of the few useful implementations. I don't need to see my mailboxes most of the time.
Quote:
They can't get rid of it this late in the game. It would break way too many apps.
Besides, the drawer is fine when it's used correctly...for scarcely used items/options. It's just too bad developers and even Apple made the drawer look like an idiotic UI element.
......and thirded
Some apps web pages proudly state they use ALL the interface elements as if it's a goal everyone should strive for. Just makes for messy interfaces most of the time.
I'd like to be able to read and send new emails without the main Mail window popping ot the front all the time - unless I'm looking for something in my mailboxes, I don't need it.
Who knows? With spotlight coming in, maybe there will eventually not be a mail app as such - just mail in folders you can view and manipulate from the finder. No wait, that's BeOS.
I forgot to say, the Aluminium interface sucks so if it's gettign left behind, that's good.
Personally, I think any theme is okay, as long as Apple finally decides on ONE theme. The mixture of brushed metal and aqua UI elements even within the same application is annoying and I don't see any reason for it. It's against the most basic usability rules ("strive for consistency") and even Apple is unable to explain what the brushed metal should be used for. The UI styleguide says something like "used for an interface to a digital device" -- hey, my whole computer is a digital device, isn't it?
The look of Tiger's Mail.app is nice and would be well applicable to Safari, iCal and others. In the future, I would prefer a slower evolution of the look of OS X.
Talking about Classic Mac OS vs. Mac OS X: I think, OS X looks nicer, but from a usability point of view, Classic, especially the classic Finder, is much better. There have been comments on ArsTechnica and AskTog about this topic and I largely agree with them.
And one last point: I don't understand, why Apple makes a move towards single window apps, like Mail or iCal, iTunes and so forth. One of the biggest advantages of Mac OS over Windows is, that you can have many windows side by side and not that fullscreen mode that is so prominent in Windows. But to use this to your advantage (ie Drag&Drop) it requires that windows can be small compared to the screen size. Remeber: Not everyone has a 30" Cinema Display. I am a mobile worker and use a 12" iBook, because it is the easiest to carry. Once (Classic) Mac OS was very usable on small screen, I was happy with the 640x400 screen of my PB 145b, but with OS X, even 1024x768 is to small for some apps.
Comments
Originally posted by THT
I would love it if they get rid of Drawer UI elements, and it looks like they did in Mail. Cool.
They can't get rid of it this late in the game. It would break way too many apps.
Besides, the drawer is fine when it's used correctly...for scarcely used items/options. It's just too bad developers and even Apple made the drawer look like an idiotic UI element.
Mail is looking good..
Originally posted by jwill
[B]Yeah, drawers are usually more annoying than useful.
I like them, most of the time - especially in Mail as I usually only use my InBox anyhow. Mind you, there have been some atrocious uses of drawers, too, so I guess I see your point!
What's really useful in Mail's drawers is that they automatically slide out when you drag messages to the edge of the window, so you can drop messages into a different mailbox, and then they close themselves again afterwards.
I thought this was a great feature and should be used by more apps, but apparently it's an app-specific thing implemented by Mail rather than in the OS (so if Apple want to improve drawers at all, having system-wide functionality like that available to apps would be great!).
Neil.
a.k.a. Arnel
anyways as a graphics person im definately looking forward to realtime gausian blurs and ripple effects, that's just plain stunning.
Originally posted by Zweben
I want that job!
Also- First post. I'm from Spymac- have over 7,700 posts there...
Love the frequent Tiger updates... and wanted to reply to this post, so I signed up.
Hi everyone.
I've called for the same thing, an Apple UI Tzar. Having actually run a native OS 7-9 system would be one of the job requirements...
OS7-9 was good.
OS X is better, if not as 100% consistent.
What happened to the Junk Mail mailbox, I wonder? And is it still possible to use the Mail bar (a la Safari's Bookmarks bar) instead of the sidebar, or is that feature replaced by the new interface?
At the first I liked drawers. Now I really find them bothersome. I would like to see the drawer disappear in iCal as well.
Coming back full circle to Platinum is also welcome. The blue bubbles created attention. Brushed metal has never been real popular. Platinum is comfortable.
Besides, given Apple's UI team to, ah, gather visual inspiration from the look + feel of current Apple hardware... might not Aluminum be a more appropriate nickname?
Originally posted by Kickaha
Why, so you can have old stuff clogging your brain? :P
OS7-9 was good.
OS X is better, if not as 100% consistent.
In OS X, open a Finder window in List view mode.
Click at the bottom of the list in the white area.
Drag upward.
Nothing happens.
Is that better?
Everyone I know who uses OS X has a top ten list of stupid little UI issues that never get addressed. The amount of goodwill from OS X users would certainly be worth the effort for Apple.
Some UI inconsistency in OS X is good/understandable since it usually is the result of Apple application engineers developing new UI elements that have yet to be turned into system toolkit calls for other applications to use.
*Overall* OS X is better. Yeah, it has some annoying things, no doubt about it. But *overall* it is so much more well though out that it isn't funny, in my opinion.
In my case, it passed the Mom test. My mother could *never* remember where things were under 9, or why. I had to show her X's layout *once*, and she got it. If you knew my mother, you'd know why that's a major coup for Apple.
Originally posted by Agent_Phoenix
Personally, not being a fan of Aqua, I love this new theme! To me, it doesn't scream Longhorn, it screams Apple and how they consistently seem to come out with awesome interfaces. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing Tiger in action next year...
Wait, you don't like Aqua, but then say Apple comes out with awesome interfaces?
Originally posted by Placebo
It screams 'Longhorn'.
I see no glass
In that case, toolbars that just change views are really just another kind of tab. Maybe they could be styled that way--icons held with a big row of blocks that are glassy like Panther's tabs (which don't look like tabs anymore of course).
I too think the drawer serves little function in Mail. But drawers in general aren't a useless UI element--really, they're just a way to re-size a window when adding/subtracting optional content, so that the other content stays the same size. The drawer appearance makes this behavior obvious, while hiding/showing a pane WITHIN a window isn't so obvious: Does the other content re-size (as when hiding iTunes Browse panes)? Or does it stay the same and the window as a whole changes size? Either way could be awkward. With a drawer, you know just what's going to happen.
Originally posted by Hobbes
It's funny that people (and MacRumors, natch) are calling this Platinum. I suppose one could see that way, but it's definitely -- at the very least -- Platinum 2.0.
Besides, given Apple's UI team to, ah, gather visual inspiration from the look + feel of current Apple hardware... might not Aluminum be a more appropriate nickname?
I have been thinking to myself what this theme reminds me of and that is the aluminum motif Apple has been using.
I personally like the new theme. If they were to replace Aqua with this and still keep the brushed metal, there would be a lot more consistency. While they may not be using one universal theme, Apple would have two themes that do look similar in some ways.
Mike
What's exciting (for me) about the leaked Mail 2.0 pic (as much as the new look) is the (finally!) official de-emphasizing of drawers and beginning of a kind of savvy sidebar, akin to the Finder's, in all applications. Much, much better, and a big step forward from the so-so drawer concept, toward a better UI.
But the new(ish) Aluminum Aqua looks awfully good, too. I too hope (and expect) it to extend to all Aqua apps, and eventually one day replace brushed metal as well.
Yeah, drawers are usually more annoying than useful.
Seconded, although the drawer in Mail was one of the few useful implementations. I don't need to see my mailboxes most of the time.
They can't get rid of it this late in the game. It would break way too many apps.
Besides, the drawer is fine when it's used correctly...for scarcely used items/options. It's just too bad developers and even Apple made the drawer look like an idiotic UI element.
......and thirded
Some apps web pages proudly state they use ALL the interface elements as if it's a goal everyone should strive for. Just makes for messy interfaces most of the time.
I'd like to be able to read and send new emails without the main Mail window popping ot the front all the time - unless I'm looking for something in my mailboxes, I don't need it.
Who knows? With spotlight coming in, maybe there will eventually not be a mail app as such - just mail in folders you can view and manipulate from the finder. No wait, that's BeOS.
I forgot to say, the Aluminium interface sucks so if it's gettign left behind, that's good.
The look of Tiger's Mail.app is nice and would be well applicable to Safari, iCal and others. In the future, I would prefer a slower evolution of the look of OS X.
Talking about Classic Mac OS vs. Mac OS X: I think, OS X looks nicer, but from a usability point of view, Classic, especially the classic Finder, is much better. There have been comments on ArsTechnica and AskTog about this topic and I largely agree with them.
And one last point: I don't understand, why Apple makes a move towards single window apps, like Mail or iCal, iTunes and so forth. One of the biggest advantages of Mac OS over Windows is, that you can have many windows side by side and not that fullscreen mode that is so prominent in Windows. But to use this to your advantage (ie Drag&Drop) it requires that windows can be small compared to the screen size. Remeber: Not everyone has a 30" Cinema Display. I am a mobile worker and use a 12" iBook, because it is the easiest to carry. Once (Classic) Mac OS was very usable on small screen, I was happy with the 640x400 screen of my PB 145b, but with OS X, even 1024x768 is to small for some apps.
Greetings,
celandir