OSX Annoyances / Wishes

[Diatribe]

After my switch to mac at the beginning of this year I can honestly say that this was
one of the best decisions I have ever made. And although OSX is an awesome OS
and far superior to Windows in sheer usability and features there are still things I'd
like to see changed or added in order to improve my productivity even more. And to
lessen those grrrrr moments ;). And of course, some are just for pure enjoyment :D

Here is a list of all annoyances I have with OSX or improvements that I'd like to see.
I wrote each one of them to Apple via their comments page. If some of you have the
same gripes please write to Apple also. A lot of the same requests and we might
even see some of those things changed in Tiger.

I would also love to hear what kind of annoyances or wishes other people have
with/for OSX and if you guys actually write to Apple about them.

Programs/wishes

OS X
• being able to change the background picture at certain times not just intervalls and be able to specify as many as I want like the options for smart lists (for a night/day rythm for example)
• be able to resize window from more positions than just the lower right corner
• make a video background possible and offer clips like a beach, a look upon a city and have it change from day to night just like you're looking out of a window
• the possibility to link to do/ to ask items to names and whenever that person comes online in ichat, I open an email and type in his/her name... etc. the item pops up and reminds me that I wanted something from that person
• offer alarm-clock ability to wake from sleep and play iTunes for example and have a simple countdown with an alarm too
• better speech recognition
• be able to customize the computer speaking voice or have a bigger selection (at the moment there is only one that sounds decent)
• have a popup like the volume and brightness floaters for the change of keyboard language instead of a symbol in the menu bar
• give me the possibility to change the OS language without having to reinstall the OS
• be able to isync entire home directories between computers
• be able to have a transparent dock as an option
• be able to choose whether programs stay open or quit after closing the window (for example I want preview and quicktime to quit after closing and calculator to stay open)

iChat
• ichat to be able to use nicknames instead of full names out of the adress book
• ichat to use tabs
• ichat to use msn
• re-login after lost connection
• profile option
• be able to have only pictures in the buddy list (bigger pictures but still a slimmer buddy list)
• ichat not to save each conversation as its own file but rather one file per contact/buddy

iPhoto
• iphoto to get more filters or at least the ones preview has, like mirroring for exampl
• be able to delete pictures from the library in albums - I know that you can alt-option-delete them but I would like to have a regular option also not just a shortcut

iTunes
• be able to change the delete option with tab (from no to yes)
• functionality like synergy, synergy is not as responsive as I'd like it too be and crashes from time to time
• iTMS --> offer possibility to dl songs in a quality up to 320 k/bit offer artwork with the songs and song text then I would buy all my stuff at iTMS not just some
• sleep function
• fully functional undo option for all actions

Mail
• scheduled sending of emails
• be able to send video mails with an isight

Safari
• to be able to select a tab right after creation, not having to wait for a partial load

Stickies
• be able to show only one but have more in the background without having to export them to a text file
• be able to stick one to the desktop so it cannot be moved easily

Preview
• be able to switch between playing gifs and splitting them into pics

Adress Book
• if you don't know the first name of someone but put in Dr. and no first name it won't show the doctor in the name list of the cards. This is annoying the hell out of me because often I don't know the first name of a person but would like identify them by their title

iCal
• ical to resize to former size after info is closed just like it gets smaller to show info
• let iCal remind me to call someone or send an email at a specific time opening mail etc. with the right email adress already etc. opening adressbook showing the telephone number that I need to call

Quicktime
• playlist for movies
• give me controls while in full screen mode
• remember volume after closing

[King Cobra]

This part is a repeat from a post I made back on March 22, 2004, slightly adjusted to remove language:

My #1 pet peeve about Panther is the layout of items in the Finder window. Now excuse me for being one of the 0.1% of Apple users that works with 800 x 600, but in OS 9, I could have 7 columns of files in a single finder window that took up about 30 to 40% of my screen. In OS 10.3, the number has been reduced to 2 !! I don't want everything to be spread out a mile apart from everything else. What happened to the clean/condensed finder window option from OS 9? Or at least the option to set invisible panel sizes between each item? I don't see any such option. (Oh, and in 10.2, that number of columns was 4. What's going to happen for OS 10.4...one column?? Bull!)

Now, how about some sci-fi functionality with 10.4?

[1] Finder search: I want to be able to put my cursor (on-screen) right over the little search query and, without clicking, have a text flasher (you know, the small, vertical line that flashes once or twice a second when you edit text files) right on the search query...then be able to type something and send the query as a search. "Mouseover searching"

[2] Finder folder navigation: I want to be able to have the option of doing a mouseover over a folder for 0.25 seconds (adjustable) in a Finder window and have it act like a spring-loaded folder for as long as I don't move the mouse away from the spring-pop-up. The purpose would be to "peak" inside folders so I don't have to double-click on them (or click at all) to see what's inside. And if I were to move the cursor inside of the spring folder, that folder would stay open until I close it again with command-W (or the "X" at the top left of the Finder window). "Mouseover spring-loaded folder previews"

And I also want an alternative option for a "tool tip" (you know, the small rectangular faint yellow rectangles that replaced the OS 9 balloons) beside each folder that gives a list of the folder contents upon mouseover. I think this would be better.

[3] I want to have the same option for the Dock, with an option for both file view and list view. "Dock mouseover spring-loaded folder previews"

[4] I want to be able to do a mouseover over the Trash in the Dock and know how many items are in the Trash, and what total KB or MB size they consumer. "Mouseover trash information display"

The sci-fi factor in each of these is the mouseover, where you never have to press a button or a keystroke to open an application, sort of like moving your hand around magically in the air on an imaginary mousepad to access a file or a folder.

(Hell, if you're not sure if that's a great idea, then imagine that your navigating through your Finder windows using the mouseover, and when you get to that text file, again mouseover it and it opens in the application of your choice. Try it.)



Other functions:
[5] I want an option to change the color my item text beside each folder or specific folders independent of the folder labels, like, cyan text on a blue label.

[6] Like in OS 9, I want to know how many items are in the Trash, and what total KB or MB size they take up, before I empty the trash (i.e. upon the confirmation dialog).

[7] I want the Finder sidebar to be an option, not a default, for using Finder windows. Also, I want to have Jaguar Finder icon navigation returned (place items on top of the Finder windows).

This probably won't happen, but:
[8] I would like to see the entire Finder GUI dressed in that of the Shinobi theme for OS X.

But, now, I have additional requests:

[9] When I click and hold the cursor over a menu column, such as File, I should be able to hold down the cursor, navigate to the phone icon (I am on dial-up, remember), have its menu open, and select the option to connect when I release the mouse button. - bug fix

[10] I want a working Search bar in my Finder windows when I have a whole bunch of items at the top of the Finder window (see [7]). - bug fix

[11] When I control-click on a file on the desktop or in a Finder window and go to Open With, sometimes the Open With menu does not pop up, rather than at least show to the left or right of the Open With option. - bug fix

[12] Get rid of the modem errors! Dial-up users using Panther experience it. In trying to connect to the internet, there is about a 10% chance of getting a modem error upon trying to connect. I find that highly annoying. It never happened in Jaguar. - a must bug fix.


"One more thing..."

[13] Allow "easy networking" between two computers. There have been many posts on this forum requesting information as to how to network two Macs, and a Mac with a PC. I think, in plain English, Apple should make a networking application with an OS X GUI that allows drag-and-drop file networking between two machines connected by a single ethernet reversable cable. But let's not enhance Network Utility. Let's make a simplified app for this, which would enable all the necessary sharing preferences and the IPs...so simple that all you have to do is connect the cable, and the application opens, ready for network transfers. My suggested name for this is (as simple as this can be): Network.

[Fukui]

• being able to change the background picture at certain times not just intervalls and be able to specify as many as I want like the options for smart lists (for a night/day rythm for example)
I've sent this in before as a request: http://www.apple.com/macosx/feedback/

You can change the language without restarting (or even add languages). Just restart the program application your using and it starts up in the language you added/chose!

Preview
• be able to switch between playing gifs and splitting them into pics

There is a play button in the toolbar, just choose "customize toolbar" and drag the play button, then click it with a gif and it will play the animiation.

A lot of those suggestions are great, but they can also be handled by third party add ons (that just changing hidden preferences, not hacks), just check versiontracker.com or macupdate.com and you'll find lots of "enhancements."

[fartheststar]

Hopefully in 10.4 with the addition of the widgets, you'll be able to do all that and more through apple or 3rd party widgets... some of the intitial posters suggestions at first... seemed to be extravagant for me, but they're not. It's all about working efficiently and getting your computer to help you out.

Windows is miles behind them even now as far as I'm concerned. With the new widgets, it'll be even better....

Im running 10.2.8

My pet peeve: In most programs when a popup question comes up (like in the poster's issue with iTunes, I want to be able to tab between the "Yes" and "No" , or OK / Cancel, or whatever the options are.

[Diatribe]

I've sent this in before as a request: http://www.apple.com/macosx/feedback/

You can change the language without restarting (or even add languages). Just restart the program application your using and it starts up in the language you added/chose!


There is a play button in the toolbar, just choose "customize toolbar" and drag the play button, then click it with a gif and it will play the animiation.

A lot of those suggestions are great, but they can also be handled by third party add ons (that just changing hidden preferences, not hacks), just check versiontracker.com or macupdate.com and you'll find lots of "enhancements."

Hehe, thanks. Don't know why I didn't figure the gif one out myself. :D

By the program application you mean my restore DVD? Or what are you talking about?

I just don't like 3rd party add ons that much if a simple change in the program would do the same. And as far as I have looked I haven't really found 3rd party add ons for the stuff I suggested. And if it exists, like synergy, it's buggy.

[Diatribe]

"One more thing..."

[13] Allow "easy networking" between two computers. There have been many posts on this forum requesting information as to how to network two Macs, and a Mac with a PC. I think, in plain English, Apple should make a networking application with an OS X GUI that allows drag-and-drop file networking between two machines connected by a single ethernet reversable cable. But let's not enhance Network Utility. Let's make a simplified app for this, which would enable all the necessary sharing preferences and the IPs...so simple that all you have to do is connect the cable, and the application opens, ready for network transfers. My suggested name for this is (as simple as this can be): Network.

That is an awesome suggestion. Even if you know how to connect them it's a pain to do so if you change the connections often, like from bluetooth to fw or ethernet.
I just wrote Apple too to implement sth. like this.

[aus_dave]

One thing I did like in Windows was the ability to sort alphabetically within a directory and list folders first. It bugs me that it can't be easily done in OSX.

[Diatribe]

I managed to change the OS Language. It is sooo easy it's quite strange that I didn't see that... I guess I am still looking for the windows kind of way to do things once in a while.

Not many posts either... I guess this means everybody is completely happy with OSX. :D

[Counterfit]

My pet peeve: In most programs when a popup question comes up (like in the poster's issue with iTunes, I want to be able to tab between the "Yes" and "No" , or OK / Cancel, or whatever the options are. You do know that hitting escape will always choose "Cancel" right?

[Timelessblur]

iTunes
for the windows uses beable to remove from taskbar when minimized (rather annorying because all the other major media players (yes including WMP) can do that and just have a little icon in system tray. Prouble need to a windows user to understand why that is so nice for some programs

OSX
Improve the Fast user switching. As it stands right now Apple fast user switching is weaker and has more problems than windows fast user switching (not saying that windows does not have some problems with it but as it stands XP fast user switching is just well better)

ichat for windows would be nice as well

[jsw]

• be able to resize window from more positions than just the lower right corner

My single biggest gripe with the OS. It's such a little thing. Why don't they fix it?

[Timelessblur]

for got to add. Able to full screen a window in OSX like you can on XP. other wise at a click of a button no draging or resizing it. I am honstly surpised that apple never down this.


Also have the opition of having the pull down menus on the active window and not at the top of the screen (something I have always hated about Mac OS since back in the day of the first Mac OS) basicly kind of like they are done in MSwindows OS's. And yes make it a opitional since i know that some people dont want to have there pull down menus only at the top or are used to it. Setting up the desktop and the work space on a computer is very personal and there is no real right or wrong way to do it.

[5300cs]

• ichat to use msn


When Apple decided to go with AIM as their chat program protocol thingy, m$ openly blasted them saying it was (more or less) a stupid idea. I think iChat doing MSN has a snowballs chance in H-E-double-hockey sticks for the time being...

[ct77]

Im running 10.2.8

My pet peeve: In most programs when a popup question comes up (like in the poster's issue with iTunes, I want to be able to tab between the "Yes" and "No" , or OK / Cancel, or whatever the options are.

I can't remember if this is available in 10.2.8, but it's an option in 10.3.x:

- System Preferences
- Keyboard & Mouse
- Keyboard Shortcuts
- Enable "Turn on full keyboard access"

http://homepage.mac.com/russellwgordon/keyboard.jpg

[ct77]

Programs/wishes

OS X
• be able to resize window from more positions than just the lower right corner

Have you tried using the "green gumdrop" in the upper left corner?

I can understand that you'd miss being able to resize the window from any corner as in Windows. Not everyone may agree with me, but I find the green gumdrop on OS X to be a better alternative, because it does the resizing work for you.

The green gumdrop, for applications where it makes sense, doesn't simply maximize the window like in Windows -- it makes the window only as big as it needs to be to get rid of a horizontol scroll bar.

You can try it easiest with Safari. Go to a website, and use the lower-right corner (I know, I know <grin>) to make the window smaller, so a horizontol scroll bar appears at the bottom of the screen. Now, click the green gumdrop. Notice how the window resizes to be just big enough to get rid of the scrollbar, but no bigger.

Simple and elegant. =)

[Abstract]

- When I download a file to the desktop, it doesn't show up unless I go to the desktop and click my mouse cursor somewhere.

- The Finder.......make a new one. Even Windows Explorer is easier to navigate, I find. I really don't know why, but I never got annoyed with Windows Explorer. I know they're essentially the same sort of thinking, but please oh please add the file pathways to the top of the Finder so that it's easier to navigate (eg: Home>Music>iTunes>iTunes Music>Broken Social Scene>Feel Good Lost>Stars and Sons).

- And when you select iTunes in the Music folder, it really should just go to the iTunes Music folder. There's no need to select iTunes and iTunes Music afterwards, is there?

[wrldwzrd89]

My biggest pet peeve with Mac OS X is having to force quit the Finder every time the icons get messed up. I'm sure it's just a bug, but I'm surprised Apple hasn't fixed this one yet.

Also, regarding the menubar in windows request someone posted earlier, that doesn't work too well with the other parts of the Mac OS. For example, how are you supposed to quit an application that has no windows open? In Finder, how do you use the menus if the desktop is the only thing showing? Plus, Apple wants to be different from Microsoft in their OS, so I'm sure they won't change this.

[Timelessblur]

My biggest pet peeve with Mac OS X is having to force quit the Finder every time the icons get messed up. I'm sure it's just a bug, but I'm surprised Apple hasn't fixed this one yet.

Also, regarding the menubar in windows request someone posted earlier, that doesn't work too well with the other parts of the Mac OS. For example, how are you supposed to quit an application that has no windows open? In Finder, how do you use the menus if the desktop is the only thing showing? Plus, Apple wants to be different from Microsoft in their OS, so I'm sure they won't change this.

Well I said make it opitional to let you choose if you want to have the menus add to the windows them self you know with a little check box. Also wasnt this a list of pet peevies and wishes? That menu set up on apple computer has always been a pet peeve. Even on the orginal Mac OS I used back in the 80's before I ever touch a MS windows OS (which was Windows 95) so the saying that I am used to windows is not the reason why I hate it. I have always hated it since day 1

[wrldwzrd89]

Well I said make it opitional to let you choose if you want to have the menus add to the windows them self you know with a little check box. Also wasnt this a list of pet peevies and wishes? That menu set up on apple computer has always been a pet peeve. Even on the orginal Mac OS I used back in the 80's before I ever touch a MS windows OS (which was Windows 95) so the saying that I am used to windows is not the reason why I hate it. I have always hated it since day 1
Okay, you have a good idea of how to implement it, but that still leaves the issue of applications not being aware that the setting can be toggled and always using the top-of-the-screen menu bar (unless Apple was smart, and made the change inside the menu API, so the public functions didn't change, just the location of the menu bar). That IMO would be THE way to do such a thing.

[darrion]

hopefully I'm not repeating anybody, but the two things I'd most like to see but haven't seen mentioned (only been on the mac for 3 weeks so far so still learning my way):

-emacs, I'd like to be able to launch emacs in a seperate window, ala Linux. I really got into using emacs or gedit for source coding school projects while I was using Linux and while X-Code is nice, its just not the same.

[wrldwzrd89]

hopefully I'm not repeating anybody, but the two things I'd most like to see but haven't seen mentioned (only been on the mac for 3 weeks so far so still learning my way):

-emacs, I'd like to be able to launch emacs in a seperate window, ala Linux. I really got into using emacs or gedit for source coding school projects while I was using Linux and while X-Code is nice, its just not the same.
Did you know that you can have multiple Terminal windows open at once? Using this, you could have, say, three Terminal windows:
1. showing top, the process viewer utility
2. showing the bash prompt
3. showing an active emacs session

[darrion]

Did you know that you can have multiple Terminal windows open at once? Using this, you could have, say, three Terminal windows:
1. showing top, the process viewer utility
2. showing the bash prompt
3. showing an active emacs session

I did not know that. Thank you for the info, I will try it oout and see what I think of it.

[gekko513]

I do not agree with the resize in corner thing. I think it's a much better solution to have resize in just one corner. The reason is simple. The Windows way wastes so much space. It's only a matter of habit, anyway.

As for maximize, I think the idea with OSX that you're not supposed to work with maximized windows and switch between them with the taskbar as in Windows, but rather work with several windows on the screen at the same time. This way of working is consistently encouraged in OSX. Drag and drop is a much more common action on OSX, and d&d works a lot better if you work with several windows on the screen at the same time. Also, Expose doesn't work properly if all your windows are maximized.

But for resolutions of 1024x768 and less I must admit that I prefer maximized windows.

[BrianKonarsMac]

- set system fonts
- change system icons (without 3rd party hackware)
- a non-candybar-esque theme. i.e. a pro-aqua.
- themeability.
- apple following their own UI guides.
- apple opening their sytem, since they talk about open source so much.
- options for people who know how to use a computer (not just super simple, brain-dead UI's).

i could keep going but im tired.

o yea the one i hate the most, AUTO UPDATE THE AMOUNT OF SPACE LEFT ON THE HARD DISK!! I should not have to restart to get it to display correctly, that is pathetic. It auto-updates (relatively) in the Finder window, but what about on the desktop!?

[Timelessblur]

Okay, you have a good idea of how to implement it, but that still leaves the issue of applications not being aware that the setting can be toggled and always using the top-of-the-screen menu bar (unless Apple was smart, and made the change inside the menu API, so the public functions didn't change, just the location of the menu bar). That IMO would be THE way to do such a thing.


Do I care no. Apprently you are one of the hard core maccy that well I hate and have no respect for because you dont like change. And quite clearly you dont know how is even done on MS windows and really dont understand it.

Implentlying it would be more than likely not be that hard to do. The apps dont tell the top the computer where to put the menus it just tells the OS what menus it needs and what is in them the OS takes care of all placement. YOu just have to look at how it done on XP and you noticed that I change the location of the window and it does not phase it. Hell look at some programs that have been ported over like Firefox. Firefox is pretty clearly a straight port from windows and it has not problem with menus.

You app argument is pretty pointless and not a good argument
Look at windows not all those apps use menus. Apps that have problems with it can change.

AND LASTLY I REPREAT this thread is about pet peives and wishes and I just planly dont like it and wished it would change. Is it going to happen, more than likely not. Now go crawl back in you little hole where you dont have to see people thoughs on what they wish would change about Apple's OS

[JFreak]

• make a video background possible


there are several hacks available, just install one.


• give me the possibility to change the OS language without having to reinstall the OS


just go to system preferences and adjust language preferences - there you go. i don't remember if you have to log out and in again to make the language change, but you shouldn't have to reboot. and definetely don't have to reinstall.


• be able to have a transparent dock as an option


there's a 3rd party software available, interestingly enough called "the transparent dock".


• be able to choose whether programs stay open or quit after closing the window (for example I want preview and quicktime to quit after closing and calculator to stay open)


you can choose - close the window and it closes the window, tell app to quit and it quits. those commands are apple-w and apple-q respectively, and the two letters are next to each other. how hard it can be? :)


• be able to send video mails with an isight


of course you can send video files, if your email provider can handle it. most email systems have some kind of a limit for maximum mail length.

---

the #1 annoyance with osx is that having become so used to apple-forward and apple-backward navigation in safari i always forget that i cannot do that in finder. i'd like to go back to previous folder with the same keyboard shortcut but it does nothing.

the #2 annoyance is that i'd like to have fast user switching without the current user name in the menu bar - the user should in my opinion have to be able to fast-switched from apple menu where the logout command is also found. unfortunately, fast-switch feature forces the user name to menu bar.

[JFreak]

My single biggest gripe with the OS. It's such a little thing. Why don't they fix it?

the same reason why they choose to keep one-button mouse: simplicity. there's one place for window resize and that is enough :)

[JFreak]

Able to full screen a window in OSX like you can on XP. I am honstly surpised that apple never down this. Also have the opition of having the pull down menus on the active window and not at the top of the screen basicly kind of like they are done in MSwindows OS's.

why on earth don't you use windows if you think it is better that way? it is fundamental to macintosh gui to have several windows open instead of one that fills the entire screen, and for that reason it is also very fundamental to macintosh gui to have one menubar, as there is maximum of one active window at any given time :) simplicity, my friend, adds productivity.

...and in this case also reduces screen clutter. i have a windows workstation at work, and having to have several windows open simultaneously the system just wastes a lot of screen space with many unnecessary menu bars. i cannot use more than one at any given time, so why do they have to be there? i also fail to see why window maximizing would be such killer feature - that thing belongs to the past, to the time when dos programs tried to look nice :)

oh yeah, i think you need to think about this gui think a bit more - which is better, the good implementation or the implementation you have become used to?

[JFreak]

- When I download a file to the desktop, it doesn't show up unless I go to the desktop and click my mouse cursor somewhere.

yes, the desktop would have to be refreshed as soon as something has been inserted there. i totally agree, that's annoying having to touch the desktop or wait for it to be refreshed.

[Akraz144]

your list for ichat seems like it would be easily satisfied by downloading Adium X, an awesome open source project. check it out at http://adium.sourceforge.net

you can be logged in to MSN and AIM (and others!) simultaneously, and it has tabbed chat, and you have a LARGE degree of control over the look of the program. I was curious, and have been using it for about a week. The only reason I can think of that I would go back is if I ever got an iSight. That, and you gotta love the ducks.

[Diatribe]

there are several hacks available, just install one.

just go to system preferences and adjust language preferences - there you go. i don't remember if you have to log out and in again to make the language change, but you shouldn't have to reboot. and definetely don't have to reinstall.

there's a 3rd party software available, interestingly enough called "the transparent dock".

you can choose - close the window and it closes the window, tell app to quit and it quits. those commands are apple-w and apple-q respectively, and the two letters are next to each other. how hard it can be? :)

of course you can send video files, if your email provider can handle it. most email systems have some kind of a limit for maximum mail length.


If you answer my questions at least try to be serious. I mean seriously, as I have written before I know that there are hacks out there it's just that most of them don't work without hickups. And I for example have never gotten transparent dock to work flawlessly. If you have, lucky you.

And for my pet peeve with the closing option... come on. You do know that if I hit close window in calculator it QUITS the app right? Of course you knew that, you were just trying to be funny right?

And when I say be able to send video mails, then I mean implement it in an app and don't make me record it via iMovie and then send it as an attachment.

But thanks for the language tip, I figured that out in the process of this thread, but thanks again. Wasn't too hard, weird that I missed it.

[Diatribe]

your list for ichat seems like it would be easily satisfied by downloading Adium X, an awesome open source project. check it out at http://adium.sourceforge.net

you can be logged in to MSN and AIM (and others!) simultaneously, and it has tabbed chat, and you have a LARGE degree of control over the look of the program. I was curious, and have been using it for about a week. The only reason I can think of that I would go back is if I ever got an iSight. That, and you gotta love the ducks.

Yep, that's exactly the problem... I do own an iSight. And I just don't feel like having two clients open. Call me weird but I just don't like it. Having said that though, I do have Adium installed and even in my dock, I just don't use it as often.

[Diatribe]

I can't remember if this is available in 10.2.8, but it's an option in 10.3.x:

- System Preferences
- Keyboard & Mouse
- Keyboard Shortcuts
- Enable "Turn on full keyboard access"

http://homepage.mac.com/russellwgordon/keyboard.jpg

Yep, it alleviates some things, still doesn't let you change between ok/cancel though.

[Timelessblur]

why on earth don't you use windows if you think it is better that way? it is fundamental to macintosh gui to have several windows open instead of one that fills the entire screen, and for that reason it is also very fundamental to macintosh gui to have one menubar, as there is maximum of one active window at any given time :) simplicity, my friend, adds productivity.

...and in this case also reduces screen clutter. i have a windows workstation at work, and having to have several windows open simultaneously the system just wastes a lot of screen space with many unnecessary menu bars. i cannot use more than one at any given time, so why do they have to be there? i also fail to see why window maximizing would be such killer feature - that thing belongs to the past, to the time when dos programs tried to look nice :)

oh yeah, i think you need to think about this gui think a bit more - which is better, the good implementation or the implementation you have become used to?


No even on my windows computer I dont uses full screen on indivial folder windows unless I going to be draging and droping stuffi not folders in that folder. Normal they are just as large as I need them and I used the draging and droping with muitiple windows.

Full screen is more usesfull in dealing with applcation like web browsing, Office apps stuff like that. It is mostly only in apps that I even use the full screen mode or when I need or want certain folder to be almost like my desktop.

[Bluefusion]

- When I download a file to the desktop, it doesn't show up unless I go to the desktop and click my mouse cursor somewhere.
Yes, it's a bug because the Desktop is really just a folder, and folders don't change unless they "update"; Tiger should fix this as it's constantly scanning contents of folders, but that's not a promise.

- The Finder.......make a new one. Even Windows Explorer is easier to navigate, I find. I really don't know why, but I never got annoyed with Windows Explorer. I know they're essentially the same sort of thinking, but please oh please add the file pathways to the top of the Finder so that it's easier to navigate (eg: Home>Music>iTunes>iTunes Music>Broken Social Scene>Feel Good Lost>Stars and Sons).
You're not serious, right? Explorer being simpler than the Finder... right. Column View provides an instant visual backtrack, just hold down Shift and use your scrollwheel and it'll go left-to-right rather than up-to-down. In addition, try Command-clicking the name of any open window (this works for documents as well, in any program where there is a small picture preview of the file in its titlebar) and you will see the path directly. The Finder is, in my opinion, flawless; but that could just be me. Explorer is the most useless piece of crap I have ever tried to work with; and believe me, I work with it a lot.
- And when you select iTunes in the Music folder, it really should just go to the iTunes Music folder. There's no need to select iTunes and iTunes Music afterwards, is there?
You're complaining as to how iTunes organizes its files? Fair enough, but it's sort of silly IMO. If you want to locate a file, right-click (control-click) on it in iTunes and choose Show Song File. Done.

[Bluefusion]

• the possibility to link to do/ to ask items to names and whenever that person comes online in ichat, I open an email and type in his/her name... etc. the item pops up and reminds me that I wanted something from that person
This is so... Windows. I mean, I'd hate little "notifications" popping up everywhere, but that's just me. I do think iCal can and should be improved, dramatically even, but this is not the way to go about doing it.

• offer alarm-clock ability to wake from sleep and play iTunes for example and have a simple countdown with an alarm too
Do a Google for "iTaf". Freeware. I use it every morning.
• better speech recognition
It's pretty damn good as it is, and Tiger's is improving. It's not as if Windows has anything even worth mentioning in this particular field...
• be able to customize the computer speaking voice or have a bigger selection (at the moment there is only one that sounds decent)
Tiger has a few more, and they sound pretty good; in addition you can customize them quite a bit now (including tone, rate of speech, vowels, etc.).
• have a popup like the volume and brightness floaters for the change of keyboard language instead of a symbol in the menu bar
The bezels are for systemwide functionality including brightness, volume, and Bluetooth system detection. Language settings are decided on a per-user basis, and therefore would not make sense to fit here.

• be able to isync entire home directories between computers
I believe Tiger might let you do this, but don't know for sure.

• be able to have a transparent dock as an option
Try TinkerTool or Cocktail; Cocktail is free.

• be able to choose whether programs stay open or quit after closing the window (for example I want preview and quicktime to quit after closing and calculator to stay open)
Bingo. I say this should just be DECIDED once and for all. Metal apps should quit when every window is closed, and Aqua (white) apps should remain open. Something, anyway. There needs to be a standard way of doing things. Calculator makes sense to me, as it's A calculator. What always annoyed me was Activity Monitor for some reason, because I close the main "activity monitor" window and the program still takes up CPU.

iChat
• ichat to be able to use nicknames instead of full names out of the adress book
• ichat to use tabs
• ichat to use msn
• re-login after lost connection
• profile option
• be able to have only pictures in the buddy list (bigger pictures but still a slimmer buddy list)
• ichat not to save each conversation as its own file but rather one file per contact/buddy

As most people have said, Adium will give you all of these abilities (well, nearly all, anyway). iChat is far from perfect, but it gets the job done relatively well. I don't like its logging system, and used Adium religiously for many months, but now am going back to iChat because I don't really care that much about tabs anymore--with Exposé, you can see all your conversations easily enough anyway...

iPhoto
• iphoto to get more filters or at least the ones preview has, like mirroring for exampl

With Core Image in Tiger, this might very well happen; there will be an extensible image plugin library that anyone will be able to write to and programs such as Preview and iPhoto might be able to utilize all of them (much in the way that GarageBand is able to use ANY Audio Unit plugin, regardless of who made it)
iTunes
• be able to change the delete option with tab (from no to yes)
I think this should just be changed, period. How often do you delete something and want to keep the original file? Either way, Command-Y for Yes and Escape for cancel. Works for me.

• functionality like synergy, synergy is not as responsive as I'd like it too be and crashes from time to time
With Dashboard, Apple's got an iTunes controller, but I guarantee we will be seeing tons of new exciting ones that possibly put even Synergy to shame :)
• iTMS --> offer possibility to dl songs in a quality up to 320 k/bit offer artwork with the songs and song text then I would buy all my stuff at iTMS not just some
128k is enough for most people; while I would prefer to download 160 or 192 AACs, I recognize that it's easier for Apple to deal with the smallest file sizes possible, and 128k AAC sounds GOOD. People who stress out about losing a slight bit of quality shouldn't be buying digital downloads to begin with; I mean, come on. You sacrifice something, and in the case of most people, the slight reduction in quality is not an issue. I, too, can recognize the slight difference between a 192 AAC and an original CD, but do I care? 128k sounds fine for the vast majority of people, and so it is what Apple went with. If you buy your own CDs, you're welcome to rip them at whatever bitrate you desire, but it's more expensive to do that.

Mail
• scheduled sending of emails
• be able to send video mails with an isight
Scheduled sending would be nice, I guess... but who on earth would ever be able to receive a VIDEO EMAIL? Do you have any idea of the file sizes involved? I run my own domain and have unlimited email space, but would never think of sending video files through email! Keep in mind that many people are still on dialup!

Safari
• to be able to select a tab right after creation, not having to wait for a partial load
Why? What possible purpose does this serve?

Stickies
• be able to show only one but have more in the background without having to export them to a text file
• be able to stick one to the desktop so it cannot be moved easily
Double-click on the top bar of the sticky note and it will collapse; maybe this will do?
As for sticking it on the desktop, try choosing a sticky note and going to Note--> Floating Window. It can still be moved, but it is always visible above all other open windows.

Adress Book
• if you don't know the first name of someone but put in Dr. and no first name it won't show the doctor in the name list of the cards. This is annoying the hell out of me because often I don't know the first name of a person but would like identify them by their title
A fair criticism. Apple should be utilizing the "Title" tags properly; this sort of thing is almost definitely going to be a part of Tiger's Spotlight technology.

iCal
• ical to resize to former size after info is closed just like it gets smaller to show info
• let iCal remind me to call someone or send an email at a specific time opening mail etc. with the right email adress already etc. opening adressbook showing the telephone number that I need to call

The way you describe it here is more logical, but Apple usually figures people can remember things themselves I guess. If you've got someone's email address already up, and you know you have to call them, do you really want an incessant reminder to do so? Basically, if you have to be following all the possible steps to get you TO the contact info you have to interact with, it seems like the Mac OS' "Assistant" would step in too late anyway. For most people, if you get to someone's email address, having something say "SEND FILE ON MONDAY" would just get annoying. I dunno.

Quicktime
• playlist for movies
• give me controls while in full screen mode
• remember volume after closing
For playlists, try MPlayer; and it's true, controls would be nice in full-screen mode. Volume is set on a per-movie basis, but this can and probably should be changed, the more I think about it.

[JFreak]

If you answer my questions at least try to be serious. I mean seriously, as I have written before I know that there are hacks out there it's just that most of them don't work without hickups. And I for example have never gotten transparent dock to work flawlessly. If you have, lucky you.

And for my pet peeve with the closing option... come on. You do know that if I hit close window in calculator it QUITS the app right? Of course you knew that, you were just trying to be funny right?

And when I say be able to send video mails, then I mean implement it in an app and don't make me record it via iMovie and then send it as an attachment.

But thanks for the language tip, I figured that out in the process of this thread, but thanks again. Wasn't too hard, weird that I missed it.

i didn't mean to be funny, sorry if it seemed like that ;) i myself have had zero trouble with transparentdock and video desktop backgrounds, nor has anyone i know in real life.

the closing of app windows really has to stay the way it is - there's absolutely zero reason to make it a user preference which would confuse many and only few people would benefit from it. i think calculator is "the exception that makes the rule" (i'm not sure if this saying translates, but in finnish we have such saying anyway)... it is just a good thing that apps will not close themselves unless told to, and it's not so hard to hit apple-q to quit an app, is it?

and video email? can you describe what you want? i think i didn't quite understand. do you think that when you compose email there should be a "record video message" button so you could automatically attach such a file? do you think there should be a "record audio message" also? don't you think that email app should be about recording text messages? and as i said, there's only so much you can currently send via email, usually 2MB is safe and most email servers reject +10MB files... how much video do you think you could fit into 2MB? currently there just isn't a feasible way to deliver video via email, but maybe that's just me. once the transfer rates are fast enough i believe the whole email system gets a major revamp.

[sparky76]

My request is a very simple one. My Windows machines beep when I press Caps Lock, so I do not end up with HALF A PARAGRAPH OF CAPITALS. Why can't OS X have this option?

[jefhatfield]

I would also love to hear what kind of annoyances or wishes other people have
with/for OSX and if you guys actually write to Apple about them.



for everyday user friendliness, os x is better than os 9...but that's what apple inc had in mind...pro users of the graphic design industry though have felt a slow evolution of os x to their needs

back end font management control could be better in os x

and

better relationship with input of pre press industry who still uses os 9

[Bluefusion]

for everyday user friendliness, os x is better than os 9...but that's what apple inc had in mind...pro users of the graphic design industry though have felt a slow evolution of os x to their needs

back end font management control could be better in os x

and

better relationship with input of pre press industry who still uses os 9

Please don't quote a monstrous paragraph unless you have to respond to specific points; thanks.

[Bluefusion]

My request is a very simple one. My Windows machines beep when I press Caps Lock, so I do not end up with HALF A PARAGRAPH OF CAPITALS. Why can't OS X have this option?

Look at the screen? That is, after all, where the typing goes...

The Caps Lock key also lights up very brightly, if you're looking at the keyboard.

It's true, Windows has lots of "features" where Apple has simply assumed that most people just... do things the normal way. Like looking at the screen.

As for passwords, Apple does provide visual notification that the Caps Lock key is on when typing them in.

[jefhatfield]

Please don't quote a monstrous paragraph unless you have to respond to specific points; thanks.

he he...i guess the first post in this thread was quite a bit to quote ;)

i snipped it accordingly

also, i would like to see a version of os x for professionals which would be faster by not having as much eye candy on it

[Bluefusion]

he he...i guess the first post in this thread was quite a bit to quote ;)

i snipped it accordingly

also, i would like to see a version of os x for professionals which would be faster by not having as much eye candy on it

Heh, thanks; that just gets on my nerves :)

On a faster machine (pro-level, like a PowerBook or G5), OS X is incredibly fast... I mean, it's always been fast on whatever the highest-end systems have been. The eye candy isn't what's slowing it down; the Finder is the main sloooooowpoke in my experience. OS X could definitely benefit from some serious optimization of the actual Finder and applications, rather than the system itself (which is unbelievably fast; try the command line sometime!). Windows may always have faster window resizing, but it also does window resizing in a very different way, and Longhorn probably will be quite slow with all the visuals enabled.

I want a G5 ;)

[Diatribe]

First off, I really apreciate you took the time to read my entire post and actually respond to a lot I wrote.


Do a Google for "iTaf". Freeware. I use it every morning.

Thanks I will try that.

The bezels are for systemwide functionality including brightness, volume, and Bluetooth system detection. Language settings are decided on a per-user basis, and therefore would not make sense to fit here.

Yeah, but I usually write in more than two languages per day and it's just bugs me to have it in the menu bar, but I guess that is just me and I admit that it is a very personal gripe. :D

128k is enough for most people; while I would prefer to download 160 or 192 AACs, I recognize that it's easier for Apple to deal with the smallest file sizes possible, and 128k AAC sounds GOOD. People who stress out about losing a slight bit of quality shouldn't be buying digital downloads to begin with; I mean, come on. You sacrifice something, and in the case of most people, the slight reduction in quality is not an issue. I, too, can recognize the slight difference between a 192 AAC and an original CD, but do I care? 128k sounds fine for the vast majority of people, and so it is what Apple went with. If you buy your own CDs, you're welcome to rip them at whatever bitrate you desire, but it's more expensive to do that.

Yep, I could, but you know not all songs on a CD are great. :D
No, seriously, 320 AAC is a very marginal loss and I think Apple should at least offer it as an option. After all they marketed their xgrids as the cheapest storage around. So show us. And give us 1 GB of .mac storage too while you're at it.

Scheduled sending would be nice, I guess... but who on earth would ever be able to receive a VIDEO EMAIL? Do you have any idea of the file sizes involved? I run my own domain and have unlimited email space, but would never think of sending video files through email! Keep in mind that many people are still on dialup!

I see your point, I guess that was kind of a stupid request. I take full responsibility for that. :D

Why? What possible purpose does this serve?

It would enhance my work speed, since I wouldn't have to wait for being able to click it or clck it more than once.

Double-click on the top bar of the sticky note and it will collapse; maybe this will do?
As for sticking it on the desktop, try choosing a sticky note and going to Note--> Floating Window. It can still be moved, but it is always visible above all other open windows.

Yeah, I know that. I guess I just have too many that not even collapsing is good enough. :D And I would like to stick just ONE to the desktop, but oh well.

The way you describe it here is more logical, but Apple usually figures people can remember things themselves I guess. If you've got someone's email address already up, and you know you have to call them, do you really want an incessant reminder to do so? Basically, if you have to be following all the possible steps to get you TO the contact info you have to interact with, it seems like the Mac OS' "Assistant" would step in too late anyway. For most people, if you get to someone's email address, having something say "SEND FILE ON MONDAY" would just get annoying. I dunno.

The way I mean it is just to show you a person related todo item when the person is online, etc. I just forget to ask people stuff when I talk to them and remember it afterwards.

For playlists, try MPlayer; and it's true, controls would be nice in full-screen mode. Volume is set on a per-movie basis, but this can and probably should be changed, the more I think about it.

Yeah, got mplayer, I just would like to have the same functionality in QT too.

[Diatribe]

i didn't mean to be funny, sorry if it seemed like that ;) i myself have had zero trouble with transparentdock and video desktop backgrounds, nor has anyone i know in real life.

the closing of app windows really has to stay the way it is - there's absolutely zero reason to make it a user preference which would confuse many and only few people would benefit from it. i think calculator is "the exception that makes the rule" (i'm not sure if this saying translates, but in finnish we have such saying anyway)... it is just a good thing that apps will not close themselves unless told to, and it's not so hard to hit apple-q to quit an app, is it?

and video email? can you describe what you want? i think i didn't quite understand. do you think that when you compose email there should be a "record video message" button so you could automatically attach such a file? do you think there should be a "record audio message" also? don't you think that email app should be about recording text messages? and as i said, there's only so much you can currently send via email, usually 2MB is safe and most email servers reject +10MB files... how much video do you think you could fit into 2MB? currently there just isn't a feasible way to deliver video via email, but maybe that's just me. once the transfer rates are fast enough i believe the whole email system gets a major revamp.

Hehe, good. :D No harm done.
And yes, you are absolutely right. The idea with the video mails was kind of immature and not very well thought about. My bad.
And the videobackground would be nice to have using core video because as of right now, the ones that are on the market use way to many resources.

Oh and if that was serious... thanks for your input. :)

[JFreak]

And the videobackground would be nice to have using core video because as of right now, the ones that are on the market use way to many resources.

gpu only calculates pixels to be shown, not the content, so there's nothing you can do about it; video is video and processed by cpu - that's why you need minimum of about 300MHz G3 for flawless viewing of a dvd movie.

you could - if properly implemented - use corevideo for adding a real-time filter effect (processed by the gpu) on top of dvd/quicktime video, but the video nevertheless eats cpu cycles.

i think those background hacks let you put anything quicktime can open to the desktop, plus the system screensaver. i don't remember, as i tried it and decided that i don't want to look at moving desktop. in my opinion it takes focus off the app that i work with. and, as you said, that unnecessarily consumes cpu cycles.

[JFreak]

Longhorn probably will be quite slow with all the visuals enabled.

The Longshot may not even have the new gui in 2006...

[Vanilla]

This may appear very minor but it IS irritating.

in Windows the calculator has a "digit grouping" option, which adds separators to long numbers:
e.g. 123456789 would be displayed as 123,456,789

Well I've looked all over the calculator function in OSX and I cannot find an equivalent.

As I say, minor but irritating.

Vanilla

[Diatribe]

gpu only calculates pixels to be shown, not the content, so there's nothing you can do about it; video is video and processed by cpu - that's why you need minimum of about 300MHz G3 for flawless viewing of a dvd movie.

you could - if properly implemented - use corevideo for adding a real-time filter effect (processed by the gpu) on top of dvd/quicktime video, but the video nevertheless eats cpu cycles.

i think those background hacks let you put anything quicktime can open to the desktop, plus the system screensaver. i don't remember, as i tried it and decided that i don't want to look at moving desktop. in my opinion it takes focus off the app that i work with. and, as you said, that unnecessarily consumes cpu cycles.

Yeah, I guess it would only be possible with backgrounds that would not move a whole lot and with a G6. :D
Oh well, I just got carried away. ;)