Apple Asking Feedback for Leopard 9A499

MacRumors · Aug 14, 2007, 07:08 PM

Apple mailed out a survey link for ADC developers asking for feedback on the current Leopard seed (9A499).

The survey is actually asking developers for a comparison between Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard and the shipping version of Mac OS X Tiger (10.4):

Quote:

This survey is intended to allow you to compare your experiences using Mac OS X Leopard Build 9A499 and a shipping version of Mac OS X Tiger (10.4.x). Please rate all the areas that you have used in 9A499.

The survey provides comparison choices of

- Much Worse
- Somewhat worse
- About the same
- Somewhat better
- Much better

on a wide range of Mac OS X tools and features. The described areas of comparison are broken down into Mail & Web, Graphics & Media, Setup & Mobility, Desktop & Interface, Productivity & Communication, and Sharing & Devices.

You must be an ADC developer to participate in the survey (verified by email).

Apple is expected to ship the final version of Mac OS X Leopard (10.5) in October.

Article Link

Vidd · Aug 14, 2007, 07:11 PM

It looks as if they're cutting it close if they're not going to delay it further.
It's mid-August already but it's a good opportunity.

arn · Aug 14, 2007, 07:13 PM

yeah, not sure how much meaningful feedback and changes they can make for something like this.

(by october)

arn

swingerofbirch · Aug 14, 2007, 07:18 PM

I'm an online ADC member and didn't receive this. I guess they only want people with hands on experience to rate it.

galstaph · 07:22 PM

premier and select adc only I assume?
Does this mean they believe they are close to a final version? (please please) Any guesses on a date yet? (other than in october)

Luis · Aug 14, 2007, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by galstaph

premier and select adc only I assume?

Would guess so...

Quote:

Originally Posted by galstaph

Does this mean they believe they are close to a final version? (please please)

They have to be in the final version or really really close to it if they are going to release it in october.

puuukeey · Aug 14, 2007, 07:38 PM

feature creep?

bottom line for me? I'm really not that excited for the actual release. I'm more interested in what people will do with core animation. I hope to god someone does with it what apple should have done a while ago and start chipping away at the desktop metaphor.

take a look at the feature list. what are you excited for?

PlaceofDis · Aug 14, 2007, 07:25 PM

i'm guessing that at this point the finishing touches are being worked on for Leopard and that if they see something though this sort of survey they can act rather quickly since its a focal point. at least i'd hope so.

gnasher729 · Aug 15, 2007, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swingerofbirch

I'm an online ADC member and didn't receive this. I guess they only want people with hands on experience to rate it.

Since you can't legally have a copy of Leopard and post here about it, it would be rather pointless to ask for your opinion about it, wouldn't it?

Random Ping · Aug 15, 2007, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swingerofbirch

I'm an online ADC member and didn't receive this. I guess they only want people with hands on experience to rate it.

Have you downloaded and installed the latest beta? Maybe Apple tracks that and only sent out email to those who have installed it. Or maybe Apple just sent out email to a random sample of developers.

Don't know. I got one though.

hayesk · Aug 15, 2007, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Random Ping

Have you downloaded and installed the latest beta? Maybe Apple tracks that and only sent out email to those who have installed it. Or maybe Apple just sent out email to a random sample of developers.

It's probably those ADC members who either have been to WWDC or have a software Seed Key. It is possible for an online user to receive a seed key from a Select member.

Luis · Aug 14, 2007, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arn

yeah, not sure how much meaningful feedback and changes they can make for something like this.

(by october)

arn

Agree.

What can they do if dev's tell them the new finder (or whatever other big feature) sucks? re-write it?

cliffjumper68 · Aug 15, 2007, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luis

Agree.

What can they do if dev's tell them the new finder (or whatever other big feature) sucks? re-write it?

These are typical polishing moves for look and feel. I think this is an effort to find any rough spots still in the software. Good job Apple!

Fairly · Aug 15, 2007, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luis

What can they do if dev's tell them the new finder (or whatever other big feature) sucks? re-write it?

Good question. Of course Finder has sucked for almost ten years now and that hasn't stopped them.

MagnusVonMagnum · Aug 15, 2007, 02:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arn

yeah, not sure how much meaningful feedback and changes they can make for something like this.

(by october)

arn

I think you're missing the point. The idea is they want a COMPARISON of various changed features between Leopard and Tiger. I believe the idea is if people think a new feature 'sucks' then maybe they'll either switch said feature back to Tiger's functionality (for now until they can address it in a future version of Leopard) or maybe at least offer some kind of preference option.

One thing that comes to mind to me is the new 'stacks' system. It looked great on the keynote, but as subsequent testing has shown, if you have more than a few applications, for example, it will look like CRAP from the dock. Compare this to Tiger's functionality where if you hold down the mouse on the application folder in the dock, it presents something VERY VERY similar to the Windows style "Start Menu" whereby you can view the contents of the folder in a menu style list and branch off to view sub-folders and it will scroll up and down. Stacks just make a big mess if there's too many items in a given folder, looking more like a convoluted finder page in a pop-up bubble than something nice and orderly like was apparently intended. Personally, I'd prefer Tiger's scroll menu style to a big mess in Leopard.

I'd be voting 'roll it back for now' until they can come up with something more orderly to do with folders that have dozens of things in them or at LEAST offer the OPTION of using the old style. Really, I think Mac OS should have a lot more styling type options to pick from to begin with.

As nice as MacOS is, I can't help but feel it's also a little like McDonald's. If you don't like it 'their' way (the McSteve way?), you're going to be waiting a LOOOOONG time to get it your way, if at all. They ought to be more like Wendy's, made fresh to order with fresh beef, never frozen! Or better yet like Ruby Tuesday, hand-crafted and made to order with ground sirloin.

System Preferences should be greatly expanded, IMO so you can set MacOS to be YOUR way.

offwidafairies · Aug 15, 2007, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arn

yeah, not sure how much meaningful feedback and changes they can make for something like this.

(by october)

arn

yeah i agree, but asking for feedback is a positive thing anyhoo...
maybe they want to start working on 10.6

ipedro · Aug 14, 2007, 07:23 PM

October 31st @ 11:59 PST

Mac-Addict · Aug 14, 2007, 07:25 PM

Lol I sent one using a random name I found on Apple Pr Mr Todd Wilder I put the email as twilder@mac.com hehe

jrk07 · Aug 14, 2007, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mac-Addict

Lol I sent one using a random name I found on Apple Pr Mr Todd Wilder I put the email as twilder@mac.com hehe

um....why?

macguy59 · Aug 14, 2007, 07:33 PM

I sure hope they get enough feedback on the desktop and interface. The transparent menu bar and new dock needs to be configurable. <ie> Be able to change it back to 10.4.x style.

zzcoop · Aug 14, 2007, 07:36 PM

Maybe they should've tried this before releasing the new iMovie.

Stike · Aug 14, 2007, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macguy59

I sure hope they get enough feedback on the desktop and interface. The transparent menu bar and new dock needs to be configurable. <ie> Be able to change it back to 10.4.x style.

Never.
Apple will make sure that there will be no disaster like "Windows XP in Win 2000 look" just for the sake of it, or, gasp, to even save some CPU cycles! No way!

They want a unified look, and such an option would work against it... IF it is possible, probably only in a hidden way, Tinkertool-style.

aliquis- · Aug 15, 2007, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macguy59

I sure hope they get enough feedback on the desktop and interface. The transparent menu bar and new dock needs to be configurable. <ie> Be able to change it back to 10.4.x style.

The menubar have been all the time, and I think the new dock looks better.

Mac-Addict · Aug 14, 2007, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrk07

um....why?

heh just for jokes.. I'm bored...

DOUGHNUT · Aug 14, 2007, 07:38 PM

ummmm...shouldn't they have done this type of survey much earlier? considering they probably have 1 month left for development and polishing before the software goes gold, what if the response they get is largely negative?

i have a feeling that they saw the large negative response from iMovie, and they're trying to make sure it doesn't happen to leopard as well.

Aug 14, 2007, 07:18 PM	#4
swingerofbirch macrumors 68000 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: The Amalgamated States of Central North America	I'm an online ADC member and didn't receive this. I guess they only want people with hands on experience to rate it. __________________ Blog of Failure After using a PC all day, coming home to my Mac is like a tall, cold glass of peach iced tea.

Aug 14, 2007, 07:21 PM	#5
galstaph macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: The Great White North Eh	premier and select adc only I assume? Does this mean they believe they are close to a final version? (please please) Any guesses on a date yet? (other than in october) __________________ iBook 12" 1.33ghz; 8gb ipt; early '09 17" 2.66Ghz umbp; '09 Mac Pro 2.26 octad "..unlike some other Robin Hoods, I can speak with an English accent" Last edited by galstaph : Aug 14, 2007 at 07:22 PM. Reason: obvious october reference

Aug 14, 2007, 07:25 PM	#18
Mac-Addict macrumors 65816 Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: London	Lol I sent one using a random name I found on Apple Pr Mr Todd Wilder I put the email as twilder@mac.com hehe __________________ Aluminum 20" iMac 2.0ghz 2gb, 15" Macbook Pro 2.33ghz 3gb, D90 18-105mm 55-200mm 50mm, Silver iPod Shuffle, Black iPhone 3g 16GB

Aug 14, 2007, 07:36 PM	#21
zzcoop macrumors member Join Date: Nov 2003	Nifty idea. Maybe they should've tried this before releasing the new iMovie.

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Aug 14, 2007, 07:11 PM	#2
Vidd macrumors 6502a Join Date: Mar 2006	It looks as if they're cutting it close if they're not going to delay it further. It's mid-August already but it's a good opportunity.

Aug 14, 2007, 07:13 PM	#3
arn macrumors god Join Date: Apr 2001	yeah, not sure how much meaningful feedback and changes they can make for something like this. (by october) arn

Aug 14, 2007, 07:38 PM	#7
puuukeey macrumors 6502 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: tristate area	feature creep? bottom line for me? I'm really not that excited for the actual release. I'm more interested in what people will do with core animation. I hope to god someone does with it what apple should have done a while ago and start chipping away at the desktop metaphor. take a look at the feature list. what are you excited for?

Aug 14, 2007, 07:25 PM	#8
PlaceofDis macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Chicago.	i'm guessing that at this point the finishing touches are being worked on for Leopard and that if they see something though this sort of survey they can act rather quickly since its a focal point. at least i'd hope so.

Aug 14, 2007, 07:23 PM	#17
ipedro macrumors 6502a Join Date: Nov 2004	October 31st @ 11:59 PST

Aug 14, 2007, 07:33 PM	#20
macguy59 macrumors newbie Join Date: Dec 2006	I sure hope they get enough feedback on the desktop and interface. The transparent menu bar and new dock needs to be configurable. <ie> Be able to change it back to 10.4.x style.

Aug 14, 2007, 07:38 PM	#25
DOUGHNUT macrumors regular Join Date: Jan 2006	ummmm...shouldn't they have done this type of survey much earlier? considering they probably have 1 month left for development and polishing before the software goes gold, what if the response they get is largely negative? i have a feeling that they saw the large negative response from iMovie, and they're trying to make sure it doesn't happen to leopard as well.