All right. 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 f***ing 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?? Bullsh***!)
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).
