Apple Confirms Dashboard is Going Away After 14 Years

[EVGabe]

Press F to pay respects

 

[Jupeman]

Sigh. Add me to the list of long time users that will be sad to see Dashboard go away. I had a widget that connected to my security camera so every time someone came down the driveway I could hit one button and instantly see who was in the driveway. I also used Dashboard for quick Thesaurus work and quick measurement conversions.

Launchpad is the useless OS feature that I do not understand. Why is it still around?

 

[Jandalf]

Only used it for the Calculator Widget, so I can easily move to an app...

BUT dashboard never bothered me as it was well hidden so why not keep it for all the heavier users? It’s not clogging up other stuff, is it?

 

[Micky Do]

I happen to find Dashboard very useful. Boo.

Me too, I use Dashboard every day, sometimes several times a day to:
- check exchange rates
- convert weights and measures (wouldn't need to if the US joined the rest of the world)
- check the time in my home country and a couple of other time zones
- use iStats to monitor my computer
- check weather forecast a week ahead
- use the iTunes Timer to put my computer to sleep after I go to bed listening to on-line radio
- listen to a range of BBC radio stations
- check the phases of the moon
...... and more.

Poll here for those interested:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/poll-dashboard-should-be.2184526/

 

[thawk9455]

How about no. I have no patience having to find these app in the Finder

I think you'd find two solutions that are generally much faster than Launch Pad has ever been for me.

First, Spotlight is a phenomenal app launcher. Just hit Command - Space, start typing the name of the app and once it is selected, hit enter. Hands never have to leave the keyboard.

Second, we've always added the Applications folder to the dock for every user. One click and you get a mini Launchpad without covering everything on your screen.

 

[1146331]

I'm disappointed, I use it sometimes. Occasionally.

 

[mixel]

I use it everyday for currency conversion.
Can someone suggest a currency conversion app/wiget alternative that as convenience as the dashboard ?

I’ve previously typed things like “15ukp to usd” into google and it just pops up the amount (and more)

I just tried the same in Siri.. also works. Just say “7000 US dollars to pounds” or whatever. It’s.. different to what you’re used to but it works. I guess Siri replaces a lot of widgets, why do I need to see the time in 8 countries when I can “hey Siri what time is is in Hong Kong.” Etc.
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Sigh. Add me to the list of long time users that will be sad to see Dashboard go away. I had a widget that connected to my security camera so every time someone came down the driveway I could hit one button and instantly see who was in the driveway. I also used Dashboard for quick Thesaurus work and quick measurement conversions.

Launchpad is the useless OS feature that I do not understand. Why is it still around?

I find it funny that so many of the dashboard fans want launchpad removed, and launchpad fans want dashboard removed.. and a bunch of different people want both removed. I have no problem with removals but I’d really like launchpad kept, it’s one of the easiest ways to organise things. Useful if you have loads of apps.
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I think you'd find two solutions that are generally much faster than Launch Pad has ever been for me.

First, Spotlight is a phenomenal app launcher. Just hit Command - Space, start typing the name of the app and once it is selected, hit enter. Hands never have to leave the keyboard.

Second, we've always added the Applications folder to the dock for every user. One click and you get a mini Launchpad without covering everything on your screen.

I have too many apps, some really specialised to remember all their names. A lot of people sort and recognise things visually by their icons. Applications folder becomes a mess when it has too much in. Stick it in the dock isn’t great as a launcher if you have to scroll for ages.

With launchpad you can put them in folders by category/app type much more easily.

 

[jsmith189]

I use Launchpad frequently. Blasphemous that removing it is even being mentioned.

 

[Reason077]

All the information is in Notification Center now

Sure it is. All the information is on the web too. And in apps. But none of them are as fast, as configurable, or easy to access as Dashboard!

 

[swamprock]

Dashboard was a me-too rip-off of Konfabulator (which was later acquired by Yahoo, just to die a slow and lonely death, exactly like Dashboard does now.

I still have konfabulator and a bunch of old widgets archived on my server. I should fire up my old Sawtooth with Jaguar and revisit it sometime...

 

[Ankaa]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! :'(

I use it like hell!

Notification center isn't on par on the Mac, not even close to being as clear and easy access, particularly with the different tabs you can't change with gestures.

I have a ton of sticky notes on dashboard, too. World clock. Currency rates. Calculator. Measurement converter (lengths etc., as a European living in the US this is a life saver)

This is stupid. It's not hurting anyone.

 

[sdf]

Now just waiting to get rid go Launchpad

Maybe in another 14 years. Right now it's a critical part of macOS to many.

 

[groove-agent]

I too am going to wait to upgrade to Catalina. The only thing that would change my mind is if some really cool iPad apps showed up in MacOS.

If that happened, I'd look into some sort of solution for Dashboard. Someone had an interesting idea of finding a bunch of equivalent apps and loading them into a space. You could then use mouse gestures or keyboard shortcut to invoke that space.

I think this is right. However, there's a small fraction of users — like me — who have gone to great lengths to keep Dashboard up and running, despite Apple making it increasingly difficult to do. I was using FunctionFlip on my non-Touch Bar 15", and on my Touch Bar model (which collected dust for about a year until I had to start using it lately), it has a dedicated key.

Between this and dropping support for 32 bit apps, which is understandable but makes me wince, I won't be upgrading to Catalina. This marks the first time in about 30 years of being a Mac user for me not to upgrade the OS.

Will I be in the minority? Absolutely. Does Apple care one bit about that minority? Nope. Is that OK and their decision? Yup.

 

[groove-agent]

Remember folks that the new architecture for Catalina (in order to run iPadOS apps) will not support Dashboard widgets. So it's not directly a choice not to support it, they probably won't work. I can't remember if it's a 64 bit thing or a webkit thing.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! :'(

I use it like hell!

Notification center isn't on par on the Mac, not even close to being as clear and easy access, particularly with the different tabs you can't change with gestures.

I have a ton of sticky notes on dashboard, too. World clock. Currency rates. Calculator. Measurement converter (lengths etc., as a European living in the US this is a life saver)

This is stupid. It's not hurting anyone.

 

[bunnyhero]

For you Dashboard lovers out there, you can convert your current widgets to applications using the now unsupported Amnesty Singles utility. Just google it....

oh nice, thanks! i see the developer has open-sourced it too, in case anyone was feeling ambitious about keeping it up to date with macOS changes

 

[Carlanga]

For you Dashboard lovers out there, you can convert your current widgets to applications using the now unsupported Amnesty Singles utility. Just google it....

64 bit application? if not then it wont run in the new OS AFAIK

 

[Reason077]

BUT dashboard never bothered me as it was well hidden so why not keep it for all the heavier users? It’s not clogging up other stuff, is it?

Perhaps the real issue is the maintenance burden it placed on WebKit because of all the special hooks and hacks needed to keep supporting Dashboard?

Hopefully we'll see some sort of Dashboard replacement - if not from Apple then a third party - which uses SwiftUI instead of WebKit, with "widgets" just being real, lightweight apps.

 

[rumorsdan]

Use it every day.

currency conversion, calculator, metric conversions, world clock, calendar, weather, postcode lookup and local tv guide.

 

[groove-agent]

You have to admit that it's amazing that so many people still use it considering these widgets haven't been developed/ updated for years.

 

[fairuz]

Biggest problem with Dashboard, is that you couldn't "sticky" a widget or widgets on your desktop.

There was an easy-to-exploit glitch that let you do that, something to do with dragging and switching out of Dashboard, I forget. Or you use some pref editing tool.
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Information at a glance without needing to load an app, obviously.

I suspect you are also confused by what a notification centres purpose is.

Look, I used Dashboard when it first came out, which is probably when it was most useful. It was really cool, but after a lot of trying, I couldn't make it any better than just leaving apps loaded. We have windows, tabs, Spaces, minimizing, and hide/show, already more than enough ways to manage what you look at.

The one advantage is that some Dashboard widgets don't have a regular app counterpart for whatever reason. But they could. Sad that plenty will probably die; I wish Apple could leave it in as a deprecated feature, but I know that isn't their way.

 

[homohurre123]

I think it's a Shame I hoped for a big revival of dashboard. Since catalyst makes iOS Apps Run on mac and widgets getting more important in iPadOs
I hoped they would count 1 and 1 together and give us iOS Widgets in dashboard...

 

[Reason077]

I think it's a Shame I hoped for a big revival of dashboard. Since catalyst makes iOS Apps Run on mac and widgets getting more important in iPadOs

I agree. Maybe a future macOS will get an improved, full-screen notification centre like iPadOS has.

Maybe the "today" view in notification center will be split off and become the new dashboard. The today/notifications split in notification center is a broken design, IMO.

 

[john123]

This sums all us users relying on an arcane app or function to complete a workflow or boost efficiency.
Despite all bad words about Windows, at the very least Windows 10 still has a dedicated 32-bit version and 64-bit version still supports 32-bit app. I’d say in this regard Microsoft is better on supporting existing users than Apple.

The sad thing to me is how totally unnecessary it is. Sometimes in the name of progress you have to kill something earlier than some users might like. That’s frustrating but understandable. This Dashboard situation isn’t that. It’s not a resource hog, and it’s not like maintaining it as-is would be a big dev drain. (Edit: on second thought, given Catalina, I guess it would take some effort.)

You could argue that its concept of spaces and overlays is incompatible with Apple’s future vision of how desktops and displays should look and function. But if that’s the case (and I think it is), we’re right back at Apple’s arrogance on product.

The number of questionable product-based decisions in recent years is rather interesting. When you’re the up and comer, you can define a product with a narrow and even draconian strategy and pick your niches. When you’re a monopoly or duopoly play, these things catch up with you eventually.

 

[bv36533]

Looks like some dev will be gettin my money for making an alternative for this!

I'll be the first to buy it. I use it almost every day. I'm going to miss the Whoopee cushion

 

[Shirasaki]

It’s not a resource hog, and it’s not like maintaining it as-is would be a big dev drain. (Edit: on second thought, given Catalina, I guess it would take some effort.)

Yes. Depending on how the dashboard was originally coded, removing 32-bit support may be the one major reason why Dashboard is axed. Perhaps a big chunk of its components are 32-bit? And Apple telemetry shows less than 0.1% of total mac user base are actively using it? We may never know.