Apple Engineers Confirmed Color Icons Finder/Mail Toolbars

[3282868]

Wow, I am surprised to have just received this from Apple (possible NDA risk by posting, but given the many complaints I thought the info would be better than any repercussions):

Hello XXXXXXX,

This is a follow up to Bug ID# 9455461. After further investigation it has been determined that this is a known issue, which is currently being investigated by engineering. This issue has been filed in our bug database under the original Bug ID# 8645128. The original bug number being used to track this duplicate issue can be found in the Related Problem section of your bug report's Problem Detail view.

Thank you for submitting this bug report. We truly appreciate your assistance in helping us discover and isolate bugs.

Original Report Filed:

Summary:
Grey/Monotone Finder sidebar icons and arrangement impedes workflow. Adding color, improved icon indentification or user options allowing personal preferences (such as Blue versus Graphite) would expedite workflow due to the ability in quickly identifying icons/locations/etc. As it stands, Finder and Mail do not benefit from monotone icons. This has been an issue discussed at great length on the developer forums as many of us generally agree.

Steps to Reproduce:

Expected Results:
Graphical modifications to Finder (and Mail) monotone sidebar icons, allowing quicker/easier identification through color additions or improved discrepancy between icons, thus expediting workflow.

 

[msh]

That sounds like a stock reply. I think you are reading more into their response than is there.

 

[jameslmoser]

That sounds like a stock reply. I think you are reading more into their response than is there.

Yeah, this basically just says someone else already filed this as a bug, so they are saying yours is a duplicate. It doesn't say apple engineers agree with the posting or are doing anything about it.

 

[3282868]

Normally I might agree, but as I have ~15 bug reports open, only three have ever been given a response. Apple engineers do not write regarding a bug report unless they are actively working on it. For example, there was a bug in Safari ML in which links were not linked, required refreshing the webpage to make links active. Apple wrote me, in the same manner, and asked to follow up on the matter further. I did, working with a specific engineer. The same happened with power kexts causing kernel panics.

Engineers do not write emails directly to developers regarding open bugs unless they are actively working on a solution. I have yet to receive emails for the majority of the bugs I have filed that are listed as open and known.

ML engineers seem to be listening to the complaints regarding MC, Expose, Spaces, Versions (the last DP included unchecking that option), color icons, OpenGL improvements, and iCloud integration. It seems Lion will stay as is, and the feedback from Lion is being considered by the engineers for ML.

 

[Bear]

Stock reply for a duplicate bug.

All bug reports get looked at by someone and if they determine it's a duplicate, that's what you get. If not, they have more procedure to follow and then it waits to be worked on by an engineer.

 

[3282868]

Stock reply for a duplicate bug.

All bug reports get looked at by someone and if they determine it's a duplicate, that's what you get. If not, they have more procedure to follow and then it waits to be worked on by an engineer.

If that's the case, why haven't I received stock replies for the majority of my open and known bugs that are marked duplicates since developing for over 7 years? I'll shoot a screen shot. The times I have received emails, even if it is stock, they are almost always followed by another requesting further investigation on my end in resolving the matter.

I've also found that other developers received similar emails today. The filed bug this references was filed a few months back. Why now? Why that bug when I have so many more open, acknowledged and listed as duplicates?

(and I'm really asking, not being rhetorical )

 

[thejadedmonkey]

I would upgrade to ML for color icons alone.

 

[Peace]

There's probably 1000 feature requests on this already.
I have 3 or 4 feature requests listed as duplicates including gray icons.

 

[3282868]

There's probably 1000 feature requests on this already.
I have 3 or 4 feature requests listed as duplicates including gray icons.

So do I, since Lion DP1, but this is the first time I received an email regarding it. Just got another requesting further feedback on UI improvements (which is normally unheard of). I've only received a handful of direct emails from engineers regarding my filed bugs, which leads me to suspect Apple is considering it.

 

[simbasounds]

SideEffects Colorful Sidebar

My installer, SideEffects brings color back Lion / Mountain Lion Finder sidebars.
It uses SIMBL (not popular with some) and ColorfulSidebar.

It's been a bumpy upgrade to Mountain Lion, but it's pretty much there now.
Decide for yourselves by reading the comments on MacUpdate.