Apple Releases First Developer Preview of Mac OS X Lion

[whooleytoo]

This is the first compelling reason that I've heard to upgrade to OS X Lion when it will be released. If this is done right, it will be even more of a killer feature than Quick Look or Time Machine.

Repository functionality on the file system level with a good(!) AND friendly(!) user interface really is something that lots of people have been waiting for since... well, ever, actually. This could be really, really awesome.

I very much agree! I thought the initial Lion demo was fairly 'fluffy' and full of eye-candy but nothing that struck me as genuinely useful.

But version-control integrated into the OS? This is excellent. I wonder how the people who made the excellent Versions subversion client feel about it though. Add this, to the auto-save functionality and you have something genuinely useful and productive.

Of course.. all this fades into nothing compared with the big Lion change: resizing windows by the edges. If they move the close button to the top right corner, then the world is truly about to end.

 

[zorinlynx]

Just call them up, explain to them, and they'll queue up all your purchases for you to re-download. They don't advertise that, but they do let you do it.

Is there a reason they don't do this by default?

I mean, they do for iOS apps, why not for music too?

 

[zedsdead]

Did they add print selection yet?

I am not sure about the opposite scrolling like iOS. That should be interesting.

 

[Danekero]

Few initial points of interest:

• Few graphical anomolies on my Macbook w/ GMA965
• Window resizing from all corners/edges is awesome
• You now have to scroll (via gestures) in the opposite direction as you're used to. To scroll down, you put your fingers at the bottom of the trackpad, and move them up.
• UI looks great. All the little improvements and polish really shine through.

Don't know how I feel about this - it'll definitely give me and many other people a headache for a few days, lol. Is there an option to switch it? If not I bet there'll be an app for that, but still.

 

[trunkster]

Is Lion only 64-bit?

 

[kramerica2]

A question about installing the OS. I'm a developer and have access to the download, but does it replace Snow Leopard, or just runs like an app so I can test it?

 

[calderone]

..why?

First, it is a feature we have to strip out. Second, it puts into question support for other features such as Netboot which is critical for mass deployment.

Because it will help put nerdy IT guys -- who once thought they were "God" -- out of jobs.

Please, clicking some buttons and setting up a file share is quite small in the grand scheme of IT.

 

[coder12]

Aaaaand it's already hit the torrent sites it looks like!

 

[Sky Blue]

A question about installing the OS. I'm a developer and have access to the download, but does it replace Snow Leopard, or just runs like an app so I can test it?

For a developer you don't know much about installing an OS.

 

[mohrt]

I'm still considering suing Apple for the $2000 in iTunes purchases I lost when my first snow leopard install destroyed my iMac.

Call support and tell em what happened, They'll likely let you re-download everything one time. You really should back your stuff up anyways B)

 

[Littleodie914]

Thankfully they changed gesture scrolling to match iOS.

Yea, I think that's the reason.

:|

That might be an issue. :|

Is the scrolling direction thing configurable for old-fogies who are afraid of change?

It does not appear to be configurable.

Did all your apps stay and do they work as normal? Also, apparently it's locked to your iTunes account???

I installed to a separate partition, but I am able to launch all my existing Snow Leopard applications without problems.

 

[iCeltic]

Smooth

Server integrated to lion, combine that with the previous news about genius bar for enterprise, and you will find that Apple basically tell the enterprise(at least small-medium one) fire your IT department and buy a mac, saving money in the long term.
Smooth, really smooth

 

[skinnylegs]

I'd like to see what, if any, changes have been made to iCal. I use it throughout the day. If someone could report back, that would be great.

 

[ct2k7]

For a developer you don't know much about installing an OS.

This is an interesting question, but I assume that it's an installer which installs the build over the current install of OS X.

 

[jamied95]

Office 2011 + Version Control? Automagic or will it have to be implemented (aka, not going to happen?)

 

[Littleodie914]

I'd like to see what, if any, changes have been made to iCal. I use it throughout the day. If someone could report back, that would be great.

Pretty significant revamp, at least from a UI perspective.

On that note, Finder received a pretty big overhaul as well. I'm not sure what the NDA allows me to post in terms of screenshots, now that this is somewhat-public information?

 

[Sky Blue]

This is an interesting question, but I assume that it's an installer which installs the build over the current install of OS X.

You assume wrong.

 

[fswmacguy]

Integrated version tracking, built-in server... I am glad to see Apple has not forgotten about developers using it's platform.

 

[Sky Blue]

P I'm not sure what the NDA allows me to post in terms of screenshots, now that this is somewhat-public information?

I'm pretty sure it does, because your awesome and we love you.

 

[Macxor]

Have you noticed any application compatibility issues?

Few initial points of interest:

• Few graphical anomolies on my Macbook w/ GMA965
• Window resizing from all corners/edges is awesome
• You now have to scroll (via gestures) in the opposite direction as you're used to. To scroll down, you put your fingers at the bottom of the trackpad, and move them up.
• UI looks great. All the little improvements and polish really shine through.

 

[ProwlingTiger]

Of course you do

lol

I remembered that as soon as I made my post, but didn't have time to change it before I had to leave.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

A few user interface elements seem to be missing...

Where is the menubar? Where are window titles?

With no menubar, window title, or even application status indicator in the dock, it seems like people may forget which apps are which.

How does one easily go from one full screen application to another? On iOS it's obvious enough, the dedicated hardware home button (either single tap to select any application or a double tap to go to a recent application,) but on a computer you have a whole keyboard... none of these buttons look like an easy "Show me the dock" or "Show me launchpad" button...

Edit: But I absolutely love the idea of versions and auto-save. All that needs to happen now is the whole idea of emptying the trash needs to change... I have a tendency to throw things away and empty my trash and then want them back a few days later... I'm fairly certain the files are still on your hard drive for a while after you empty your trash (unless you secure empty it,) so it'd be nice if I could get them back...

 

[djp2]

Wow! Autosave!!

Apple is as always ahead of its competition. I'm sure other OS's will steal this great new 'autosave' feature as soon as they can.. No more lost documents when Pages or Keynote crashes once again.. And again.

Keep up the good work!

Joke? I see what you did there.

Looks like iMacs will require the Magic trackpad to take advantage of many of these features.

 

[jamied95]

Also, are the close, minimise and maximise going to be inline with the other ui elements (like the app store) or going to be on their own bar (like in SL)?

 

[Small White Car]

Don't know how I feel about this - it'll definitely give me and many other people a headache for a few days, lol. Is there an option to switch it? If not I bet there'll be an app for that, but still.

I bet this hints at hardware that means you won't want to change that behaivor.

Maybe the ability to turn your iPad into a 2nd monitor for a Macbook?

Maybe a Macbook with a touch-enabled screen and a trackpad?

Maybe trackpads with displays on them?

All of these would require you to get used to this method otherwise you'd be constantly confused trying to switch back and forth between scrolling methods depending on where you touch.