Apple Seeds Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) Build 9A500n

[ernestc]

Coming from somebody who has used 10.5 allot!

I don't mean to be negative, but I suspect 10.5 is not the upgrade Steve was hoping for.

I think the fall of Vista combined with the resource constraints of iPhone, et al., has pushed Apple to do a less ambitious upgrade.

I worry that they are looking for developer feedback at this stage. (not just bug reporting) I worry that the state of development is still far off. Bugs are everywhere.

And this is supposed to be released in late October?

Beyond 10.5, I would love to see some more innovation from Apple. e.g. Where is the ability to use your Mac as a virtual headset for your iPhone. This one little feature could be killer...

The above statement sounds like one from somebody who has not used Leopard yet. Once you use it your worries will be subsided.

OK, I am an Apple Select member so have had full legal access to Leopard for a while.

Firstly let me say that those who think apple have scaled back the upgrades in leopard I think you have it wrong. There may be a couple features that have not or will not make it but I think almost everything planed would have made it in.


Many features have not even been talked about on the internet, such as being able to have share points and share a folder as a share point in the Get Info dialog, tick a box your done, or you can add special access privileges for extra non system users for sharing only. Great! These sorts of features are what you will find all over the place as you use the OS.

Also the interface. The translucent menu is fine/great. You won't mind it at all once you start iusing it. At first I was worried about the menu bar and the itunes like finder. But let me tell you, once you have used Leopard there is no way you will want to go back. The finder is excellent. Quick views are great.

The one and only issue I have with leopard is actually the dock. They replaced the black arrow that indicates if an application is open, with an LED which is very hard to see. Nowhere near as clear. Hopefully this is fixed before release.


Over all I can tell you, you will LOVE leopard when it is released. The Finder especially is better than you expect.

 

[anondude]

Menu can look like crap

... and it looks like complete crap with other desktops (like this one that ships with OS X)

 

[ryanw]

it automatically adjusts itself

basically it finds the most used color under it and decides between black or light grey text, then blurs and lightens the image below it

damn.. that's a sure lot of hassle for a worthless transparency. PLEASE PLEASE have an option to disable that... otherwise I'm going through and photoshopping all my backgrounds to have a WHITE BAR at the top. what a pain.

I am a HUGE APPLE FAN BOY... But there's gotta be some point where apple offers options. There are lots of apps that hack osx to do themes and other things. Why can't apple just offer those things to users?

 

[ernestc]

Wonderful............ And, yes, the menu bar is impossible to see with that background, its not a bad screenshot, its totally unusable, and they refuse to fix it...... I don't know WTH is in charge of the UI (actually I do), but they um.... should fix it.

The UI of leopard is not something I wanna look at day in and day out... maybe, if we're luck it'll get some iphone DNA pumped into it (I don't know about that big toggle button though)

Seriously, all this fuss over a menu bar. And yes it is very usable and actually quite nice once you actually use it.

 

[furcalchick]

Looks better with different desktops.


http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/2221/picture1yo7.jpg


http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/1048/picture1ph8.jpg

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/4319/picture1jx6.jpg

not to rain on anyone's parade, but doesn't coverflow on apps remind one of vista's flip 3d? slow, inefficient (at least for me) and just eye candy. this may work for music albums and movies, but not for this. same for the transparent menu bar and dock in a way.

i'll hold off on the new os for a while.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

not to rain on anyone's parade, but doesn't coverflow on apps remind one of vista's flip 3d? slow, inefficient (at least for me) and just eye candy. this may work for music albums and movies, but not for this. same for the transparent menu bar and dock in a way.

i'll hold off on the new os for a while.

Yeah, it does feel a little like vista, but it should. The new OS's, all of them (linuxes included), are mostly only adding eye candy. The general demographic that Apple, Microsoft, Sun and many others are going after is 'your aunt and your dumb cousins'. They're aren't as many hardcore users out there. And so there aren't many big changes in applications or new applications to be made that would benefit most people. Very few people actually want to sit down and make an epic movie id est iMovie '08. So the only place that Apple can really innovate, and Microsoft already went here with vista, is in eye candy. Where Apple dropped the ball with this release is that none of the 'new' iCandy is really new, we already have transparencies and we already have coverflow. I'm just glad that they didn't add those ubuntu jiggly windows, I thought I really liked those but after fifteen minutes of working with them I was about to throw up.

 

[knelto]

not to rain on anyone's parade, but doesn't coverflow on apps remind one of vista's flip 3d? slow, inefficient (at least for me) and just eye candy. this may work for music albums and movies, but not for this. same for the transparent menu bar and dock in a way.

i'll hold off on the new os for a while.

Coverflow is nothing like Flip 3D to me. Flip 3D is basically a more visual Alt+Tab in Windows. With the Coverflow in Finder (and Quickview) you can preview documents, presentations, etc... At first I thought it was just kind of thrown in, but it does seem fairly practical at times.

Also, they're two different things. Flip 3D is a window management tool (kind of like Expose but lamer). Coverflow is an alternative to File view or Column view in the Finder.

 

[Aranince]

Looks better with different desktops.

Honestly....that is the most beautifle computer desktop I have ever seen. Leopard is looking awesome! I absolutly love the transparent menu bar at the top.

 

[nateco]

not to rain on anyone's parade, but doesn't coverflow on apps remind one of vista's flip 3d? slow, inefficient (at least for me) and just eye candy. this may work for music albums and movies, but not for this. same for the transparent menu bar and dock in a way.

i'll hold off on the new os for a while.

If you think that..only use coverflow for what you want..works great for docs....it's not like they took away the other views....I don't get complaints like this.


So..yeah...giving you another option is enough to make you not want to upgrade.....gee whiz, do you piss in your own Corn Flakes every day.


If you haven't used leopard for a while...quit bitching...the new UI elements are fan-freakin-tastic once you use them.The menu bar makes so much sense when you use it for a bit....out of the way and less of a frame for the screen.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

Honestly....that is the most beautifle computer desktop I have ever seen. Leopard is looking awesome! I absolutly love the transparent menu bar at the top.

I agree, I am looking all over for where I can find that wheat field desktop. The only thing that annoys me, and this is very little, is that when the dock is mounted on the side I feel like the icons should be falling off. This isn't really a complaint but I even tilt my head a little when I look at it. I can't help it I just do.

 

[pengu]

gee whiz, do you piss in your own Corn Flakes every day.

best. quote. ever.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

Looks better with different desktops.

could you clarify something for all of us, when you put a folder down into the dock does it act the same way that it does in the current OS? That is --when you right click it does a menu of its contents pop up?

 

[furcalchick]

If you think that..only use coverflow for what you want..works great for docs....it's not like they took away the other views....I don't get complaints like this.


So..yeah...giving you another option is enough to make you not want to upgrade.....gee whiz, do you piss in your own Corn Flakes every day.


If you haven't used leopard for a while...quit bitching...the new UI elements are fan-freakin-tastic once you use them.The menu bar makes so much sense when you use it for a bit....out of the way and less of a frame for the screen.

haven't used it yet (in fact, i'm still at 10.4.8) and may not for a very long time

and btw, how does it help you preview documents? tell me...

 

[Peace]

haven't used it yet (in fact, i'm still at 10.4.8) and may not for a very long time

and btw, how does it help you preview documents? tell me...

Using the coverflow view of your documents folder allows you to flip through the documents while seeing a very clear and nice view of each document.When you get to one you want to take a closer look at instead of double clicking on it and having it open in preview.Or whatever app is associated with that document quick look brings the document to the front for you to look at without running the associated app.

Say you have an Excel document in view.you click on the quicklook button and up it pops.No app opens and eats up memory.After looking at the document you simply scroll to a different document.Or if you wish to edit that document,double click it and the native app opens.
A good part of quicklook is PDF and multi page documents.You can scroll through each page in quicklook.

Once you use it it becomes an integral part of the finder experience.I personally couldn't do without it after using it for all these months.

 

[nateco]

Ok first things first...the desktops are from desktopography, they have some really great ones there, in just about every resolution you can think of...here's some more.

You can see how the menu bar looks better on some than others...but the main point of it as I see it is...it gets out of your way and lets you see your projects better, focus on what your doing.....it tricks you, kinda like the chin tricks you into thinking you have a bigger monitor...if you know what I mean....it's subconscious I think...and pretty clever on the part of apple, the way it's done....don't doubt that they don't pay attention to the visuals and how the mind perceives them.....anyways..that's what i think, your mileage may vary.

 

[dejo]

and btw, how does it help you preview documents? tell me...

Two words: Quick Look

 

[/dev/toaster]

I hate coverflow ... I got caught twice already trying to flick at my screen like I do with my iPhone. After having an iPhone, coverflow makes me sad that my MBP doesn't have multitouch

BTW, Those backgrounds look really sweet.

 

[nateco]

could you clarify something for all of us, when you put a folder down into the dock does it act the same way that it does in the current OS? That is --when you right click it does a menu of its contents pop up?

No...it brings up a menu to:

arrange by
Remove from dock
Show in Finder
open.

When you left click it opens them as stacks....stacks is worth the price alone...once you use it, you're hooked.It makes finding things so much easier, I rarely go to the finder now...I have apps, downloads and a work folder with aliases, but you could put whatever you like down there...and if you lick on the folder in stacks..it open the contents in another set of stacks...you could put your whole home folder or HD there and navigate through it with ease.


Best way I can explain...coverflow in finder is best for docs....stacks is best for apps.......really...once you guys get this in oct....you will be amazed...it's so intuitive, what you'd expect from apple.

And for the curved stack...if you only have a few items in the stack it opens in the raised curve thingy.....interestingly...if you put the mouse at the top of the stack...close your eyes and drag down with the natural movement of teh hand...you pretty much end up in the folder icon in the dock....it's shocking once you try it a few times.At first I was trying make sense of the leaning tower stack, but it didn't register until I did the "blind hand drag".

With the dock in the side..stacks only does grid view.


Keep in mind I'm using the WWDC build.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

No...it brings up a menu to:

arrange by
Remove from dock
Show in Finder
open.

When you left click it opens them as stacks....stacks is worth the price alone...once you use it, you're hooked.It makes finding things so much easier, I rarely go to the finder now...I have apps, downloads and a work folder with aliases, but you could put whatever you like down there...and if you lick on the folder in stacks..it open the contents in another set of stacks...you could put your whole home folder or HD there and navigate through it with ease.


Best way I can explain...coverflow in finder is best for docs....stacks is best for apps.......really...once you guys get this in oct....you will be amazed...it's so intuitive, what you'd expect from apple.

And for the curved stack...if you only have a few items in the stack it opens in the raised curve thingy.....interestingly...if you put the mouse at the top of the stack...close your eyes and drag down with the natural movement of teh hand...you pretty much end up in the folder icon in the dock....it's shocking once you try it a few times.At first I was trying make sense of the leaning tower stack, but it didn't register until I did the "blind hand drag".

With the dock in the side..stacks only does grid view.


Keep in mind I'm using the WWDC build.

But can you drill down in stacks? That is to say, when you mouse over the folder within the stack does it show that folders contents? And what if there is a folder in the folder in the stack? do you have to open a finder window to get the contents of the contained folders?
what I meant when I said right click was does it bring up the actual contents of the folder or does it just bring up the options?
Here is an image of what I am describing.


I'm sorry if that is what you already explained and I simply misinterpreted it.

 

[samh004]

It does? Where? Certainly not on the "Appearance" pane.....?

I'm pretty sure the "It does" comment was referring to it growing on you...

That is correct, sorry for the misinterpretation.

But, if Vista has moving desktops in their more expensive vista ultimate then apple including it into their all in one upgrade would be a great selling point.

You might buy a new OS because your background picture moves, but most users tend to look beyond that, for things that will actually help you to be more productive. In any case, you can change the picture every 5 seconds if you really feel the urge.

I heard the 499 could not install on the new iMacs so they won't get much testing of 500n by iMac users since you need to get it through Software Update. C'mon Apple do you want it tested or not.

If you were a developer you'd be able to download it off the Apple site instead, thus facilitating the installation on a new iMac.

Someone else took and posted the image. I'm just sharing a URL.

No worries, wasn't trying to report you...

Anyway, my Mac also thinks Safari 3.0 is PowerPC... as did my MacBook.

Get Info on Safari and under General, uncheck Open Using Rosetta. This will o course make shockwave content unplayable on your Mac as the shockwave plug-in is PPC-only right now, thus requiring Rosetta.

Hmm. Maybe they'll implement a smart menu bar that uses the black lettering with white borders to make it viewable on any background - light or dark. Or.... make text that takes the most opposing contrast of the background behind it?

When you click on an item in the menu bar, it's highlighted and easily readable.

But can you drill down in stacks? That is to say, when you mouse over the folder within the stack does it show that folders contents? And what if there is a folder in the folder in the stack? do you have to open a finder window to get the contents of the contained folders?

You can go down through the finder in the stack window, clicking on a folder opens it within the existing window, however last time I tried it I couldn't figure out a way to go back up, without starting all over again.

Perhaps there was a way, or is a way to do that now, but you can go down.

 

[superspiffy]

I don't know what some of you are whining about that transparent menu bar. It has to be transparent for the wallpaper to fully show. There's no other way. Would you rather slap a sharp white-grey border on top of your beautiful desktop picture?

 

[bousozoku]

I don't know what some of you are whining about that transparent menu bar. It has to be transparent for the wallpaper to fully show. There's no other way. Would you rather slap a sharp white-grey border on top of your beautiful desktop picture?

Either way, it's going to be there and hopefully, it's easy enough to use. I don't have to guess at things with the current menu bar because everything is legible. If it's not legible by default (or adjustable) on Leopard, then it is a problem. They might as well hide the menu bar as they do the Dock.

Another reason for the translucency, though, is something I noticed last week--I have burn in of the menu bar on the LCD of my PowerBook.

 

[samh004]

I don't know what some of you are whining about that transparent menu bar. It has to be transparent for the wallpaper to fully show. There's no other way. Would you rather slap a sharp white-grey border on top of your beautiful desktop picture?

That's what happens currently, incase you didn't realise...

 

[superspiffy]

Either way, it's going to be there and hopefully, it's easy enough to use. I don't have to guess at things with the current menu bar because everything is legible. If it's not legible by default (or adjustable) on Leopard, then it is a problem. They might as well hide the menu bar as they do the Dock.

Another reason for the translucency, though, is something I noticed last week--I have burn in of the menu bar on the LCD of my PowerBook.

True. They must find a way to make it legible no matter what the background is. And do you mean that the white border is now permanent on your LCD?

 

[German]

Looks better with different desktops.

Where do i find these nice wallpapers?