Apple To Add Platinum Theme?

[shidoshi]

Now Mail 2.0.... I agree, it looks just like a Windows App. Apple needs to calm down with the changes to the GUI. Original AQUA was extremely nice for the 2-3 years it was out and then Brushed Metal was an interesting change, but come on..... Brushed Metal is only getting a 18 month shelf life????? They should have waited for 10.5 to bring out a new look.

It's all opinion. I thought that Aqua as it used to be was TERRIBLE. The pinstripes were just awful looking, and far to over-stated. Of course, this is all in my opinion. So, the more we get rid of the pinstripes, the happier I am. Aqua isn't going exactly where I'd take it - I'd like something that resembles the theme SmoothStripes - but overall I'm happy with the changes being made. Personally, I like the new Mail 2.0, and don't really see the Windows XP connection. Sure, Mail 2.0 and the silver XP color scheme may both be based on grey, but they are quire different in a whole host of ways.

Oh, and I haven't seen anybody say this, so it has to be said - pinstripes are NOT making some sparking return for Tiger or whatever. From those screenshots, it seemed like pinstripes were around for titlebars when they weren't the current target, which is exactly how Panther works.

 

[aswitcher]

A little off the subject, but I really hope that mail, addressbook, ichat and anything else that uses pics/tars allows more than the current stamp sized images to appear as an option. I want my pics of people to appear an inch or more not the current half inch or less, so I can clearly see them quickly.

 

[MacFan26]

A little off the subject, but I really hope that mail, addressbook, ichat and anything else that uses pics/tars allows more than the current stamp sized images to appear as an option. I want my pics of people to appear an inch or more not the current half inch or less, so I can clearly see them quickly.

Yeah I'd like to see that too. Especially in iChat, I can hardly see my friends icons, and I hate that it doesn't support animated icons. They're so common and I can't believe that this isn't already implemented.

 

[isaacc7]

What's the big deal?

What is all the whining about? Honestly I had no idea what you guys were talking about with all this talk about "brushed metal" pinstripes, platinum, etc. When I finially figured out what you were talking about I couldn't believe it. WHO CARES? I never noticed that crap before and I'll probably not notice it again. I like the Mac OS because of the way it works, not the way it looks...

Isaac

 

[sirjimithy]

What is all the whining about? Honestly I had no idea what you guys were talking about with all this talk about "brushed metal" pinstripes, platinum, etc. When I finially figured out what you were talking about I couldn't believe it. WHO CARES? I never noticed that crap before and I'll probably not notice it again. I like the Mac OS because of the way it works, not the way it looks...

Isaac

Amen dude. While the aesthetically pleasing look of OS X defines a lot of its 'personality' I agree that the way it functions and performs are the main strengths. Personally I like the screenshot of the new mail app. Looks like a much nicer, more intuitive interface. If you don't like the colors of the title bars, buttons, etc, then wait a few weeks after the release for the updated version of Duality or Shapeshifter.

 

[QFace]

The Way it Looks is Very Important

I'm a very superficial person... I need OS X to look good. In fact, the main reason I bought my power book is because it looks pretty.

 

[JDOG_]

Yeah this platinum thing kind of came out of nowhere. I see platinum looks all over the place, whether it's the top bar of my firefox browser, the top of the system preferences or a few others I can't quite think of right now. What's the big deal? I can't believe this is page 1...there's got to be something else going on right now.

How about more on that illusive iPod mini update that was supposed to happen in early september?!? Blegh.

 

[~Shard~]

I'm a very superficial person... I need OS X to look good. In fact, the main reason I bought my power book is because it looks pretty.

Well, lucky you then - you got a nice looking laptop which, as an added bonus, also kicks ass!

 

[beatle888]

What is all the whining about? Honestly I had no idea what you guys were talking about with all this talk about "brushed metal" pinstripes, platinum, etc. When I finially figured out what you were talking about I couldn't believe it. WHO CARES? I never noticed that crap before and I'll probably not notice it again. I like the Mac OS because of the way it works, not the way it looks...

Isaac

you must be new not only to macrumors but to the mac itself. apple has always been about the look and feel and how it ties in with workflow-interface design and functionality. apple usually focuses on everything, not just how it works as you put it.

the quality of a computer users experience is more then how something functions.

 

[~Shard~]

you must be new not only to macrumors but to the mac itself. apple has always been about the look and feel and how it ties in with workflow-interface design and functionality. apple usually focuses on everything, not just how it works as you put it.

the quality of a computer users experience is more then how something functions.

Very true and well put. Apple has always been about "the complete experience", tying aesthetics, form, function, ease of use, integration and overall experience into each other, on many different levels, to result in the end product, which is magnificent if I do say so myself.

Damn, Macs are cool!

 

[ifjake]

the only thing i don't like is taking away the drawer. i like drawers in apps like iCal, Preview, and Mail. there's extra information there, but you can elegantly put it out of sight if you don't need it, return to a simpler window veiw. simplicity is what i think apple has absolutely right, on brushed metal, aqua or whatever. platinum, sure, fine, but the nondrawer is what catches my eye in a not so positive way. keep it simple.

 

[bousozoku]

Amen dude. While the aesthetically pleasing look of OS X defines a lot of its 'personality' I agree that the way it functions and performs are the main strengths. Personally I like the screenshot of the new mail app. Looks like a much nicer, more intuitive interface. If you don't like the colors of the title bars, buttons, etc, then wait a few weeks after the release for the updated version of Duality or Shapeshifter.

Using hacks to change the appearance detracts from the stability of the system since they have to break into places they're not supposed to be. While they may seem to work well enough, there is still a difference in stability between what Mac OS X provides as base and are add-ons are in use.

I am in favour of using themes but I will wait (too long) for Apple to make up their minds rather than face instability and lose work. They have been finding their way to a default look-and-feel for several years now--since the days of black and white, really--and I'd like to see one theme, as this is not supposed to be a jumble of ideas but an operating system and applications.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

Using hacks to change the appearance detracts from the stability of the system since they have to break into places they're not supposed to be. While they may seem to work well enough, there is still a difference in stability between what Mac OS X provides as base and are add-ons are in use.

I am in favour of using themes but I will wait (too long) for Apple to make up their minds rather than face instability and lose work. They have been finding their way to a default look-and-feel for several years now--since the days of black and white, really--and I'd like to see one theme, as this is not supposed to be a jumble of ideas but an operating system and applications.

Me too! I would rather not use a hack, since I'm happy with the various appearances of Mac OS X applications we have already (haven't seen the "wood panel" look yet though).

 

[Palad1]

(haven't seen the "wood panel" look yet though).

Trust me, you don't want to see it ...

GarageBand really needs a lot of screen estate and this l&f just takes too much place on a pb15.

Okay, now I sound just like a whiner.
I still love apple for the whole osX experience, but hey, you know what they say:

The devil is in the details

 

[sirjimithy]

Using hacks to change the appearance detracts from the stability of the system since they have to break into places they're not supposed to be. While they may seem to work well enough, there is still a difference in stability between what Mac OS X provides as base and are add-ons are in use.

I am in favour of using themes but I will wait (too long) for Apple to make up their minds rather than face instability and lose work. They have been finding their way to a default look-and-feel for several years now--since the days of black and white, really--and I'd like to see one theme, as this is not supposed to be a jumble of ideas but an operating system and applications.

I agree. It absolutely causes a noticable dip in stability, but if how elements of the OS look is that big of an issue...

 

[mgbaron]

Whats the big deal?

Personally, I don't really understand what the big deal is here. Functionally, the new mailbox appendage is equivalent to my ever prevalent mail drawer and looks like it takes up about the same amount of screen real estate.

After reading these posts I was expecting to see something really new for mail, and it just isnt there.

I do have one small criticism and that is that I don't like the additional "grab" space that surrounds the application (ala itunes). If it has to be there, then its too big. Personally, I would prefer it was not even there and hopefully they allow me to do that via preferences.

 

[Gee4orce]

High time that Apple opened up the theme API and settled this whole argument for once. Let people freely and easily choose which theme they would prefer to use, even on an application-by-application basis.

 

[ssamani]

What is all the whining about? Honestly I had no idea what you guys were talking about with all this talk about "brushed metal" pinstripes, platinum, etc. When I finially figured out what you were talking about I couldn't believe it. WHO CARES? I never noticed that crap before and I'll probably not notice it again. I like the Mac OS because of the way it works, not the way it looks...

Isaac

Whilst I generally agree, there are times when Aqua vs Brushed Metal vs Another look matter on "the way it works". Examples:

- Brushed metal windows can be dragged from anywhere on the brushed metal (at least they used to be, not checked recently). Aquau windows can only be dragged from the title bar.
- Translucent menus combined with Aqua pinstripes could make things unreadable.
- My pet hate: a lot of iApps that used brushed metal don't use the Cocoa standard Toolbar. In Finder (both), Mail (Aqua), Backup (brushed metal), Sherlock (at some point one or the other), most Cocoa Third Party Apps all have toolbars that are configurable in exactly the same, consistent, very Mac like way. Safari, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, Address Book, etc. are all brushed metal and none of them use the standard, newbie friendly, Mac-like consistent toolbar. Safari is the worst with a configurable toolbar that works completely differently from other Cocoa apps. At least the iLife apps can claim they have the most suitable interface for their tasks (questionable in my eyes). Safari and Address Book have no excuse.
- There are others, which I can't recall

The key issue for long time Mac users is consistency. A key tenet of Classic Mac OS's greater ease of use was consistency. Preferences were always in Edit/Preferences (now App Name/Preferences), not Tools/Options, File/Options, Edit/Configuration, etc. or all the mess you get in Windows. The point being that computer users would find it easier to use cos once they learned one app, other apps would work the same way. The mix of Aqua and Brushed Metal and in particular the lack of consistency in the use of BM is felt to contradict this shrine of Mac usability.

Whilst it is not, in my mind, as bad as the whole Toolbar thing, Aqua vs BM can effect how it works and therefore consistency and as a result, ease of use.

Sanj

 

[JT3MacManiac]

pictures removed

hey, i saw today the pictures were removed....anyone still have the originals?

 

[crazedbytheheat]

.mac size feedback

Did anyone else notice that some of the images appear to have a pie graph next to the Inbox? As a .mac user, I think it would be great to automatically see how much space is being use for mail to know if you should get rid of some messages or resize. Could just be the editing of the image, though. I'm really looking forward to the smart lists as well. I almost always just look at the new mail.

Now if they just had the equivalent to Entourage project center I'd be set, though maybe spotlight will take care of this.

 

[Cochrane]

My pet hate: a lot of iApps that used brushed metal don't use the Cocoa standard Toolbar. In Finder (both), Mail (Aqua), Backup (brushed metal), Sherlock (at some point one or the other), most Cocoa Third Party Apps all have toolbars that are configurable in exactly the same, consistent, very Mac like way. Safari, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, Address Book, etc. are all brushed metal and none of them use the standard, newbie friendly, Mac-like consistent toolbar. Safari is the worst with a configurable toolbar that works completely differently from other Cocoa apps. At least the iLife apps can claim they have the most suitable interface for their tasks (questionable in my eyes). Safari and Address Book have no excuse.

I agree that it a usual toolbar is best in the way it works, but metal windows should have different icons, in my opinion. Safari's and Finder's toolbar icons look nice, with their sunken button style. However, XGrid Blast with usual Cocoa icons on a metal surface, it just looks horrible and it seems like Automator will get the same crap.

Something different: Did you notice that in Mac OS X, there are at least seven different types of buttons?

• Usual, one-line button (called "Push Button" in Aqua Human Interface Guidelines), the one found on dialogs, for example
• The coloured help button
• A square button with round corners
• An old square button with square corners
• A new button with square corners (found on the font panel or in System Preferences-> Users)
• An Aqua button, sunken into a metal surface (like in Safari, controls in iTunes, Quicktime Player)
• A Metal Button (for example, for adding playlists in iTunes)
• A kind of inline Button, appears inside a text and has an oval shape. Comes in a variety of colors, can be found in Adress Book
• Various Pictures you can click on (the lock in System Preferences, toolbar items etc.) (not quite a button, I know)

And it appears that Tiger is going to add some kind of Platinum-Theme-Button, which can be seen in screenshots where you select further options for a smart folder in Finder, for example. Oh, and I probably forgot some others already in the system (and third-party-apps add even more).

Not that this is confusing me, but it is not quite what you'd call a consistent interface, is it?

 

[johnnyjibbs]

I agree that it a usual toolbar is best in the way it works, but metal windows should have different icons, in my opinion. Safari's and Finder's toolbar icons look nice, with their sunken button style. However, XGrid Blast with usual Cocoa icons on a metal surface, it just looks horrible and it seems like Automator will get the same crap.

Something different: Did you notice that in Mac OS X, there are at least seven different types of buttons?

• Usual, one-line button (called "Push Button" in Aqua Human Interface Guidelines), the one found on dialogs, for example
• The coloured help button
• A square button with round corners
• An old square button with square corners
• A new button with square corners (found on the font panel or in System Preferences-> Users)
• An Aqua button, sunken into a metal surface (like in Safari, controls in iTunes, Quicktime Player)
• A Metal Button (for example, for adding playlists in iTunes)
• A kind of inline Button, appears inside a text and has an oval shape. Comes in a variety of colors, can be found in Adress Book
• Various Pictures you can click on (the lock in System Preferences, toolbar items etc.) (not quite a button, I know)

And it appears that Tiger is going to add some kind of Platinum-Theme-Button, which can be seen in screenshots where you select further options for a smart folder in Finder, for example. Oh, and I probably forgot some others already in the system (and third-party-apps add even more).

Not that this is confusing me, but it is not quite what you'd call a consistent interface, is it?

Yes I agree. I hate to say it, but I think Windows has a more consistent GUI than Apple in a lot of respects.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

hey, i saw today the pictures were removed....anyone still have the originals?

I assume you didn't read the whole thread. Look here.

 

[maya]

Apple, seems to be all over the place with its GUI.

Seriously though, I might be one of the very few people who likes the GUI being refined. Its a pleasant change from one X.X to another. It makes me look forward to one of the little parts of the Mac OS. To notice something new, in the GUI and fiddle around.

Do I like those so called 'Platinum" theme, don't know as of yet, too early to tell really, might grow on me or not. However I like the other various buttons that X.X has included the metal, glass, square and rounded cornered buttons, etc. It all build the personality of X.X really. Instead of having the same old buttons repeat, its a nice touch to be honest.

Hopefully there refine this platinum theme and include it in Tiger.

I will however have to agree with some people here since I want to option to show and hide my inbox and also the option of while side right or left I want it in. Use a java web based type floating window for this so people can move the window live to which side they want it on in the main window with the option of hiding it as well.

Shoot I should patent this idea.

 

[Detlev]

As others have said, it's not that big a news item. The new form has been on the Apple site. Look at the menu bar here. It's bevelled, and somwhere around there the System Preferences showed the new theme.

Does anyone imagine they will update the look of the website to match their final choice? It's do for a makeover.