Do you want a unified OS X look?

[Morn]

I like it how it is. Variety is good, I encourage Apple to keep experimenting in order to find better UI looks.
Mail has the prettiest toolbar of any app. And this is really it, you aren't going to come up with new ideas for UI design if you just keep everything the same. It might look different to other toolbars, so what? It works the same way, the usablity is not hurt by the looks at all.
Ohh and pinstrips are terrible, strips every where, it's bloody psychedelic. I don't want my OS to seem psychedelic. Glad they were turned down in tiger.

 

[solvs]

I want Cheetah retro pinstripes.

I'm going to assume you're kidding, as usual, but if not there are some themes out there that will do that for you. If nothing else, than for the kitch factor.

 

[FadeToBlack]

I'm going to assume you're kidding, as usual, but if not there are some themes out there that will do that for you. If nothing else, than for the kitch factor.

I actuallly like the pinstripes, but I don't like messing around with themes.

 

[Glen Quagmire]

I want Cheetah retro pinstripes.

Here's to the Crazy Ones ​

Is it just me, or does that look *so* dated nowadays?

 

[Project]

what happens when you have 6 apps open all looking like this and you use Expose? when I have a number of these Mail-themed apps open and hit Expose, I often have to run my mouse over the window to get a description of it just in order to see what app it is exactly. But all I ever see is people moan about the lack of consistency on this front.

I think so that as long as the actual interface is consistent - be it clickthrough, dialogues, preferences etc, then the look of the app can vary.

 

[mad jew]

I've been running UNO for a few days now and I haven't bumped into any issues with windows looking the same in Exposé. I don't think it's a huge problem really, but that could just be me.

 

[Project]

And can I also add that the new theme running throughout the Apple website, particularly on .Mac is VERY sexy. I love the gradient on the 'titlebars'. And the little icons look like theve been carved out of the brushed steel. A bit reminisent of the pro apps theme. Speaking of which, Aperture's look is amazing.

 

[MacsRgr8]

I want Cheetah retro pinstripes.

Here's to the Crazy Ones ​

I loved that little MP3 player

 

[theBB]

Frames

I like having a little bit of a frame on the side of my windows, the way "Finder" looks. Without it, it just does not look right to me. I actually enjoyed the old iTunes better because of that. Now the sides are as thick as a line, not good...

I agree with those who say slightly different looks are nice visual cues to help you find the window you are looking for. Besides, if they set the interface in stone, how can they experiment and find something better? Can you imagine if all of the apps and utilities switched from being Brushed metal to plastic and then to something else at every other 10.x release? I can almost see the riots... Would you want a 10 person commitee at Apple to decide which "look" is going to be allowed for the next two years? I'd like more freedom and variety, not less.

 

[atari1356]

Is it just me, or does that look *so* dated nowadays?

It's not just you, it looks very dated... and I never like the pinstripes to begin with.

 

[Kirbdog]

I really liked the brushed metal when I switched. But now I find it painful to look at on Safari. Its the only reason I don't use it. Suprisingly I don't even notice it on the finder windows.

Every time there is a software update I'm praying the brushed metal in Safari will go away.

You would think I have better things to worry about, but apparently not.

 

[nagromme]

Here's what I want:

1. BOTH metal and white themes--with a purpose: white for document-centric "workspace" apps (which rely on Open and Save commands), and metal for "viewer/manager" apps (in which your data is always open and always saved). Right now Apple is CLOSE to this pattern, with some exceptions. I like the distinction, I like BOTH looks, and I like the visual variety this provides.

2. But only ONE version of white, please. All toolbar icons should be like Preferences, not like the new Mail. But all toolbars should be unified (no dividing line) like the new Mail and Preferences use.

3. And only ONE version of metal, please. Like iTunes 6, not like QuickTime--only with the glassy buttons used in Safari.

4. Dashboard having its own "plastic" theme is fine with me. It's not confusing. Widgets having different colors helps you quickly spot the one you want--and quick is what Dashboard is all about.

5. The "bezel" theme (transparent black overlays) is OK too--it's used with a purpose, for certain functions within apps.

6. I can live without the Pro theme (gray with thin title bars). It looks cool, but inconsistent--just use white instead please. Displays are big enough now that full-size title bars aren't going to hurt that much.

7. Keeping the choice of blue vs. graphite is nice. But make the graphite window widgets turn to color when you roll over them. The colors are useful.

 

[theBB]

I really liked the brushed metal when I switched. But now I find it painful to look at on Safari. Its the only reason I don't use it. Suprisingly I don't even notice it on the finder windows.

Same here... For some reason, the metal frames are fine in other apps, but in Safari it is a bit distracting for me. Maybe I am just too used to the blue (window frame) and yellowish grey (on the toolbars) look of Firefox on XP.

Still, bookmarks toolbar is a much bigger problem in Safari. Dark grey letters on light grey background is not much of a contrast. I always find myself squinting while I am looking for the right bookmark. I thought about using the bookmarks menu from the menu bar instead, but my browser window is usually towards the right side of my screen and menu bar items are too far to the left. It requires too much eye and mouse movement.

 

[rdf8585]

I personally like Aqua. I wasn't a Mac user until Tiger (why, oh why, did I wait) but from everything I've seen, those old pinstripes look pretty nice.

 

[nagromme]

I like the metal in Safari, because it sets the browser controls nicely apart from the page.

 

[nbs2]

By emulating iTunes 5-6, Safari could gain a sidebar. Rather than having bookmarks and tabs at the top, you could keep them in the sidebar (as preview icons with the webpage) and sort through them like playlists. An intuitive and even spacesaving way to do it.

I'm not quite sure how that would look. I really prefer having the bookmarks on top - I think it takes up a little less space. Obviously this is not the best comparison, so please be patient - I installed IE7 onto my work computer, and I can't stand how the favorites/RSS/history sidebar works. I thought I would play with it a little, but I can't stand it.

what happens when you have 6 apps open all looking like this and you use Expose? when I have a number of these Mail-themed apps open and hit Expose, I often have to run my mouse over the window to get a description of it just in order to see what app it is exactly. But all I ever see is people moan about the lack of consistency on this front.

I hadn't even thought about this - it is a really good point. My only doubt is does that make expose a driving feature? If it is, and the apps fit underneath that "expose layer" then I think you are absolutely right. But if Apple seees expose as just a useful feature that can help a little then maybe they should unify. I know that my use of driving and useful is sort of silly, but I think it makes sense.

 

[Macmadant]

i like different looking windows for different applications, otherwise i wouldn't tell the difference, plus windows has a pretty unified look and i hate it, why would any of you want to make it more like windows so i like the way it is at the moment

 

[baleensavage]

I want Cheetah retro pinstripes.

Me too. I really liked the original aqua look. I never understood why they changed the finder to that brushed metal look. The new Mail look is a step in the right direction and I like the light tints of grey. Whatever they decide on, they need to unify it. Right now it just feels like they have been expirmenting with a bunch of ideas and cant settle on one.

 

[DerChef]

A little variation in menus and Dialogs is nice but something like *NeoOffice is pushing it a bit too far.

(*Not the main reason it made its way to tool in the bottom right hand corner after half an hour though

 

[Mr. Mister]

I don't really have a problem with it, although it would be nice if Apple tried to establish some kind of standard for thematic use, however flimsy.

 

[kiwi-in-uk]

I'm not concerned too much with appearance - more with usability and gradual improvement across all apps - adapting good ideas that work in one app to the other apps. Like the idea of adapting the sidebar from iTunes, Mail etc to Safari (without letting it look & behave too much like Internet Explorer for Windows)