Obviously. The point is that too many options at once makes for a cluttered interface.
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Eight Hidden macOS Features You Can Access With the Option Key
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Obviously. The point is that too many options at once makes for a cluttered interface.
Part of the issue is Apple doesn’t like to have embedded menus as a policy.
They used to have them long ago, but now though a few remain, most of the menus are simple, with fewer items than many apps used to have even recently. Instead, Apple thinks it’s easier/better to hide functions with option and shift keys, or to force you to open a dialogue.
Many third party apps though understand the value of embedded menus, where holding the mouse on a menu item opens a sub menu to the right with related versions of the function.
And ironically, there are very few pro apps I know of that hide menu functions with option/shift, including Apple pro apps. Pros are supposed to memorize all the hidden options in consumer apps, but aren’t expected to do so in pro apps...
I’d like the option of “pro menus” in the settings. Kind of like how upgrading to QuickTime Pro enabled pro menus and features. I usually customize my toolbars to add items Apple doesn’t think I want to see, but unlike Microsoft who gives way too many items, Apple usually doesn’t give enough icons, and some apps won’t let you enable text descriptors under the toolbar so you have to memorize what their flat, poorly conceived iconographs mean.
They used to have them long ago, but now though a few remain, most of the menus are simple, with fewer items than many apps used to have even recently. Instead, Apple thinks it’s easier/better to hide functions with option and shift keys, or to force you to open a dialogue.
Many third party apps though understand the value of embedded menus, where holding the mouse on a menu item opens a sub menu to the right with related versions of the function.
And ironically, there are very few pro apps I know of that hide menu functions with option/shift, including Apple pro apps. Pros are supposed to memorize all the hidden options in consumer apps, but aren’t expected to do so in pro apps...
I’d like the option of “pro menus” in the settings. Kind of like how upgrading to QuickTime Pro enabled pro menus and features. I usually customize my toolbars to add items Apple doesn’t think I want to see, but unlike Microsoft who gives way too many items, Apple usually doesn’t give enough icons, and some apps won’t let you enable text descriptors under the toolbar so you have to memorize what their flat, poorly conceived iconographs mean.
This one I *NEVER* remember because it uses MORE than just option, and it's SO important when I'm using headphones! To change the volume in smaller increments, including "less than one bar", hold down SHIFT PLUS OPTION plus the keys you need to change the volume, which for me includes the function key. Why would you not just use option here?
Customizations are really something which are restricted to power users.
If you have to do support, especially remote support on software where the user customizes the interface, expect to lose more than your hair. The worst are those where you are able to reconfigure keyboard shortcuts and the menu items. Imagine this; one user never prints anything so he customizes away the print button, and uses the CMD-P (or similar) shortcut for something else. Now he calls support because he don't find how to print something, he obviously forgot that it is customized away. Support say that look for the printer icon, or press CMD-P. CMD-P does something weird, maybe even something destructive to the file. This is just one example.
This is what is great when Apple limits customizations, when you are teaching someone or supporting you can be pretty sure that the features are where the should be, and look more or less like it will on your own laptop.
Now this is boring if you don't need the support and want to be able to add some personalization to your desktop, but that is an indication you are a power user. Everything is a compromise.
