Features you wish macOS had?

[Lounge vibes 05]

• Rename macOS back to Mac OS X.
• Provide a straightforward way to create a bootable macOS USB installer without having to resort to createinstallmedia on another Mac.
• Return to the 1 "KB" == 1024 bytes etc. convention.
• Readd support for 32-bit applications.
• Enable Rosetta 2 to run PowerPC applications on ARM Macs.

What is this?
Basically, you’re asking Apple to go back to 2007, which would be completely pointless.
OS X was just a name. Who honestly cares what it’s called? And either way, it completely stood out from all of their other operating systems. After a while it did start to look extremely weird.
macOS is fine.
As for making bootable install discs, it’s really not that hard to do.
You put in a couple lines into the terminal and it just works.
Also with Apple Silicon computers, it’s basically pointless to do this anyway because the system preferences has the “erase all content and settings” function which works fine for 99% of cases, and the recovery mode for any other reinstall purposes. There is a very, very slim chance you’ll ever need to use a bootable installer, and if you do it’s not that difficult.
As for how Storage is calculated, the 1000MB=1GB, 1000GB=1TB calculation is basically the standard these days. It works fine, there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s easy to understand.
As for 32bit and PPC support… just no.
Apple hasn’t sold a power PC computer since 2006. 16 years ago.
All new applications since 2006 should be Intel, there is absolutely no way for Apple to support 16 year old software just because. If you need 16 year old software, purchase a 16 year old computer.
Same with 32-bit, if you need a 32-bit application, purchase a computer that can support that. There’s absolutely no reason for Apple to bloat the operating system for everybody with legacy compatibility just for the very small amount of people who would use it.
Not to mention I feel like those PowerPC applications running on a 2022 computer in a 2022 OS could end up being an absolute security nightmare.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

An actual feature that I hope they work on bringing to a future version of MacOS is iOS style widgets in the Launchpad.
Make them interactive, and while they’re at it they can make the iOS ones interactive as well.
If they were to do this, it would basically make the launchpad a full fledged replacement for the old dashboard, and it would actually make the launchpad… You know… Useful.

 

[eyoungren]

Not to mention I feel like those PowerPC applications running on a 2022 computer in a 2022 OS could end up being an absolute security nightmare.

You probably want to avoid the PowerPC section of MacRumors (where this thread is posted). LOL.


We actually browse the internet on our old Macs. Perhaps that progresses from nightmares to night terrors.

 

[v0lume4]

Better window management. Windows’ snap features are top tier. I think someone said Microsoft has a patent on that feature though? That may be why we haven’t seen it on macOS.

And one more thing. This is a hardware problem, not a macOS problem (per the thread title), but I need native boot camp support back. The lack of native Windows x86 boot support (because of ARM) is a huge blow to Macs in my purchasing decision.

edit: Or if Apple could just build an emulation layer for Windows apps that worked as well as Rosetta 2, then I’d be all set. Oh a man can dream. (I’m aware there’s apps like CrossOver but app support is a hit or a miss)

 

[Jeven Stobs]

I'd prefer a darker system Dark theme. It's dark, but in the way that dark chocolate is dark. Not black - like I want it. I still have to use XtraFinder to get that.

Maybe because the Mini-LED they won’t make a total black dark mode as the bleed would be very obvious?

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

You probably want to avoid the PowerPC section of MacRumors (where this thread is posted). LOL.


We actually browse the internet on our old Macs. Perhaps that progresses from nightmares to night terrors.

There’s a difference between using an old power PC computer, and asking Apple to include A feature that allows that old software to run right next to current Apple Silicon native applications.

 

[Heeheeriah]

So, in all the years I've been using Mac OS X/OS X/macOS, there are a couple of features I'd like to see (re-)added which, annoyingly, have not (yet) been implemented or have been removed but are available on other operating systems *cough, cough*. These are, in no particular order:

• Rename macOS back to Mac OS X. (OK, OK, this feature isn't available on other OSes but you get the point.)
• Make all "hard-coded" font types and sizes adjustable. Menu bar, I'm looking at you!
• Support themes to allow giving the UI a comprehensive new look.
• Combine several monitors into one big virtual monitor à la AMD Eyefinity for e.g. the IBM Bertha and other tiled displays.
• Add full support for MST so DisplayPort/USB-C monitors can be daisy-chained.
• Handle non-integer UI scaling in a more flexible way.
• Add UI scaling beyond 200% for >220ppi monitors.
• Provide a powerful package manager for handling (un-)installation of applications.
• Provide a straightforward way to create a bootable macOS USB installer without having to resort to createinstallmedia on another Mac.
• Allow writing to NTFS partitions.
• Return to the 1 "KB" == 1024 bytes etc. convention.
• Improve Disk Utility's UI.
• Readd support for 32-bit applications.
• Enable Rosetta 2 to run PowerPC applications on ARM Macs.

So, what are the features you would like to see (re-)added?

So you want macOS Leopard?

 

[avatarbe]

Window click-trough.

 

[Arctic Moose]

So, what are the features you would like to see (re-)added?

Lots of good suggestions in this thread! The two I haven’t seen mentioned:

• First-party clipboard manager
• Desktop management (including virtual) that doesn’t suck (FVWM-style would work for me)
• Bonus: I used Dashboard all the time, I'd appreciate getting it back

 

[Yoms]

Ctrl + X in Finder?

 

[djgamble]

So, in all the years I've been using Mac OS X/OS X/macOS, there are a couple of features I'd like to see (re-)added which, annoyingly, have not (yet) been implemented or have been removed but are available on other operating systems *cough, cough*. These are, in no particular order:

• Rename macOS back to Mac OS X. (OK, OK, this feature isn't available on other OSes but you get the point.)
• Make all "hard-coded" font types and sizes adjustable. Menu bar, I'm looking at you!
• Support themes to allow giving the UI a comprehensive new look.
• Combine several monitors into one big virtual monitor à la AMD Eyefinity for e.g. the IBM Bertha and other tiled displays.
• Add full support for MST so DisplayPort/USB-C monitors can be daisy-chained.
• Handle non-integer UI scaling in a more flexible way.
• Add UI scaling beyond 200% for >220ppi monitors.
• Provide a powerful package manager for handling (un-)installation of applications.
• Provide a straightforward way to create a bootable macOS USB installer without having to resort to createinstallmedia on another Mac.
• Allow writing to NTFS partitions.
• Return to the 1 "KB" == 1024 bytes etc. convention.
• Improve Disk Utility's UI.
• Readd support for 32-bit applications.
• Enable Rosetta 2 to run PowerPC applications on ARM Macs.

So, what are the features you would like to see (re-)added?

Support for HFS volumes maybe?

 

[Yrmmont]

I have two wishes:

1). When you open I file, it is a two step approach. You have to do a file open and then you have to run it.
I wish you could just single click or double click the file to get to run.

2). For those of us who run a VPN, have an option to show the local and external address on the screen. This is in lieu of typing whatismyipaddress.com

 

[egmusic42]

The NUMBER ONE feature I'm dying to see is automatic finder column width spacing. Been asking for this for YEARS and its truly mindblowing this still hasn't been implemented. The fact that you can't currently open a finder window in Column view without it cutting off some file/folder titles, and being too wide (wasted space) for others, and having to continuously/manually click the vertical divider bars and resize is just stunning (and annoying as all hell).

 

[B S Magnet]

So, in all the years I've been using Mac OS X/OS X/macOS, there are a couple of features I'd like to see (re-)added which, annoyingly, have not (yet) been implemented or have been removed but are available on other operating systems *cough, cough*. These are, in no particular order:

• Rename macOS back to Mac OS X. (OK, OK, this feature isn't available on other OSes but you get the point.)

I still refer to modern versions of macOS as “Mac OS X”, and in my headcanon Big sur is and always will be Mac OS X 10.16, and Monterey Mac OS X 10.17.

• Provide a straightforward way to create a bootable macOS USB installer without having to resort to createinstallmedia on another Mac.
• Allow writing to NTFS partitions.

As well, restore and improve AFP robustness and overall support, as it “just worked”.

• Return to the 1 "KB" == 1024 bytes etc. convention.

This is a ship which sailed with the release of 10.6.0, and it’s a feature I wish I could backport into SL-PPC and even Leopard. It’s annoying to open a 1TB volume to see “931GB” instead. I concur the whole KB-to-KiB transition, at the time, appeared to favour the industry selling “more” than promised on a hard drive, but going from base-2 to base-10 needed to happen at some point.

If there, however, was a toggle one could integrate into a prefPane to switch between base-2 and base-10, I’d be down with that.

• Improve Disk Utility's UI.

Totally. The modern Disk Utility.app is not what one might call terribly robust.

• Readd support for 32-bit applications.

Indeed!

• Enable Rosetta 2 to run PowerPC applications on ARM Macs.

This sort of goes hand-in-hand with 32-bit application support.

So, what are the features you would like to see (re-)added?

ZFS read/write support.


And a feature I wish macOS didn’t have:

its wholesale umbilical cord with Apple servers.

 

[cocoua]

Menu bar fonts in monterrey are the reason im looking for a 32” monitor to use it at 700x420
Need binoculars to read anything.

Mojave was great though…

It looks like new designers at Apple are eagle-sight young guys

Wondering if older executives uses macOS or they moved definetly to iPad as they just read news and emails

Enable rossetta to run 32 bit apps, I would pay for that upgrade alone. Cant live without Quicktime Pro. My divorce was smoother than my transition to Catalyna.

 

[Raging Dufus]

I just want to be able to maximize the active window to the screen without holding a damn key down. No I don't want to full screen it to a new space. That's not what this button is meant for.
View attachment 1994096

I too was annoyed by this behavior, and I also wanted a way to snap maximize an app window by dragging it to the top of the screen, as in Windows. What I found was Rectangle, a menu bar app which allows me to do just that. It's highly configurable, might be worth a look for a lot of things people are suggesting in this thread.

EDIT: I should note, this is only applicable to Intel Macs and possibly ARM. I'm not aware of a comparable app for PPC.

 

[Tozovac]

Settings to undo the flat design aesthetics, to enable lickable stoplight buttons, and to enable more shading in the headers (to undo the white-out aesthetics).

 

[Doq]

EDIT: I should note, this is only applicable to Intel Macs and possibly ARM. I'm not aware of a comparable app for PPC.

Fine enough for me. This is only an issue on my M1 mini, as all of the other Macs in the Lab have ye ol' PowerPC chip and maximize windows the correct way.

 

[navaira]

The NUMBER ONE feature I'm dying to see is automatic finder column width spacing. Been asking for this for YEARS and its truly mindblowing this still hasn't been implemented. The fact that you can't currently open a finder window in Column view without it cutting off some file/folder titles, and being too wide (wasted space) for others, and having to continuously/manually click the vertical divider bars and resize is just stunning (and annoying as all hell).

YES. I can't believe this STILL isn't a thing. The column view seems to be made for Windows xxxxxxxx.exe naming convention.

• Please give me back the old iTunes we all hated. The Apple Music app has taught me humility and showed me how good we used to have it. I thought it didn't get any worse than iTunes. I was wrong.
• Alternatively, provide API for other players to allow streaming from Apple Music, including my own library.
• AirPlay to Sonos. I have an app on my headless server allowing it, so don't tell me it's impossible.
• PLEASE revamp the iCal/Calendar/whatever. Buy Fantastical (which also doesn't have great UI despite the silly subscription prices, but beggars can't be choosers). Really, just give me one thing – when I click on the currently set appointment time, don't make it move UP so that I have to move the cursor and click elsewhere to change it.
• I'd like some cheese with my whine.

 

[Certificate of Excellence]

I'd be happy with TDM.

Target disk mode*

 

[jchap]

Customizable label/tag colors in Finder.

 

[satchmo]

A better and smarter Save As window.
Often it takes a lot of navigating through volumes and folders to find the location where you want to save to.

Eons ago, one could quickly select the location by clicking on it’s folder on your Desktop.

 

[alex_free]

2 things I would kill for. 'Open Terminal Here' and the ability to open a SFTP Finder window. One of the best conviences of using Linux are those 2 simple features.

 

[eyoungren]

A better and smarter Save As window.
Often it takes a lot of navigating through volumes and folders to find the location where you want to save to.

Eons ago, one could quickly select the location by clicking on it’s folder on your Desktop.

I tend to leave Finder windows open for the specific purpose of dragging and dropping the folder I want to save to directly into the File>Save dialogue box. Then it's just a matter of saving.

 

[jchap]

A better and smarter Save As window.
Often it takes a lot of navigating through volumes and folders to find the location where you want to save to.

Eons ago, one could quickly select the location by clicking on it’s folder on your Desktop.

I've used Default Folder X to solve that problem for years. Much less of a hassle—when a standard Save As... dialog box is open, just Command-click on an open Finder window (or on the Desktop) where you want to save the folder, and the Save As destination is immediately updated with the new destination. Simple as pie, and a huge time-saver. It's one of those things that should be built into the OS, but isn't.