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Help get Apple to remove metal in Finder

I Agree

I agree with the person who started this thread. Metal needs to be removed or optionalized. Metal and Aqua are both wonderful designs, but some people can't stand one or the other. The hugest thing Apple could do in the next release, that would make OS X fans go wild, would be a few basic interface appearance options.

My problem with metal isn't always the look of it (the texture itself). Sometimes it's just the style that goes along with it. When you have a metal interface all the nice large colorful icons in the toolbars are replaced with smaller two-tone ones. I don't like that as much in finder. Also, with metal windows you don't have anything separating the toolbar from the "window top bar". So it looks like the applications elements are spilling into the window controls, and the window title is not as neat looking sitting out in the middle of no where. If they fixed this, it would greatly improve the look of it. Finally, another bad thing about the metal texture in general is that it is not a good background for text, and the dark looking windows are not always a good thing.

The too worse OS X apps with metal are the iPod updater, and "Audio MIDI Setup". They have a solid metal background, which I think should be totally out of the question. It should only be applied to toolbars and window borders, if at all. I liked the lighter color of aqua. When you have all your windows with a dark metal texture, it's not as pleasant to look at.

Simply, the best applications with the metal interface are applications that are actual object. Like "Calculator", "DVD Player", and "QuickTime". As far as Safari goes, I actually started out not liking it at all, but I started to use it and really started to like it. It's not as ugly as most metal windows because it has more of a distinct window bar, and the bulky edges are absent.
 
I like the metal look - those pin-stripes drove me nuts. (although I didn't realize until I saw the metal.)

The best solution, it would seem, would be the ability to choose your color scheme (I hate to say it, but sort of like you can with with windows.)
 
Originally posted by Foxer
I like the metal look - those pin-stripes drove me nuts. (although I didn't realize until I saw the metal.)

The best solution, it would seem, would be the ability to choose your color scheme (I hate to say it, but sort of like you can with with windows.)
Click to expand...
So I am confused... you are against choice because Microsoft offers it?

WinXP has 3 themes to choose from (Blue, Silver, old Win2k style).

OS X is a hodge-podge of 2 different themes (Aqua and Metal).

One of these makes more sense than the other, and it ain't Apple... :rolleyes: :mad: :eek: :confused:
 
Actually, having a Metal Finder follows Apple's Human interface standard. The standars state that apps that replace items in real life or mimic them, get the metal.

Finder - Metal - Is similar to a Dawer in a File Cabinet
iTunes - Metal - Is similar to a Radio/CD/Tape Deck
Address Book - Metal - I similar to a Rolodex
QuickTime - Metal - Replaces TV & VCR
DVD Player - Metal - Replaces DVD
Safari - Metal - This is currently the only app I think should not be metal, because it doesn't replace anything outside the computer world.

Truly, Mail should be metal, it replaces real mail, and Appleworks as well because it replace a Typewriter.

TEG
 
I prefer consistency in design, not the mish mash of some metal, with the excuse that it replaces a meatspace type object. Not to mention that QT destroys the concept anyway. QT does not just play video files.

At best, the lines are blurred.

<nitpick>
DRAWER ;)
</nitpick>
 
Originally posted by iPC
So I am confused... you are against choice because Microsoft offers it?
Click to expand...

No. I think I endorsed choice and offered up MS as an example.


By the by, I think I'm one of the more PRO-Microsoft people on the boards. Of course, that's like saying I've got more hair than most attendees of a bald convention.
 
I don't like the metal windows much but they have improved on me. However, I don't like the look of the new Finder from pictures (still on 10.2.8 here). I don't like the edges (not as neat, bigger window). I don't understand the fuss about the sidebar (maybe I will when I get Panther though) as it seems to just replicate the functions of the toolbars in Jaguar, i.e. click on 'Applications' for the applications folder, etc., or drag your favourite folder to the toolbar for easy access to it.

And the toggling of the toolbar toggles between brushed metal and aqua? Panther already seems to be so inconsistent!

One thing I do miss from Windows, however, is simply an "up one level" button - is there one in the Panther Finder action menu? It's annoying if I'm in a folder within a folder and I want to go to the folder that that one is in (sometimes back and forward will not do this), there is no easy way except to switch to column view and drag to the left. It's always been in Windows so I can't see why such an easy navigational tool can't be implemented into the Mac OS.

Unfortunately, Metallifizer only works with Cocoa apps and even the Panther Finder is still Carbon.

I will upgrade to Panther for the speed increase and expose though (and improved open/save dialogs), just waiting and hoping for my damn up-to-date application to go through...
 
Just wait until Unsanity releases the Metallifizer, then you can de-metalize any app.
Click to expand...

i've tried this in 10.2.x, and i'm not pleased with the results. gaps are left all over between elements. there's no way to remove the metal parts and have it look like a regular aqua version would if it were designed that way.

it's not the metal colors that i hate so much as the wasted space. when i first switched to x i missed being able to grab window edges, but everything is so much cleaner and simpler. you have the title bar, the content, and that's it. but now, metal and its chunkiness is infecting everything because it looks "pretty". i thought apple was all about streamlining; what happened here?

i'm not running panther (yet), so does anyone know if the new finder toolbar items are customizeable? changing the order and making them text only would be nice. (they make a standard editable toolbar and then defy it, what would you bet.)
 
One thing I do miss from Windows, however, is simply an "up one level" button - is there one in the Panther Finder action menu? It's annoying if I'm in a folder within a folder and I want to go to the folder that that one is in
Click to expand...

in jaguar, add the "path" item to the toolbar. go up to any level you want.
 
Originally posted by johnnyjibbs
One thing I do miss from Windows, however, is simply an "up one level" button - is there one in the Panther Finder action menu?
Click to expand...

Yes, there is a "back" arrow in the Panther finder.

Plus, in either Panther of Jaguar, just command-click the folder title. It will list the entire hierarchy the forlder is under, and you just select the one you want.
 
Actually, the interface styles in Panther Finder operate much differently.
The Aqua style handles(and looks) very much like OS9, while the metal itunes style handles like a full featured file browser.
Choose the one you like best.
 
Originally posted by stcanard
Yes, there is a "back" arrow in the Panther finder.

Plus, in either Panther of Jaguar, just command-click the folder title. It will list the entire hierarchy the forlder is under, and you just select the one you want.
Click to expand...
"back" != "up"

and the annoying thing with the web browser style of "forward" and "back" buttons, can't use cmd-leftarrow or cmd-rightarrow in finder. :(
 
Originally posted by TEG
Actually, having a Metal Finder follows Apple's Human interface standard. The standars state that apps that replace items in real life or mimic them, get the metal.

Finder - Metal - Is similar to a Dawer in a File Cabinet
iTunes - Metal - Is similar to a Radio/CD/Tape Deck
Address Book - Metal - I similar to a Rolodex
QuickTime - Metal - Replaces TV & VCR
DVD Player - Metal - Replaces DVD
Safari - Metal - This is currently the only app I think should not be metal, because it doesn't replace anything outside the computer world.

Truly, Mail should be metal, it replaces real mail, and Appleworks as well because it replace a Typewriter.

TEG
Click to expand...

I think you're really stretching it a bit here. The intention of brushed metal according to the Apple Human Interface document is to either:
1. indicate a digital hub application
or
2. replicate the look of a real-life object.

Therefore, iTunes and the other iApps are covered, since they are digital hub applications, as well as Calculator, which replicates the look of an actual calculator. Finder should not be metal because it is not meant to replicate the look of a drawer. Mail and Appleworks should definitely not be metal because they do not replicate the look of a typewriter or real mail at all, and they cannot be considered digital hub apps. Personally, I like the new Finder, but I cannot see liking Appleworks or Mail if they were metal.
 
Originally posted by iPC
"back" != "up"

and the annoying thing with the web browser style of "forward" and "back" buttons, can't use cmd-leftarrow or cmd-rightarrow in finder. :(
Click to expand...

I guess we use finder differently.

If I want fast, keyboard navigation of hiearchies I put it in column mode and use the arrow keys.

Currently my favourite mode is list mode, where I can immediately see all my hierarchies, and use the arrow keys trivially to navigate back up.

Command-clicking the folder title gives me all the info I find I need regarding hierarchies on the current window if it's not showing root.
Of course if I want to do anything really serious, I pul up a bash shell but that's probably because I'm a recent linux convert.
 
Originally posted by iPC
"back" != "up"

and the annoying thing with the web browser style of "forward" and "back" buttons, can't use cmd-leftarrow or cmd-rightarrow in finder. :(
Click to expand...

CMD + up = up a level
CMD + down = down a level (enter a folder) or launch file.

you can use the CMD and click on the folder in the bar for the heirarchy but i find adding the path element to the tool bar does it great.

macboyX
 
Originally posted by iPC
"back" != "up"

and the annoying thing with the web browser style of "forward" and "back" buttons, can't use cmd-leftarrow or cmd-rightarrow in finder. :(
Click to expand...

Let's get this straight. "Cmd-[" and "Cmd-]" are the shorcuts for moving back and forward. If you want to go up or down, you can do a "Cmd-(up key/down key)". Or simply Cmd-click on the window's title's folder icon. I use this allot.
 
Thank you for the responses. I did not know this.

Although, why is it different than a web browser? Like behaviors, with different keystroke commands? What is the sense in that? Apple's interface statements go against the grain of that. It's supposed to be "familiar" to the user.

At least there is something...
 
I believe this was posted earlier in the thread, but it got overlooked. The Metal Finder is the "file browser" Finder. The Aqua Finder is the "spatial" Finder of OS9. Your choices are:

Metal File Browser

OR

Aqua Spatial

End. Of. Discussion.

Apple doesn't care if you like brushed metal or not. They like it. And since they make the software, they do get some say in how it looks. They've made a decision that the majority of people like (or at least don't mind) the metal look, and it's their look now. Just like some people still complain about Aqua compared to OS9 and before, some people will complain about Metal versus Aqua. That's life.

(And yes, in case you were wondering, I do quite enjoy the metal look, and can't wait to get Panther on my PowerBook.)

--Cless
 
I still want a choice...

Originally posted by Cless
I believe this was posted earlier in the thread, but it got overlooked. The Metal Finder is the "file browser" Finder. The Aqua Finder is the "spatial" Finder of OS9. Your choices are:

Metal File Browser

OR

Aqua Spatial

End. Of. Discussion.

Apple doesn't care if you like brushed metal or not. They like it. And since they make the software, they do get some say in how it looks. They've made a decision that the majority of people like (or at least don't mind) the metal look, and it's their look now. Just like some people still complain about Aqua compared to OS9 and before, some people will complain about Metal versus Aqua. That's life.

(And yes, in case you were wondering, I do quite enjoy the metal look, and can't wait to get Panther on my PowerBook.)

--Cless
Click to expand...
I upgraded to Panther last night. I like the new finder, other than the metal look. I still think metal is ugly, and now even the terminal has it! ack! I just want a choice, all metal or all aqua. This mish-mash of the 2 is annoying, inconsistent, and ugly to look at.

IMNSHO - YMMV
 
Re: I still want a choice...

Originally posted by iPC
I upgraded to Panther last night. I like the new finder, other than the metal look. I still think metal is ugly, and now even the terminal has it! ack! I just want a choice, all metal or all aqua. This mish-mash of the 2 is annoying, inconsistent, and ugly to look at.

IMNSHO - YMMV
Click to expand...

¡que bueno!
 
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