Latest Leopard Visual Tweaks and Intro Movie

[supremedesigner]

I don't understand why someone deleted my post from last night on this thread??

i was saying that someone *NEEDS* to post attachment graphic / pictures on this, not on imageshack thing. It is still not working due to high bandwidth something. I did not post any insulting or mean comment.

 

[hayesk]

ical showing surrent date is a nice feature, i was wondering why it didnt show current date when i switch to mac and i got my macbook pro but i guess better now than never. im waiting for leopard, i hope they come out soon.

Because if iCal is not running, there is nothing running to update the icon. I'm guessing this new feature is a thread in the Dock that does it now. Logically, it doesn't make sense that the Dock updates application icons, but I'm guessing it's a result of user demand so Apple made the exception.

 

[compuguy1088]

Where did you read that? Parallels hibernates fine, as does Mac OS X (sleep).

arn

Yea but with OSX it isn't a default option on the shut down menu, its only used when the battery is near zero (deep sleep). It would be great if that was an option.

 

[MrCrowbar]

Because if iCal is not running, there is nothing running to update the icon. I'm guessing this new feature is a thread in the Dock that does it now. Logically, it doesn't make sense that the Dock updates application icons, but I'm guessing it's a result of user demand so Apple made the exception.

iCal helper should do that IMO. That's the thing in Tiger that shows reminders and notifications even if iCal is not running. Updating the iCal icon should be managed by the application itself, not the dock.

Anyway, Leopard is looking good and seems stable. Think I'll get it within the first 2 weeks. We all know by the time we have the discs in our hands, there will be an online update so it doesn't matter if minor things don't work in the gold master (i.e. the version on the disc).

I can't wait for the new front row. I hope it's stable and responsive unlige Tiger's, which is very frustrating to use. Does the leopard front row work with perian? Anyone?

 

[brianus]

I can't wait for the new front row. I hope it's stable and responsive unlige Tiger's, which is very frustrating to use. Does the leopard front row work with perian? Anyone?

I have a "hacked" Front Row allowing it to be used on my G4 mini -- I have stability and responsiveness issues with it too, but I assumed those were just because it's a hack. Does the "official" version (for Oct. '05 iMac G5s and all subsequent machines) have these problems too, or are you also using the hack?

Since Perian already works with Front Row in Tiger, I would think/hope this ability hasn't been removed. As Front Row grabs any recognizable media file in your media folders rather than limiting the selection to what's in your iTunes library, it should support anything QuickTime can handle, right?

 

[MrCrowbar]

I have a "hacked" Front Row allowing it to be used on my G4 mini -- I have stability and responsiveness issues with it too, but I assumed those were just because it's a hack. Does the "official" version (for Oct. '05 iMac G5s and all subsequent machines) have these problems too, or are you also using the hack?

Since Perian already works with Front Row in Tiger, I would think/hope this ability hasn't been removed. As Front Row grabs any recognizable media file in your media folders rather than limiting the selection to what's in your iTunes library, it should support anything QuickTime can handle, right?

I have a legit copy of Tiger on my Macbook. I guess FR is bad everyweher as soon as you have more than 5 files to use it with

I don't know if the new FR relies on quicktime the same way Tiger's Front Row does. Seeing as the Apple TV can be enhanced by hacking Perian on it, I assume the new Front Row will work with it too. I should rather rephrase my question then: Does Perian 1.0 work with Leopard?

Also I thonk iTunes sucks big time in managing video other than podcasts. I'd rather have another seperate app that does that. Most of the videos I have, I don't watch them that many times to keep in my library.

 

[FightTheFuture]

scroll bar nightmares

As I've mentioned before. Apple has a history of superior attention to detail. They are meant to be creating a unified UI with Leopard but the Aqua scrollbars stick out like a sore thumb now with everything else using the iTunes look. Also, if they can make high res folder icons with life-like looking textures on them, they can update the damn scrollbars.

i know the majority of posters dont really care about the scroll bars, but every time new screenshots are posted, its the first thing i look for (as well as some menu/form buttons). they haven't changed at all. they don't resemble the iTunes scrollbars, the new volume bezel scrollbars, the iPhone scrollbars - they are still os x aqua.

i'm getting more and more convinced that apple will... leave the aqua scroll bars!

 

[a456]

Oh my, how long have we waited for that iCal icon?!!

It ain't attractive but if you want the future now, go to your Date & Time settings and look under Clock. Change it from displaying in Menu Bar to Window. Ta-da you have date, day of the week and time displayed. It floats on top of everything. From an aesthetic point of view though just leave iCal open cause this looks damn ugly.

 

[Ben Logan]

i know the majority of posters dont really care about the scroll bars, but every time new screenshots are posted, its the first thing i look for (as well as some menu/form buttons). they haven't changed at all. they don't resemble the iTunes scrollbars, the new volume bezel scrollbars, the iPhone scrollbars - they are still os x aqua.

i'm getting more and more convinced that apple will... leave the aqua scroll bars!

I'm with you. I'd like to see an update to the scroll bars myself. I'm a fan of the aqua look, but I'm ready for something new. Scroll bars are a fairly big visual deal, as they affect just about every application you use.

I like the new greyish ones used to navigate product descriptions, etc. on the Apple website.

 

[lookmark]

We're talking about software manufacturers bundling .NET 3.0 with their software installers on the CD.

We're talking about an automated installation, where one portion of the installation is a prerequisite check to see whether or not .NET 3.0 is already installed on an XP system or not, and including it as part of the installation process as necessary.

I see. And are there a number of developers who are currently doing this?

 

[goosnarrggh]

I see. And are there a number of developers who are currently doing this?

Well, since Microsoft hasn't released a trustworthy SDK for .NET 3.0 yet, I suppose probably not.

But that also means that there isn't an appreciable amount of software out there in the wild (except for built-in components of Vista) that actually takes advantage of anything that's exclusively available through .NET 3.0, including WPF. That makes the .NET 3.0's status as built in to Vista moot.

Anyway, look at the rate of acceptance that software developers have had so far for .NET 1.1 or 2.0 on older versions of Windows - it's definitely the exception, rather than the rule, for software to make use of it. Simply because it slows everything down compared to native code.

 

[50548]

Because some people don't study their history

He probably thinks nazi germany is a rip off of the current crop of white supremacists in america!

(OMG Godwins Law!)

And where have I said that it's a rip off of CA? I just said "crappy" and "phonehomeish", also known as Silverlight for the Mac...

Anyway, the rabid PC fanboys bashing me probably know nothing about the "phone home" capabilities of Silverlight/WPF...so relax and have a cigar...go figure...

 

[MacBlackBook22]

Honestly, I don't think so..

Did I miss something??? my iCal icon in my dock has always shown the actual date doesn't everyones????

 

[Much Ado]

Did I miss something??? my iCal icon in my dock has always shown the actual date doesn't everyones????

Not with the app closed it doesn't.

 

[72930]

Did I miss something??? my iCal icon in my dock has always shown the actual date doesn't everyones????

It only happens when the app is open, not when the app is closed in the dock...unless you have a third-party thing

 

[webremote]

The offical Bavarian Octoberfest Edition

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He3e1p_2PqQ&mode=user&search

 

[vassillios]

I agree. THey are so freakin annoying.

Wow, I guess I really must be the only person who likes the current iTunes scroll bars.

 

[vassillios]

this is my take on it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tenMJnLmR3I

That was the best!

 

[simX]

This is sort of off topic, sorry but I want to make a correction.

To whoever said that you can't put the date in the menubar, you can here's how:

Except that is does not work for a lot of people as the comment on macosxhints show. It also does not work for me. There is the notion that it does not work for non-US set-ups.

I saw those comments and I was surprised. On every computer I've tried this trick, it's worked. And yes, I am running a non-US setup, so the statement that it doesn't work on non-US systems is completely incorrect.

It's a tricky trick, and I suspect that people are just doing it wrong. Can you post the exact steps you tried to get this to work? Or even better, maybe make a movie?

 

[matticus008]

Wow, I guess I really must be the only person who likes the current iTunes scroll bars.

No, you're not. The hilarious part is that they're the exact same scroll bars, just with different coloration and a smoother effect.

They fit better with the new "plastic" look and personally I always hated the clash with the metal windows and how the color jumped out. A scroll bar, I think, is an element that should not jump out, particularly given scrolling touchpads, mouse wheels, and keyboard navigation. They're of limited utility except as a reference to how far down the page you've gone or to rapidly cover an arbitrary amount of ground. In either case, they could be less conspicuous.

 

[decksnap]

No, you're not. The hilarious part is that they're the exact same scroll bars, just with different coloration and a smoother effect.

So they're the exact same, except totally different in every way? And by different coloration, you mean dirty lookin'? And by smoother effect you mean ugly flat gradient with fuzzy edges?

Sorry.. just having some fun. I just find them to be disgusting.

I think the bars from the website could be a nice compromise. I still think the Aqua ones are the best.

 

[dlastmango]

Foregt about the cosmetics...

Performance wise... are there any benefits to Leopard? Keeping the same system setup (i.e. RAM, HD...) should the new OS be any faster...or does leopard require more Ram/Processor for all the Eye candy?


Thanks
Chris

 

[matticus008]

So they're the exact same, except totally different in every way?

No, they're the exact same scroll bars, in every way. The design is separate from the coloration and the texture. All elements are the same size, the same shape, the same location, the same behavior, the same degree of "fuzziness".

I still think the Aqua ones are the best.

So you're saying you prefer the blue double-highlight even though the blue no longer has anything to do with the OS? Everything is going iPhone-style (or perhaps the iPhone is just Leopard-style; it's a little chicken/egg ). It would be quite strange to leave the scroll bars blue.

 

[decksnap]

No, they're the exact same scroll bars, in every way. The design is separate from the coloration and the texture. All elements are the same size, the same shape, the same location, the same behavior, the same degree of "fuzziness".

So you're saying you prefer the blue double-highlight even though the blue no longer has anything to do with the OS? Everything is going iPhone-style (or perhaps the iPhone is just Leopard-style; it's a little chicken/egg ). It would be quite strange to leave the scroll bars blue.

I guess our definitions of 'design' differ. The (good) blue color (not the dirty one) is everywhere, is it not? It's even scattered throughout the latest iTunes. It's in most of the app icons, it's in the dialogue boxes and online forms... will this all change?

 

[matticus008]

I guess our definitions of 'design' differ.

I think it is just a simple misunderstanding. They haven't really changed the design when the only work in Photoshop is tweaking effect layers--if you're drawing nothing new, it's not a redesign. This is best illustrated in architecture--whether you put a stucco or brick face on it, it's still the same house with an identical design.

It's even scattered throughout the latest iTunes. It's in most of the app icons, it's in the dialogue boxes and online forms... will this all change?

Well, application icons aside (being that they're independent of the UI framework), I would imagine that all the form elements and dialogue boxes will be replaced when the scroll bars are. Certainly some have already been changed in various applications, and the iPhone has nothing resembling an Aqua button. My hope is that the "iTunes" style gets some tweaking before launch and that it doesn't represent the exact for of Leopard elements.