Leopard's GUI is Ugly and End of Themes?

[TheSpaz]

I think Leopard's GUI is very ugly right now. Sure, there's no more brushed metal but, there's a lot of things in the GUI that are bugging me. Such as:

- Scroll bars are even worse than before
- Mail's toolbar buttons are getting into everything else
- iTunes interface is now everywhere... including iTunes.
- New drop shadows freak me out. I didn't like the softness of the current shadows and now they've made them softer.
- New menu bar is stupid. It definitely doesn't look like something you're supposed to click on.
- New Dock has all kinds of problems. The perspective is all wrong depending on which Apps you have in it... also reflections look funny on things like the Trash.
- I hate the new Apple Default desktop picture... it's very unprofessional looking. I could have taken that photo in my backyard. Something more subtle please!
- I don't like those gray iTunes buttons in the Finder... looks amateur to me.

One more thing... since Apple redesigned the GUI with vector graphics... does this mean the end of themes? How is anyone going to break into that once it's all math? I can't imagine that Shape Shifter even remotely works in Leopard.

 

[Warbrain]

I think Leopard's GUI is very ugly right now. Sure, there's no more brushed metal but, there's a lot of things in the GUI that are bugging me. Such as:

- Scroll bars are even worse than before
- Mail's toolbar buttons are getting into everything else
- iTunes interface is now everywhere... including iTunes.
- New drop shadows freak me out. I didn't like the softness of the current shadows and now they've made them softer.
- New menu bar is stupid. It definitely doesn't look like something you're supposed to click on.
- New Dock has all kinds of problems. The perspective is all wrong depending on which Apps you have in it... also reflections look funny on things like the Trash.
- I hate the new Apple Default desktop picture... it's very unprofessional looking. I could have taken that photo in my backyard. Something more subtle please!
- I don't like those gray iTunes buttons in the Finder... looks amateur to me.

One more thing... since Apple redesigned the GUI with vector graphics... does this mean the end of themes? How is anyone going to break into that once it's all math? I can't imagine that Shape Shifter even remotely works in Leopard.

Themes might still work. I'm sure that Unsanity is working on it and plan on having something that'll work at some point.

 

[vandlism]

The day Unsanity can no longer hack their programs into the Mac, I'm hosting a party and everyone is invited - except for Unsanity.

 

[kolax]

Is there anything you do like about Leopard? Seems not.

I love the new GUI, looks very rich and attractive. The 3D Dock looks wicked, and the transparent Menu Bar can be turned off.

Also, I don't see what is wrong with the grass as the default picture for Leopard. It looks cool, modern art.

 

[Killyp]

The only negative thing I can think of that I don't like about the Leopard GUI is the tacky little lights in the dock, rather than the simple and effective arrows in the Tiger one.

The default wallpaper is not nice, I'll agree, but that doesn't make any difference at all to how much I like Leopard, because I can just change it...

 

[AdeFowler]

I think Leopard's GUI is very ugly right now. Sure, there's no more brushed metal but, there's a lot of things in the GUI that are bugging me. Such as:

- Scroll bars are even worse than before
- Mail's toolbar buttons are getting into everything else
- iTunes interface is now everywhere... including iTunes.
- New drop shadows freak me out. I didn't like the softness of the current shadows and now they've made them softer.
- New menu bar is stupid. It definitely doesn't look like something you're supposed to click on.
- New Dock has all kinds of problems. The perspective is all wrong depending on which Apps you have in it... also reflections look funny on things like the Trash.
- I hate the new Apple Default desktop picture... it's very unprofessional looking. I could have taken that photo in my backyard. Something more subtle please!
- I don't like those gray iTunes buttons in the Finder... looks amateur to me.

One more thing... since Apple redesigned the GUI with vector graphics... does this mean the end of themes? How is anyone going to break into that once it's all math? I can't imagine that Shape Shifter even remotely works in Leopard.

You've really gotta get out more

 

[Alloye]

I boot back and forth several times a day between Tiger and Leopard. I much prefer the look of Leopard. My only reservation is the new menu bar. Everything else looks fantastic.

As for themes, where there's a will, there's a way.

 

[TheSpaz]

You've really gotta get out more

I enjoy using Mac OS X partly because it doesn't look like Windows. I hate the Windows GUI and I always have. I just think Apple is changing the look of things just for the sake of making people go "Wow, look how cool that 3D Dock looks". I'm kind of a minimalist and I like subtle things but, I think Apple is going way too far with it's GUI eye candy. Was anyone complaining about the way the 2D Dock looked? It looks great and works fine... why do I need a fake 3D Dock that reflects everything that's near it? It looks really stupid with the 2D icons on it. What about the new Dock divider that looks like a sidewalk... what a stupid looking addition to the already stupid looking 3D Dock... the perspective of it doesn't match the rest of the Dock either. I think, if you're gonna go 3D... go all the way and don't half-ass it and make it look wrong.

 

[61132]

Is there anything you do like about Leopard? Seems not.

I love the new GUI, looks very rich and attractive. The 3D Dock looks wicked, and the transparent Menu Bar can be turned off.

Also, I don't see what is wrong with the grass as the default picture for Leopard. It looks cool, modern art.

How do you turn the transparent menu bar off? I have not seen any settings to do so in 9A499

 

[wyatt23]

i think you're looking way into this. i really like all the effects. part of the reason i use os x is bc of all the eye candy. i've yet to try out leopard but everything i've seen from it thus far impresses me.

idk that's just me. i'll agree about the mail buttons. maybe they're over doing the whole itunes interface, but i haven't used it. it could turn out to be amazing. plus... leopard isn't done yet, so there could still be changes before it's released.

 

[wongulous]

I'm not going to say you're picky or looking into things too far--people need to do that. I'm sure Apple does.

I will say that this boils down to differences in opinion. We all like different things and have different ideas and preferences. But one product with one unified GUI can't please everyone, while it can help almost everyone work well and please a great majority of people--and do those two things a helluva lot better than Windows/Vista, to boot. Apple is doing that.

The only point which I agree with is that the drop shadows are too big, but that's also based on current resolutions. With that of the HD MBP and the 24" iMac, the drop shadows on Tiger look chintzy and don't visually show you much of anything because they're so *small.* We may have Leopard for another 2 years, and soon all displays will be HD. Think into the future--and you'll understand it. I didn't want to, either. But the shadows will be fine after some use and my next upgrade of display.

 

[lofight]

Wich month is it ?? August okay, and when does it come out ... Oktober so still two months of developing, and if you don't like it, don't buy it you can just stay with tiger, and i do like the GUI of leopard, it's nice!!

 

[kolax]

How do you turn the transparent menu bar off? I have not seen any settings to do so in 9A499

I'm not using Leopard yet, but it has been mentioned and I'm sure Steve said it. Apparently (after searching on Google) one of the beta's has an option to turn it off.

 

[TheSpaz]

I'm not using Leopard yet, but it has been mentioned and I'm sure Steve said it. Apparently (after searching on Google) one of the beta's has an option to turn it off.

I haven't seen or heard of a button to turn off the transparent menu bar but, I wish Apple would put in an option to "Use Classic Dock" because the Dock does the same thing whether it's 3D or not so it wouldn't actually brake functionality... it could just be for those users who do not care for the flashy 3D stuff. Kind of like Genie and Scale animations or Graphite and Aqua variations... I doubt they'll give us a choice between Docks... but, it would be cool if they did. Who knows maybe I'll use the Classic Dock for a while and then realize the 3D Dock is way better... maybe it will grow on me but, for now... it just looks annoyingly big and bulky and the 3D-ness is cheesy.

 

[vandlism]

Wich month is it ?? August okay, and when does it come out ... Oktober so still two months of developing

Actually, if they plan to have it shipping by the end of October that means there is really only a month left of development, and by development I mean bug squashing. It needs to go to Gold Master and be sent into production nearly a month ahead of the final release...so things should be shaping up here real quick.

 

[yg17]

Its all a matter of opinion. I personally like the new changes. But there's one thing that's an absolute fact....complaining on a message board won't change anything

 

[Sbrocket]

I'm not using Leopard yet, but it has been mentioned and I'm sure Steve said it. Apparently (after searching on Google) one of the beta's has an option to turn it off.

Unless its been added in the past week (9A513+), its not in there yet. Methinks that the option to turn the transparent menu bar off is merely one of those rumors that everyone's heard, but no one can find the source of. Similar to the "official" estimates about the iPhone selling 500k units in the first couple days -- it was fabricated. Now, of course that doesn't mean there will never be an option. I'm sure the design guys are simply going to ignore all the opinions flying around about how the transparent menubar looks (I like it, personally). Believe me...it isn't only people outside Apple that don't like it.

 

[prostuff1]

<nit picking about crap>

I think you have earned your user name

 

[bousozoku]

The only negative thing I can think of that I don't like about the Leopard GUI is the tacky little lights in the dock, rather than the simple and effective arrows in the Tiger one.

The default wallpaper is not nice, I'll agree, but that doesn't make any difference at all to how much I like Leopard, because I can just change it...

Don't the tacky little lights in the Dock switch colour, depending on whether the application is responding or not? If not, it would be a perfect way to keep track of wayward applications.

I think it's a blessing that we won't have 6 different Apple-initiated themes going on, as we've had for 4+ years, regardless of the default background.

It'll be interesting to see if things work better on G4 machines.

I do wonder who thought that the menu bar needed camouflage.

 

[TheSpaz]

What if Apple's brand new Leopard becomes as much of a hit as iMovie 08. I hope the same people who worked on iMovie 08 aren't working on Leopard because I've read some terrible reviews about iMovie 08. They're deleting features now!!! Upgrades are supposed to add-on or improve... not remove.

 

[LillieDesigns]

What if Apple's brand new Leopard becomes as much of a hit as iMovie 08. I hope the same people who worked on iMovie 08 aren't working on Leopard because I've read some terrible reviews about iMovie 08. They're deleting features now!!! Upgrades are supposed to add-on or improve... not remove.

They did "improve" in a sense that iMovie 08 makes making movies easier for app's demographic. I was really looking forward to a better version of iMovie and ordered iLife 08 the minute it was available. However, after reading about the new version I chose to return it.

It does what iLife is "meant" to do, but I think it could have been a whole lot better. It doesn't make me want to buy it, but it's not made for special effects, it's made for non-computer savvy people. And it does do that well (or so I hear).

 

[SMM]

I think you have earned your user name

perfect! you probably just saved me from 'three strikes and you are out'.

 

[shecky]

i agree with some of what thespaz is saying; i think leopard desktop looks a bit goofy and too eyecandyish for me, especially the dock.

i wish all of OSX looked like final cut pro. that would be perfect.

 

[lofight]

Actually, if they plan to have it shipping by the end of October that means there is really only a month left of development, and by development I mean bug squashing. It needs to go to Gold Master and be sent into production nearly a month ahead of the final release...so things should be shaping up here real quick.

i agree with you but they could secretly be making little diferences on it... probably not.

 

[MikeDTyke]

Don't the tacky little lights in the Dock switch colour, depending on whether the application is responding or not? If not, it would be a perfect way to keep track of wayward applications.

I think it's a blessing that we won't have 6 different Apple-initiated themes going on, as we've had for 4+ years, regardless of the default background.

It'll be interesting to see if things work better on G4 machines.

I do wonder who thought that the menu bar needed camouflage.

Ooooh, that's a perfect extension to the lights under running apps. Makes perfect sense, colour red if not responding, blue for running, maybe green to indicate completion of a job. V.nice

M.