Mac OS X Updates and Next Generation Finder Development

[darh]

I miss one and only one thing from Windows - being able to browse networked computers as though they were folders on my computer. None of this browsing for servers, selecting the computer, entering a password, selecting which folder to mount, mounting the folder, finally opening the folder.

It's the only thing I think that Windows kicks OS X's arse in, I'd just have to double click on a computer, double click on a folder and I was there. And while we're at it, show shared printers on networked computers. Setting one up through Printer Setup is a pain in the arse.

you're completely right... i really wish they made a nice way to work with networking, to solve all those problems you mentioned

 

[Armaggideon]

I hope they rewrite Finder completely, and make it a Cocoa app. It's about time. Though the only thing I miss other than general speed/bug improvements is a file path bar and less buggy icon view.

That's easily achieved by command-clicking the file icon in the menu bar

 

[mvc]

I miss one and only one thing from Windows - being able to browse networked computers as though they were folders on my computer. None of this browsing for servers, selecting the computer, entering a password, selecting which folder to mount, mounting the folder, finally opening the folder.

It's the only thing I think that Windows kicks OS X's arse in, I'd just have to double click on a computer, double click on a folder and I was there. And while we're at it, show shared printers on networked computers. Setting one up through Printer Setup is a pain in the arse.

Oh for the simple early days of AppleTalk, it just used to work...

Of course, you couldn't actually talk to a PC....

Or have it talk to you....

BUT IT WORKED! Click on the alias, mount the volume, browse...

Easy, Intuitive, Very few issues.

Same again Apple, only connect with the rest of the world this time please.

 

[7on]

I predict that it will be redesigned much like how iTunes and iPhoto are organized. Something where you drop a file into a library. On the left you could have "Volumes, Documents, Photos, Music, etc" with the option to add more if you like - and the presence of smart folders. I could see the benefit of this kinda but only if things non-apple (example .rm files) would be seen as a movie and not a document file. There's a program out there that kinda does this with limited support for file formats.

 

[DCBass]

What? You're kidding right. Where as Windows just maximizes everything to use the entire window (waste of space), Mac OS X apps maximize to use as much space as it needs (the width of the page in a document and the entire height of the screen for example), so you still can drag-and-drop and do similar task you'd expect from a windowing system. I'm not sure what you're thinking of with minimizing, but I sure find the Mac OS X minimizing a lot better.

I actually would prefer to have it both ways.

Mostly, I like how OSX handles it, but it can be annoying for some apps.

Example 1: Safari - Many web pages have different widths. Instead of having to hit the green button another time to account for a bigger page, I wish that I could just "maximize" in the Windows sense right from the get go. This is ideal for those of us with smaller screens.

Example 2: iTunes - This is even weirder, primarily because it behaves different than other apps. The green button only toggles between current view and the mini player. I understand that it wouldn't make sense for it to behave like other apps, but the option to "maximize" to fill the screen would again be nice.

One other thing I'd like to see is the ability to resize from any point, or at least another dang point than lower right. Sure, one point is nice and simple, but it's annoying to have to move a window by it's title bar and then have to another part of the window to resize it. </argh>

Also, a filepath somewhere would be nice.

 

[Armaggideon]

What does it do differently than cmd+I?

The bar at the top

 

[TheMasin9]

updated finder

wow this would be great, especially if we see it in the next revision of tiger. i still cant wait for leopard to come out, its gonna be light years ahead of vista or whatever they are calling it now...

 

[manu chao]

Example 1: Safari - Many web pages have different widths. Instead of having to hit the green button another time to account for a bigger page, I wish that I could just "maximize" in the Windows sense right from the get go. This is ideal for those of us with smaller screens.

Example 2: iTunes - This is even weirder, primarily because it behaves different than other apps. The green button only toggles between current view and the mini player. I understand that it wouldn't make sense for it to behave like other apps, but the option to "maximize" to fill the screen would again be nice.

I understand your issues, but these are not Finder issues but issues of the individual apps (see Camino's behaviour for the green button).

One other thing I'd like to see is the ability to resize from any point, or at least another dang point than lower right. Sure, one point is nice and simple, but it's annoying to have to move a window by it's title bar and then have to another part of the window to resize it. </argh>

Yeah, add at least the lower left corner.

Also, a filepath somewhere would be nice.

It's already there: View-> Customize Toolbar -> Path

 

[MacsRgr8]

Give me a number of examples where the green button does not do what would be considered the best window size and I will give you at least an equal number of examples where it does better than Window's maximize button.

It's not really something I would like in the Finder, but more in a couple of apps... so, it wasn't best thread to say this
Sometimes it can be usefull to let the app use your whole screen.

 

[manu chao]

The bar at the top

View attachment 39560View attachment 39561

And that means one cannot use cmd-W anymore.

 

[Abstract]

The features are nice, but Pathfinder 4's interface is so hideous it makes babies cry and elephants spontaneously explode... Overcrowded windows FTL.

Yeah, but Apple can do what they did with Konfabulator's goodness and just "borrow" a few ideas.

Path Finder is much closer to perfection than Finder is. Apple can easily make Path Finder better by making it more integrated. Also, take the "Processes area away to make it look less cluttered, and move the "Volumes" (ie: HDs, iPod drive, USB Flash Drive, external HDs, etc) to the main window, and I think it'll be less cluttered.

Basically, just add the path, tabs, and "drop stack" to Finder, and I'm happy.

 

[manu chao]

I miss one and only one thing from Windows - being able to browse networked computers as though they were folders on my computer. None of this browsing for servers, selecting the computer, entering a password, selecting which folder to mount, mounting the folder, finally opening the folder.

It's the only thing I think that Windows kicks OS X's arse in, I'd just have to double click on a computer, double click on a folder and I was there. And while we're at it, show shared printers on networked computers. Setting one up through Printer Setup is a pain in the arse.

If Automount worked (it works in principle but how to set it up is the topic of several hints at macosxhints.com) or if aliases to servers worked (I had them working under several versions of OS X but every time Apple 'improved' Samba substantially they got broken) your problem would very much mitigated.

( cmd-K in the Finder, plus favourites, is your friend)

 

[Abstract]

That's easily achieved by command-clicking the file icon in the menu bar

It's already there: View-> Customize Toolbar -> Path

It sucks in comparison to the one in Path Finder. You can't drag and drop using those file path bar, can you. You can in Path Finder......."spring loaded" and everything, which is what Finder does for drag and drop.

 

[Armaggideon]

It sucks in comparison to the one in Path Finder. You can't drag and drop using those file path bar, can you. You can in Path Finder......."spring loaded" and everything, which is what Finder does for drag and drop.

You can drag and drop the icon in the toolbar anywhere as you would normally. When it's a file open in an application, dragging the icon results in creating an alias.

 

[bugfaceuk]

I hope Apple takes their time and does 10.5 right.

10.5 needs to be an epic jump over 10.4, akin to how OS X was a leap over OS 9.

Make no mistake about it: Microsoft is copying OS X feature for feature, and then adding more so the review will glow. We Apple folks can be all high and mighty about Windows being a rip-off, but MS doesn't care and will simple laugh all the way to the bank.

Plus, good enough good really hurt Apple again like it did in 1995.

Apple needs Leopard to be an epic update. Epic.

I'm pretty confident that Microsoft doesn't "get" why OS-X is popular. They look at the 3d effects and think "we need 3d effects" not "that 3d effect is utilized he help the user xxxx or yyyyy".

You might be right, but if you copy a picaso, all you have, is a copy of a picaso.

 

[Stridder44]

New Finer?



THANK GOD!!!

 

[amateurmacfreak]

Everyone knew the Finder was in dire need of a total overhaul. Its the only thing IMO that Windows had over OSX.

I thought this would be included in 10.5 but we might even see it sooner. Doubt it but we might.

Whoa. Um. I'm shocked to hear people complain about Finder so much. It's always been one of the major things I like about Mac.

 

[Apple Hobo]

I really want the old command-F file search back. I love Spotlight for certain searches (mainly for searching for specific data within a file), but overall it's simply not as reliable or effective as the old Finder search. Out of the box, Spotlight wont even search my hidden directories, such as /usr/local/*. For anyone who tinkers with the Unix guts or open source software, this step back in search functionality is unbelievable.

 

[Capt. Obvious]

Whoa. Um. I'm shocked to hear people complain about Finder so much. It's always been one of the major things I like about Mac.

word - the more I use Windows , the more I have to admit it's not useless...but it IS stupid: I use Windows Explorer *every*day* and every day I understand the anti-Finder loonies less. I've actually considered buying my boss an iMac *just* so I don't have to use that steaming pile another day. They should just seed Redmond with ebola or something, block off the roads & let no-one out, then plow it all under once the infection has spent itself.

 

[DrNeroCF]

How about they fix it so that Finder will actually remember the size of the window that pops up when I open 'Macintosh HD,' instead of forgetting every time I relaunch finder. 'Cause by default, when I open that, then go to Applications, there's a ton of wasted space to the right. I just want to expand the thing a wee bit and keep it like that!!!

 

[thegreatluke]

Leopard is going to beat the crap out of Vista since it seems like Tiger already is better than Vista. It will be an embarrasing moment for Micro$uck when Leopard is released.

Tiger better than Vista?

Dude, it seems like Cheetah is better than Vista at this point.

 

[the.snitch]

Ok I have a request for a feature that i feel would be most useful.
The ability to have windows 'snap' to the edge of the screen. I like my windows left-justified most of the time, so i can see my icons on the desktop on the right. I usually just push my safari windows/itunes windows/whatever to the far left or my screen, but its a bit fiddly as there is no 'snap' to the screen edge.
Just have a system-wide preference for it, in the "Appearance" section in System preferences, or similar.

Also, i think in finder preferences under "show these items on the desktop", it should show mounted printers/scanners/cameras and all other devices rather than just ipods, network volumes, and disks. Drag and drop to the printer to print etc. I know this can be achieved through Print Utility, but that seems illogical and is too fiddly, and it also just makes aliases that stay there 24/7 regardless of if my printers mounted or not.

 

[bousozoku]

That's easily achieved by command-clicking the file icon in the menu bar

You mean the title bar, like my screenshot?

It would be nice for the Finder to be better organised and give those useful thumbnails for which people are clamoring.

 

[fluidinclusion]

Uh oh

If they're previewing 10.5 soon, but haven't even hired the programmer for the GUI, they must have had someone quit or die. It's a bit late to hire someone just a few months before demonstrating the new Finder to the world!!!

Hopefully they are hiring this person for OS 11 !

 

[Stella]

They are probably hiring a replacement or additional people.

The development on the Finder is probably well on its way...

If they're previewing 10.5 soon, but haven't even hired the programmer for the GUI, they must have had someone quit or die. It's a bit late to hire someone just a few months before demonstrating the new Finder to the world!!!

Hopefully they are hiring this person for OS 11 !