OSX Lion UI Fragmentation

[ryannazaretian]

So I've noticed this more and more as I use the new OS more and more. The UI is really fragmented in features.

Here's a submission I made for the OSX Feedback system.

I've noticed the the UI provided with 10.7 is severely fragmented.

The 2-finger back swipe that works in Safari, does not work for Finder or System preferences. Then there is no pinch-to-zoom in Mail.

Why?

If you're featuring all of these multi-touch gestures, shouldn't they work system-wide? Why force users to use 2-fingers in one program, and 3-fingers in another, and to use 3-fingers, they must enable the option? There's also no option for the pinch to zoom in Mail.

Please keep this in mind, and maybe include these fixes in a future update of OSX Lion.

Seems like a pretty huge oversight, and it impedes with the workflow in the OS.

To reflect on this, doesn't it seem stupid that you cannot use the same gestures across the whole OS? I understand why Firefox and Chrome don't have these features, because they're 3rd party applications, but why can't you pinch to zoom in mail, or why can't you use the 2-finger swipe in Finder or System Preferences?

Now, I'm young and forgiving, but if I were trying to explain this to someone who is not as computer savvy as I am, they would drive me insane.

"Why can't I go back in finder the same way I go back in Safari? It worked in Windows."

I'm interested in some feedback on this. I know this isn't Apple's top priority, but I feel that it should be resolved nonetheless.

 

[SaSaSushi]

2-finger swipe back works just fine for me in both Finder and System Prefs (as well as Firefox and all other apps) on my Magic Mouse using BetterTouchTool.

Although I don't use pinch to zoom, BTT also lets you configure that as well, either globally or on a per-app basis.

 

[jameslmoser]

The UI Fragmentation doesn't stop with gestures, look at Address Book and iCal. Apple threw their own Interface Guidelines out the window on this one.

 

[ryannazaretian]

I'm also using BetterTouchTool, but it goes wonky when using 3-finger back, with the 3-finger drag also enabled.

Still doesn't fix the issue, it's just a workaround.

 

[SaSaSushi]

I'm also using BetterTouchTool, but it goes wonky when using 3-finger back, with the 3-finger drag also enabled.

Are you, perchance, using the lastest beta or alpha version of BTT? I was and had all sorts of issues as well. I rolled back to the latest stable version (0.721) and everything works perfectly again.

 

[maflynn]

So I've noticed this more and more as I use the new OS more and more. The UI is really fragmented in features.

All things begin equal, it is really surprising to see apple not consistently apply the various UI elements through the OS. This is not a new phenomenon however. They have a lengthy track record of no abiding by their own guidelines. Just look and the older version of iTunes where the traffic lights went vertical but the rest of the OS was horizontal. They seemed to have fixed that in subsequent updates but my point is there is always some inconsistencies with OSX.

 

[LordVic]

i'm new to OSx, and i did notice this and thought to myself "wow, that kind of is silly"

I love the gestures. it's made navigating around the computer amazingly easy on a trackpad.

But I'll be quickly flying aroudn my desktop, between aplications, browsers, then get into find and BOOM
i have to use the keyboard and click everywhere.

and there are a few other little places it sneaks up on. it just seems... like they forgot about it in places. Or, gestures aren't truly OS specific, but added features to specific applications?

 

[roadbloc]

One of the reasons I no longer use Lion.