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Snow Leopard to Bring Unifying 'Marble' User Interface?
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What's really weird is that Apple is so backwards on their design priorities. Mac OS X is the master system yet Apple's applications have a better facelift than Mac OS X. iLife and iWork 09, Time Machine and iTunes all look next generation but Leopard looks unfinished. It must be pretty difficult for them to change the UI of OS X if the apps are getting worked on first.
Ahhh, and I thought it can't get any more boring than it already is, seriously, why? It's grey, and even more grey, and dark grey and a lot of GREY ... BORING! Personally I think Windows 7 now looks way better with it's fresh and nice UI compared to this whole grey thing.I used to love aqua, but if they make OS X like iTunes, then .. DAMN that's soo boring. Like going back to 90s, it was grey back then as well...
There is a reason why Apple chose to not use strong colours for the interface of every and each version of its system software. It's very simple, in fact!
Strong colours get in the way of users. Also, if you are a graphic artist (or an ophtalmologist), you know that your eyes will "get used" to the predominant hue in an image after a bit of time, making colours fade or change.
The target customers for Apple -- home users aside -- are photographers, video editors and desktop publishers. These people need accurate colours on screen and will prefer a very neutral environment.
So we're looking at an extension of the iTunes, iLife and now iWork theme to the whole OS. Seems to make sense, it's been heading that way for a while and IMO I like the "marble" bars much better than aqua, it's more refined and understated.
Having played with Windows 7 with for a few hours, I'd say Windows was just catching up with Apple. The more muted colors in Windows 7 are a huge improvement over Vista, but many of the transparency effects add nothing to the UI and are unnecessary, most of the new interface features in Windows 7 are Microsoft's interpretation of what Apple has already done.
The only feature Apple might like to steal is the task bar mouse over which gives you a thumbnail of all the open tabs and windows for that ap. Although the majority of the new task bar and aero peek features are no better than expose and the dock.
I like the clean (fairly) consistent interface in OS X, the only thing apple lacks is a bit of colour in the interface, the greys are kind of dull, but I certainly wouldn't want a Redmond style assault on my senses. The Windows user interface is inconsistent just look at IE 8 and Windows media player compared to the rest. They also added ribbons (I like ribbons in Office 2007) to paint and textpad, but both only have two tabs, what was the point?
The worst thing about Windows 7 is the control panel, there are 58 control panels items straight out the box and I added two more with vmware and boot camp, they need to look at OS X's system preferences here. The control panel is a nightmare to navigate.
The only feature Apple might like to steal is the task bar mouse over which gives you a thumbnail of all the open tabs and windows for that ap. Although the majority of the new task bar and aero peek features are no better than expose and the dock.
I like the clean (fairly) consistent interface in OS X, the only thing apple lacks is a bit of colour in the interface, the greys are kind of dull, but I certainly wouldn't want a Redmond style assault on my senses. The Windows user interface is inconsistent just look at IE 8 and Windows media player compared to the rest. They also added ribbons (I like ribbons in Office 2007) to paint and textpad, but both only have two tabs, what was the point?
The worst thing about Windows 7 is the control panel, there are 58 control panels items straight out the box and I added two more with vmware and boot camp, they need to look at OS X's system preferences here. The control panel is a nightmare to navigate.
I really hope they streamline the UI, now there is lot unused space, all the window components take way too much space.
and OH PLEASE, include finally the option that you can see total size of the file(s) selected on the "status bar" (the lower portion of window where you can see xx selected files, xxx free space) The free space announcement is rather useless IMO...
-Tomi
and OH PLEASE, include finally the option that you can see total size of the file(s) selected on the "status bar" (the lower portion of window where you can see xx selected files, xxx free space) The free space announcement is rather useless IMO...
-Tomi
Who says that colors get in the way? The user should make that choice, not Apple. I for one don't want my Mac to look like the next guys and I shouldn't have to use special haxies to change it. Apple NEEDS to give more customization to Mac OS X. This is one of the times I have to say Windows 7's customization is something Apple should follow.
Hmm... So do you think it's best to wait for the release of Snow Leopard to buy iLife and iWork '09? You know... to get the special pack.
How much do you think Snow Leopard will cost? Surely not the same as Leopard!!?? I'm guessing $50-$75
Ams.
EDIT: Oh and I think the new UI should look more like MobileMe than iTunes... Matte buttons with a glossy finish.
How much do you think Snow Leopard will cost? Surely not the same as Leopard!!?? I'm guessing $50-$75
Ams.
EDIT: Oh and I think the new UI should look more like MobileMe than iTunes... Matte buttons with a glossy finish.
I did forget about Macbook friends but seriously Apple shouldn't annoy the rest of the Mac using world because you bought a tiny laptop. every web browser and word processor known to man has a scroll bar in OSX to windows to linux to Irix. Get over it, scroll bars are here to stay. HEY!!,, lets get rid of scroll bars , CUZ IT LOOKS SOOO KOOOL GUIZE
I think the time machine UI is gimmicky, it's very usable but its all show, as the for the new UI in iTunes I turned it straight to list view as its far more usable than grid view and coverflow. Usability is key for me, I'll take bland and usable over flashy and frustrating.
When you have a group of files selected hit apple-control-i and it'll give you the totaled size of those files. Not quite as convenient as having it show in the status bar, but pretty close.
A couple points (and maybe this was addressed since page 4, where I stopped reading lol).
First, even though Apple says they wont be changing anything/much on the outside appearance of 10.6, doesn't mean its just bug fixes. Its not like the speed/functionality at which leopard operates is some how slower than what apple advertised. They are just speeding it up. So they haven't broken any promises to the users and therefore I don't see it in any way, shape, or form to be a service pack? Plus, remember what a retail license of OSX costs vs Windows in the first place. $130 vs what, $3-400?
They are making a new product, wholly different under the hood than 10.5. They didnt have to release 10.6 b/c 10.5 is broken or less than promised, they did this b/c they are improving a product. This requires engineers, payroll, overhead, and other expenses, and hence they charge money b/c they are a BUSINESS. Granted if Leopard was some how under performing or not as advertised, sure, they would owe us a free upgrade. I don't think thats the case.
That all said, if the performance enhancements aren't worth it to you, then dont buy it. Your copy of 10.5 wont stop working on release day of 10.6. The difference is sort of like when Ford released the Mustang Cobra a few years ago and they were getting less HP than advertised. Ford owed it to the customers to put on a new exhaust or whatever else they did to get it up to spec. However if Ford began offering a bigger engine for that car, they certainly don't owe it to existing Cobra owners for free
I digress. It just seems the same people make the same silly arguements every time 10.6 is mentioned. It doesn't have to be some pretty new UI to be useful.
As a side note, I sincerely HOPE that they don't follow vista/7 in the UI department. I am not saying this just to bash MS, but I personally find the Vista UI to be very, very busy, and distracting to say the least. Just because you CAN make things transparent, and glowing, and light up neon colors, doesnt mean you SHOULD.
My .02
- Chris
First, even though Apple says they wont be changing anything/much on the outside appearance of 10.6, doesn't mean its just bug fixes. Its not like the speed/functionality at which leopard operates is some how slower than what apple advertised. They are just speeding it up. So they haven't broken any promises to the users and therefore I don't see it in any way, shape, or form to be a service pack? Plus, remember what a retail license of OSX costs vs Windows in the first place. $130 vs what, $3-400?
They are making a new product, wholly different under the hood than 10.5. They didnt have to release 10.6 b/c 10.5 is broken or less than promised, they did this b/c they are improving a product. This requires engineers, payroll, overhead, and other expenses, and hence they charge money b/c they are a BUSINESS. Granted if Leopard was some how under performing or not as advertised, sure, they would owe us a free upgrade. I don't think thats the case.
That all said, if the performance enhancements aren't worth it to you, then dont buy it. Your copy of 10.5 wont stop working on release day of 10.6. The difference is sort of like when Ford released the Mustang Cobra a few years ago and they were getting less HP than advertised. Ford owed it to the customers to put on a new exhaust or whatever else they did to get it up to spec. However if Ford began offering a bigger engine for that car, they certainly don't owe it to existing Cobra owners for free
I digress. It just seems the same people make the same silly arguements every time 10.6 is mentioned. It doesn't have to be some pretty new UI to be useful.
As a side note, I sincerely HOPE that they don't follow vista/7 in the UI department. I am not saying this just to bash MS, but I personally find the Vista UI to be very, very busy, and distracting to say the least. Just because you CAN make things transparent, and glowing, and light up neon colors, doesnt mean you SHOULD.
My .02
- Chris
I think the buttons and widgets etc will basically look more like the iPhone's. I think it is time they make these changes although I really do NOT like when they do the black interface style with the flat blue scroll bars. Do black on black or normal with blue, it looks weird and ugly with the black and blue!!!
Attachments
I like aqua
I really like aqua. I preferred the version in 10.4 though. I really hope that they don't change it to look like iTunes, as iTunes, in its current state reminds me of a nursing home (because of the pale grays, and lack of bright colors).
Don
I really like aqua. I preferred the version in 10.4 though. I really hope that they don't change it to look like iTunes, as iTunes, in its current state reminds me of a nursing home (because of the pale grays, and lack of bright colors).
Don
Looking forward to some fresh screenshots.
Looking forward to Apple dropping the horrible space themed backgrounds.
Looking forward to Apple dropping the horrible space themed backgrounds.
I still like the "size appropriately" behavior of the zoom button, but it would be nice to make maximize a third toggle on it or the behavior for secondary click on it.
Well... By what you're saying, i could say you just expressed your personal opinion that colours don't get in the way. Colours do get in the way of people working with graphics, video and the like.
You say you want Apple to provide you with a way to customize the appearance of your system, just like they did on Mac OS 8.1 -- or 8.5, I don't remember. I am not against this proposition, but...
I really don't think it would add any value to Mac OS X, at least, nothing that would justify the time spent. I am all for Apple to use their time to really add features to the system than to provide ways for the user to change colour or interface elements.
But this is my personal opinion, which I tried to avoid expressing before. It happens that my opinion doesn't match yours...
I love coverflow. The cover of an album has always been a big part of the music-experience to me. The album art is deeply linked to the music in my mind.
I didn't buy a tiny laptop, I bought a portable laptop for on-the-go use, as many many people do (notebook sales are higher than desktop sales).
Nobody said they wanted rid of the scroll bar, but for the iPhone scroll bar to replace it.
The screen shows no scroll bar, and when you scroll with the scrollwheel or with two fingers on a touchpad, it appears in a translucent overlay.
Now you see why this is better?
I agree with this. When I first switched over from Windows, I hated this feature, but now the main reason I don't use FireFox is because it doesn't fit to content, it just maximizes. Fit to content is much much much much better then maximize.
EDIT:
@ darryquinn- I much prefer a normal scrollbar over the kind on an iPhone. IMO, it should be an option you could turn on or off.
@ edgew8- The above edit is how you point out your view in a civilized way.
Don
I'm not sure what, but I must be missing something here. . . .
People keep saying they want the whole look of Leopard to be unified but looking around my mac I would say that all windows, iphoto, itunes, safari, finder, etc, etc, look pretty damn similar to me. What am I missing?
Also for my 2 cents, I like Leopard and it's look, Just as i liked Panther and Tiger in their time.
People keep saying they want the whole look of Leopard to be unified but looking around my mac I would say that all windows, iphoto, itunes, safari, finder, etc, etc, look pretty damn similar to me. What am I missing?
Also for my 2 cents, I like Leopard and it's look, Just as i liked Panther and Tiger in their time.