there has to be a way to do this...

[umdjb]

How come when I right click an image on a website or try to save there is no option to save it to any location on my hard drive rather I am forced to save it at pre-determined destination set in my Internet preferences, desktop, or iphoto?

Is there any way to right click or ctrl one-click an image and be able to choose any folder to save it to?

Thanks!

 

[someguy]

Drag n' drop. 🙂

Also, I believe there should be a button you can click that slides the window down and allows you to select another destination, but I could be thinking of something else.

 

[motulist]

It's one of the more non-intuitive things that OS X does. You have to turn down that triangle at the right on your open / save dialoges. Once you turn it down though it remembers your preference and always keeps it turned down.

 

[mkrishnan]

I think two things are confused here...

You have to click the triangle when you're in a save dialog to select a location.

When you right click an image, you get a contextual menu that only includes "Save Image to (your default location)." If you hold down option, it will change to "Save Image to..." and you will get the aforementioned save dialog so you can pick where you want to put it.

🙂

 

[umdjb]

Thanks mkrishnan!

That is definitely the answer to my question. But don't you think that process is a little cumbersome? Sometimes I get frustrated with the way Apple designs features. Even though they feel they are making processes more intuitive and simple, I believe they are in fact more complicated and roundabout.

For instance, I sometimes miss the way Windows clusters programs together at the bottom of the screen rather than using Expose, even though at times it can be quicker. 🙂

 

[mkrishnan]

That is definitely the answer to my question. But don't you think that process is a little cumbersome?

You're welcome. 🙂 And I do sort of agree with you. I used Windows (3.1, 95, 98, and 2000) for a long time, and this iBook that I'm typing on (which I bought in Dec 03) is the first Mac I ever owned (I have an iMac too now). And so I totally know where you're coming from.

With respect to things like Exposé, I think you just have to face that they're different systems. There are some overlaps -- you can do Apple-Tab and Apple-` to cycle through apps and windows of the open app. And you can see the open windows of an App or all apps using two different Exposé functions. Now why Apple-Tab and Apple-` don't cycle through the windows graphically using the Exposé technology (like what happens when you Exposé and then arrow key) is a good question.

There's a third thing in OS X that might help you -- if you hold the mouse button for a moment (or right or ctrl-click) while you are on the dock icon of a program that is running, you will see a list of open windows at the top of the menu, and select the one you want (not graphical though like in Vista).

With respect to contextual menus....this is sort of a bastard thing in OS X. In Windows (and in many Unix windows managers), contextual menus are a core part of the thought process. In contrast, most things in OS X seem like they were not designed to be done this way. OS X is designed much more from the drag-and-drop philosophy, where you act on things by dragging them from one place to another. So many contextual things can be done this way -- e.g. dragging an image from the Safari window to the desktop. But then other things, like capturing the URL of an element in a browser window -- have no easy method other than contextual menus in OS X.

So I think the contextual menus kind of represent a bastardization 🙁 in OS X -- where the philosophy wasn't implemented so cleanly that they become truly unnecessary, and so you have this extra unnecessary OS element.

In the end, though, I think you just kind of get used to the ups and downs? 🙁

 

[umdjb]

Thanks for the insight!

Hello again mkrishnan,

I appreciate the empathy towards Apple's design for its OS. Which brings me to my next question, if you would be willing to help me with: to continue using Apple or switch back to Windows.

I am currently using a 12'' G4 PB which I bought new 08/2005. I have been using it steady for the past 6 months now. I have not invested in any new software or hardware peripherals and I am finding the 60GB harddrive is not enough to hold my growing penchant for digital photography, and expansive music collection. I am considering purchasing a new windows based computer from Dell. I am not considering Apple because of the price and bugs with their boot camp.

Going back to what we were discussing earlier I just feel that in Apples attempts to oversimplify and automate everything they in a way have made processes more inconvienent.

What are your thoughts?

 

[umdjb]

Thanks for the insight!

Hello again mkrishnan,

I appreciate the empathy towards Apple's design for its OS. Which brings me to my next question, if you would be willing to help me with: to continue using Apple or switch back to Windows.

I am currently using a 12'' G4 PB which I bought new 08/2005. I have been using it steady for the past 6 months now. I have not invested in any new software or hardware peripherals and I am finding the 60GB harddrive is not enough to hold my growing penchant for digital photography, and expansive music collection. I am considering purchasing a new windows based computer from Dell. I am not considering Apple because of the price and bugs with their boot camp.

Going back to what we were discussing earlier I just feel that in Apples attempts to oversimplify and automate everything they in a way have made processes more inconvienent.

What are your thoughts?

 

[mkrishnan]

I think it's a very fair question.

Here's my honest answer:

If you're mostly into digital media, at the iLife level, the truth is that the same thing won't be that bad on top of Windows. You can keep using iTunes, and Picasa is a very competent and free alternative to iPhoto. If you use Adobe, well, then, it'll pretty much be the same regardless of which OS you use it on top of.

So the pros and cons come pretty much down to how much you can like the way the OS does things.

If you use Windows -> lower hardware cost in some circumstances, the OS is what it is (both of us have plenty of experience with it), you'll have more hardware compatibility, but you'll have to deal with viruses and spyware and so on. If you turn on the firewall, use Firefox instead of IE whenever humanly possible, and get AV software, this isn't so bad.

If you use OS X -> sometimes higher hardware cost, but with more "stuff" bundled in. Fewer compatible pieces of hardware, but almost all of them work in true "plug n' play" fashion, which is a beautiful thing. Lots of little things that are important to artists -- like color calibration -- are built into OS X in a much more accessible way than in Windows XP. Essentially no viruses or malware. But you'll have to deal with Apple paternalism.

In terms of the paternalism -- all this "do it the Apple way, because they're designers" stuff... I think the best thing to tell yourself is to swallow your pride, and invest a month or two really trying to just go with Apple's flow. If you keep kicking back, you'll probably be happier with Windows. Or you might find that you like it. The big question is whether it gets in the way of true creativity -- if you are enjoying your photography and your music less because of the way the OS works, then run away, whatever the OS is.

But then again, if you use iTunes and Picasa, then they are going to do almost the same thing to you on Windows that iTunes and iPhoto do to you on OS X, in terms of telling you how to store files and so on. And considering that they own most of your files.... Well.....

So I dunno. In a year or so, Vista will wrinkle the picture further. In the long run I think it will be a big boost for Windows.

For me personally, when I took that dive, and tried things Apple's way, I found that I liked the trade. Plus I was always drawn by the industrial hardware design aesthetic, and for the most part, I can buy off on the price premium for it.

So that's my rambling insight. Good luck! 🙂

 

[ImNoSuperMan]

I am considering purchasing a new windows based computer from Dell. I am not considering Apple because of the price and bugs with their boot camp.

Macs are costlier? May be a lil bit(but OSX is worth every extra penny).

Boot camp Bugs? I dont think you can have a better BETA product. There may be a few bugs but I m sure it`ll be fixed pretty soon. How old is BootCamp anyways? Just bout TWO months. Give it a little time. With 10.6 things will definitely change for better. For a first BETA release, I think BOOTCAMP is unbelievably reliable and usable.

But since you are already using OSX for some time now and dont find it any better than XP(hard to believe but still possible) you`ll be better to buy a HELL PC. Oops I mean DELL PC. There`s no point in buying a Mac if you aren`t going to use OSX at all.
But I`d really hate it if you(or any one else) really switch back to WinBlows XP amd dump OSX🙁 🙁

 

[conditionals]

Give it a little time. With 10.6 things will definitely change for better.

Not a convincing pro-switch argument here.