This makes macs look bad....

[Vanilla]

If those instructions had been reversed and it was the Mac OSX with a one-step process and Windows with multiple steps, this thread would have been full of people crowing about Mac's ease of use. As it is it's now a "security risk".

I love my Mac experience but this kind of reaction amongst Mac fans really annoys me. Can we please try and accept that not everything in OSX is perfect, sometimes Windows gets it right and we can all learn from each other (albeit with greater traffic going from the Mac experience to Windows)?

This download clumsiness is a minor issue but yes, it DOES make the Mac experience look bad and it should - and probably will - be resolved.

Okay rant over
Vanilla

 

[dejo]

Although not having this feature is, IMO, inconvenient, can you really say it makes Macs look bad? To me, that means quite a few people would be turned off purchasing a Mac because of it. I just don't see it being a deal-breaker.

 

[Applespider]

I think how irritating this is depends on how you choose your desktop pics.

My desktop pics at home are all pictures that I've taken/created. I don't think I've ever downloaded one from the web at home on a random basis. I'd probably download the picture so that I had a copy of it - particularly since I have my desktop switching regularly. The extra step to drag a picture from my desktop to my 'wallpaper' folder in Pictures isn't too taxing.

At work on Windows though, I've used web pics so having 'Save as Background' is very handy. Having said that on a few occasions when someone else has wanted the same paper, it's taken a while to figure out where it was stored to get it to them!

Interestingly, my mother complained about the lack of a 'save as background' option when she first switched because she'd never learned how to do it any other way in Windows. Then again, she used to also accidentally save images as her desktop wallpaper and then bemoan the fact that they'd overwritten an old favouritre and go back through the web trying to find it again.

 

[MacSA]

As a Windows user, I was never sure where those backgrounds went so I always downloaded them to a certain directory and used the Control Panel to set the wallpaper anyway.

I've always done it that way on my PC too....

 

[wrldwzrd89]

I've always done it that way on my PC too....

I hardly EVER change my Windows machine's desktop background, but when I do, I ALWAYS save it to a known location on the hard disk first...and I don't use MSIE to do it

Since that way was the only way on Mac OS, and that continues to be the case, when I have to use Windows, I simply use the same method, since it works...

 

[Vanilla]

When you have found a picture on the web that you would like as your desktop background all you have to do is right-click and select "Set as background". If you instead prefer to save the picture in your own folder for future reference all you need do is right-click and select "Save Picture As... and select the folder you would like to save it in.

Its nice to have the choice is it not? It would have been even nicer if I was describing an OSX feature rather than a Windows XP feature.

It makes not a jot of difference to me as it is a minor inconvenience and certainly not enough to force me back to windows. However I have no problem in praising a windows feature that I feel should be part of the OSX experience.
Vanilla

 

[PlaceofDis]

When you have found a picture on the web that you would like as your desktop background all you have to do is right-click and select "Set as background". If you instead prefer to save the picture in your own folder for future reference all you need do is right-click and select "Save Picture As... and select the folder you would like to save it in.

Its nice to have the choice is it not? It would have been even nicer if I was describing an OSX feature rather than a Windows XP feature.

It makes not a jot of difference to me as it is a minor inconvenience and certainly not enough to force me back to windows. However I have no problem in praising a windows feature that I feel should be part of the OSX experience.
Vanilla

yes but to save the picture in OS X all you have to do is drag it to the folder of your choice, which is a bit easier, so there is a step or two more to make it your background, still easier to just save the picture for yourself on a mac than windows, and plus if you want the picture, apple probably figures you are going to add it to your iPhoto library, from there you can change the desktop as well, and the integration of your iPhoto albums into System Prefs desktop pane is well done too

 

[wrldwzrd89]

When you have found a picture on the web that you would like as your desktop background all you have to do is right-click and select "Set as background". If you instead prefer to save the picture in your own folder for future reference all you need do is right-click and select "Save Picture As... and select the folder you would like to save it in.

Its nice to have the choice is it not? It would have been even nicer if I was describing an OSX feature rather than a Windows XP feature.

It makes not a jot of difference to me as it is a minor inconvenience and certainly not enough to force me back to windows. However I have no problem in praising a windows feature that I feel should be part of the OSX experience.
Vanilla

It would be better on Mac OS X too...without all the security holes MSIE has (of course, that doesn't mean Safari is 100% secure either...). I hope, along with you, that Apple has the sense to add this feature to a future version of Safari. Also, it's far more likely you'd be able to find the file, since Mac OS X has a (fairly) intuitive folder structure. Windows loves to hide things for no apparent reason and give them weird names, such as the System Volume Information folder - it is actually part of the System Restore feature, and it stores Restore Points...so I'd rename it "Restore Points" if I was in charge of Windows development. Boy did I ever wander off topic...

 

[PlaceofDis]

i was mistaken, it is even easier than what i posted above to set an image as your background, rather than drag the image to your desktop or whatever, you can just drag it to iphoto(the icon, you dont even have to open it first, this will cause it to open and start importing the photo automatically), which will then launch and import the photo and show it to you, then all you have to do is click desktop and there you go, this way you get the picture, its saved and its organized all in two steps, so its just about as complicated as using the right click, because then there are two steps as well, click and set as background, that way might be faster, but this way does a lot more at the same time

 

[killuminati]

Although not having this feature is, IMO, inconvenient, can you really say it makes Macs look bad? To me, that means quite a few people would be turned off purchasing a Mac because of it. I just don't see it being a deal-breaker.

To correct things I didn't mean that when someone went to buy a mac they would turn back because they would remember this. I was just thinking because I saw these instructions on a webpage.

PC
1. Right Click select set as background

Mac
1. Control click and select download to disk.
2. Save image to desktop
3. Go to apple menu> System Preferences> Personal section and click desktop
4. On the collection pulldown menu, go to choose folder and ,locate the appropriate wallpaper or drag the image into the current desktop picture.

When a pc user sees thse instructions there they think 'wow I'd never be able to figure out a mac. Too complicated'

 

[Edot]

???

To correct things I didn't mean that when someone went to buy a mac they would turn back because they would remember this. I was just thinking because I saw these instructions on a webpage.

PC
1. Right Click select set as background

Mac
1. Control click and select download to disk.
2. Save image to desktop
3. Go to apple menu> System Preferences> Personal section and click desktop
4. On the collection pulldown menu, go to choose folder and ,locate the appropriate wallpaper or drag the image into the current desktop picture.

When a pc user sees thse instructions there they think 'wow I'd never be able to figure out a mac. Too complicated'

These are the same people that wonder why a computer needs a cup holder. Besides, if windows didn't have that feature what else would users be doing? Surely not anything productive.

 

[neut]

if this option deters someone from buying a mac ...

what's with people and loving to screw with the GUI? desktops ... themes ... whatever. some of us actually use our computers to create; and post of course.

i have this thing called perfect menu on my PC that lets you cutomize you right-click menus ... i [expletive deleted] hate it but i have to use it to be productive on my PC. my mac is fine from the factory. ... welll pretty damn close. i do screw with Keyboard viewer and tone down the aqua. ain't nothing wrong with a custom screen-saver either (not that they're at all necessary anymore).


peace.

 

[jamdr]

To the topic creator: just because you want some useless feature stuck in the OS, doesn't make Macs look bad. I certainly don't want Apple to add this. If Apple coninues to add junk like this, before you know it OS X will be some crappy bloatware like M$ Office. I'm all for the minimalist approach. Let third part companies sell hacks that do stuff like this. Themes are another thing I hope never come back, and I'm a little disappointed with the Dashboard "feature" that's coming in Tiger. How many different ways do we need to search google? It sounds a lot like Sherlock, which no one ever uses.

 

[Mav451]

if this option deters someone from buying a mac ...

what's with people and loving to screw with the GUI? desktops ... themes ... whatever. some of us actually use our computers to create; and post of course.

i have this thing called perfect menu on my PC that lets you cutomize you right-click menus ... i ****ing hate it but i have to use it to be productive on my PC. my mac is fine from the factory. ... welll pretty damn close. i do screw with Keyboard viewer and tone down the aqua. ain't nothing wrong with a custom screen-saver either (not that they're at all necessary anymore).


peace.

Heh, neut, you gotta understand. Most people who use XP, the same who still use IE, are the people who change their desktops daily and download themes from Themexp.org

(and I'll tell you, the better themes come from DeviantArt, Aero-soft, and Aqua-soft, but those are hardly known to the majority of users).

Hardcore themers know that the aforementioned big 3 are where you get well-designed themes, but for the "ThemeXP" crowd, it fits the bill.

 

[killuminati]

I certainly don't want Apple to add this. If Apple coninues to add junk like this, before you know it OS X will be some crappy bloatware like M$ Office. I'm all for the minimalist approach. Let third part companies sell hacks that do stuff like this.

What? why wouldnt you want to have a small useful feature like that??? And if for some reason you didn't like it you could NOT USE IT. But it would be a nice option to have for the people who would use it.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

What? why wouldnt you want to have a small useful feature like that??? And if for some reason you didn't like it you could NOT USE IT. But it would be a nice option to have for the people who would you it.

I think it would help switchers from Windows - why not put it in?

Strange typo, there "But it would be a nice option to have for the people who would you it." Don't you mean "But it would be a nice option to have for the people who would use it."?

I like the name "killuminati" - it's stuck in my brain right now

 

[killuminati]

I think it would help switchers from Windows - why not put it in?

Strange typo, there "But it would be a nice option to have for the people who would you it." Don't you mean "But it would be a nice option to have for the people who would use it."?

I like the name "killuminati" - it's stuck in my brain right now

yes, sorry about that typo. I fixed it now

And I dont even mean have that for switchers, just have it as a useful feature that a bunch of mac users would use. The only reason I had that thing about pc users was because thats what made me think of it. But mainly my point is that I would like to see that feature in a safari update.

 

[Edot]

I think it would help switchers from Windows - why not put it in?

They should add a Start menu to the dock as well. Because using the finder is way too complicated and requires another click or two. I think they should change "Macintosh HD" to "My Computer" as well, too avoid confusion. People shouldn't have to learn anything new, just make it so it is Windows, and everyone will be happy.

 

[gekko513]

Quite frankly I don't think most people would notice if that feature disappeared from Windows XP. It couldn't hurt to add it to Safari though.

But the OS X instructions are poorly written. It could be something like:

1. Drag the image to your Pictures folder
2. Select the image in the Desktop System Preferences.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

They should add a Start menu to the dock as well. Because using the finder is way too complicated and requires another click or two. I think they should change "Macintosh HD" to "My Computer" as well, too avoid confusion. People shouldn't have to learn anything new, just make it so it is Windows, and everyone will be happy.

Actually, putting the Applications folder in the Dock is about as good a Start menu substitute on Mac OS X as you can get. It's very Mac-like, and quite convienient too (I do this myself).

EDIT: As far as My Computer goes, renaming the default of (user name)'s Computer to My Computer works very nicely. This can be done in System Preferences. Change "Macintosh HD" to "C", and you're all set.

 

[Apple Hobo]

It only looks bad because they assume the user is a techno-n00b.

I think most users know how to download an image and set it as the desktop (this goes for Win and Mac users).

I like to keep my downloaded wallpapers in a specific folder, so I don't need Windows' set-as-desktop feature.

However, software install instructions still seem to be shorter on the Mac.

Real example from a screensaver package:

IBM
• Start Microsoft Windows
• Insert CD
• If Windows CD auto-play is enabled, the installation menu will automatically launch. Follow the on-screen instructions. It may take several seconds for the screen to first appear.
• If the menu does not launch follow these directions:
Windows 95 and higher
• Choose Run from the Start menu.
• Type d:\Win95\setup in the Run dialog and click OK. Substitute correct CD-ROM drive letter for d:.
• Follow additional instructions on screen

Macintosh
• Insert CD.
• Double-click on CD icon.
• Double-click on Installer icon.
• Follow additional instructions on screen.

Now whose platform looks worse?

 

[PlaceofDis]

It only looks bad because they assume the user is a techno-n00b.

I think most users know how to download an image and set it as the desktop (this goes for Win and Mac users).

I like to keep my downloaded wallpapers in a specific folder, so I don't need Windows' set-as-desktop feature.

However, software install instructions still seem to be shorter on the Mac.

Real example from a screensaver package:

IBM
• Start Microsoft Windows
• Insert CD
• If Windows CD auto-play is enabled, the installation menu will automatically launch. Follow the on-screen instructions. It may take several seconds for the screen to first appear.
• If the menu does not launch follow these directions:
Windows 95 and higher
• Choose Run from the Start menu.
• Type d:\Win95\setup in the Run dialog and click OK. Substitute correct CD-ROM drive letter for d:.
• Follow additional instructions on screen

Macintosh
• Insert CD.
• Double-click on CD icon.
• Double-click on Installer icon.
• Follow additional instructions on screen.

Now whose platform looks worse?

LoL, good example, and i think examples like this are the reason why all of us here use macs, or want to, because things are simple, and OS X is missing a simple functionality that Windows has, which usually is not the case, it would be nice, but its not something i need to have anyways so for me its not a big deal, but it is surprising that Windows could do something better than OS X

 

[jaromski]

Hey as long as we are bashing things that suck about mac I have one to add.

Where, praytell, in the Print dialog, this the Print Selection option? This really sucks. Sometimes you want only to print, say, highlighted content on a web page or other document. This works in Windows, why not Mac? Why, Apple? Will this be a new feature in the next OS/X version after Tiger? Gonna sucker us all into paying for the upgrade, string us along? Why?!?!?!

Apple, it's ok, you can copy that one feature from Windows-based machines and we won't point at you and laugh. I for one would welcome the change.

-jaromski

P.S. This suckage is partially-offset by the fact that OS/X is Unix, and oh yeah doesn't have any virii or spyware. But only partially.

 

[Mav451]

It only looks bad because they assume the user is a techno-n00b.

I think most users know how to download an image and set it as the desktop (this goes for Win and Mac users).

I like to keep my downloaded wallpapers in a specific folder, so I don't need Windows' set-as-desktop feature.

However, software install instructions still seem to be shorter on the Mac.

Real example from a screensaver package:

IBM
• Start Microsoft Windows
• Insert CD
• If Windows CD auto-play is enabled, the installation menu will automatically launch. Follow the on-screen instructions. It may take several seconds for the screen to first appear.
• If the menu does not launch follow these directions:
Windows 95 and higher
• Choose Run from the Start menu.
• Type d:\Win95\setup in the Run dialog and click OK. Substitute correct CD-ROM drive letter for d:.
• Follow additional instructions on screen

Macintosh
• Insert CD.
• Double-click on CD icon.
• Double-click on Installer icon.
• Follow additional instructions on screen.

Now whose platform looks worse?

Nice. You used Windows 95, as an example, when are now living in the year 2005. Very nice.


Screensavers in XP today are ".scr" files. Provided they are made by someone legit, i.e. MS for example, the .exe's they come in will contain (3) files: the .scr file, .ini file and the appropriate installer application.

1) Extract .exe using Right-Click "Extract Here".
2) Double-Click Installer App.
3) (Screensaver Menu pops up) >> click Apply.

I just did that with the XP Screensaver available from MS:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/desktop/xpscreensaver.mspx

 

[neut]

Nice. You used Windows 95, as an example, when are now living in the year 2005. Very nice.


Screensavers in XP today are ".scr" files. Provided they are made by someone legit, i.e. MS for example, the .exe's they come in will contain (3) files: the .scr file, .ini file and the appropriate installer application.

1) Extract .exe using Right-Click "Extract Here".
2) Double-Click Installer App.
3) (Screensaver Menu pops up) >> click Apply.

I just did that with the XP Screensaver available from MS:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/desktop/xpscreensaver.mspx

neither are good examples ... one uses 95 and a CD and the other uses a downloaded file and a non-cross-platform screensaver.

nice.

this place: http://fromparis.com/html/screensavers.php

has both OSX and XP screensavers. the macs do have one extra step ... opening a .sit file where the application installer is. the windows version downloads the .exe (application installer) so that step is omitted. changing the current screensaver from there is similar.


peace | neut