What do you like and dislike about Mac OS X?

[TuffLuffJimmy]

i only have one real beef. if i only have 1 window that is left open on a particular application and i click its x. i want it to close down everything. both the window and its parent. there is nothing else open, why keep the window alive. just for another abnoxios key combo to close it. that is redundent.

When I close a window in a multiwindow application I want that window to close. When I quit an application I want that app to quit and close the windows. It doesn't make sense for it to quit the application when you close a window. You're thinking too much like a Windows user. Both platforms have their pros and cons, they each do things differently. If they both did everything the same way then they'd be the same OS.

 

[VTECaddict]

not sure if this is changeable or tweakable, but using the search box in a finder window by default searches the whole computer. default should search within the open folder (and subfolders) only. if i wanted to search my whole computer, i would have used spotlight in the menu bar or opened a dedicated spotlight window.

for those of you arguing against cut and paste...really you are just nit picking about semantics. do you not agree that the functionality itself is immensely useful? would it help you complainers if it was called something different? like source file, right click and select "Move..." and in destination folder right click and select "Move here"? i dont care what you call it, just give me the functionality.

 

[r.j.s]

not sure if this is changeable or tweakable, but using the search box in a finder window by default searches the whole computer. default should search within the open folder (and subfolders) only. if i wanted to search my whole computer, i would have used spotlight in the menu bar or opened a dedicated spotlight window.

Agreed. Although it is quite easy to hit the option for the folder at the top of the search bar, it can be rather annoying to press every time.

 

[zync]

CTRL Z will UNDO any screwup with cut 'n paste in Windows (within reason; you can't go back and undo something done last week).

• Cut a file, go to the bathroom, forget and cut a different file? Windows will "uncut" the prior file. Non issue.

• Cut a file, paste it somewhere and decide you want it back in its original location? CTRL Z will put it back.

• Cut a paragraph, then accidentally cut another paragraph? CTRL Z will undo the cuts, giving you back your paragraphs.

• Cut a file, then go and cut a paragraph right after? Windows will "uncut" the file

So there you have it. Even a person with short-term memory issues and/or bladder control problems will be able to survive with Windows cut 'n paste.

We understand how it works, everyone here arguing about it has clearly demonstrated that.

Cutting in both cases is completely different. With files it is non-destructive. With text it is.

Consider the following scenario:

You cut some text intending to place it later in a document. You write a few paragraphs. You decide to copy something in the paragraph, to put it in the next paragraph. Oops. Your cut text is gone. What was it? Yeah, you can undo if you haven't done too many things in the meantime. But you don't want to lose what you just wrote. A smart user will realize that they can just copy what they've written, undo, and paste. But what if you have passed your undo limit? That text is gone and no amount of praying will bring it back.

If you cut a file and copy another it's uncut. Files are always safe. If a user assumes that cutting text is safe because cutting files is safe they are screwed. If you cut text and then copy some other text, the original cut text is not uncut. Therefore, there is a discrepancy. Discrepancies are horrible for interaction.

Now for all the people saying you can just drag 'n drop in OS X:
Go ahead and open a folder and drag its contents onto your desktop. Did OS X make copies or did it actually move the contents?

Copy does not equal Move.

So unless you want the hassle of going back in the original folder and deleting its contents, you have to use command+drag to move files. Neither are as efficient and elegant as using cut 'n paste.

If you open a folder on your main drive and drag and drop something to the desktop, it will be moved, which is not cut but works almost exactly like it. Apparently on Windows—though I remember differently but possibly incorrectly—you can't double paste a cut file, therefore it is[/is] exactly like move.

If you drag a file from a drive that is not the main drive, it will copy by default and you can hold command to move it instead. But you do not always have to hold command to move. Sorry, I do this hundreds of times a day.

Tell me, is it possible that you have a Mac Pro and store all of your files off of your system drive on a second drive? In that case, moving your files to the desktop will copy them.

When I close a window in a multiwindow application I want that window to close. When I quit an application I want that app to quit and close the windows. It doesn't make sense for it to quit the application when you close a window. You're thinking too much like a Windows user. Both platforms have their pros and cons, they each do things differently. If they both did everything the same way then they'd be the same OS.

I agree wholeheartedly. When you close all windows in Photoshop on a Windows box, Photoshop doesn't close. Why? When you finish working on a document, you might want to work on another. I dislike it when single window applications close when the last window closes. It forces me to look to the menu bar to see what happened, and I might accidentally close something else. I'd be willing to bet that that in the HIG too. It bothers me when apps ignore the HIG.

 

[IJ Reilly]

I don't know that I'd describe the Windows handling of cut and pasted files as "horrible," but I do think it's a kludgy. Obviously Apple could easily add this function to OSX, but I strongly suspect the reason why they haven't is because it would create an inconsistency in the implementation of cut and paste.

 

[zync]

I don't know that I'd describe the Windows handling of cut and pasted files as "horrible," but I do think it's a kludgy. Obviously Apple could easily add this function to OSX, but I strongly suspect the reason why they haven't is because it would create an inconsistency in the implementation of cut and paste.

I don't think any of us are arguing against it either. I think we're all just saying that it's implementation can be unclear for users not in the know.

 

[scott:mac]

CTRL Z will UNDO any screwup with cut 'n paste in Windows (within reason; you can't go back and undo something done last week).

• Cut a file, go to the bathroom, forget and cut a different file? Windows will "uncut" the prior file. Non issue.

• Cut a file, paste it somewhere and decide you want it back in its original location? CTRL Z will put it back.

• Cut a paragraph, then accidentally cut another paragraph? CTRL Z will undo the cuts, giving you back your paragraphs.

• Cut a file, then go and cut a paragraph right after? Windows will "uncut" the file

So there you have it. Even a person with short-term memory issues and/or bladder control problems will be able to survive with Windows cut 'n paste.


Now for all the people saying you can just drag 'n drop in OS X:
Go ahead and open a folder and drag its contents onto your desktop. Did OS X make copies or did it actually move the contents?

Copy does not equal Move.

So unless you want the hassle of going back in the original folder and deleting its contents, you have to use command+drag to move files. Neither are as efficient and elegant as using cut 'n paste.

Command + Z
Is undo, It does the exact same thing as a Windows Control + Z.

Command and Drag copies.
Click and Drag will move.

 

[scott:mac]

+

I like the simplicity and ertain programs on the Mac e.g
iLife
iWork
etc..

But i hate the fact that MOST programs are not 4Mac.
It annoys the hell out of me.

 

[zync]

Command and Drag copies.
Click and Drag will move.

Just to be clear—Command dragging a file guarantees moving. Dragging a file on the system drive moves it. Dragging a file from one drive to a separate drive copies it. Option dragging a file guarantees copying.

 

[Doctor Q]

When you close all windows in Photoshop on a Windows box, Photoshop doesn't close. Why? When you finish working on a document, you might want to work on another. I dislike it when single window applications close when the last window closes. It forces me to look to the menu bar to see what happened, and I might accidentally close something else. I'd be willing to bet that that in the HIG too. It bothers me when apps ignore the HIG.

I don't think there is always a clear-cut answer. I understand the theory that apps should differentiate between Close and Quit, but for example System Preferences was changed to quit when you close its main window and that was a welcome improvement. Is there a definitive (user-intuitive) way to know which apps should and shouldn't have this behavior?

 

[IJ Reilly]

I don't think there is always a clear-cut answer. I understand the theory that apps should differentiate between Close and Quit, but for example System Preferences was changed to quit when you close its main window and that was a welcome improvement. Is there a definitive (user-intuitive) way to know which apps should and shouldn't have this behavior?

Other Mac applications quit when the last window is closed, including iPhoto. The most obvious intuitive method of determining is when one behavior is more logical than the other is if the application has only one window, it should quit when that window is closed (as in iPhoto). But then Address Book doesn't quit when you close its one window. Nor does iTunes.

 

[zync]

I don't think there is always a clear-cut answer. I understand the theory that apps should differentiate between Close and Quit, but for example System Preferences was changed to quit when you close its main window and that was a welcome improvement. Is there a definitive (user-intuitive) way to know which apps should and shouldn't have this behavior?

That's true, though I don't consider System Preferences to be like most apps. I know it is an app, but I don't really consider it one. But yeah, that's a slippery slope.

They could offer a different close button or something, but that could get annoying.

By the way, I've just noticed something I didn't know. Command clicking on something on a dock will take you to it's location in finder. That could be useful if you want to get to the apps folder or utilities folder quickly.

Other Mac applications quit when the last window is closed, including iPhoto. The most obvious intuitive method of determining is when one behavior is more logical than the other is if the application has only one window, it should quit when that window is closed (as in iPhoto). But then Address Book doesn't quit when you close its one window. Nor does iTunes.

I'd like for that to work, but then you have applications like Photoshop that technically are a window that holds windows—or a window and panels.

Do you guys ever get the feeling that what we're talking about in this thread is probably the same conversation as what happens on the Apple campus?

 

[Mad Mac]

Discrepancies are horrible for interaction.

Note what you said.

If you open a folder on your main drive and drag and drop something to the desktop, it will be moved...

If you drag a file from a drive that is not the main drive, it will copy by default and you can hold command to move it instead. But you do not always have to hold command to move. Sorry, I do this hundreds of times a day.

So I finally got to the bottom of this. Follow me here. I have the drive on my MBP partitioned. Let's call it HDD1 and HDD2.

OS X makes copies when dragging from/to different volumes. Understood.

However, it still makes copies when I drag files that are within HDD1 (the system disk).

This is the scenario:
I have a folder on my desktop. If I open the folder from the desktop and drag its contents onto my desktop, it will make COPIES. But if I access that same folder via Finder and drag the contents onto my desktop it will MOVE the contents. This is a folder that's on the same volume and resides on the desktop. Not a link to a different volume.

If you want to talk about discrepancies in an OS, there you go.

...But what if you have passed your undo limit? That text is gone and no amount of praying will bring it back.

The undo is there as a safety net but it can't overcome someone hell bent on doing things wrong.

If you really think cut 'n paste is a risk then what about terminal? Anybody can open up terminal and type rm * and there's no safeguard there whatsoever. Should Apple remove the rm command?

 

[zync]

I just knew it would be a partition issue. I can't say much about that. I don't like to partition my drives and most users don't do it.

[I'm talking about] a likely scenario for someone typing a large document. Dumb users still need to type documents, dumb users don't use the terminal, won't know what it is if they click on it, and won't be typing rm *. That's [not a relevant] scenario.

My point wasn't that it's dangerous so it should be ommitted. My point was that it does things differently based on context and that is the likely reason Apple has chosen to leave it out. They like to make their metaphors clean and simple. Just look at how long it took them to come up with cut, copy, and paste for the iPhone. I think it is also evidenced by the fact that you can cut as long as it's not a file. Why? Cutting and pasting a file is moving it. I bet that if they did implement it, they'd probably call it move instead of cut.

 

[IJ Reilly]

I'd like for that to work, but then you have applications like Photoshop that technically are a window that holds windows—or a window and panels.

The rule would only apply to applications that can have only a single open window, like iPhoto or iTunes.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

The rule would only apply to applications that can have only a single open window, like iPhoto or iTunes.

You can have multiple windows in iTunes. I do it all the time. And I don't think iTunes should quit when the window is open (even if it was a single window app) because it can still be playing music. iTunes would be an exception.

 

[MacAndy74]

I love the simplicity of OS X and the amazing user experience it brings.

At this stage - I haven't discovered anything to hate about OS X.

 

[Cromulent]

i only have one real beef. if i only have 1 window that is left open on a particular application and i click its x. i want it to close down everything. both the window and its parent. there is nothing else open, why keep the window alive. just for another abnoxios key combo to close it. that is redundent.

Ugh that would annoy me no end. I regularly start playing music in iTunes and then close the window to get it out of the way.

What you are suggesting would require me to keep the iTunes window open if I ever wanted to listen to music.

 

[RoninXI]

Keep in mind Windows has this same behavior just less obvious. Also when you install some programs (MS Office for example) it has a quick launcher running 24/7 starting on boot up. Only way to stop it is to do a "msconfig" At least this way when I close NeoOffice it is ready for quick launch, not all the time. I also agree with the iTunes agreement that would drive me nuts if it had to stay open or have a second icon in the dock showing it's minimized state. IF you want something completely closed, use [command]+[Q] it is not that hard to do once you get used to it. It will seem odd at first though.

 

[jgbhardy]

Gui

Looking back at the previous GUI's in Mac OS X, which i never had the pleasure of using, but i love the look of them, i know a lot of people may not like the whole aqua thing but i find that with nearly every OS now using this black frosted glass look is becoming to dark and dull, what happened to the colour, i don't want the M$ kinda colour in XP it just doesn't compare to previous versions i wish i could of had the pleasure to use it.
Seriously though why are all the asthetics of Computers going back to gray and black what happened to those amazing colours of the 90s and early nought's. They have managed to keep some colour in the ipod range, i would love it if they made the unibody macbook with the colour range of the ipod nano's!

 

[belvdr]

At this stage - I haven't discovered anything to hate about OS X.

The one annoyance I have had for years is the inability to launch a program twice. Case in point is Remote Desktop Connection. I had to have 5 icons on my dock when I had managed Windows systems.

 

[DoFoT9]

The one annoyance I have had for years is the inability to launch a program twice. Case in point is Remote Desktop Connection. I had to have 5 icons on my dock when I had managed Windows systems.

copy the application 5 times thats the only way to do it..

 

[belvdr]

copy the application 5 times thats the only way to do it..

Exactly. What a dumb idea Apple has going, as you can do this in any other Unix based/like system.

 

[GoKyu]

Cons:

-No open Finder shortcut key.

Sure there is - if no specific program has focus, then Finder is the default program in the menu bar. From there, just hit Command+N to open a new Finder window.

Here's my list of favorite pros and cons...

Pros:

• Spaces (I can't do without this one anymore...I use spaces instead of exposé)
• UNIX-based with full access via Terminal
• Dock
• Spotlight
• No viruses/few trojans
• OS X is self-maintaining for the most part (this is a huge time waster on Windows.)
• Integrated PDF support
• Time Machine (great for those 'Ooops' moments even days or weeks later.)
• Growl notifications
• Self-contained apps / easy to install and uninstall


Cons:

• Finder is pretty weak, and there's no way to remove the Finder dock icon if you want to use a different program.
• I wish Finder would show the file details in the status bar when you're in icon view (I really liked this feature in Windows.)
• Mighty Mouse (at least the Bluetooth version) has horrid tracking speed (why I upgraded to a Logitech mouse.)
• Images on-screen tend to look grainier than they did in Windows (using the same monitor...and I calibrate it as well...)
• Flash on OS X sucks - Youtube videos lag like crazy lately, and they weren't like that when I bought my machine a year ago...

 

[ashjamben]

apart from needing it for logic, expose is one of the most frustrating things not to have when i use a windows comp at uni