What's still missing in Mac OS X?

[thejadedmonkey]

That won't happen as long as Steve Jobs is alive and probably not after he is dead either.

One of the reasons the Mac experience is as good as it is is because Apple knows exactly what hardware their software is running on.

S-

I couldn't disagree more. Windows 7 has superb driver support - I'd argue it's on par with the Snow Leopard drivers, except without the wireless dropout crap.

Back to what OS X is missing...

Easy to use key-commands. If I want to select a dock icon without using my mouse, it's a 3 button combo just to get the dock selected on my MBP.

Tree view in Finder

Smaller default icons

The ability to not have certain drives auto-mount

Better sync capability

Less Beachballing

Better iSync support

Better multi-monitor support

Per-application sound settings (see Windows Vista)

a better notification system, like growl

File cut

Folder merge

Better flash support

Old Expose and dock

Theme support

Resolution independence

Default font customization

New minimize to dock animations

 

[65kid]

- Close windows in Expose
- Something like Growl integrated
- native NTFS write support
- Finder FTP write support
- Software Update for Third-Party Applications
- fix this
- Full Disk Encryption (yes, I know this is not gonna happen)
- Open "_blank"-Links in Tabs instead of new windows in Safari (yes, I know there's a terminal command for this, but it nevertheless should be default).
- Close tabs by middle-click in Safari.
- Ability to turn off iMac monitor without turning off the external monitor
- make Flash not suck (yes, I know it's Adobe's fault)
- play XviD/x264 etc. in QuickTime without Perian / play files automatically (yes, I know there's a terminal command for this as well....)

...but besides that, it's perfect.

 

[BornAgainMac]

seamless computer sycnhing between multiple computers

something anaolgous to how time machine made backing up easy is needed for computer synching

The technology already exist called rsync that is shipped with every Mac. Works very well.

 

[professorjay]

Cut/paste files.
Proportional window sizes in expose.
Stop showing minimized windows in other spaces in expose. (Surely this must be a bug?!?!?)

 

[Transporteur]

- make Flash not suck (yes, I know it's Adobe's fault)
- play XviD/x264 etc. in QuickTime without Perian / play files automatically (yes, I know there's a terminal command for this as well....)

No it's not Adobes fault that Flash sucks on the Mac.
It's Apples, and only Apples fault as they don't offer the right API to let Flash get hardware acceleration.
And x264 works without Perian in Quicktime X. Just choose the right file format. (mv4, mp4).

 

[yg17]

yes you are both right but but only very basic info, I never find easly my second dns, my gateway, mac adress etc... in xp you just right click your conection and a window with all the info pops up...

Go to terminal and run the command ifconfig (yes, that's ifconfig, not ipconfig like in Windows. Stands for Interface Configuration) and it will tell you everything you want to know about your network connection and then some

I don't think that that is Mac OS X related. Rather, hardware.

Both. I have a Blu Ray drive in my Mac Pro, but no software in OSX to play it.

 

[KALLT]

• An easy way to print files into PDF without opening the corresponding application. It is annoying that I have to run MS Word and open every Word document to create PDF files.
• A consistent interface, make it uniform. iTunes is becoming more and more different. In addition, a few more customisation options would be very nice.
• A quick way to lock your screen. The fast user switching workaround does not count.
• iChat should get MSN support. All MSN messenger clients for Mac are bad in comparison to clients for Windows.
• International voices for speech support.
• Remove the MobileMe preferences in applications if disabled in system perferences. I won't ever need them, but there are a lot of preferences in different applications, like iTunes.

 

[HLdan]

• A quick way to lock your screen. The fast user switching workaround does not count.

There are 2 easy ways to lock your screen. Once you go into Keychain Access-Preferences and choose to show status in menu bar a lock icon will appear in the menubar. You can easily tick this lock and choose "Lock Screen" to instantly lock your screen or you can set a hot corner in Expose system preferences to lock the screen. Couldn't be much easier.

 

[J the Ninja]

There are 2 easy ways to lock your screen. Once you go into Keychain Access-Preferences and choose to show status in menu bar a lock icon will appear in the menubar. You can easily tick this lock and choose "Lock Screen" to instantly lock your screen or you can set a hot corner in Expose system preferences to lock the screen. Couldn't be much easier.

So I have to have another thing in my menubar? Or have a hot corner to start the screensaver? So I can hit it accidentally every so often? And so I can avoid using that great "Delay screen lock when screensaver starts" feature in Snow Leopard? Seriously, an item in the Apple menu that immediately locks the desktop is not too much to ask.

Better multi-monitor support

What is it missing right now? It seems pretty complete and intuitive to me. Connect your displays, set a resolution, refresh rate, color depth, wallpaper, and ICC profile for each one, then customize arrangements. Or are you referring to the feature of being able to choose which display the Dock is on? Because that one we could use, I'll admit.

 

[HLdan]

So I have to have another thing in my menubar? Or have a hot corner to start the screensaver? So I can hit it accidentally every so often? And so I can avoid using that great "Delay screen lock when screensaver starts" feature in Snow Leopard? Seriously, an item in the Apple menu that immediately locks the desktop is not too much to ask.

Somehow I certainly was expecting that type of answer, you come off unappreciative. I did address your concern with a very easy solution so you wouldn't have to go through fast user switching. Having the icon in the menubar is not worth complaining about. Sounds like you really didn't want anyone to find you a solution, you just want to have a reason to post something missing in OS X when it's not missing at all.

 

[colourfastt]

Somehow I certainly was expecting that type of answer, you come off unappreciative. I did address your concern with a very easy solution so you wouldn't have to go through fast user switching. Having the icon in the menubar is not worth complaining about. Sounds like you really didn't want anyone to find you a solution, you just want to have a reason to post something missing in OS X when it's not missing at all.

+10

 

[GoKyu]

So I have to have another thing in my menubar? Or have a hot corner to start the screensaver? So I can hit it accidentally every so often? And so I can avoid using that great "Delay screen lock when screensaver starts" feature in Snow Leopard? Seriously, an item in the Apple menu that immediately locks the desktop is not too much to ask.

I found an easy way around "accidentally" activating hot corners to start the screensaver (I personally wish you could just do something like command-L and be done with it...)

Set it so you have to hit command or control in conjunction with activating the hot corner...it's a kludge, but at least it's workable.

 

[The General]

No it's not Adobes fault that Flash sucks on the Mac.
It's Apples, and only Apples fault as they don't offer the right API to let Flash get hardware acceleration.

That's not why it sucks. That's why 10.1 doesn't have hardware acceleration. It sucked before, too.

So I have to have another thing in my menubar? Or have a hot corner to start the screensaver? So I can hit it accidentally every so often? And so I can avoid using that great "Delay screen lock when screensaver starts" feature in Snow Leopard? Seriously, an item in the Apple menu that immediately locks the desktop is not too much to ask.

shift cmd eject

 

[TSE]

Seemless Windows application compatibility.

 

[macrem]

There are 2 easy ways to lock your screen. Once you go into Keychain Access-Preferences and choose to show status in menu bar a lock icon will appear in the menubar. You can easily tick this lock and choose "Lock Screen" to instantly lock your screen or you can set a hot corner in Expose system preferences to lock the screen. Couldn't be much easier.

Agreed. I use a hot corner & it could not be easier than that. I can do it with my eyes shut. Furthermore with a laptop you can just shut the lid. Furthermore OS X has a cool feature that allows users to set a delay before wake up requires a password. This is very useful.

 

[macrem]

• An easy way to print files into PDF without opening the corresponding application. It is annoying that I have to run MS Word and open every Word document to create PDF files.

There are many formats that can be transformed to PDF. Office formats are overly complex to parse by design (getting better with 2007-8). I have not tried but you probably could create a printer that saves to PDF, create a shortcut to that printer, then drag/drop files to that shortcut whenever you want a PDF

• Remove the MobileMe preferences in applications if disabled in system perferences. I won't ever need them, but there are a lot of preferences in different applications, like iTunes.

I don't use MM & can't find any related setting in iTunes.

 

[cjmillsnun]

No it's not Adobes fault that Flash sucks on the Mac.
It's Apples, and only Apples fault as they don't offer the right API to let Flash get hardware acceleration.
And x264 works without Perian in Quicktime X. Just choose the right file format. (mv4, mp4).

No it's Adobe's fault.

Hardware acceleration APIs are there. Flash sucks on any platform except Windows.

 

[65kid]

No it's not Adobes fault that Flash sucks on the Mac.
It's Apples, and only Apples fault as they don't offer the right API to let Flash get hardware acceleration.

So you think it is completely normal that watching a youtube video uses 80% CPU while watching the same video in a video player uses about 0%?

And about not offering the API...you ever heard of OpenCL?

If Flash wouldn't be programmed so badly, it wouldn't even need hardware acceleration, unless it's HD content.

 

[colourfastt]

Seemless Windows application compatibility.

LOL .. from looking at the responses it seems like most want OS X to be some sort of Windoze clone.

 

[Unique Visuals]

Some of what I want

1 Plug in program features that allow slimmer apps and only have to deal with what you want
2 Security updates that don't include new features
3 Separate feature updates
4 Locum the process that deals with "secure delete" to us all processors/cores
5 A contextual menu item to allow you to find duplicate files
6 Menu item that allow you to trash the open file without having to locate it on your hard drives
7 When you trash any open file that it closes
8 Safari download widow hides when Safari is no longer in front
9 Fans that slowly ramp up speed when the heat increases not just when its way too hot. Its much easier to keep something cool than it is to get it cool after its hot. Nothing like seeing the comp start to reach 70ºC just cause you secure delete a large file or many.
10 Allow programs to use the contextual menus again. I miss "QuickAccess" it made keeping things organized so much easier. Now Quick Access is a pain to use
11 Merge folder contents
12 Copy & paste files
13 Sherlock back. Spotlight sucks for finding files so does the find command. way too often Im looking at the file and it can't find them even when I force a re-index of all hard drive contents. being able to drag a file into Sherlock and find all files with the same creator codes was great.
14 Better multi monitor management, allow programs to have a menu bar on which monitor you choose. With separate independent docks for each screen.
15 True window shade back for all windows
16 Open multi folders in column view and have sync scrolling if you want.
17 Window views that stay set as you last viewed them

 

[Mumford]

I found an easy way around "accidentally" activating hot corners to start the screensaver (I personally wish you could just do something like command-L and be done with it...)

Set it so you have to hit command or control in conjunction with activating the hot corner...it's a kludge, but at least it's workable.

Until this is present in OS X (and I agree it should be present), you can use LockTight

 

[The General]

Until this is present in OS X (and I agree it should be present), you can use LockTight

Why would anyone use that when they can just press shift+cmd+eject?

 

[shwc]

1. invoke the menu bar easily when an app is on another screen.
.

install deja menu

 

[baddj]

What is missing in OSX for me well is a little list.

1) Better Finder FTP support using the "Connect to Server"

2) Less Beachballing

3) Better Screen Color Profiles. (i find it very hard to get the colors 100% maybe some auto match or something.

 

[HLdan]

1 Plug in program features that allow slimmer apps and only have to deal with what you want
2 Security updates that don't include new features
3 Separate feature updates
4 Locum the process that deals with "secure delete" to us all processors/cores
5 A contextual menu item to allow you to find duplicate files
6 Menu item that allow you to trash the open file without having to locate it on your hard drives
7 When you trash any open file that it closes
8 Safari download widow hides when Safari is no longer in front
9 Fans that slowly ramp up speed when the heat increases not just when its way too hot. Its much easier to keep something cool than it is to get it cool after its hot. Nothing like seeing the comp start to reach 70ºC just cause you secure delete a large file or many.
10 Allow programs to use the contextual menus again. I miss "QuickAccess" it made keeping things organized so much easier. Now Quick Access is a pain to use
11 Merge folder contents
12 Copy & paste files
13 Sherlock back. Spotlight sucks for finding files so does the find command. way too often Im looking at the file and it can't find them even when I force a re-index of all hard drive contents. being able to drag a file into Sherlock and find all files with the same creator codes was great.
14 Better multi monitor management, allow programs to have a menu bar on which monitor you choose. With separate independent docks for each screen.
15 True window shade back for all windows
16 Open multi folders in column view and have sync scrolling if you want.
17 Window views that stay set as you last viewed them

Your post title made me chuckle, "SOME of what you want"? You have a list 17 wants? Most people just desire a handful of things, yours is extensive beyond means. I think what you "WANT" is a different OS.