What's still missing in Mac OS X?

[madog]

No company is going design their product (nor should they) to mimic the competition's product to help ease the transition for switchers. Especially when the competition's customers are switching from the old platform to the newer one.

Maybe not for that exact reason, but companies do take ideas from others all of the time, and that's especially true with software companies. Apple and Microsoft "borrow" ideas from each other with just about every major update.

 

[macrem]

Another pet peeve I have with my macs is how slow it copies files over the network compared to windows. I have a NAS device. I put all my home movies on this device. Windows machine is much faster copying to it than my faster processor Mac. Also - when I browse a network share, it is a LOT slower, especially if there are a lot of files. I wish Apple would look into that.

Which protocol are you talking about (e.g., samba?) & how are you copying? I copy between Macs & other UNIX machines using scp or sshfs. It is secure, passwords are encrypted & it is very fast & reliable. Windows own network protocols are not as secure AFAIK. I highly doubt that OS X is slower unless maybe it's some Windows network protocol.

When copying multi-GB files from one Windows machine to another, the files can easily become corrupted. I have experienced this multiple times with database backups getting corrupted on Windows. I would not applaud MS so fast.

 

[bkap16]

Not an "app store" in the sense of the iPhone app store, but an advanced software packaging tool (e.g., Debian apt-get). Think of Software Update on steroids: can be used for all software on your machine + an interface to add third party apps from a repository.

It makes for a superior user experience: less searching the net. There would be less page views to find software, so perhaps a reason to drag feet on such a feature would be keep software search page views high (see what good that did for MySpace).

Right now we have: Software Update + searching the web for software + useful widgets like "Application Update" to keep 3rd party software up-to-date + port command for MacPorts + update feature inside apps + ...you get the picture.

With Ubuntu, for example, all you really need is one place for everything. It checks for dependencies so orphaned packages are removed. It seems to allow for better common package sharing.

That only works if you use software exclusively available from the package manager. You'd get the same thing if you *only* used Apple software (everything would be updated in Software Update) or if you *only* used stuff from Macports or Fink (everything would be updated from port or apt-get). Once you start throwing 3rd-party applications into the mix on any platform (granted, not too many people run Mathematica on Linux), you end up with the same mess. Having a package manager for everything is easy when you're only using free software (both open source and freeware), not so much when people expect to get paid for the software unless you plan on locking down the platform as much as the iPhone.

 

[Unique Visuals]

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. 😛

I stopped adding to the list when I realized that would make a real long post 😀

I've been using macs since the late 80s and I hate it when they add a feature to only remove it at the next update. Someone makes a nice utility and Apple buys it to only kill it or they change code to make it impossible to use. Sometimes just to keep them from doing those kind of things when it has nothing to do with security or other issues.

Sure Apple comes up with some nice things on their own but gezz it gets old. OSX seems to be getting more and more limited. I'm in the Terminal more and more these days.
Its just really sucks to get an update that finally takes more advantage of the hardware inside to only kill off 1/3 of the software that I use.

 

[madog]

Its just really sucks to get an update that finally takes more advantage of the hardware inside to only kill off 1/3 of the software that I use.

If you're referring to the release of Snow Leopard, you can blame developers of your software for not taking advantage of the developer seeds of the OS and not updating their software appropriately. Same for Windows. The OS's will always change and improve in some ways, and it's up to the developers to maintain their apps accordingly.

One thing I do not like about Apple, is that they traditionally remove useful features of their own OS when they release an update. Take, for example, them removing the ability to change the system font or increase it's size (greatly benefitting visually impaired people) into their current method of only being able to zoom in on the screen (one of many removals from OS 9). A ridiculous change, and a step backwards in my opinion, and one of dozens they have done in the past.

Then again, Apple has always held a firm stance of anti-customization.

 

[macrem]

That only works if you use software exclusively available from the package manager. You'd get the same thing if you *only* used Apple software (everything would be updated in Software Update) or if you *only* used stuff from Macports or Fink (everything would be updated from port or apt-get). Once you start throwing 3rd-party applications into the mix on any platform (granted, not too many people run Mathematica on Linux), you end up with the same mess. Having a package manager for everything is easy when you're only using free software (both open source and freeware), not so much when people expect to get paid for the software unless you plan on locking down the platform as much as the iPhone.

Interesting feedback. Isn't there some middle ground between being locked down like iPhone & the current situation? For instance, currently you won't find Chrome in an official Ubuntu repository, but you can download the DEB
package from Chromium. Paid commercial software can be packaged (& put into custom repos), like Oracle has a DEB package in a custom repository but if you use it in production, you need to buy licenses. I would also like to see Macports/Fink brought into the fold so that ALL software can be managed via one software update app with the option to add repos or install packages without a repo for exceptional cases.

 

[Unique Visuals]

If you're referring to the release of Snow Leopard, you can blame developers of your software for not taking advantage of the developer seeds of the OS and not updating their software appropriately. Same for Windows. The OS's will always change and improve in some ways, and it's up to the developers to maintain their apps accordingly.

Yes I realize this. I know several developers and some are just burnt out with always having to do major overhauls and have given up. Others quit when there was no longer the hooks or APIs to do what they had. Many of the apps I miss are free and those developing them are not going to spend 60+ hours to learn the new programming and then try to get their apps going again. I also realize thats just the way software goes. Frustrating but not something to get hung up over.
Most of what I posted was wishful thinking.

One thing I do not like about Apple, is that they traditionally remove useful features of their own OS when they release an update. Take, for example, them removing the ability to change the system font or increase it's size (greatly benefitting visually impaired people) into their current method of only being able to zoom in on the screen (one of many removals from OS 9). A ridiculous change, and a step backwards in my opinion, and one of dozens they have done in the past.

Yes that was my major gripes them killing their own great features. Ones that they bragged on then killed.
My dad is visually impaired and I had to use "TinkerTool" to change fonts and sizes. At least it still works for now.

Then again, Apple has always held a firm stance of anti-customization.

That they have. Some of the tweaks I can understand and others make no sense to kill off. Having no effect on security or system stability. Wonder how long apps like "Candybar" will work that just change icons.

 

[macrem]

Yes I realize this. I know several developers and some are just burnt out with always having to do major overhauls and have given up. Others quit when there was no longer the hooks or APIs to do what they had. Many of the apps I miss are free and those developing them are not going to spend 60+ hours to learn the new programming and then try to get their apps going again. I also realize thats just the way software goes. Frustrating but not something to get hung up over.

This is what makes Apple...Apple: cutting edge gear & efficient software.

I try to be an agile user & am ready to switch to another app that does the same thing better if the developer of my app is not delivering. I have gotten that impression several times but when it happens someone else will fill the gap. There is also the option not to upgrade, but I want cutting edge, efficient gear and software. I'm glad, for instance, that SL's slimmer with PPC code cut out to make the OS footprint smaller.

If you want a bloated OS that supports software back to the stone age, then you probably know where to go 😉

 

[Unique Visuals]

This is what makes Apple...Apple: cutting edge gear & efficient software.

They do make the best packaged system for my budget and time restraints. Cutting edge software would have been included on the many multi processor machines I've bought. Core OS software that used all or most of the power of the hardware. Its sad to see many of the core process's strain one core or processor when they have bragged and bragged on the power of the included hardware. This is all debatable but not really pertinent to this forum. In my original post I put as the forum was titled. More or less a wish list.

I try to be an agile user & am ready to switch to another app that does the same thing better if the developer of my app is not delivering. I have gotten that impression several times but when it happens someone else will fill the gap.

As I said theres not always a way to fill that gap. I could make a LONG list of things I used to use that helped my workflows. Most I will just keep on doing without and adopt.

There is also the option not to upgrade

Yes I very well know that. I have 10.4,10.5 and 10.6 on this machine. I have two G4s that have every OS from 7.1 to 10.4 and often use them to increase my workflows.

I'm glad, for instance, that SL's slimmer with PPC code cut out to make the OS footprint smaller.

I remember when Apples installers were smart enough to detect machine hardware and only install what was needed for that machine. Removing PPC code from intel processor machines should have been done with the first release. Calling it a "Feature" and bragging on removing or doing something that should have happened long ago is pitiful in my mind. Can they explain all the code that is laptop specific on my Mac Pro? Why did I have to block the calls for it looking for location. Its not like I tote my 50 pound beast around with me. There is still lots of code that doesn't belong in a desktop and vise a versa. To me bloated software is improper installers and apps like iTunes that have too many things added to them that make using or launching them slow on systems that it really shouldn't.

If you want a bloated OS that supports software back to the stone age, then you probably know where to go 😉

I detest statements like this. Is one not allowed to make wishes or complaints without this kind of statement? It would be one thing if I started making forums or many posts blasting Apple. If one doesn't make his opinion known or wishes then we are left with corporations just doing as they please and that only results in poor products.

 

[cjmillsnun]

I remember when Apples installers were smart enough to detect machine hardware and only install what was needed for that machine. Removing PPC code from intel processor machines should have been done with the first release. Calling it a "Feature" and bragging on removing or doing something that should have happened long ago is pitiful in my mind. Can they explain all the code that is laptop specific on my Mac Pro? Why did I have to block the calls for it looking for location. Its not like I tote my 50 pound beast around with me. There is still lots of code that doesn't belong in a desktop and vise a versa. To me bloated software is improper installers and apps like iTunes that have too many things added to them that make using or launching them slow on systems that it really shouldn't.

See to me Leopard having both Intel and PPC code was very useful. With an external HD formatted in a way bootable by PPC and installed with Leo, I could maintain a bootable disk for both my G4 and my Macbook on 1 partition. Very useful indeed.

 

[Unique Visuals]

See to me Leopard having both Intel and PPC code was very useful. With an external HD formatted in a way bootable by PPC and installed with Leo, I could maintain a bootable disk for both my G4 and my Macbook on 1 partition. Very useful indeed.

I can see where that is an advantage. The older installers "Easy Install" would normally only install machine specific code. Then you had the option of doing custom install that would normally allow you to install legacy code.

 

[macrem]

I detest statements like this. Is one not allowed to make wishes or complaints without this kind of statement? It would be one thing if I started making forums or many posts blasting Apple. If one doesn't make his opinion known or wishes then we are left with corporations just doing as they please and that only results in poor products.

Sorry, I didn't mean for my statement to be offensive. I agree with your post & you raise again interesting points. If Apple is focusing resources on making sure everything works on old hardware, it makes refining existing & delivering new features more complex. I know someone sitting at home with a PPC will say "I don't care". That is what I meant by going somewhere else. Not to shun complaints but to honestly say that Apple may not best suited for all scenarios. This is one of the main reasons IT Departments are not so fond of Apple, meanwhile it is a brilliant business model for end users like me.

Whenever I have observed Activity Monitor, both cores seem to fairly evenly distribute tasks but I have not looked extensively at a wide variety of apps & we all know it will take time for 3rd party developers to rewrite their apps to take full advantage of GCD et al.

 

[TonyK]

cut+paste

PathFinder lets me do copy/paste without issue. Probably even does Cut/Paste. Would be nice for OS X to also support this.

My wife agrees with you about treeview folders. There is Rage Explorer for that. I also use PathFinder and it helps. For me, treeview folders is not so important.

PathFinder supports cmd+c and cmd+v for copy/paste of files and folders. The newer version of PathFinder (v5) supports side-by-side views and this helps for moving files between folders and systems. 🙂

I respectfully disagree. I think navigating around a large hard drive is easier when you have a tree view of the folders available to you. With that said, OSX's search feature is lightyears ahead of windows, at least on windows xp and windows server 2003 which are the versions I use.

It really doesn't matter if I'm dealing with one file or one hundred, I can move/copy them around much easier and with less effort on windows then I can on OSX. Its not like OSX is horrendous, but rather windows makes it a lot easier. I'm playing with pathfinder to see if that offers any improvement. I like adobe bridge but that just seems to provide a few functions over finder, at least with file manipulation

The application goes in to Applications but some items go into the user's library folder structure. There are also other constraints for modules, extensions (as noted), etc.

The ability to install all applications by just dragging the icon into the applications folder, even the big ones. Just out of curiosity why is it that some apps install this way and some you have to go through the whole installation process like windows?

Or going to the app menu and selecting "Quit"?

S-

Or right mouse click on the app icon in the Dock and selecting "Quit" 🙂

 

[sishaw]

Since you asked:

The biggest thing I miss from Windows. The easability to move an copy files to a new location without having to have both folders open and drag and drop.

You can just hold the file over the new location and hover for a second, it will open and you can get into subfolders as well. You don't have to have the receiving location open.

 

[madog]

That they have. Some of the tweaks I can understand and others make no sense to kill off. Having no effect on security or system stability. Wonder how long apps like "Candybar" will work that just change icons.

The greatest system tweak ever in the history of the Mac OS. This is the most recent grouch (in color), but then again I think I had this running in OS 8, if not 9 (this video is from OS 7 I believe). The only difference was the system and the trashcan looked better overall (more colors!):

"The Grouch"

 

[Xavier]

The greatest system tweak ever in the history of the Mac OS (can't find a more recent version, this is from... OS7 I think?):

"The Grouch"

Oh yes, I loved the grouch. If only he worked for OSX

 

[Unique Visuals]

The greatest system tweak ever in the history of the Mac OS. This is the most recent grouch (in color), but then again I think I had this running in OS 8, if not 9 (this video is from OS 7 I believe). The only difference was the system and the trashcan looked better overall (more colors!):

"The Grouch"

Yes the Grouch was awesome. I heard of another but never saw it myself was the cookie monster with the Nom Nom Nom sound

 

[joe.pelayo]

The greatest system tweak ever in the history of the Mac OS. This is the most recent grouch (in color), but then again I think I had this running in OS 8, if not 9 (this video is from OS 7 I believe). The only difference was the system and the trashcan looked better overall (more colors!):

"The Grouch"

Why did they drop that trash guy? It was cute!

Thanks,
Joe.

 

[HyperX13]

Which protocol are you talking about (e.g., samba?) & how are you copying? I copy between Macs & other UNIX machines using scp or sshfs. It is secure, passwords are encrypted & it is very fast & reliable. Windows own network protocols are not as secure AFAIK. I highly doubt that OS X is slower unless maybe it's some Windows network protocol.

When copying multi-GB files from one Windows machine to another, the files can easily become corrupted. I have experienced this multiple times with database backups getting corrupted on Windows. I would not applaud MS so fast.

It's a Linux based NAS device (buffalo). It uses Sambas I believe. It shows files and copies slower.

 

[macrem]

It's a Linux based NAS device (buffalo). It uses Sambas I believe. It shows files and copies slower.

If you can have ssh access to the linux fileserver, I recommend giving macfuse (http://code.google.com/p/macfuse/) + sshfs a try. If you have Macports or Fink, just install sshfs & it will take care of dependencies automatically.

 

[HLdan]

If you can have ssh access to the linux fileserver, I recommend giving macfuse (http://code.google.com/p/macfuse/) + sshfs a try. If you have Macports or Fink, just install sshfs & it will take care of dependencies automatically.

This is exactly why these forums are set up for geeks only to visit. Damn, I'm a poweruser and still don't get half this jargon. 😀

 

[Eidorian]

If you can have ssh access to the linux fileserver, I recommend giving macfuse (http://code.google.com/p/macfuse/) + sshfs a try. If you have Macports or Fink, just install sshfs & it will take care of dependencies automatically.

OS X seems to handle NFS with much less hiccups than SMB. Sadly I'm limited to SMB for the sake of general compatibility.

AFP is love if you only have Macs on your network.

 

[KingYaba]

Make 10.7 a free download.

 

[sidewinder]

Make 10.7 a free download.

You might as well suggest that it comes with a free toaster....

S-

 

[KingYaba]

You might as well suggest that it comes with a free toaster....

Why the sarcasm?