To provide feedback, email to kal@starkis.com.au.
Subject: OS X flash
Kal: That was a great flash example of OS X! I can't wait for it to come out!
Tyler
Subject: Alternative Aqua Interface
Some comments on the Flash demo... First of all, it's very well done. Interactivity helps a lot in figuring out what you mean by a given suggestion. Apple has already split the dock into Applications and Documents sections. Application shortcuts go on the left side (currently running applications have dots underneath the icon) and Document shortcuts (along with minimized document windows) go on the right. Your demo shows application shortcuts in a different area from the current applications, which would lead to redundancy of icons if all your shortcuts were open at once. I like the System menu on the right side a lot. However, "Empty Trash" would have to be moved elsewhere, since it is a Desktop-specific action and belongs in the Desktop menus. In a similar vein, "Single Window Mode" and "Multiple Window Mode" don't belong in the Desktop's View menu, since they're system-wide settings. The Application menu has already been implemented, and it works fairly similar to the one you've described, with the exception of the application list. I really like the feel of the Application list, but it doesn't seem to belong in that menu, since that menu is for commands specific to the current application ("About...", "Preferences...", "Quit") and Services that relate to the current application (for example, if you have some text in the current application, you can select TextEdit in the Services menu to edit that text). I'm not sure where it would go, or even if it's necessary considering the fact that a single-click can select another app from the Dock. Maybe each docked app could have a contextual menu that lists its windows... The Desktop is a true desktop folder, just like the current MacOS (except each user has their own desktop folder). When you drag an icon there it moves the item, just like the current MacOS, unless the item is write-protected. Removable disks can appear on the desktop, but hard disks don't (although you can create aliases to them there), for a couple of reasons. Probably the primary reason is that OS X uses a UNIX-style file system, and you don't have separate "volumes" like you do in Windows or the current Mac OS. There is a single file system, and any hard drive can be "mounted" at any place in it. So if you buy a new hard drive, you can set that hard drive to be your "Documents" drive or "Applications" drive or whatever. Having four hard drives doesn't mean you have four volumes as far as the system is concerned. The other reason quickly becomes apparent when you start using the column view. You can quickly and easily get to any folder in the entire system using column view, and the first column is the computer itself, showing all fixed and removable media. If, instead of this view, you had separate icons in the Dock or on the Desktop, that flexibility would be taken away. It takes a bit of getting used to, but once you've become accustomed to the sheer speed that the column view provides, there's no going back. :-) I agree that the minimize and zoom controls should be on the right side, for both consistency's sake and distance from the destructive close control. However, I think the single-window button should just go away. There are already menus in the menu bar, and there are already contextual menus, so even putting a menu there doesn't sound like it would help much. Simply give the title bar a contextual menu and you'll serve the same purpose and reduce titlebar clutter (which gets very bothersome with small windows). Finally (and I apologize for this being so long), Apple has said that there is a "centered" theme to Aqua -- the apple logo is in the center (it now disappears when application menus cover it, although I think if they want it there they should remove the color and just give it a recessed look), the dock is in the center, the toolbar buttons are in the center, and so forth. I don't really agree with this since the corners are the quickest to access, and I'd like to see a dock that, like yours, spanned a side of the screen with the Desktop icon at one end and the Trash at the other, using the semi-translucent striped backdrop that Apple is now using for the Dock. For me, the best scenario would be to have the Dock on the right side (so that it doesn't take up as much precious vertical space) with a modifier key that shows all names next to the icons, and put the pop-up Finder window functionality back in on the bottom. If Apple would put in a preference for this I'd appreciate it. Of course, all of this is based on developer previews, which were never meant for end-users, and I'm sure by next January a lot of these issues will be ironed out. This really is a 1.0 release of a new operating system, and it will take some time before it feels comfortable to everyone. Just my thoughts.
Marshall
Subject: RE: Alternative Aqua Interface
> As you may have gathered,
the demo was created before the current developer release and announcements
from Apple. I was very pleased to read of some of the changes, and impressed
by the animations illustrating the new Dock.
Yep, I figured
that. What I like best about the changes made from DP3 to DP4 is the fact that
changes *were* made...the OS X interface is still a work in progress and will
continue to improve before its final release.
> They could appear
in the View menu regardless of which program you were in, similar to the way
certain menu items work currently (eg. 'Show Balloons' is always in the Help
menu). But fair comment.
I don't know a whole lot about Mac programming as it stands today...is "Show
Balloons" included in the Help menu by the system? If Single Window Mode was
always in the View menu, would the system force a View menu into every application?
Also, the rest of the commands in the View menu apply just to the current application's
windows; if I select "Clean Up" or "View as Pop-Up Window" in the Finder it
doesn't affect the windows of any other applications. The perceived scope of
application menus is within the application itself. Single-Window Mode, though,
applies to every window in the entire system, and would violate this concept
of application-scope menus. This perceived scope is why I think Single-Window
mode doesn't belong on window titlebars (the other controls do something to
the active window, but the Single-Window Mode control does something to every
*inactive* window) and why Log Out, Shut Down, and Restart would be better placed
in a System-wide menu.
> My suggested implementation
of this menu could be viewed as a tool for managing the appearance and behaviour
of all open apps and windows. As much as I like the Dock, I don't think Apple
should be throwing away menu functionality to force everyone to use it.
Again, I like the idea, I'm just not sure if it belongs in the new menu system.
The current Macintosh menus are a mix of system-level and application-level
functions. The Apple and Application menus are system-level, the rest are application-level.
OS X uses the menu bar only for applications, and things like app switching
and shortcuts are relegated to the Dock. App-specific at the top, system-wide
at the bottom. Is the Dock prettier? Yes. Is it conservative of space? If you
auto-hide it, yes. Can you fit as much into it as you can in a menu? Not really.
But each thing in the Dock can describe its state better than it could in a
menu by updating its icon. I think a system-wide menu in the upper-right, as
you've proposed, would work well without compromising the app/system distinction
too much. Perhaps applications and their windows could be placed in here, as
a sort of combination app/system menu. Maybe there could be a preference of
"Show Application Windows in System Menu" or something like that.
> Personally, I'm happy
to kill the pop-up window (what does it achieve that the Dock doesn't?), but
I would like to see the position of the Dock customisable. I like your idea
of a modifier key that shows all names next to the icons.
Well,
I can't take credit for the modifier key...someone else mentioned it elsewhere
on the web. But I think that person was still thinking of the Dock on the bottom,
where the text would get all squished together if many icons were in the Dock...if
the Dock were on the left or right side of the screen, each line of text could
appear right next to its icon. As for pop-up windows, they achieve organization.
For example, I put Internet apps, graphics apps, office apps, and games each
in their own pop-up folders on the bottom of the screen. One click brings up
the window, one click opens the app and closes the window again. With the Dock,
all applications would have to be in a single line across the screen at once...I
wouldn't have the ability to organize it beyond placing certain icons next to
each other. If the Dock were on the right-hand side and pop-up windows were
on the bottom, I personally would just use the Dock for switching between active
applications and minimizing windows...my application and document aliases would
all go in pop-up windows where I could better organize them and have the equivalent
of four docks. This, to me, would provide the best of both worlds. Active applications
would still provide status in the Dock, minimized windows would still show previews,
and I would have much more space for aliases/shortcuts. With the added system
menu in the upper right, I'd be set. :-) Thanks for writing back. It's nice
to be able to have a reasonable discussion about what is becoming an almost
religious issue. Your demo is quite inspiring; I'm thinking of coming up with
one myself to better describe what I'm thinking. :-) Visual aids help a great
deal. Again, great job. Please let me know if you make any more demos.
Marshall
Subject: Aqua Demo
Kal I loved some of your ideas, As I die-hard Mac User, I love the windows toolbar, especially when it is done properly, as Action GoMac does it. This shows you what programs you have open, (essential for all novices, who don't know, and power users, who have too many to remember) and lets, you choose the window for each from a menu. I don't know how the dock will turn out, but I hope that it acts in this way, and labelling it up as you suggest would help. Your windows seem to float behind this dock, is this what you wanted? I would prefer it to go the whole way across, and to reduce the active screen area. Also, a standard place for the trash that doesn't move, this would be great. I love the way you have the application name on the left hand side of the menu bar, this both tells you what application you are in, and labels the current menu bar as belonging to that application. Neat. Also your traffic light ideas are good, but if you want to remove distracting colours, then what about the scroll bars. I dont deal with colour (I am an Architect) so I would leave the colours on, but I can see how you would want a preference to switch them off.
-- Regards
Mark Horner
Subject: OS X Demo
hello there all i can say is WOW! it brings the future to us now and makes me want OS X even more....i am eagerly awaiting the summer debut of the public beta OS X.....i hope that Apple's OS X geniuses are paying attention... excellent detail and many thanks for the preview ; )
bruce
Subject: Mac OS X demo
Cool job with the demo! I was really impressed with the new OS! It seems really easy to navigate through, but I do have a question. I plan to buy a iBook and then equip it with the new OS. I heard that new drivers are needed for all external devices. I also heard that you need carbon apps in order to do anything under the OS. Is this true? Finally, what happens when you plug in a disk drive and then slide in a floppy? I head the disk doesn't appear on the desktop as usuall. How would I access the disk (and for that matter, CDs)??????????
Subject: OS X
Hi Just looked at your OS X demo. I llike all of your suggestions. From what I have seen of X, it seems that it will be very powerful and easy to get used to with one exception. I really like the desktop as it has been. To me thats one of the main thing that makes the Mac so much easier to use and customize rather than have to look through a "browser", which I really hated in Windows. I hope Apple takes your site to heart as there is very useful, and very Mac oriented suggestions.
George Verker
Subject: Mac OS X
I LOVE the Website you did on Apple's OS X! For awhile, I've thought 'OS X seems cool, but it looks WEIRD! I'll wait before upgrading.' Your site has changed my decision. I want OS X *NOW*!!!
Subject: Your MacOS X demo
First of all, you did a great job with this. I've played with Flash a bit, and know how time-consuming it can be to "fake" a user interface. Of your suggested changes, my two favorites were having category names under the items in the dock, and a system-wide replacement for the special menu. I've always felt it was a little counter-intuitive to have to switch to the Finder in order to shutdown or restart. I think having categories for the dock (especially if they were customizable) would go a long way toward preventing the potential clutter that would accumulate there. One minor point, when switching applications, the icon and name of the application don't change in the demo. Also, if the name of the currently running application is show next to the application menu icon, it would cause the positions of all of the other menus (File, Edit, etc.) to shift as the user switches applications. Again, good job!
Tony
Subject: Aqua Site
Congratulations on a job well done, now if Apple, will take into consideration some of your ideas. Thank you for taking the time and thought.
Subject: Your version of Mac OS X
Hello, All I can say is "OS X team, are you watching?" The only thing I have seen of OS X is static screenshots provided by Macworld, MacAddict, Apple, and a few rogue websites. I like your version *much* better, and not because I can fiddle with it. I like the application menu with the "About" and "Preferences" items tucked at the top, while adding the current application menu (with some extra benefits). The Apple menu is something I could get really used to. Being able to do some Finder-only commands on a global scale would be nice (logging out, checking RAM usage). I like the reorganized Dock. Your version just makes more sense. Well, you've done it. You've made me disappointed with Apple's version of OS X. I just really hope someone from the OS X team sees your simulation, and plagiarizes the heck out of it. I'll still buy OS X, but if things don't change, I'll have the feeling that I'm missing something, something that made Apple different in the first place - a revolutionary OS.
Quentin
Subject: MacOS X Demo
I like it a lot(It's my only interactive version of Mac OS x!!)Can You add more 'case it's so cool!!!
Subject: Slight Modification...
One of the items that I REALLY like with 8.6 is the tabs. My wife and I both have folders set up so that we have an App tab, Doc tab, etc. Were Apple to go one step further, the Dock could have a similar function (for example, click on a Minimized window/tab that pops up, lets me start the app, then goes away). With three mouse clicks, we have the most often used apps running without all those desktop aliases. Second, change "shortcuts" to "alias" as it makes more sense and is more consistent with what we are used to. Organizing them also makes a lot of sense. One of the things I LOATHE about Windows is the difficult in finding applications. I also think it was a mistake to have icons of differing sizes. I think it should be an option. Some of us like a little more order! I disagree 100% with your view of the "stop light" buttons. Graying them out makes it more difficult to see which application has the user's control. People will cue on on those colors. I do agree, however, they should be toned down a bit (or have that as an option). Aqua also seems to be heading down the wrong trail with not graying out the buttons and "thumbs" of apps that are not the user's focus. This is a major UI faux pas IMHO. Many/most Windows apps are also guilty of this and it causes the user to miss the correct target (or if windows are overlapped, think a scroll bar exists when it does not). I'm not at all fond of the big buttons in the new finder. Win98 did that and wastes a lot of screen space. I truly hate it. I also disagree strong that the Apple Menu should be dropped/changed. The dock will only hold a limited number of items - certainly never the number of items I currently have in my Apple Menu (unless we have spring-loaded folder). There are a few other little bits I think ought to either stay the same or change, but they are not worth mentioning...yet!
Cheers,
Lloyd
Subject: RE: Slight Modification...
Okay, here are my thoughts
on your thoughts. This probably sounds awfully terse, but I'm dashing it out
quickly...BTW, spelling will be a mix of American and Canadian. Lived in Canada
for a year and now I can't spell behaviour without the U (it just looks funny).
Cheers,
Lloyd
Subject: Brilliant!
Really stunning display! It's people like yourself who really drive Apple's engines. I would like to think that they're listening, and hopefully they take your advice... I can't agree with you more about getting as many options available on OSX, as that will separate this OS from being a good system, to becoming a great acheivement in computing history! Keep up the good work!...
Jeff
Subject: Alternative Aqua- RAM Disk
It seems to it it would be more obvious to put the RAM DIsk in the computer folder with the hard drive simply because you use them the same way.
-Derek
Subject: alternative aqua
I love your changes. They were subtle but well thought. In my opinion your additions were much more useful. If you ever come up with a theme for OS X, just let me know.
-Dusty
Subject: OS X ideas feedback
Sorry, I like the traffic light idea. I don't think it matter where the close button is. I don't have a problem with it. I do like everything else that has been done. Do you have a copy of OS X?
doug
Subject: alternative aqua
First off, not all of the buttons in your demo work. Secondly, I like some of your ideas. Your idea seems to be a system where menus play a large part in the power user's experience. And to a certain degree, I share that idea. However, graphical user interfaces are about being graphical, and about making things easy with one-click access. I think that your idea for dividing the Dock into recognizable regions is good, but unworkable with tons of stuff open. How small does that text go? But I like many of your ideas. They would make the interface very powerful. Ultimately, we'll all just have to wait, won't we?
Benjamin Munson
Subject: Very nice demo!
Hi, I looked at your Flash demo of suggested improvements for the OS X interface. Many of your improvements deserve a real hearing by the developers at Apple. Good work!
Kevin Hovanec
Subject: Your OS X ideas
Kal, I came across your OS X page via my MacAddict Daily newsletter. I agree with most of your ideas. However, I strongly disagree with one of your points: I love having my disks and CDs pop up on my desktop when I stick them into my disk drives. Over the years, I have seen many cartoons, articles, and other media praising the instant accessability of the disks on the desktop. One great example: If someone sets something on your desk (a real desk), you do not have to reach into the drawer to access it. Since this is the desktop, you should not have to reach into your computer to access your disks. Aside from this, you made some very good points that I too hope will be implemented into the final release of Mac OS X.
Sincerely,
Andrew D. Gettis
P.S. Your flash demo was pretty cool.
Subject: OS X flash presentation
Hi, I thoroughly enjoyed your flash presentation. I think you make some very salient points re: how OS X could be even better and therefore how Apple could make us all love their OS even more! I hope Steve likes your page too! -- OS X.x?
=O)
~
Keith
Subject: Alternative Mac OS X GUI
A Very Nice Presentation with good ideas. I would just like to add my 2 cents. You know how netscape has the location bar, the button bar, and the personal bookmarks bar each can be colapsed. I think Apple should do something like that with the doc. 3 layrs which can be colapseable and resizeable. Open Apps, Colapsed Windows, Shortcuts. There should be an option wether the dock should be on the side of the screen or botom. The pop up folders can be on the side of the screen not used by the dock. Apple menu was definetly useless and now with the dock and the go menu who needs it. Preference idea great. Get rid of the stupid window view button all together! It's in the view menu and should be added to the contextual menus. The only thing that really bothers me is the desktop. You can only put alias on it. X is NeXt at heart but still, apple could of changed it. Take the Trash out of the dock, allow files, folders, and apps to be on the desktop, and allow disks to appear on desktop. When they made the Windows or Mactintosh in 95, one feature they said that was better then windows was that a disk would appear automaticly on the desktip when inserted you didn't have to go looking for it. Now what do they do?
Subject: Finally
Great ideas. Loved it! You should send it to Steve Jobs... You also are the first person not to critisize the new OS so quickly. It does need some improvement, but things like the cool shading, big icons, and those awesome buttons were shrugged off by some of the best UI people in the world. It's good to know that someone actually can see themselves using it. I find myself agreeing on every point you make.
-Matt
Subject: Aqua flash demo
I agree with most of your comments (especially about what belongs in the Application (left side) and System (right side) menus), but I'd like to take issue with a few of your ideas. 1) I agree 100% with you about keeping the go away box on the left side away from minimize and zoom, but I take issue with turning the single window button into a menu. All menus belong at the top, in the menu bar. The single window mode, being a system-wide setting, belongs in the System menu on the right side of the menu bar. Allowing programmers to put arbitrary gunk in a window button menu would cause massive confusion. What belongs there and what doesn't? I firmly believe the whole button should go away. 2) I really like the separation of groups (open applications, minimized windows, arbitrary shortcuts, and the trashcan), but I think that labeling them, as you have, takes too much screen real estate. Instead, there should be a gap between the icons. Since there are only four groups, it should take very little time to become accustomed to where things go. Also, when you try to drag arbitrary things to the dock, the gap animation will make it clear that you can only stick things manually into the third group. 3) I like the way you've made the gumdrops light up individually when you run over them, instead of all as a group. It gives much better feedback of the "what would happen if I clicked here and now" variety. I also like the way the buttons aren't colored until you run over them, although I didn't have as much issue with the demo coloring as you seemed to. 4) [nitty gritty issue] If you're going to have both the application name and the application icon as the title of the Application menu on the left side (which I like a lot!), they should be closer together so as not to look like two distinct menus. Perhaps one way to encourage this illusion is to have small vertical gaps in the horizontal decoration lines in the menu bar between menus. 5) The list of open applications in the Application menu threw me for a loop the first few times I poked at them, but the more I think about it, the better I like their presence there. Selecting them should switch to that application, and their pop-up menus should contain a list of the open windows, as well as an option to quit them. You don't know how many times I've used the Program Switcher extension to quit programs I've left running without having to bring them to the front! 6) How do you take a shortcut out of the dock? [I was thinking about the effect of dragging various things to the trashcan]. Intuitively, I would drag a short cut to the trashcan to remove it from the dock, an open program icon in the dock to the trashcan to quit the program, an iconified window in the dock to the trashcan to close the window, and a file from the Finder to delete the file from the disk. However, this kind of trashcan semantics overloading only makes sense to me because I've been working with the Mac system forever. I'm certain that my Mom would worry about deleting her applications or files by dragging them from the dock to the trash, but I can't think of any other way to remove them from the dock. Thanks for listening to my rant. I hope Apple pays attention and takes some of your suggestions to heart!
Mike Wessler
Subject: Re: Aqua flash demo
> Thanks for the feedback
Mike
Glad to give it. Something as good and thought-provoking as your demo deserve
it.
> I agree that all commands
should be accessible from the menus. That doesn't mean that you can't make certain
commands accessible in additional ways when it is logical and benefits the user.
Yup. You're right,
and it can be good if done right, but I've seen examples (*caughphotoshopcaugh*)
where menu items in the pallette menu don't exist anywhere in the main menus.
My only other problem with it is just a bias of mine, which is that I tend to
think of things spatially. I recognize what folder I'm looking at in the finder
by its size, shape, and location on the screen. Similarly, I remember where
commands are in the menus by their horizontal and vertical location. Control-click
contextual menus are fine, because I click on the object of interest to get
them, but side-window menus change their contents, and I have to remember what
"mode" to be in to get the menu item, not just where it'll appear.
> I feel the labels
should be an option - not compulsory. I think just having gaps would make it
look messier, while not really aiding the new user.
Mmmm. Yup. Have an option to display the categories as you have them (perhaps
color coded as you say Apple is thinking about), and an option to reclaim the
real estate, or perhaps only have a hint of the color coding to divide the sections.
I really hope you can get someone (high up) at Apple to listen to you!
Mike
Subject: osx- in general
I hate it .....looks like a toy (osx that is) ..flash demo is very cool however
Subject: Aqua Demo
Hi, I think your demo is so cool. After 30 min of playing with the demo, I have a question. I am no GUI designer, but I read almost all the critic about Aqua, so I started to have comment of my own. :) By having both the "Current Applications" and "Minimized Windows" on the dock, don't you think it is kind of redundancy? If I click on the either an Application or a Minimized Window, I can activate that application.
Good night.
-- Hoa K. Tran
Subject: OSX
Kal, Thanks for your efforts. I really liked the demo and I am sure that I will learn to love the new interface of OSX the more I use it. At times and places I still hear a "die hard" talk about system 6.0 and how it was the best ever. As with any system upgrade it is new. I also hope that Apple will give us the option to personalize the system to our liking.
Jon Smith
Subject: MacOSX-pretty darn cool demo
Hi there! Just thought I drop a line, to say that's a cool demo. I will be linking it on my site for the kids (well I get more older folks visiting) to play with.
Smiles,
Lexi
Subject: feedback on OS X demo
I've got to tell you, Kal, I was first mighty annoyed with this character questioning the ability of Apple. It's just that they've had so much critizism, with the Aqua and the QuickTime Player and stuff. But as I read your suggestions to improvements, I couldn't help feeling a slight turn of emotions towards you. I caught myself thinking: "denne fyren her er skikkelig smart", and "hvorfor jobber ikke han hos Apple?". This is Norwegian, and means: "This guy is kinda smart", and "why isn't he working for Apple?" (I really can't help thinking in Norwegian). The flash demo wouldn't work on my G4, but I read your notes, and saw the examples, and I also checked out Apple's own material on the subject. I think the way you divide the menu bar (with application stuff on the left, and system stuff on the right) is very good thinking. I've been using the Mac for ten years, and I feel I have it in my blood (since I've practically grown up with it; I was 10 when I first started using it), so everything (almost) about the way the Mac works seems logical to me. But whenever I try to teach computer novices or windoze users anything about how the Finder is the "root" application, and to organize your files, you have to be in Finder, and such, they just can't seem to understand it. I think that many of your improvements on the OS X will make the system more logical, and really help new users in using it, which will make the Mac OS more interesting on the computer marked, stealing customers from Microsoft. And, most important, it will save me from hours of helping parents and siblings at home and fellow students at school. I attend a school for art direction in advertising, and we have 120 students (80% of them never used a Mac before, 20% never used any computer before) sharing 10 G4s on a Mac-only network (the only one in Norway). This network is down 3 days out of 7, and when it isn't, the individual machines are out of memory, suffering from obscure system errors, or the fools using them are just plain lost deep into the system folder, deleting system resources like crazy, somehow thinking that "hey, I have no idea whatsoever where to find my files, maybe deleting this "extensions"-folder might help". Idiots! And when they can't find where to change the preferences in Word, because they are located in a different menu than on their PC back home, who do they call? Me, of course. You wouldn't believe the questions I get when I'm in the Mac room. It's getting to the point where I'm afraid of going in there. Well, back to your demo. I agree with you on the window buttons. Especially the options menu on the right, known from Adobe palettes, was a stroke of sheer genius in my opinion. I didn't quite understand the bit about "adding "Memory" to the "Computer" view of Finder", though, so I can't really tell you how I feel about this, but it's probably great if you recommend it.
With deep respect,
--
Kristoffer Kjĝlberg
Subject: shockwave Macos/Aqua
Mr. Starkis, Congratulations on a wonderful shockwave presentation! It helps me tremendously to understand the new Aqua interface Apple is about to "force" us to use. (1) Your suggestions for the "Traffic Light" button are the best. I agree it's very important to separate the close button and the rest so has not to confuse us and inadvertantly close it. (2) The dock setup with the underlying "Current Apps", "Minimize" and Shortcut label are a VERY good idea. But, best to use them as buttons that spring up that particular portion of the Dock. Yes? (3) I _DO NOT_ like the placement of the Finder and Ċpple Logo. Why reverse something that already works? I think the Apple logo menu ideas are very good and hope they are incorporated, same w/ Finder. But, I just don't want to change the original MacOS order. It should be left alone! (4) The lack of a desktop view is VERY troubling! The desktop is what makes the Mac a Mac. Overall, the ideas are great and then troubling. If Apple forces me to use Mac OS X without the ability to make personal changes to how _I_ want to use my computer then Apple has stepped into the biggest road Apple since the refusal to license the Mac OS decades ago, thereby ensuring the Mac OS as a niche product. (Thankfully, it's a large niche.) If Apple allow us to tailor/customize the Mac according to our needs and tastes then Apple has a winner! Customization is the key, don't force a static OS on the rest of us for the sake of newbie "consumers". Perhaps, Apple should sell two different versions of Mac OS X, a consumer version with limited ability to change the interface and a Pro version that can be customized any way you like it. Now, that's something I can lick! What do you think?
Regards,
Ron Silva
Subject: Demo suggestions
I really enjoyed your demo and suggestions. I can not claim to be an expert or know much about the new Mac X operating system, but I do like your version of the OS. I am still using a Performa 6320CD with 7.5.2 OS. From what I have read and seen (both in articles and at the MacOS X home page) the X OS seems to be directed at more of the mass consumer, thus alienating a lot of die hard Mac users. Unfortunately, in order for Apple to succeed they have determined that this is the route that must be taken. Since I have no experience in using the new (or a demo) of MacOS X I really can't compare it to anything (and I will not critize it just based off of other's opinions and/or articles). That said, your demo appears to be very similar to my 7.5.2 OS and 8.0. An educated guess would seem to indicate that your ideas combined with Apple's would result in a "middle-of-the-road" OS in which the handling of the OS would be very similar to that of traditional MacOS, but also containing the "lickability" of Aqua. Thank you for putting the demo on the web for all Mac lovers to use and give their suggestions as well. Hopefully, some of your ideas seek through into Apple and end up on the final version of MacOS X (or at least MacOS X.1).
Sincerely,
Chad Shuskey
Subject: great demo
Hi, I think your demo of and the comments concerning AQUA are great. Now I convinced that I need to make the time to contribute constructively to this discussion.
Cheers,
Marcus
Subject: RE: Your OSX Demo
I really like what you've done. Have you submitted this to Apple?
Subject: Aqua suggestions.
Hello, sir, I wanted to inform you that The Mac Observer is going to be running a small story tomorrow about your suggestions for improving Aqua. The story includes some quotes from you, a small bit of editorializing, and a link to your demonstration. We think you have done a great job with it, and wanted to let you know we were going to run the story. Hopefully Apple will listen to well thought out suggestions like the ones you have made.
-Kyle D'Addario
Subject: Aqua
I thoroughly enjoyed your Flash version of OSX. I agree with most of your ideas, but I think the Ram disk idea will be confusing to new Mac users. I like the way you use the Apple logo to replace the "special" menu, but it might confuse some users accustomed to using the "Apple" menu on the right side of the menu bar. There's one question I would love to know the answer to, but I haven't seen any reference to it anywhere. Will Apple update the outdated black & white "watch" and "rotating beach ball?" Considering all the changes in OSX, I will be very disappointed if they don't update these elements as well.
Thanks for the demo,
Jim
Subject: Re: Your Alternative to Aqua
I think there is a certain self consistency with Apple's Aqua. It looks good and balanced on the screen. Somehow, I didn't see that in yours. Still, your ideas are much improved over what I was. I don't happen to have a problem with Apple's colored close box but your solution might be better for everyone. I would rather see clear chicklets you have but that aren't necessarily round. They could be a tiny plus, tiny minus, etc., and then be colored when approached. Your dock is _much_ better. It must be clear what is in the dock and how it is organized and your solution is fantastic. Apple doesn't have to have this option for everyone, but I for one, would really appreciate having access to it. Even just left justifying is important, but ultimately, we ought to be able to place the dock where we wish. A disturbing theme in the Aqua interface somewhat alleviated in your close box buttons, and helped by your organized dock is the fact that items aren't clear until they are approached with the mouse. I don't want to have to scrub over the contents of the dock to see what the contents are. Imagine, for example, I have three open MP3 files. Their icons can hardly distinguish them and so the only way to open a particular one is to scrub the mouse back and forth over the dock until the correct name lights up and then click. They need names! I thought your options menu on the right side of the window was equally excellent. Good icon choice (the triangle) good idea. I wish you had made it light up a color, because it was hard to see that it too lit up. As you put it in your text though, a button for a 'set it once and forget it' option is hardly necessary. In any event, it is a testament to your well thought out presentation and absolutely super-human abilities with Flash that motivated me to write at all. Thanks for your contribution to the Mac community.
P.S. are you giving Flash lessons?
Subject: Aqua 'demo'
You have some good ideas for improvements. You even second guessed Apple for the Application menu. I read an Aqua user interface guidelines document that stated the application menu would relocate quit, preferences and About the... to here. However it won't have listings for other open applications. I think this is covered by the dock. I agree that the trash should be in the dock so it is always accessible, but should be tied to the right corner so it is always in the same place. Getting rid of the Apple icon (it isn't a menu) from the middle would be much better as well. Or it could be made less intrusive, maybe an inset, non-colored look if their intent is branding. I also like you labels for organizing the dock. I think the dock does follow similar rules with open applications to the left shrunk windows in the middle and 'aliases' to the right. But clearly labeling them as you have done is great! I agree that the buttons in the new finder, along with the dock, can make it trivial that the Apple menu is gone. In any case, I was hoping you might have emailed leadership@apple.com and asked them to look at your demo. You do have some good ideas they should consider.
Lonny
Subject: aqua
Awesome demo! Great ideas - I like the Finder menu with hierarchical menus to files. Nice way to organize the dock. I like the button positions but my preference would be to keep the colours on for the front most window. I really like Aqua but I think many of your suggestions would make it even better. Good CONSTRUCTIVE criticism! I hope Apple sees this and takes heed.
Pat Nardini
Subject: Great work!
Wow, what a great piece of work you've done there with your slight modification of OS X! My personal congrats on a job VERY well done. It takes something pretty damned good for me to haul out a mail app and personally congratulate someone on their creation. I sincerely hope someone at apple takes a look at this and takes some of your ideas into mind. I must admit I also had an idea of having a global menu item called "Computer" in the far right corner of the menu bar, much like the "Apple" menu in your rendition, for hardware-specific tasks. Another was moving the Go menu beside the "computer" and/or renaming it to "Favorites" as well as making it global. Think of it: wouldn't it suck if you had to switch to the finder EVERY time you wanted to open an app? Anyhoo, maybe I'm directing my ideas in the wrong direction, but if you like them you can certainly include them in your excellently designed flash thingie, so long as credit is given in small type as small as you wanna make it ;) Now every time I wanna feel like i'm in the future I just open up your page and Aquesce ;) Anyhoo, kudos, congrats, and all the rest!
Ricardo Pereira
Subject: Flash based AQUA modifications
Excellent idea's on improving the interface. I have actually liked what little I have seen of AQUA so far, but the proof will be in using it. Your design elements speak to obviouse holes in the design of the AQUA UI -- the way illogical UI design stands out when you use windows. I hope this is not the product of Steve being overly enthused about the capabilities he had available in Quartz. (I have a fealing that one of the big reasons to demo AQUA was to demonstrate to developers/users why Quartz is cool). I can't comment on the RAM idea, because I never set up a ram disk. I especially like the submenues you created under the finder menue, each corresponding to an open application. When I started working at IBM, we used OS/2. Not a pretty interface by any means, but I do miss the way it handled open Windows/Applications/Processes. Controll+Escape would bring up a menue (that stayed open until you selected something, also nice compared to Windows) Which listed everything that was open. I would love to see this taken one step further: Finder Menue ==> Active Application Name ==> Active Application Windows\Files ==> Application Process (with a better name.) ==> Active Folders The application process would let you kill/modify a process in mid use. Example: you accidentally tell Photoshop to do a massive filter that brings the system to it's knees. It would be nice to have a process menue that lists things like "Applying filter", "Saving" (what ever the program is doing) with an option to kill just that process. Your dock organization is realy important too. The only concern I have with your design is your gripe with window buttons. I like that you don't have the quite button next to maximize minimize. I also like the button on the far right that gives you a pop up menue. My concern is with the monocromatic scheme. I think you need to be able to determine which window is active, given that you can work with a window button even when the window is not in the forground. Also, you can immagine that it would be hard to tell which window was active if they were placed side by side. You could still be monocromatic, but I think you need to grey out the non active window (or something like this). Would love to write more, but I have to go. Great ideas. Hope Apple listens to you.
Regards
Matthew Schellenberg
Subject: macos demo
i think these suggestions are great. they bridge the gap for those of us that aren't new users. plus, i think this would even make it easier for new users, with the application menu having the windows for all open applications and the preferences being stored in a convenient place. thanks for your work and i hope that apple is listening.
jhp
Subject: An alternative Aqua
First you should know that my brain usually works at a slow rate, seldom grasps things the first time through, and occasionally forgets how to do things on my Mac. That said, I believe I know more than many "average" consumers buying their first computer. I tried your Aqua setup and was totally lost. This leads me to believe I would have less than a clue of what I needed to do if I tried Apple's. I like things simple. Aqua had too many buttons, too many pictures, and what seemed to be too many steps to get to the same place I can in 8.1, but faster. Those jelly buttons at the top of each window were not intuitive, even though I had read what they did. I like the desktop metaphor. I keep my desktop sparse, clean, and very usable. A dock at the bottom of the screen would interfere with my work in Excel 5. That could drive me nuts. However, it sounds as though it would provide a way to navigate through a stack of finder windows. That I could use. I would not like to see the Apple menu dissappear. Furthermore, I see no reason to move or change it. Pop-up folders are great. They let me see where I am going, just as if I were at my desk. I am sending you this feedback in hopes that you can look through the eyes of someone who (as I tell my wife) was near the end of the line when God handed out the brains, and understand how my brain responds to the computer's interface. So, if you could extract from, and between the lines, has Steve's Aqua made the computer easier for the rest of us? Thank you for your article and the opportunity to respond.
Sincerely,
Duane
Subject: Wonderful Aqua!
One word: great! About your desktop question: I plea for a desktop as a place to put aliases and always accessability of the finder via the apple menu (maybe also by double clicking the apple logo itself). And the parts that the Dock consists of should offer the option to be put on different screen borders or be floating around the screen. I wish you a stimulating, much earning and important job at Apple and I wish myself your version of the Aqua interface.
Kind regards
Geert Docter
PS. Reason for my preferences is that I want maximum clarity, freedom and beauty by minimum means.
Subject: OS X demo
Not all the buttons work! : ) Very, very cool -- Just being able to play with a few windows live and see how they interact with the drop shadows, transparency and subtle depth cues makes me look forward to this summer even more! One thing that would be interesting to see added would be the menu bar changing to reflect the active application. I'm wondering how much "noise" would be added by the differing widths of "Finder," "Adobe Photoshop" and "QuickTime Player" changing the positions of the "File" and "Edit" menus. Excellent work!
Rob Marquardt
Subject: Your MacOSX ideas
You've got great ideas. The interface is really easy to use and very friendly. Even friendlier than what Apple has got to offer with the current MacOS. Everything is easy to find and very understandable. I'm not saying that it's the ultimate OS idea, because there's always room for improvement, but it's the best set of ideas for MacOS X that I've ever heard or seen. My fave has got to be the two menus on both ends of the menu bar. The Apple menu where you put all of the special actions (trash, sleep, shut down) the and the Finder menu. As a non GUI expert, I love it. I just hope that Apple can come up wih something resembling that or better. --
Subject: I'd buy _your_ OSX
Wonderful demo! You even got the translucent menus. I have been using NeXT-like utilities to improve Windows for some time, and can say from experience that the Mac OS X as I understand it is not a step forward. Your application menu is 1000 times better than any thing I have been able to find for Windows. I was appalled to see Apple throwing away the old one. Great job! If you are interested, I have my own anti-X rant at http://www.choicelogic.com/~phelan/comp/review/aqua.html but it is not as nice as yours. --
Patrick Phelan
Subject: Wow. I mean... wow.
I absolutely LOVE your Flash demo of your OS X revisions. I love it for two reasons: it shows what the internet is REALLY good for (not just text!), plus I mostly agree with your arguments about OS X. Your revision of the Dock is absolutely masterful. My one problem with the Dock has been the lack of hierarchy. I was thinking of tabs like the current Mac OS's pop-up windows, and the OpenStep interface, but your version is excellent because it allows the magnifier to still work perfectly. The other question I had about the Dock, and the file/app system in general is that it seems redundant to have both open apps and their windows in the Dock. Your Dock solves this dilemma too. (Now we just have to worry about all those generic mp3 files people keep in their Docks.) The auto-hide option should be a lot easier if the "titles" stay up while the mini-windows disappear. Also, I'm glad I'm not the only one who likes the new Finder. Your suggestions are good too, and I certainly hope they have spring-loaded folders! I think that the "Memory" area on the computer could still be called a RAM disk, or maybe rDisk, etc. with a similar icon as the other drives. I love my RAM disks: one for Photoshop, one for the browser cache. Everyone seems to forget that Jobs said that the multiple window Finer is still available, and thank God for that too. I like the idea of using both (with option click functionality of course). I also agree that the centralized Apple logo is poor, if only because programs with lots of menus have to wrap around it. I like the Apple log with the computer settings on the right. I agree somewhat with your widgets ideas. I'm not devastated by the left-side proximity of all the widgets. I can't remember the last time I confused the windowshade and the shrink-to-fit buttons on the current OS. I think that the round widgets could be a tad bigger, but thier spacing seems to be OK, and the mouse control is so good anyway (that's usually why I miss the close button on Windows here at work). The idea of the single-window-mode widget is a good one: more options for controlling the window at your fingertips. I love the new app menu, and according to the Carbon SDK kit they just released, I'm sure you already know that you are right, that's the new location of the app menu. As for the traffic light metaphor, I think that the widgets should light up one at a time with the rollover "dingbats" lighting up all at once, but I would leave just a tiny tiny tiny bit of color in each widget, like a real traffic lights when they are dimmed. I don't think it will be distracting if there's only enough color to notice if you look for it. Again, this is a great great site. Thanks so much for it. I really hope Apple sees this. Apple certainly isn't done with Aqua -- it's development hasn't been frozen, but your suggestions are the way to go.
Regards,
Joel Dabrowski
Subject: X Interface
Hi Kal, I am really impressed od your work. It's the first constructive critic and it's really great. I love the symbol buttons since you no longer have to mover the mouse over everything just to get another symbolic hint what this thing might do. (red crosses, yellow minusses and green plusses?). Your screen layout also looks more balanced, which is due to the categotrized dock (great!) and the apple logo not longer being in the middle of the menu bar (nobody knows what happens if there are more menus or the screen resolution is so low that the menu bar reaches over the middle of the screen) But I am still not happy with the Apple logo being located at the right edge of the screen. I don't know the reason for this but it looks strange to me. Maybe some kind of separator (like the one of the current application menu) would help. I still think the right edge is a good place for the application name though I can't argument with consistency here :) At least the application menu on the right should be separated or not contain the App Name (icon only. text on the right side? :)). This additional text (app name) between the icon it is connected to and the first text menu is confusing. I really don´t know where to put the apple logo, while I like your computer menu proposal. Maybe you should put it into the dock like everything else that nobody knows where to put it ;) For the Finder window: While I think that your button/popup layout looks better, I prefer the "original" one. Having the back button and the path popup that far on the left looks strange to me. Maybe you could simply swap it with the search field. What happens to the dock labels if there are only two current apps but dozens of shortcuts and minimized windows? Please let me know of any updates!
Best
-Stefan
Subject: Feedback on your alternative Aqua
Hi Kal, Firstly, Good Effort! Love the Flash work man. I think you have some good ideas going there too. I so want to see Aqua kick in any other interface. So its great to have lots of ideas being thrown around on the net. Some of the stuff you've done I think is just as most people want to see: the window close, minimize buttons etc. moved to their traditional sides. I like the Trash not being on the Dock, and the partitioning of apps, windows, shortcuts etc. on the Dock. Although it might be confusing if you have a window inside an app minimized and also the app itself. Perhaps just have the apps which you can simply click on to relaunch, or Control click on to just straight to a particular window. Or, have each minimized app act like a pop-up window which displays its currently open windows. I like the Finder window, and the functionality of the new Apple menu on the left hand side. I agree with you entirely about finding an apps preferences and having a link to something akin to the System Profiler available everywhere would be great. My philosophy has always been that if you can teach a new Mac user the power of tools like the System Profiler, Get Info etc. then they become more powerful users, and therefore greater advocates of Mac OS. Having the window close button etc. dimmed until the "individual" one is needed is cool. Those bright colours are distracting. You know what would also be nice? Having the active window with a blue title bar and all the others with a white title bar. It seems completely backwards the way they have demoed it. I think having access to the Memory in any way is dangerous though. Now that we'll have a modern OS with good memory management, I think just let it look after it itself. I know personally I'll be happy to not have to be tweaking application memory sizes and the like any more. That's about it. Could you post the best suggestions you get please. This is such an interesting topic!
Cheers,
Leden
Subject: OSX Flash demo
Very nice. I LOVE the what you did with the dock! It makes it so much better for first time users (for at some point, we ALL will be first time users.) For me, one of my biggest concerns is the Trash being in the Dock. The main flaw of this is that depending on how many apps or documents etc.. you have open, the trash will be in different spots. Granted it will always be on the right side of the dock but it will constantly move. Big problem. Your idea is much much better. Single/Multiple window: I agree that using a modifier key on the Single?multiple window button would be a good idea. BTW..what kind of options were you thinking about in your dialog box? I'd be interested to find out. There's more I could say but I hate emails so I'll stop now. Just wanted to drop you a line and give you some encouragement.
Cheers
Kevin
Subject: Reactions to your alternate X interface
I like it! Except that the Apple menu MUST be in its proper place: to the left! Not only because it has been that wat traditionally, because it it the logical place for it. The Apple logo/menu is not ornamental: it is functional. Apple must rethink this, because the light on the Aqua interface (and indeed any computer interface) should originate from the upper-left corner, in the case of the Mac from the Apple menu, and NOT from the center of the screen. Because that way the light emanates from an unknown, undefined place. "The sun shines" from the Apple menu - even in Windows 95/98/NT and 2K! Of course, users have got to be able to configure the interface and optimize their work area to fit their needs... and it must be possible to turn off all animations, flashing lights, candy colored buttons and other distractions. Tutti-frutti buttons is okay for home users and children, not for professional users.
Best regards,
Staffan
Subject: Re: Reactions to your alternate X interface
Hi Kal, See my comments
on your Notes below (the comments are marked with an *).
The Apple logo in the middle of the menu bar is not a good design decision.
It looks off balance because the rest of the menu is left aligned (as it should
be). Hmmm..., and what about those candy colored gum drops...
* I agree. It looks ornamental, not functional.
The traffic light metaphor
is kind of nice..., but I don‚t want it... Not force fed to me anyway.
As a professional designer who works with color, would like to have the option
of a more monochromatic (and less distracting) scheme.
* At the very least, it should be optional, customizable.
I hope Apple also reverses
their partial trend towards form without function (you know the culprits: iMac
pucklet, QuickTime 4 interface, etc)
* And I hate Apple's round iMac mouse. Why don't they just bundle the machines
with a Macally iMouse Pro?
Please, lets not have
a big blank button on every window for a setting that many users will set and
forget.
* I agree. You should be able to set this as a default view.
Power users will expect
that they can temporarily reverse the single/multiple window mode by holding
down OPTION, similar to the current Mac OS. This would give absolute flexibility
to window management.
* Yeah, otherwise it gets too Windowsy and Microsoftish.
I hate the Windows task
bar.
* So do I, and the Start menu is even worse! Windows is completely awful, and
Win 2K looks and works the same as Win 95 did five and a half years ago. And
inside, Windows is just a big hair ball of messy computer code. How can serious
businesses actually PAY for such a product?
Even with this organisation,
the Dock should not replace the Application Menu. Switching between current
apps is too fundamental a task to remove from the menu.
* I agree 100 percent.
I've moved [the Application
Menu] to the left of the screen which matches the location of the Mac OS icon
in Apple's screen shots.
* No, the program menu should be to the right, and the hierarchical Apple menu
to the left!
Each application's windows
(whether it be visible or minimised) should appear in sub-menus off each applications
name, giving users the power to jump straight to any window.
* This may be too complex for novice users. I suggest pop-up windows instead.
Would it be too great
a paradigm shift to see [Preferences] consistently appear under the Application
Menu (directly under the application's name and About information?
* Yes, consistency is important, as is naming conventions and uniform installation
procedures. To install or remove a piece of software should be easy, painless
and quick. Whe you remove an application, all traces of it should be removed.
And there should be built-in, automatic Norton Utilities-like (Disk Doctor and
Speed Disk) optimization features.
I don’t think I
will miss the Apple Menu terribly if it is replaced.
* I don't agree. I will cry. It is a dear old friend and it works fine. As
a shortcut to various items it served us well in the early days, but it has
its limitations.
* It's OK.
I have made good use
of the Apple icon however in my suggested changes. It can replace the need for
a special‚ menu (what could be more special than an Apple logo?
* The Apple logo is a holy icon.
Am I the only one who
actually likes those big buttons on the new finder?
* You should be able to set a preferred size.
I would also like to
see spring loaded folder‚ action apply to the buttons (unlike the launcher);
and a trash can...?
* You might be able
to choose between a wire wastebasket, a metal trash can, a wicker basket, a
plastic laundry basket, a plastic bag, a backpack for people on the move, a
cardboard box for collectors, a chest of drawers for friends of memorabilia,
a fridge/freezer for things that should be put on ice, an incinerator for secret
stuff, and maybe a dumpster for lager files. ;)
I've also added ‘Memory’
to the ‘Computer’ view of the Finder, allowing you to drag documents
onto open applications as you might drag them over a folder, or just store them
as files in RAM (like a RAM disk).
* I don't get it. What do you mean?
Will there be a designated
desktop folder on just one drive, the contents of which can be viewed on the
desktop or by locating the actual folder using the new Finder? Or will the desktop
just be a holder for alias-like shortcuts?
* The desktop should logically be a place for temporary storage and should work
like a volume of its own. It should work the same way with all disks (hard disks,
zip, CDs etc). But I am not sure how this should work with regard to the desktop
file(s) and so on...
Best,
Staffan
Subject: Alternate interface
I like it. I hope Apple sees it and hopefully listens. Thanks for putting it together.
Douglas Scott
Subject: OSX interface response
Kal, I heartily agree with just about all your ideas, and especially like the elegance of your Finder and "Apple" menus placement. Ditto the bit about Apple's trend towards cute but dumb, like the puckmouse & Quicktime. Although I have to concede they're drawing the masses toward Mac with all this cuteness. But of course they can be cute AND efficient, if they design right. Many of the details and refinements that experienced users like you and me want can be made optionally selectable. Your bent is apparently graphics and design, whereas I'm more of a word-processor. My biggest interface bellyache is about the constant necessity of switching from typing position to the mouse to do something that can't be triggered by a key command, and then back again. I guess it can be just as annoying in reverse, when you're working with the mouse and have to select something with the keyboard. I'm especially anxious to have keyboard control cause I work on a powerbook, and trackpads, although workable, are more fidgety than mouses. I would think I'd died and gone to heaven if Apple would implement some version of the Window's menu-title underlines for keyboard shortcuts. This could be made optional, to preserve their Think-Different-Than-Gates visual simplicity. And I'm sure they could think of a more esthetic way than an underline to indicate which letter. I sure hope the new Finder includes a bunch of arrow and modifier shortcuts for navigating folders and heirarchies. Not just for some features: total parity of keyboard control! Power to the PowerBookers! And boy, I'd love to be able to scroll (not just lists; windows) and window-shade the active window with shortcuts. I'm currently running 8.5.1, and have it loaded with utilities to get the features I want. Did you know Connectix's Speed Doubler has an option for shortcut triggered menu drops? But it only works up to 8.5., so I'm parked here. It'd be real nice not to have to add so much gunk to achieve the convenience I crave. Where did double arrows together on window scroll bars go in OSX? I think I know: too cluttery looking. Doh! More needless wrist flicks with the puck. One more: Why do some useful key-commands require both hands (unless you have an old style full keyboard or yogic-level dexterity), e.g.: Sht Opt Com 0 for hardrive spindown. Economy of motion boys, PLEASE. I use a utility to let me Sleep my 'book with Ctl Esc - convenient but safe from accidental triggering. Kal, I think the effort and insight you put into your Flash idea-demo is really valuable. It's suggestions that are well organized and presented like yours that will get the attention of Apple's designers. Keep up the great work!
Peter Wilson
Subject: Rubén
iGreat! please, contact with Steve Jobs yourself
Subject: Rubén (again)
Please, contact with Apple and communicate your ideas. Contact with other Mac sites too. I think your idea for organize the Dock is great. Thanks
Rubén
Subject: Aqua
Hello. Sure Why not. But it is hard to say anything about the apple variant since it hasn't been released yet.
Henrik Nilsson
Subject: Aqua ala Starkis
Just wanted to say that your presentation / analysis on the web of Aqua was very well done and should be useful to those who read it. I don't think Apple has steered off course, but neither do I think that they want to reveal everything this much before the release. There can be many opinions about the details and you have done a great job presenting yours. Many of them do seem valid. My feeling is though, that MacOS X is not the end of the road, but the starting point for further improvement; a first step that I will be glad to try and anxious to get.
Sincerely,
David M. Shindell
Subject: Flash Aqua
Kal- Very impressive rendering of the Aqua interface. The two ideas of yours I found most attractive are the window controls and the menu placement. After spending a few days running the Aqua appearance theme I continually got annoyed at the placement of the gumdrop traffic light, as well as the distracting colors. Your compromise with the gumdrop colors is an elegant solution--I hope Apple takes note of this. It would be nice, of course, if the placement of the controls were customizable, but your current setup seems to me to be the optimal default setting. The addition of the options menu at the right of every window also looks far more attractive (in terms of usability) than Apple's current purple button. As far as the menus go, there are certainly some really good ideas here, such as the standard location for an application's preferences (which are now made especially difficult to find when the programmer whimsically decides to name them 'options' or 'settings'). Also, I've lost count of how many times I've had to switch to the Finder to choose 'About This Computer' from the apple menu--having this and perhaps other system commands immediately available from every application would be a nice change. Another menu change I'd like to see is navigation with the arrow keys, much like in Windows (half-heartedly implemented in Mac OS X Server). And--I never thought I'd say this--menu shortcuts like those in Windows are really useful if you get the hang of them. As for Apple's Dock, it needs work. Some customizing options that absolutely must be added are as follows: 1. Switching which edge of the screen the Dock adheres to 2. Text instead of icons (especially useful if the Dock is on one of the sides of the screen instead of the bottom) 3. Optional hiding much like the Microsoft task bar (though as Tog suggested, perhaps the Dock should only appear when the cursor is shoved into a specified corner) 4. Flexible organization of the dock, including an option of hierarchically placing an application's minimized windows beneath (or to the right of) the application's icon Although I'd love to see a Flash preview of my Dock suggestions (again, what you've done so far is very impressive), I'm satisfied with letting other interested people know what I think. It's great that I've seen so much constructive criticism of Aqua--I just hope Apple listens and makes the right decisions accordingly. Thanks for the Aqua demo.
Mike Plotz
Subject: Great Work!
I think you have a lot of great ideas. Now how do you go about sharing them with the techies at apple. Of course they haven't even released the beta on it yet so who knows what they will come up with by this summer. I think the demo of OS X was more for the purpose of having something to show us of things to come rather than implant in our minds the way things will be because how much of a flop would Macworld have been without the demo. But kudos to you and your creativity, I would surely enjoy what you have designed here. The only question I have is with the fact that with the more minimized windows and apps you would have a weird affect because you might out grow the window bar forcing it to go to smaller icons in the tray and meanwhile you have plenty of space for apps and they are still huge icons. Well thanks for entertaining us with this demo, I have enjoyed it.
Josh Brunson
Subject: MacOS X demo
Hi Kai I've been reviewing your suggestions and like what I see. These are some top-of-my-head comments. Generally, I prefer more options, more control, more information rather than less. Your suggestions seem to point in this direction. If I don't like a feature of an interface I'd like to able to modify it without having to dig into the system code. I share your apparent dislike of functionless form. I don't see my computer and its interface as artwork that exists on its own terms independent of any utilitarian function. I too hope Apple is not moving in this direction, motivated perhaps by the commercial and design success of the iMac. I agree with your comments re the new window control buttons. I like your addition of symbols to the onrollover colors. In this light redundancy as a principle of Web design applies directly to accessibility. Why limit the interface to one channel of information? There are users who need or want alternative channels. By all means move the apple logo. I like the added menu functionality and your approach that provides consistency and more flexible access to applications as well as the system. I have not enjoyed the search for preferences, or whatever various apps have called their settings, and I like your idea of standardizing this element. Rather than a paradigm shift, I think this suggestion restores current usage to the existing paradigm. I would like to have each apps windows show up in submenus. Nice touch. I use Windows NT here at work and also dislike the task bar. I have it set for autohide. (Options again.) I agree that the MacOS X dock pile needs organization, perhaps functionality that allows the user to organize as he likes. I like the directions you're indicating in your suggestions. I hope Apple's designers are taking note.
Aloha
Wayne Babineau
Subject: Re: MacOS X demo
Hi Kal No objections. Your demo has started me thinking about the desktop metaphor. I've done a lot of work on command line Unix, no GUI, so never really appropriated the desktop metaphor for my own use. I have found it helpful in getting inexperienced users up & working. The desktop idea seems one to which most people who will encounter computers can relate. In any case, the work we do will eventually intersect with the Real World, so a RW metaphor of some sort seems apt. While I never thought of my directories as folders, other terms come from earlier usage; a common process when technologies and intellectual constructs are superceded. We expand and alter the meanings of the terms: hence folders, files, documents etc. Working in a character-based environment the connection with RW is pretty direct; GUIs represent a level of abstraction, hence require a metaphor to make the connection clear. Interesting area. Possible thread for discussion?
Aloha
Wayne
Subject: MacOS X
Very Cool Demo. This must have taken you about three or more weeks. I'm a 17 year old design that has put together a few web-sites with flash. But your work in the area of flash is of a higher caliber than mine, and having worked with flash appreciate every facet of it. I read your notes and they make very good points, and most very logical. I too am in a love hate relationship with the new aqua interface. But I'm holding my judgment until MacOS X is released. I read four or five columns on the aqua interface, and yours shows your suggestions in action. Also what do you think about the genie affect? Now back to you demo, I'm in total ahh over it; if it wouldn't be to much trouble could you please send me the source (.fla) file to the demo. I will be picking it apart for weeks trying to figure out how you put it together. Thanks (please send demo source file),
Free Reyes
Subject: Re: MacOS X
Hey Kal...,
Thanks again Kal for all your help. Another note; I think it would be very cool
to have solid zoom-rectangles. Not only that but have customizable rectangle
and genie movement, think about it. Your Fellow Mac User,
Free Reyes
Subject: Your Website
Hi, I found your website through MacSurfer, and was curious. I couldn't look at it though, unless I forced the playback using your link. As the major portion of your audience are Macs, many who use Internet Explorer, you should consider not using Macromedia's browser detect script. Browser detection does not work on IE for the mac, and as it is the default browser now you should consider some other solution. For example, a page allowing the user to choose, or something. Just a thought, but I liked you interface ideas. One argument for some of Apple's implementation is to teach people's windows conventions, and more importantly, to let Windows users easily migrate to the Mac. I know my wife hates my Mac because window widgets and other things function backwards compared to her machine at work. Just another thought.
Thanks,
Michael Corn
Subject:
I like your flash demo and many of your ideas for OS X, especially the multiple uses for the clear button in the right hand corner. I also like your suggestions for the apple and application menus. Like you, I do not like the absence of the finder, a feeling most mac users likely have, Very Cool.
J Schou
Subject: Great Ideas and Great presentation.
I especially like the roll-over idea of the buttons. I hope apple is out there listening to the opinions of you and others. It will only benefit in creating the best operating system the computer world has ever seen.
To provide feedback, email to kal@starkis.com.au.