Leopard's iCal disappoints, users demand fix
updated 05:25 pm EST, Tue November 13, 2007
Users miss info pane
A number of users are expressing their displeasure with the removal of the iCal drawer in Leopard, and that the substituted pop-up window is inadequate for their needs. Some users say their company depends on the sidebar to provide ready information to many users through their internal iCal server and that the new 'bubble' doesn't provide the same access to that data. Others state that the bubble positions itself in awkward positions when used on a dual monitor setup, making it inconvenient since they have to move the iCal window just to see the requested information.
The complaints aren't targeted exactly at the lack of the old pane per se, rather that Apple should just include the same information that was presented in the new 'bubble', and that it should attach itself better to the event. Some are saying that this "downgrade" is the sole reason that they can not upgrade to Leopard, and that Apple should ask its users what they need to change instead of doing what it thinks is best for everyone. The largest complaint is that the information 'bubble' is too inconvenient to call up – requiring a double-click – in contrast to the old pane that would update as a new event is selected. Almost all are imploring Apple to either modify the current method or to re-instate the drawer, giving users a choice of how they want to use iCal.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jun 2007
Thought I liked it, but..
When I first got ahold of the new iCal, I thought I would love the abolition of the drawer, but now to edit an event or put in a note, I have to double-click, the mouse down to the "edit" button, then mouse down to the notes field. That's WAY longer than just mousing over to the notes field like I used to do.
And where you used to be able to highlight a calendar and ALL of the events in that calendar would be highlighted/become opaque, NOW only an event that is specifically selected does. At first I thought this was pretty cool, but now I find that all the opaque colors can make it hard to tell a red from an orange, and I can't hit a calendar to see what an event is, I have to click on it, then double-click to see that damn pop-up to see what it is....
And did anyone else notice that they DROPPED the icons for alarms & notes? Used to have a small badge in the upper-right corner for an alarm on the event, notes, etc. Those are gone. Only a badge for attachments now...
Apple's kind of pissing me off right now. Everyone loves (loved) Apple for their attention to detail, that feeling that someone really thought this through and added that little touch where someone else (cough windows cough) would have just said "enough."
Now it seems ever more that Apple is saying not just "enough," but "F-you, you must do it this way, it's better because we say so, even if really it's not."