Brian Tobin's article discusses Apple's somewhat conflicting goals of keeping OS X simple enough for the average user, but useful and powerful enough for unix users, noting that some power user features have been removed and other "dumbed down features."
Comments
This article wasn't what I thought it would be. It didn't talk about pure functionality, it mostly listed OS 9 UI features that aren't YET in OS X. Features that are more a convenience than necessity. Yes the desktop pictures and time sync and function key mapping aren't there or quite as customizable in OS X yet. And I'd be mad if I didn't think Apple was going to bring all that customizability to OS X. Obviously, It's a 1.0 release and they are working on it.
He also listed some things like the Old Apple Menu, Labels and Spring-Loaded folders that might never make it into OS X because we know Apple did make some changes to the UI with the dock and stuff. Those still aren't features that allow you to get less done than Windows. Sure they are nice, but there is more than one way to do things and it isn't the same as "crippling" so that you can't get work done.
I have been using a MAC since 1988, and have used OSX since the PB first shipped.
It's an evolving, different, beautiful and stunning piece of work. And if it were suppoted with the OS9 apps, I would switch immediately. but it's not, so I won't, so it remains a part-time OS for me just now.
As for the newbie... I think a totally inexperienced computer user would be perplexed by ANY operating system, especially Windoze. The MAC desktop metaphor and filing system seems a little clearer to me, however. OSX is just another on the list and if it's all you know and use and have no old habits to break, it seems to me that you would get along just fine.
He's a moron - first he claimed Fkey shortcuts are gone and implied they wouldn't be back. Bull - the dialog is even hidden in the Keyboard control panel. It's coming back, it just isn't finished.
Second - he's whining about setting the time (automatic) - geez, this can, (and probably will be fixed) - a simple script can do what he wants and I'll bet there'll be a free GUI util available shortly.
Third - Desktop features. c'mon - is it so hard to use a graphics util to strech or tile your picture? This is ridiculous. Though I can't confirm right now, but I'm guessing the threshhold between tiling and stretching is probably a pretty small picture - does he really want to strech something so small?
It seems to me that he just jumped on the "I want MacOS 9 back" bandwagon and is crowing to sound more important. If he can't do the things he wants by the end of the year, then I'll be surprised and will let him crow all he wants.
If you don't like something, don't buy it and don't use it.
Just shut the f??? up and let the rest of us enjoy the future of Mac computing.
Feature not done YET? WHO promised they will be done? You silly Mac faithful?
Good thing there is still OS 9. IF his machine is too old or not powerful enough to run OSX and needs the features the ultimately complicates things, then he should stick with OS9. It works just fine and will be supported or years to come. Same for all those Rev A. iMac owners, stick with OS9. Shouldn't even bother.
For the rest of us who have purchased newer machines, (Apple's target audience for X) we will enjoy the revolution. So some of the features are not there yet. I'm soooo crippled. They had to re-write the finder, where most of the complaints are coming from. what do you expect from a company that is dammed if they do release it now or if they don't. This author needs to find something else to do with his professional time.
I don't mean to sound like an apologist, I'm not. People just need to cut Apple some slack and consider the big picture, not just how much finger fudge there is on the keyboard. Everybody knows X needs some more work. So does Windows and any Linux distro. I know what I would rather be using. I have cast my vote with my wallet.
As a local radio talk-show host would sarcastically say, "Whatta Joke!"
Oh, all these features are coming eh? Really? Are you a close personal friend of Steve Jobs? Did he tell you what exactly OSX was going to become? Whats that? NO!??! Hmm what a surprise. All the people who love OSX just because its made by apple, always optimistic in what apple will do. GET A CLUE.
I could live with OSX's lack of nifty os9 features if it wasnt so DAMN SLOW. Thats my biggest complaint with the OS, thats a lot of peoples biggest complaint. I would rather have a system that feels as snappy as os9 and lose all the eye candy. If you have a system that can handle the eye candy and still perform at a reasonable speed, then thats great. But not all of us do, ya know. I would kill to be able to turn off things like transparency, drop-shadows, live window resizing, anti aliasing, etc... if it meant my system would be a h*** of a lot faster.
When OSX starts shipping default on all macs this summer, OSX needs to be in much better shape, or apple is in an assload of trouble.
with his decription of some Mac OS 9 UI features. He described them as "power user" features. I also had a hard time not laughing out loud! I do miss spring loaded folders, but DAMNNNNNNN! (LOL):
I am the author of this article, and I regret not seeing this comments board sooner (I have been replying to posts on the message board on my site). Let me try to answer some of your questions before I hit this silly 3000 character cap.
To the first user who tells me that I should cut Apple some slack: MacOS X is an upgrade, and it's generally expected that upgrades should have at least the same feature set as the older product. If a new feature is available in Photoshop 4, and it's a feature that's liked by many paying customers, it's expected to be available in Photoshop 5. If not, users have the right to be angry.
To the second reader: You state that the things Apple removed aren't enough to make the system harder to use than Windows. Is Windows really a standard that you compare everything to? The standard I'm using is MacOS 9, already much better than Windows. If MacOS X loses features over OS 9 (which it did), then users should be concerned.
To the fourth reader: Thanks for calling me a moron. But let's take a look at the statement you made. You said that scripts will soon fix the time sync inadequacy. Should the user really be forced to come up with their own scripts to solve such a simple problem? And about the F-Keys. You say that there's a hidden dialog all ready for the F-Keys function, but we just can't see it yet. If it's hidden, how the heck do you know about it. I just looked, and I sure as heck can't find it. Finally, about the desktop pictures. Is it your opinion that users of a consumer OS should be forced to digitally alter their desktop pictures to make them display properly? My grandma sure can't open photoshop, paste an image on an empty 1024x768 canvas, and save it in the correct format. That's what is required if you want to center any picture, big or small, on OS X.
The rest of you seem to be annoyed at me for writing this. You don't understand that Apple is removing control and customization from their OS. This is no different than Apple trying to stop GUI altering techniques. The changes are minor, and you can live with them, so you don't get upset, but Apple has deliberately removed professional features from their OS. If you don't care, then I should be calling you a moron, not the other way around.
OR
Network Headlines
Most Popular
MacNN Sponsor
Recent Reviews
iHome iW2 AirPlay speaker
iHome generally isn't known as a luxury brand when it comes to audio, but it is prolific -- the company's docks and speakers are every ...
Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover
One of the iPad's main weaknesses has always been productivity. It's not a question of apps; while it has taken a little time for a na ...
Logitech UE Air Speaker
If maybe a little more slowly than Apple would like, AirPlay is becoming a staple of the wireless speaker market for iOS devices. The ...
Most Commented
Popular News
Joined:
Big Deal
So what! So Mac OS X doesn't have all the features of 9.1, YET! Christ, give Apple a chance. They act like Apple is destroying the Mac and the damn thing hasn't even been out a month. Give them a chance already. I'm sure that they will be putting features back as they go along. This isn't like the old mac, writing things that work the old way is going to take some time. Apple only has one choice anyway. Either give people what they want or they'll go some place else. End of story.