What OS X Could Learn From Windows
Okay.
Hard hat? Check.
Flak jacket? Check.
Flame proof vest? Check.
White flag? Check.
Deep breath? Check.
Windows has some features OS X could do with.
There, I said it. Nice and quick and up front. No beating around the bush. So what now? Duck!!!
Is it safe to come out yet? I’ve been burnt before daring to suggest this. But here I am again, sucker for punishment.
1) Compatible control keys. Switching between Mac and Windows this drives me nuts. I have to consciously think “command-C or control-C?” It shouldn’t have to be that way. And if you’re running RDC or VPC and copying and pasting between OS X and Windows!! Sheesh!
The problem isn’t the labeling, it’s the location of the keys used. I had to use a Windows PC today and I kept pressing Alt-C to copy. This is why it’s a problem. If it was simply a matter of labeling, no worries, mate. Apple - and the zealotry - need to concede that this battle is lost.
Implementing this would rock many people’s boats, so if Apple did make this change it’d have some serious domino affect on other keystrokes and applications that use them, but maybe it could be done with the switch to Intel, just to ease the pain slightly.
2) Save button on toolbars. I don’t think any of the Apple software ever gives you the option to include a Save button. Print button yes, Save button no. A little test - raise your hand if you save your work more often than you print it? Ah, so I’m not alone. Good. You can put your hands down. Thank you.
3) A multi button mouse. And you thought I’d say two. Why stop at two? Especially with things like Exposé, Dashboard and Spotlight. They’re just crying out for single click activation from a mouse. Ok. So this isn’t a Windows feature per sé, but still is needed.
4) Only show relevant file types in open and save dialogs. For those who like seeing every file that’s every existed in their Documents folder, give them a checkbox to show all files. But personally, if I am opening a Pages file, I don’t want to see all my iMovie, Excel, iDVD etc files. And OS X already knows which are which because non-related ones are greyed out.
5) Sort folders to top of directory listings I know that we don’t go folder mining as much since we got Spotlight, so I won’t labor on about this one.
6) More context sensitive help. I notice since I first raised this two years ago, more of it has crept into OS X. So I guess at least I can’t be flamed for this one!
Now why is it that I can list all the features I want Leopard to have and as long as none of them are from Windows, its cool? But dare suggest OS X needs a feature already in Windows and the world comes down on you. We can admit that OS X is not perfect, but not that Windows is better in some ways.
But Apple have admitted it in the past. Here’s just a couple of things I’ve seen Windows do that Apple has added:
- Command-tab switching
- Existing files selectable in Save dialog
Last week I suggested changes to the iPod and more people than not, disagreed. And I reckon this week it’ll be a lot worse. But if I added to this list “Change to Intel CPU’s"… two months ago I would have been burned at the stake. Now it seems we all think that change is logical. So before you get the flame thrower out remember, we know Apple make changes, they borrow from Windows and borrow from their 3rd party developers.
Also, I know I’m going to get flamed for this being a “tired old argument that has been done to death”. Sorry if you feel that way. just pretend I didn’t say these features already existed in Windows and that they are new and revolutionary. If we stop asking, Apple may think we don’t want them anymore. Microsoft copied so much from Mac OS, why can’t Apple do a little copying back?
And if you can take the heat, what would you like to see Apple borrow from Windows?
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So for my experience, the whole of hand ergonomic argument doesn’t hold water.
The “palm” argument also relies entirely on the current Mac mouse design in which the whole mouse is the button.
A) that would mean that a redesign of the two button mouse to feature the LMB as the whole mouse while incorporating an alternate configuration of the RMB would completely eradicate this (alleged) advantage
B) that would mean that a redesign of the Mac mouse to feature a more traditional button (as the mouse used to be designed) would completely eradicate this advantage as well.
I thought of another little annoyance in OSX, which is that clicking the red X doesn’t always close the app. Sometimes it only closes the window, depending on the app.
Again, having to go to the keyboard, or go to the menu to quit an application completely is annoying. I don’t understand the point of JUST closing the window but keeping the app running (although I’m sure I’ll get an ear full on why it’s is so much better the way OSX does it).
Beeblebrox sez:
______
“Second, the FANATICS are defending it ONLY because it’s Apple...”
“… Mac FANATICS would be criticizing PCs for having half as many mouse buttons...”
“Of all the dumbass things Mac FANATICS defend...”
“...you play my Mac FANATIC role from my previous post to a tee”
“And I’m tired of the Mac FANATICS pulling the “average user” out of one of their butts...”
“It presumes, in other words, that Mac FANATICS weighed the differences...”
“Gee, and Mac FANATICS wonder why they have such a hard time winning people over.”
“The FANATICS never fail to impress me with the power of the reality distortion field.”
“Ah, the whining call of the red-crested Mac FANATIC.”
“Let’s follow the Mac-FANATIC logic, shall we?”
“Only in the twisted distorted world of the Mac FANATIC...”
“What’s funny is that the Mac-FANATIC hypocrites will then criticize ME for “name calling”… “
“Oh well, that’s the Mac FANATIC universe for you.”
______
Say, Beeblebrox, you’re quite the fanatic. A fanatic with a limited vocabulary, and all the charm of a loud fart in church.
A fanatic with a limited vocabulary, and all the charm of a loud fart in church.
What an ironic criticism.
Speaking of fanatics (or if you prefer: zealots, dittoheads, Mac heads, disciples, worshippers, drones, mindless drooling sycophants; take your pick), how long did it take you to copy and paste all that text, and what do you suppose you accomplished by doing it? At the very least I hope you made yourself feel better.
And btw, loud farts in church (an appropriate metaphor if ever there was one) are very funny.
I agree with the comment about the multi-button mouse, that’s the first thing I get for a new Mac. But the rest are rather debatable. It shows just how little Windows really has to offer, actually.
XPs CD burning is streets ahead of the Finder. I hate the fact that on my Mac I have to start up Disk Utility and erase an entire disk just to re-use a CD-RW, and that the OS doesn’t burn multi-session CDs by default.
The rest of this stuff I’m not that fussed about - particularly the Control/Command thing. It’s annoying, but purely on the Windows side - next to the space bar is a much more convenient place to have your shortcut key.
I do agree though that the Sharing thing is annoying - particularly as it IS supported natively by the OS, it’s just that you need to be a NetInfo master to set it all up. Why Apple couldn’t have just transparently adapted the old ‘Sharing’ panel in Get Info is beyond me. And on that note, what’s with Sharepoints being necessary to give us back the Users and Groups panel - we move to UNIX but we lose the power to control Groups? Huh? But I’m digressing…
Can a Leopard change its spots? Could Apple include any of the suggestions in this article and its comments?
Then we could all have a field day talking about how a Leopard could change its spots.
I wouldn’t put it past Apple.
Ok you MAC lunatics listen up:
1. OSX copies windows
the very foundation supports such wonderful items as protected memory for applications. Full support for new and exciting processors and flexibility to incorporate many add-ons to suit anyone’s desire.
2. Mouse - look, the scroll button rocks and the click and hold get very tiring after a while. Context menus using the right mouse button are a very userfriendly feature. I know many people and the term right click confuses them evey time. The scroll wheel is the deal.
3. Control Versus Command button. Look at it this way, they enable shortcuts. That is all, the point of placement is moot. I don’t use all the shortcuts available due to the whole reach for the key fiasco. It just doesn’t work for some people. I have gotten used to the right button and other solutions to the problem.
4. Who cares, apple used to be about the Product, ie the MAC that could edit photos, prepare pages for magazines and such. They fell behind. The PowerPC killed backwardds compatibility. The G3, G4 and G5 killed all sortd of things. OSX was a major fiasco on arrival. Most printers and peripherals didn’t work, then Apple , who doesn’t make money on the software side, charged for a newer version. Each successive version adds and subtracts from the MAC experience. Older MACs are left out of the upgrade loop, G3s get limited feature and graphical support and worst of all, many apps need to be recompiled to work with newer OSX versions. This is not a product driven company given their OPSys issues and hardware issues. As AMD has proven, backward compatibilty rules all and is the be all of a system. Apple has changed their system many times and has not been kind about dropping support for older options like cocoa and such. The move to more advanced architectures is patience and emulation. Emulation is truly a slow process but in the end I would rather just keep the old rather than have to buy the new version that breaks my purchased software.
I just did a test with my kids’ one button mouse and I only use two fingers to click it - not my whole palm. On a two button mouse I use the same two fingers - one on the left button, one on the right… So for my experience, the whole of hand ergonomic argument doesn’t hold water.
Just because you don’t use your whole palm doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. Perhaps you’re just used to using two buttons. Try it the other way. It completely eliminates the repetitive motion in your fingers while mousing.
Again, The true ergonomic benefit of one-button over two is, the one-button mouse causes more variability in hand activity.
So if you’re going to argue ergonomics, that’s the one you should use.
This argument and mine are not mutually exclusive. If you click the one-button mouse like I do, there is more variability in the motion your fingers and hands perform.
I don’t understand the point of JUST closing the window but keeping the app running (although I’m sure I’ll get an ear full on why it’s is so much better the way OSX does it)
The answer is obvious: because there are some applications where you’d want to close all windows without quitting. One example: Photoshop Elements. When I’m done editing something but I know I’ll want to edit again, I close the windows. I certainly don’t want to have to reopen the application and wait for it to load again. The same goes for Word (among others). The applications that quit when you close are ones where it doesn’t make sense to have them running without a window (like System Preferences and Calculator).
kaleberg, none of that changes if they ship the Mac with a two button mouse. You still have the option of only using one of them.
You’ve effectively cut the mouse’s usable surface area in half and required users to avoid the other second button. Try telling that to a disabled person or a young child.
Computers shouldn’t be so complex that you need two buttons to perform basic tasks. This is a design standard that Apple helps enforce by shipping with a one button mouse. Developers can ignore UI guidelines but you can’t ignore the millions of Macs that have shipped with a single button mouse.
I prefer a three button mouse with a scroll wheel. And, for my needs, a multi button mouse *is* better. But not everyone want’s or needs more than one button. Not everyone is a power user. Some people have disabilities and can barely use a one button mouse let alone a mouse with two or three buttons.
By shipping Macs with a two button mouse, you’re effectively making the choice for everyone. You like choice, don’t you?
Computers shouldn’t be so complex that you need two buttons to perform basic tasks.
Doesn’t that also apply to key-combinations? They after all are buttons.
Where does contorted key combinations come into that argument? For example, Safari has 23 key combinations that require two or more modifier keys (plus the main key); Text Edit has 14; Pages has 22. How do we teach a person who can’t even operate a two button mouse to use those key combinations?
Although you might then say, yes but using menus, toolbars or palettes only requires one mouse button so we can just teach them that way, which is quite valid but then I’d come back to my simple request for Apple to lead the way and include a save button on their toolbars - even if it’s not on by default. It makes no sense to me why a print button is an option on Apple’s software toolbars, but save isn’t. And especially now we’ve identified that it would make life easier for people who can’t operate multi-modifier key combinations or two button mice.
But if a person is able bodied enough to operated the contortion of keystrokes available, then surely they can operate a two-button mouse!
BTW My original article called for a multi-button mouse - which I know even Beeblebrox doesn’t agree on. I think I’m very alone in that request!
[ Beeblebrox: I thought of another little annoyance in OSX, which is that clicking the red X doesn’t always close the app. Sometimes it only closes the window, depending on the app. ]
Some programs are Window centric, like utilities that have all of their functions in a window, versus Document centric, meaning that you directly manipulate documents. If your program has no function when the main window is closed you should quit it, if however it performs background tasks, like checking email or downloading rss subscriptions, or you can create new docuemnts, why should it quit when you close the window? Imagine having to create a new document in Text Edit then closing the one you were working on.
This seems superior to the Windows way where you either have the MDI approach of a parent window housing the many child windows or a launcher toolbar that opens up various default state documents in the programs, like the Office toolbar.
Open up various utilties on your OS X machine and see how they react when closing their window. Now compare that to document centric applications.
Geek Freak:
Or, you could say, that OS X doesn’t copy windows buy copies from Free BSD in areas of protect emmory, multiple processor support and a host of other modern areas since the OS X kernel is based on Free BSD.
How did the PPC kill backward compatibility? The slowest PPC emulated 68K programs faster than the fastest 68K processor could run them.
[ Chris Howard: Doesn’t that also apply to key-combinations? They after all are buttons. ]
No. A key combo can still be accessed by the main menu. I have seen multiple programs have features solely available through the context menu and that is bad design and a user interface blunder.
OSX could add the right click drag and drop subcontext(?) copy or move.
I have a 2 button w/scroll wheel mouse and this is the main thing I use on windows that I can’t do on a Mac.