I wish I had plain windows - Page 5

osxpounder · 12-19-2003, 12:43 PM

Quote:


	Originally posted by rusto Easy, go into System Preferences > Dock and uncheck "Animate Opening Applications". Now you'lll only have the little blinking triangle under the app icon during launch with no bounce.

Aha. I never noticed that til you mentioned it, then remembered that I had seen it before, if you know what I mean. I saw it; I just didn't realize I saw it.

Anyway, thanks for pointing out what might have seemed obvious!

osxpounder · 12-19-2003, 12:49 PM

Quote:


	Originally posted by AHunter3 b) The option to change the keystroke combo for "go to next application", or disable it altogether. I'm sorry, but I'm a FileMaker programmer and Command-Tab is taken, the OS can't have it. I know users of various Adobe software products who feel the same way about it. There, now, isn't that a much nicer Dock?

For you, but not for me. I'm not a FileMaker user, and I have grown accustomed to [and well appreciate] the Cmd-Tab method of app switching.

Did you say you haven't upgraded to Panther yet? I wouldn't be surprised if there were some way, perhaps involving editing a prefs file somewhere, to 'take command' of the Cmd-Tab shortcut. You can't assign it via the System Preferences>Keyboard & Mouse panel, though.

schneb · 12-19-2003, 01:15 PM

Phil posted, "I'm not following the 'us' part in your posts, especially if it's meant to represent the 'average user' and you portray yourselves as representatives."

By "us" I mean those who love OSX but do not appreciate the lack of control over the Dock and the Trash Can (such as both I as well as AHunter). Pretty much everything else is fine for me right now. The rest, such as Sarari and Mail useability, will all come in time.

The changes to the Dock AHunter suggested would be great. I would like to see the option to attach it to the Apple menu with the ability to drag items to the Apple, then to the location where I want it to reside on the menu. No trash can of course.

I am not completely anti-Dock, so I am going to try some of osxpounder's suggestions to see if I can make it more liveable. I too use it, though I am not very happy with some of its "ways".

To help in my workflow, I use DragThing to put the Trash on the desktop as well as hide all other apps automatically. That way I do not see my Mail app, Watson, Safari and more when I am working in Photoshop. Yet they are there and running when I need them.

AHunter, look into iKey.
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/6746
...I use it to go up and down in applications and it may help. It is nice, simple and unobtrusive.

You did feedback Apple with this, didn't you Hunter? I know I have.

schneb · 12-19-2003, 01:28 PM

Quote:


	Originally posted by osxpounder Aha. I never noticed that til you mentioned it, then remembered that I had seen it before, if you know what I mean. I saw it; I just didn't realize I saw it.

I kinda follow that.

Your icon will still bounce if there is an alert and your application requires attention. This is necessary for those who auto-hide the Dock.

slamex · 12-19-2003, 01:31 PM

My really cheap way to improve the dock: I use my desktop as a launcher. I linked the middle-mouse-button click to Expose's reveal Desktop and organized all my desktop app shortcuts Icons in groups. I completely emptied the dock so it only contains running apps.

I sorta like it that way.

AHunter3 · 12-19-2003, 04:34 PM

osxpounder:

Quote:


	Did you say you haven't upgraded to Panther yet? I wouldn't be surprised if there were some way, perhaps involving editing a prefs file somewhere, to 'take command' of the Cmd-Tab shortcut. You can't assign it via the System Preferences>Keyboard & Mouse panel, though.

Well, I'm on a WallStreet, but I did take an auxiliary hard drive (no big deal if I make major ruination of it, in other words) and downloaded XPostFacto, swapped momentarily back to the stock daughtercard, and installed Panther onto it -- Panther on WallStreet

I'm still in Jaguar for everyday use but I'll play with Panther some more in January and decide whether or not I want to upgrade.

I might decide not to at this point and decide otherwise 8 months from now if to an increasing degree applications are requiring 10.3 as the minimum system on which they'll run. Or I might decide that getting rid of column view in Open/Save/Save As dialog boxes is worth the bleeding-edge risk of running an OS on unsupported hardware that has itself been modified and fitted out with 3rd party devices and whatnot.

No one has steered me towards a prefs-file editing hack that would let me assign app-switching to something other than Command-Tab. I'd love to set it to Command-Option-RightArrow (and previous app to Command-Option-LeftArrow) which is the combo I used in OtherMenu for years and to which I'm accustomed. Were it not for that, I could tolerate the Dock pretty nicely (especially since I hacked the size to 1 pixel by 1 pixel about 18 months ago) but Command-Tab is not a possibility with me.

schneb · 12-22-2003, 03:07 PM

Quote:


	No one has steered me towards a prefs-file editing hack that would let me assign app-switching to something other than Command-Tab.

I just saw this at Unsanity... have you tried it?

Look at the bottom Haxie called PullTab.

http://www.unsanity.com/haxies/ape/

Direct link:
http://www.ragingmenace.com/software/pulltab/index.html

msmercury01 · 12-24-2003, 02:31 AM

Maybe i'm in the minority here but I love the look of OS X. I think it's a huge improvement over my old Grape iMac g3 with OX 8.5. I guess i like the "prettiness" of it. Nothing wrong with that I suppose.
Teri

tvisher · 03-19-2004, 10:36 AM

(* I have to say first that this thread has been captivating, sucking away about an hour of my time reading every sentence. *)

I've got to say that I'm with the lovers of OS X group. Though I was not at all a "power user" before OS X (nor can I truly say that I'm one now), I do love the inclusion of unix into the OS. In the two years since I've owned my Dual USB iBook I have probably had about 2 total system crashes. OS 9 (at least for me) crashed all the time.

Aside from that, I think that Dock is fine I do agree though that I regret the loss of the launcher. you could fit sooo much more into the launcher than you can into the Dock, and with much better grouping too. And when working in Photoshop or other high screen density programs I do find it's presence very annoying. However, overall I believe that this OS is hands down the best yet.

I find a lot of this to be look preferences, and the OS 9 and down look is available, no one forced anyone to switch to OS X.

Definitely there can be some improvements though! As always.

Phil St. Romain · 03-19-2004, 11:29 AM

tvisher, you can add back some of those traditional Mac OS features using 3rd party applications and utilities.

Try Launcher, if you miss that feature so much. Or perhaps Dragthing . Both are highly rated and will do what the old Launcher did and much, much more!

tvisher · 03-19-2004, 11:40 AM

Awesome, thanks for the tips... both those apps look really cool, I'm gonna have to try them.

mcbruiser · 04-24-2004, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slamex


	I just strongly believe that an operating system, by definition, should be both minimalist and efficient. A button doesnt have to flash slowly, a different color or font can do as good. A window doesn't need to cast a translucent shadow to be proeminent, a border and grayscale sheme would work as good. An Icon doesnt have to be beautiful and semi-transparent to convey more information, I prefer text. As for system resources, it is true that recent systems (i have a g5) can handle all that fancy. But don't you think that having to upgrade your hardware to fit an OS is a little opposite of what an OS should be?!? I really look forward for a MacOs that's customisable.

Amen brother!

mcbruiser · 04-24-2004, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AHunter3


	While we're at it, although I personally would not make use of it, I bet the Windows and Unix transplantees would appreciate the option of making an application's menus appear just below the top of the currently active window instead of in the menu bar.

YES! please God make it so.

yellow · 04-24-2004, 04:16 PM

I can't beleive this thread is resurrected.

I was going to say things.. but to heck with it. This thread was flame-bait to begin with.

mclbruce · 04-25-2004, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcbruiser


	YES! please God make it so.

Here's something that's pretty close:

http://homepage.mac.com/khsu/DejaMenu/DejaMenu.html

schneb · 05-04-2004, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yellow


	This thread was flame-bait to begin with.

I don't agree, that statement tends to nullify our concerns with Aqua and the OS. I would rather not have my opinions disqualified like that. Remember, this post catagory is "Wish List" and many of us find parts of the interface more a hinderance than a help.

slamex · 05-05-2004, 08:40 AM

Well, I really did post the first message in hope that some solution is possible although I expected flaming. I kinda agree with it being a flamestarter because I mentionned Windows in the first place and I criticized Apple's design - wich is like, arguing that pi is exactly 3. But I really feel that an OS should allow as much customization as possible.

Craig R. Arko · 05-05-2004, 09:39 AM

I wouldn't categorize this thread as flamebait, having seen the real thing before.

I like customization, too. It doesn't always happen according to my schedule.

Phil St. Romain · 05-05-2004, 09:56 AM

Here's to customization . . . and to people learning new work habits!

Craig R. Arko · 05-05-2004, 10:01 AM

In my experience, the user is always the most difficult component to customize to achieve fitness for a particular purpose.

12-19-2003, 01:15 PM	#83
schneb MVP Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Redlands, CA Posts: 2,300	Phil posted, "I'm not following the 'us' part in your posts, especially if it's meant to represent the 'average user' and you portray yourselves as representatives." By "us" I mean those who love OSX but do not appreciate the lack of control over the Dock and the Trash Can (such as both I as well as AHunter). Pretty much everything else is fine for me right now. The rest, such as Sarari and Mail useability, will all come in time. The changes to the Dock AHunter suggested would be great. I would like to see the option to attach it to the Apple menu with the ability to drag items to the Apple, then to the location where I want it to reside on the menu. No trash can of course. I am not completely anti-Dock, so I am going to try some of osxpounder's suggestions to see if I can make it more liveable. I too use it, though I am not very happy with some of its "ways". To help in my workflow, I use DragThing to put the Trash on the desktop as well as hide all other apps automatically. That way I do not see my Mail app, Watson, Safari and more when I am working in Photoshop. Yet they are there and running when I need them. AHunter, look into iKey. http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/6746 ...I use it to go up and down in applications and it may help. It is nice, simple and unobtrusive. You did feedback Apple with this, didn't you Hunter? I know I have. __________________ Tour Israel and Jordan via CD-ROM Last edited by schneb; 12-19-2003 at 01:25 PM.

12-19-2003, 01:31 PM	#85
slamex Prospect Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Montréal Posts: 39	My really cheap way to improve the dock: I use my desktop as a launcher. I linked the middle-mouse-button click to Expose's reveal Desktop and organized all my desktop app shortcuts Icons in groups. I completely emptied the dock so it only contains running apps. I sorta like it that way. Last edited by slamex; 12-19-2003 at 01:34 PM.

12-24-2003, 02:31 AM	#88
msmercury01 Triple-A Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: NW Florida Posts: 92	Maybe i'm in the minority here but I love the look of OS X. I think it's a huge improvement over my old Grape iMac g3 with OX 8.5. I guess i like the "prettiness" of it. Nothing wrong with that I suppose. Teri __________________ Ginger Rodgers did everything Fred Astaire did, only backwards and in high heels.

03-19-2004, 10:36 AM	#89
tvisher Triple-A Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 214	Newcomer to the Debate (* I have to say first that this thread has been captivating, sucking away about an hour of my time reading every sentence. *) I've got to say that I'm with the lovers of OS X group. Though I was not at all a "power user" before OS X (nor can I truly say that I'm one now), I do love the inclusion of unix into the OS. In the two years since I've owned my Dual USB iBook I have probably had about 2 total system crashes. OS 9 (at least for me) crashed all the time. Aside from that, I think that Dock is fine I do agree though that I regret the loss of the launcher. you could fit sooo much more into the launcher than you can into the Dock, and with much better grouping too. And when working in Photoshop or other high screen density programs I do find it's presence very annoying. However, overall I believe that this OS is hands down the best yet. I find a lot of this to be look preferences, and the OS 9 and down look is available, no one forced anyone to switch to OS X. Definitely there can be some improvements though! As always.

03-19-2004, 11:29 AM	#90
Phil St. Romain Site Admin Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 2,350	Re: Newcomer to the Debate tvisher, you can add back some of those traditional Mac OS features using 3rd party applications and utilities. Try Launcher, if you miss that feature so much. Or perhaps Dragthing . Both are highly rated and will do what the old Launcher did and much, much more!

03-19-2004, 11:40 AM	#91
tvisher Triple-A Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 214	Awesome, thanks for the tips... both those apps look really cool, I'm gonna have to try them.

04-24-2004, 04:16 PM	#94
yellow Moderator Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 10,677	I can't beleive this thread is resurrected. I was going to say things.. but to heck with it. This thread was flame-bait to begin with.

05-05-2004, 08:40 AM	#97
slamex Prospect Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Montréal Posts: 39	Well, I really did post the first message in hope that some solution is possible although I expected flaming. I kinda agree with it being a flamestarter because I mentionned Windows in the first place and I criticized Apple's design - wich is like, arguing that pi is exactly 3. But I really feel that an OS should allow as much customization as possible. Last edited by slamex; 05-05-2004 at 09:09 AM.

05-05-2004, 09:39 AM	#98
Craig R. Arko Site Admin Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 3,988	I wouldn't categorize this thread as flamebait, having seen the real thing before. I like customization, too. It doesn't always happen according to my schedule.

05-05-2004, 09:56 AM	#99
Phil St. Romain Site Admin Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 2,350	Here's to customization . . . and to people learning new work habits!

05-05-2004, 10:01 AM	#100
Craig R. Arko Site Admin Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 3,988	In my experience, the user is always the most difficult component to customize to achieve fitness for a particular purpose.