OS X Interface Gripes
Contrary to the my many posts about Mac OS X, new application software, and the exciting future of the OS, there are still quite a few boneheaded problems with the interface that have held on since the first public beta. Peter Seebach, a.k.a. "The Cranky User," runs down many of the top problems with Aqua, the interface of OS X. I wholeheartedly agree with most of what he writes, except for his gripe about the use of sheets (or as he calls them, "semi-transparent things"). Why he would prefer annoying, useless pop-up dialog boxes instead of a more elegant, integrated alert system is beyond me. But for the most part, he's spot on.
Comments
I'm not sure if you posted it or not, but I read an article somewhere about Apple's Quicktime player and how the UI is awful. I'll try and find it.
Posted by: Mo at May 8, 2002 11:07 AM
I like the sheets for alerts because they make which window the alert belongs to clear. But what's problematic about them is their use for file dialogs. If you share a machine (like our home machine), you'll find yourself logging the other person out from time to time. If they have a habit of opening lots of windows and not saving them, OS X will pause the logout and run you through each unsaved window in an application. But the file dialog will obscure some or all of the contents of the window, making it difficult to judge whether the file needs to be saved at all, and, if it does, hard to make a guess at a good name that might suggest its contents.
Posted by: Claire at May 8, 2002 1:37 PM
