Re: metallized interface

FROM : Ryan Stevens
DATE : Thu Oct 31 20:15:58 2002

On Thursday, October 31, 2002, at 10:18  AM, Keith Pritchard wrote:

> On Thursday, October 31, 2002, at 05:59  pm, Nicholas Riley wrote:
>> You talk about this as if it's a new thing.  AppleCD Audio Player has
>> been around since Apple shipped the AppleCD SC in 1988 or so, and it's
>> had a CD player-like interface.  A similar interface was used for the
>> Apple Video Player, and the really ugly replacement audio player
>> (whose name I am forgetting).
>>
>> Even the old Mac four-function Calculator looked different with the
>> rounded-window style, squarish buttons and a patterned background.
>> Mac OS 7.5 introduced a 'utility background' pattern which was
>> user-selectable and applied to DA-type single-window apps such as the
>> Scrapbook and Find File.
>
> I was talking about it in a "new thing" kind of way because I thought
> it was new to maxosx ?
>
> Perhaps I'm mis-remembering... I thought it was only fairly recently
> that the metallised look was introduced into macosx. I could well be
> wrong, if so, apologies although I stick by my feelings that whether
> new or old it's not a great idea.
>
> I'm not considering earlier versions of macos because they had enough
> GUI problems IMHO so as to make any discussion about metal or
> otherwise insignificant.
>
>> There is a pretty consistent history of different UI treatment for
>> real
>> world device and single window apps going back to the Mac's
>> introduction.  It hasn't been available as a standard feature until
>> Jaguar, so it was always harder to implement, but I hope people will
>> continue to use the same restraint they always did.
>
> I doubt it.
>
> I never *really* made the switch to mac before macosx, despite buying
> them regularly and keeping up to date with things. I never liked the
> aged OS.
>
> Along with me comes a whole lot of new users and developers most of
> whom will be coming from windows.
>
> Windows developers are used to..... getting round things by doing
> things their own way and pretty much ignoring GUI guidelines (MS leads
> the way on that but has the advantage that when they change their
> mind, they can change the guidelines to fit their whims).
>
> So I doubt it'll stay as pure as you hope.
>
> If it does, well, I still don't applaud having a different style but
> at least it will signify something I suppose.
>
>>> Problem is as a user, the metal look is pretty imposing and as I
>>> said above, I even like it for the odd window, but if all the
>>> panels, sheets, dialogues started displaying in metal, it would be
>>> WAY too much for me.
>>
>> This is probably why Apple doesn't do it, and doesn't recommend it
>> either.
>>
>
> obviously.
>
> ...however, already people are asking how to make all the windows
> metal irrespective of the "guidelines" so it's well worth pointing out
> why it's a bad idea as a user experience.
>
> Welcome to metal overload and an inconsistent GUI.
>

I don't think it has to be beaten into any heads here. ;-)

You will not see metal overload. Why?..

Because Mac users aren't afraid to tell you that your app stinks and
how to fix it. You want their money/support/loyalty? You have to earn
it - lots of projects die for this reason (I'm sure) and we're left
with fewer software choices but what we do have is (usually) of a
higher quality.

Go ahead and metallafize (RROTT) your entire UI. Good luck getting
anyone to actually use your app though.

ROTT = Rolls Right Off The Tongue. :-)
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