How would you Improve OSX?

[azpc]

With a new operating system around the corner, what new features or changes would you like to see?

Please keep this forum focused on ideas not diatribes or complaints. We all know that Snow Leopard and the pre iCloud era are history. With this in regard, what changes would improve your daily workflow?

Here is my list:

App Stores (Mac App Store, iTunes Music & Movie Store, iBooks Store)

• Optional larger font size - please!

Clip Book: (Added on March 28, 2016)

A clip book that lists the last 5 items copied to the clipboard.

• When you select Edit Paste the last item is pasted in. When you select Edit Clip Book you have the option to select which item is pasted in. You should also have the option to paste multiple items in.

• Clipboard history with optional continuity via iCloud. (Added May 19, 2016)

Clock App

• Wouldn't it be great if OS X had a proper Clock app, with all the functionality of the Clock app in iOS. The widget is fine, but a dedicated app with Alarm, Stopwatch and Timer functionality for OS X would come in handy. (Copied from MacWorld UK 5/15/2016)

Contacts:

• Ability to resize the picture. Currently, the picture is very small.

• Insert more than one picture into the contact. Example: Picture of spouse.

• Larger font size options. Currently the fonts are so small many adult students have to switch glasses when they use Contacts.

• Show a map snippet of the contacts location inside of contacts.

• Custom Fields - Not having this is very frustrating. (A common custom field is a Christmas List). This field is used to determine who gets a Christmas card.

• Alphabetic selection like iOS - The letter headings on the right side of the contacts. Click on the G group for last names that begin with G. Saves a lot of scrolling time.

Facetime:

Ability to leave a FaceTime voice mail.

FeedBack App for the Mac: (Credit to EcoFritze, May 13, 2016)

Copy the Windows 10 Feedback app. This is really helping Microsoft improve Windows 10. Amazon is also using a Feedback App for the Echo. Customer feedback works - my Echo has already surpassed Siri in accuracy after only three months of use.​

Finder:

• Add option to have folders displayed at the top of the window (alphabetically but before all other files).
• A Cut function.
• Assign a specific color to a folder or as cqgraphicdesign put it "label a folder with a color" instead of just a name. (Added on March 28, 2016).
• Show Hidden Files. This should apply only to the Finder Window. (Added April 21, 2016).

Grab:

Share:
- Send to Photos (Added to list on May 19, 2016)
- Send to Email
- Send to Messages
- Send to Preview button after capturing a screen. (Added on March 28, 2016)

• Currently, after capturing a screen you have to copy the capture, open preview, Select new from clipboard before you can do anything with your screen capture.

- Export in different formats such as jpeg and png.

Image Capture: (Added to list on May 19, 2016)

• Needs a share option

1. Share to Photos
2. Share to Messages
3. Share to E-Mail

• Extensions for Image Capture.

- Allow third parties to extend the functionality of Image Capture.
​

Mail:

Default viewing Scale (Zoom) - 125, 150%. Twelve point fonts are difficult for many to comfortably read. Microsoft Word or Pages solves this problem with a Zoom setting.

Highlight text in different colors like iBooks. Highlighting text is a great way of focusing students on the crucial issues. (Added April 8, 2016)

Tables to allow comparison and contrasts. (Tables are used all the time in student email communications. Unfortunately, Mail does not have this feature.) (Added April 8, 2016)

Option to Restore text descriptions under the icons in the New Message window in mail. This has become an issue on large screen iMacs because the email icons are very small. (Added April 11, 2016)

Maps:

Download maps for specific regions for offline use. For example, Windows 10 allows you to download maps for the United States, Canada, Mexico etc.) (Added April 8, 2016)

Messages:

• An insert button (like iOS) to insert photos or videos into a text message without having to leave messages.

• An option to configure Messages on the Mac to work like iOS Messages.

In iOS - Pressing enter moves to the next line of the message. Click Send when you want to send the message.

In OSX - The enter key sends the message. If you want to type multiple lines in a message you have to press control enter for each line and then press enter at the end of the message.​

Notes: (Added to list on March 24, 2016)

• Ability to set default font and size.

• Highlight words and sentences like iBooks.

• Font and font size selection as pull down menus, not a large separate window just to change a font size.

• Insert tables like Microsoft OneNote.

• Insert Arrows, lines etc with the text visible. (In iOS you can't see the text when inserting an arrow.)

Photos:

• Clone Tool
• Tonal Contrast like Google Snapseed for iOS.
• Selective adjustment for certain areas of the photo. Google Snapseed for iOS is probably the best example.
• Basic drawing tools in Photos would be very useful. Arrows, lines, Text boxes similar to Preview. (4/8/16)
  
• Collage Function

- Collage needs the ability to move and resize photos on a sheet of paper.
- Insert Collage Title at the top of the page
- Insert Captions below each photo.​

Uninstall:

When you trash an App it be helpful if it would find and trash all the files related with the App, like App Cleaner does.

Window Management:

• Green button = Maximize window to largest possible size with Dock and Menu Bar visible
• Separate Full Screen Button
• Double click on Title Bar to maximize to content.
• Window Snapping like Windows 10 (Aero Snap)
• A setting to request that Apps remember Window position and size.
• Window preview functionality similar to HyperDock or Windows 10.

Visual Elements:

• Change colors of the Dock and Sidebars if transparency is turned off.
• Translucency settings - Low translucency and high translucency.

Save AS:

Save As needs to be an option without pressing the option key. (Added to list - March 11, 2016)

Siri:

Ability to give Siri feedback via an app similar to Amazon's Echo app. Because of this feedback mechanism Alexa (Echo) has become far more accurate than Siri in only three months of use.

Health App: that syncs with health monitoring sensors and displays and charts the data in ways that can be easily exported and compared month to month or year over year.

Restoration of Securing Empty Trash (Added to list - May 19, 2016)

Do you like this list?

https://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html

 

[Goatllama]

These are all great, especially the implementation of an App Cleaner-like function. I can't really think of any particular things that would make my own operation all that easier, though.

 

[bladerunner2000]

Finder:

Add option to have folders displayed at the top of the window (alphabetically but before all other files).

A Cut function.

YES!!!!! And both of these are LONG overdue. Cut function should be cmd+x, and when this happens, the selected files fade out slightly, so you KNOW which ones have been cut, in case you need to shuffle around other files. cmd+v should paste them into the desired folder.

Now, since I know some people object to this for whatever asinine reason, this function should at the VERY least be an option under system preferences > keyboard > shortcuts

Window Management:

• Green button = Maximize window to largest possible size with Dock and Menu Bar visible
• Separate Full Screen Button
• Double click on Title Bar to maximize to content.
• Window Snapping like Windows 10 (Aero Snap)

Although you can currently get around this with BetterTouchTools, it should be built in. It's just pathetic how windows are all randomly slapped across the screen. The full screen feature is hot garbage for anyone working on a desktop, and even if on a laptop, swiping across windows from one app to another across many apps is absolutely stupid. That is NOT productive.

Again, these features should be OPTIONS for the people that like to work backwards so they don't throw a fit about it not being to their liking. This has gone on for long enough, Apple really needs to take it's head out of it's ass and so do many OS X users that reject these features. Get over yourselves; options aren't going to make a lick of a difference for you. I'll even raise the stakes a bit; make the current stupid state of the green button set as the default behaviour but allow it to be changed in system preferences. PROBLEM SOLVED.

 

[chown33]

I want the knobs to go to XI.

 

[cqgraphicdesign]

I would like to go back to being able to label a folder with a color and have the folder pick up the color.

 

[buttongerald]

I would like to go back to being able to label a folder with a color and have the folder pick up the color.

I second this.

 

[azpc]

I would like to go back to being able to label a folder with a color and have the folder pick up the color.

Great suggestion! Thanks for posting.

 

[navaira]

• I would like to be able to disable SIP per application. Currently I disabled it entirely because I am using XtraFinder and cDock. I'd like an option to only allow those two access and keep everything else out. It could be one of those "press Option, say three hail Marys, click on the icon with your middle finger, say I Love Tim Cook" menus so a regular user doesn't end up accidentally using it, but I'd like it.

• I'd like Finder to gain better copying capabilities. Give me a window that says:
  [=====---------------] 25% copied (1.6 GB of 6.4 GB) [pause/restart] [stop] [undo]
  
  
• A "coloured sidebar" option.

• A system-wide/app-wide large font setting. I'm looking at you, Mail and Calendar. When I say I want larger font I also mean the message list. My eyes aren't as good as ten years ago.
  
  
• Allow for rotating Time Machine icon for similar reason. Make it an Option-click thing again if you want, doesn't matter, give it to me. Give me choice.
  
  
• And something that won't happen: customisation of the interface by default, so I can drop XtraFinder and cDock. I hate the flat dock enough to have SIP disabled on all my computers. This shouldn't be necessary. Either add it as an option or allow programs to do it without needing less security.

 

[Goatllama]

It could be one of those "press Option, say three hail Marys, click on the icon with your middle finger, say I Love Tim Cook" menus so a regular user doesn't end up accidentally using it...

I am writing this in my OS X Spellbook post-haste. That's an incantation I've not heard of before, sounds maybe even more powerful than "alternately pressing the command and option keys while reading the Apple privacy policy??"

 

[simon lefisch]

This had been suggested in a different thread and I would would totally be willing to do this.....

I would be willing to pay $30 for a stripped down "Pro" version of OS X (with the stability of Snow Leopard) that would allow you to add whatever current features you want. There are some features I don't care about and others I would be willing give up for stability.

 

[e93to]

Like OP said, a system built-in app uninstallation capability would be nice.

I also would like icon view to be folder-specific. I still have no idea how the view settings work... I would set a certain folder to coverflow and another in list. Then all random folders I never touched are in coverflow or list view!

 

[navaira]

This had been suggested in a different thread and I would would totally be willing to do this.....

I would be willing to pay $30 for a stripped down "Pro" version of OS X (with the stability of Snow Leopard) that would allow you to add whatever current features you want. There are some features I don't care about and others I would be willing give up for stability.

I wish. I uninstalled a lot of default apps that came with my Air 128GB because 1) space and 2) I'd never use them, but yes, it would be nice to get the option at startup.

"Welcome to your new Mac.

Choose:

I am a person who just likes looking at pictures, yay pixels! Can I send them to Ma?

I am a power user who doesn't give a duck about Keynote and uses Safari as Chrome Installation Tool"

 

[xb2003]

Clamshell mode without peripherals attached. Not many people need this but it would be really nice for my purposes.

 

[thingstoponder]

Siri
Music App
[doublepost=1458526520][/doublepost]

I wish. I uninstalled a lot of default apps that came with my Air 128GB because 1) space and 2) I'd never use them, but yes, it would be nice to get the option at startup.

"Welcome to your new Mac.

Choose:

I am a person who just likes looking at pictures, yay pixels! Can I send them to Ma?

I am a power user who doesn't give a duck about Keynote and uses Safari as Chrome Installation Tool"

I really don't get why anyone would use Chrome on a Mac. Ugly, bad zooming, bad OS X gesture support, high CPU and bad battery.

 

[bladerunner2000]

iTunes need AC-3 audio support for MP4s. It's a damn industry standard format.. so why the hell does Apple refuse to implement it into the their glorified application? Quicktime is even able to play it! What the hell?!

 

[e93to]

I really don't get why anyone would use Chrome on a Mac. Ugly, bad zooming, bad OS X gesture support, high CPU and bad battery.

I've recently started using Chrome, and I agree.

Scrolling isn't as smooth as on Safari. When zoomed, texts are somewhat blurry. There are no separate bookmarks sidebar. And browsing on Chrome makes my iMac's GPU temp reach almost 50 degrees

At least it has favicon..

 

[simon lefisch]

iTunes need AC-3 audio support for MP4s. It's a damn industry standard format.. so why the hell does Apple refuse to implement it into the their glorified application? Quicktime is even able to play it! What the hell?!

Actually they need to implement DTS for MP4.

 

[xb2003]

Siri
Music App
[doublepost=1458526520][/doublepost]

I really don't get why anyone would use Chrome on a Mac. Ugly, bad zooming, bad OS X gesture support, high CPU and bad battery.

I use them both. I like Safari much better, but my campus is Google based, so I have Chrome setup with my account for that because it is just easier. Any school stuff is done in chrome and, to me, Google Drive stuff seems to work better in Chrome. (Which would make sense)

 

[BLUEDOG314]

ZFS filesystem and better dark mode that is more system wide.

 

[garirry]

I'd just like to point out that a cut function exists. If you copy a file (Cmd+C) and then paste it while holding option (Cmd+Opt+V), it will MOVE the file rather than copy it. As for suggestions, I don't have many, but I would suggest a bit smoother system design (the current one is a bit too saturated imo), a system-wide dark mode, and probably bug fixes really. I would also prefer a two-year release schedule.

 

[navaira]

I'll move to Safari when it is released for Android so I can sync everything. In the meantime Chrome is the only choice I like. If you disagree, feel free to not use it.

 

[boston04and07]

Personally I'd like iTunes to be simplified - I'd even be in favor of breaking it up into more focused function-based apps a la iOS (Music, Podcasts, Video, Store, etc) with a centralized syncing app to manage wired syncing from all those apps as well as iBooks. Move audiobooks to iBooks for consistency.
A dedicated phone app with access to voicemails for wifi calling.
Multi person FaceTime calls.
News app.
Siri. (Although rumor has it that is coming).
Access to Health/Activity data via a built in app for those of us who want it.
Greater iCloud integration with messages for syncing of things such as thread histories and deletions.

 

[Jess13]

▹ Close, Minimize, Maximize appearance color picker option (like Highlight color).
▹ Actual Dark Mode, similar to iMovie colorway but with transparency effects, etc.
▹ Start Menu functionality for Finder’s dock icon (or menu bar option), similar to:

Sip 4

​

 

[azpc]

▹ Close, Minimize, Maximize appearance color picker option (like Highlight color).
▹ Actual Dark Mode, similar to iMovie colorway but with transparency effects, etc.
▹ Start Menu functionality for Finder’s dock icon (or menu bar option), similar to:

Sip 4

​

Unfortunately, unless you are registered with youtube you cannot see the video.

 

[Jess13]

Unfortunately, unless you are registered with youtube you cannot see the video.

Weird. A screen capture, that shows the Sip scroll-through menu: Hover the cursor over CSS Hex and immediately it shows the menu/list. I would like to have this sort of functionality to scroll-through Finder folders, either from the Finder icon or menu bar option.

​

Instead, in Mac OS X we have this very limited functionality when clicking the Finder icon:

​

I don’t want to have to first open a new Finder window, let me just have functionality built-in to the Finder icon or menu bar, similar to Windows’ Start Menu or the Sip example screen capture above.