Reverse scrolling is a dangerous move

[nathanl1192]

I like the new scrolling system in Lion, but I can't help feeling it is a dangerous move for Apple.

Imagine people in the Apple Store, looking to buy their first mac, and are stumped at how to move up and down a page, with no scroll bar and reverse scrolling.

Imagine those, like me, who use mac's for part of the day, and pc's for the rest. I get mixed up and am always trying to cmd-Q on a PC, as Im so used to doing so on a mac, so scrolling will be a nightmare!

I have been using Lion for about 5 or 6 hours today, and am still not used to the scrolling! I do like the new one finger back/forward gestures in Safari, yet I still keep on switching applications by accident by using the two fingers I am so used to using in Snow Leopard.

Do you feel the same way as me, or do you think other companies may begin to follow Apple? Reply and take part in the Poll!

 

[Cougarcat]

I think Apple cares more about consistency across their own devices rather than operating like everyone else.

 

[stainlessliquid]

I think it will be dropped completely in the final version, wont even be an option to enable it. It doesnt make sense, you are not grabbing something and moving it around like a touchscreen, you are telling the controller to move the screenview down which means down should be down and right should be right.

 

[Cougarcat]

I think it will be dropped completely in the final version, wont even be an option to enable it. It doesnt make sense, you are not grabbing something and moving it around like a touchscreen, ]

Ah, but if you notice there are new subtle UI cues to make it seem like this is exactly what you're doing. Scroll in a safari view and you'll see a grey background, i.e your "desk," similar to the iOS grey background in safari when you scroll up too far. When you log out, you'll see that textured grey background again for a split second, and you see it beneath your spaces.

 

[nathanl1192]

Ah, but if you notice there are new subtle UI cues to make it seem like this is exactly what you're doing. Scroll in a safari view and you'll see a grey background, i.e your "desk," similar to the iOS grey background in safari when you scroll up too far. When you log out, you'll see that textured grey background again for a split second, and you see it beneath your spaces.

I noticed this as well! It is the same pattern as what is behind folders on iOS and on the multitasking bar.

Did you also notice that the dashboard background has been carried over from when iOS 4 was first demoed. It showed this pattern as the folder background, which was promptly replaced, but now is back again!

 

[Cougarcat]

Did you also notice that the dashboard background has been carried over from when iOS 4 was first demoed. It showed this pattern as the folder background, which was promptly replaced, but now is back again!

Yes, unfortunately. I find it horrendous. I bet it gets changed. Luckily unchecking the option that makes Dashboard behave as a space reverts to the old look.

 

[stainlessliquid]

Ah, but if you notice there are new subtle UI cues to make it seem like this is exactly what you're doing. Scroll in a safari view and you'll see a grey background, i.e your "desk," similar to the iOS grey background in safari when you scroll up too far. When you log out, you'll see that textured grey background again for a split second, and you see it beneath your spaces.

Thats just for the bounce effect, it doesnt have anything to do with scrolling orientation. I think when they do usability testing they will get rid of it completely, its just dumb. At the very least it will be disabled by default instead of enabled. It might not even be meant to be a feature on all devices, it could be for testing some new input device.

 

[Cougarcat]

Thats just for the bounce effect, it doesnt have anything to do with scrolling orientation.

But it does. Gives the illusion you are moving paper down your desk, like iOS.

I think Apple wants to keep their gestures as consistent as possible, which leaves me wondering if the reverse scrolling is only enabled by default with a trackpad/magic mouse and not a regular mouse with a scrollwheel.

 

[nathanl1192]

Thats just for the bounce effect, it doesnt have anything to do with scrolling orientation. I think when they do usability testing they will get rid of it completely, its just dumb. At the very least it will be disabled by default instead of enabled. It might not even be meant to be a feature on all devices, it could be for testing some new input device.

I agree. It could be like multitouch gestures on iPad running iOS 4.3. Apple say they are not going to be for consumers just yet, but for devs only to test apps for the future. Maybe what they are doing now....

 

[Hellhammer]

I already changed it back to normal. The scrolling system is worse in some other way as well, it is not as smooth as it used to be.

 

[Cougarcat]

I already changed it back to normal. The scrolling system is worse in some other way as well, it is not as smooth as it used to be.

There are a TON of new animations in Lion, and I've noticed that some of them aren't very smooth yet, iOS scrollbars included. It's a beta after all!

 

[simsaladimbamba]

I already changed it back to normal. The scrolling system is worse in some other way as well, it is not as smooth as it used to be.

How did you change it back?

 

[Cougarcat]

How did you change it back?

Trackpad prefs.

 

[Hellhammer]

How did you change it back?

Trackpad prefs.

Or in my case, Mouse preferences. Right there on the top.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Trackpad prefs.

Or in my case, Mouse preferences. Right there on the top.

I use the trackpad of my early 2008 MacBook and this is what I see in my Trackpad Preferences (where I already looked right after the installation):

Am I blind?

 

[Cougarcat]

Mine looks like this:

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Mine looks like this:

[^]

Ah, Apple does not support the older trackpads yet I suppose.
Thanks. I would leave feedback with Apple, but I guess as I am not a developer, I shouldn't.

 

[celticpride678]

I was thinking the same thing when I first heard the scrolling was inverted, but honestly, I got used to it in a few hours and now it's just natural for me. If you think about it, it makes more sense.

 

[jclardy]

When I first installed it was super weird, but now after using it for most of the day it makes sense.

Coming from OS 10.6 or Windows or any other OS it will feel weird. Coming from an iPad it makes sense.

If you think of the document as a page on your screen it makes sense as you are pushing the document up and in essence scrolling down.

It will definitely be a dividing issue when it comes out. Hopefully they leave an option in there for those who want it the old way.

 

[iShater]

When I first installed it was super weird, but now after using it for most of the day it makes sense.

Coming from OS 10.6 or Windows or any other OS it will feel weird. Coming from an iPad it makes sense.

So the "rest of us" are screwed?

If you think of the document as a page on your screen it makes sense as you are pushing the document up and in essence scrolling down.

It will definitely be a dividing issue when it comes out. Hopefully they leave an option in there for those who want it the old way.

I hope you are right.

 

[JanFredrikB]

I've some problems with 10.7. Anybody know if it possible to revert scrolling in 10.6?

 

[celticpride678]

I've some problems with 10.7. Anybody know if it possible to revert scrolling in 10.6?

Check trackpad preferences.

 

[talmy]

In Snow Leopard, BetterTouchTool gives an option for reverse scrolling. I suspect that when he ports to Lion unreverse will be provided.

 

[Kongret]

I got used to it very fast and it all seems very natural now on trackpad, but when i plug in my mouse it keeps working the same way with the scrolling wheel. Pretty annoying.

 

[MBX]

It's a little (annoying) feature that could most likely be reverted to the current way on os-x once Apple see's all the complaints in the next weeks during this beta.