Yosemite looks terrible!

[Partron22]

Wasn't it supposed to be already leveling off at about 20% ?

That number's already been responded to.
But if you look at the data regularly, you'll seen an interesting thing.
Every morning, there's a 5 to 10% rise in Yosemite adoption, and a corresponding fall in Mavericks. However, over the course of the day, the precipitate rise and fall disappear.
That tells you a couple things:
First: GoSquared is smoothing its data somehow; probably a simple moving average. That'll allow the end of a time series to swing wildly as the average includes fewer and fewer points.
Second: It seems a lot of people are trying Yosemite installs overnight, and rejecting the OS during the day. Else that morning spike would stay up, and we'd see a net adoption rate higher than the current ~0.3% per day.

 

[leman]

Second: It seems a lot of people are trying Yosemite installs overnight, and rejecting the OS during the day. Else that morning spike would stay up, and we'd see a net adoption rate higher than the current ~0.3% per day.

I think that the most reasonable explanation is that the swings represent pings from different continents/timezones (or maybe also private vs work machines?). It would be really nice to actually get the raw data from gosquared though.

At any rate, while the adoption rate is clearly slowed down, it is a positive trend overall. On 1. Nov, the adoption was around 20%, now its somewhere over 30%. For comparison, it took Mavericks 5 month to reach 40% adoption. If the Yosemite trend continues, it should reach that number less than 3-4 month post release. Of course, @ZVH has a very good point and the numbers can still go down. If that happens, I will be the first one to admit that Yosemite flopped Which would be really a shame, its the best OS UI design I have ever seen.

 

[Traverse]

hate it its so slow

What Mac do you have? I was pleasantly surprised how well Yosemite ran on my rMBP (I expected an iOS 7-like slowdown), but I can only imagine that all the graphical elements would tax older graphic cards unnecessarily.

 

[Abba1]

It is the slowdown downupgrade that apple releases from time to time to kill off old devices (older than 1 year) to sell new hardware. I liked the osx announcements where they embraced speed gains and under the hood optimization.

Your cynicism, unless you are being satirical, is mind-boggling. Like it or not, technology advances and good companies advance with it. The idea is not to "kill off old devices" although that may happen and the customer may get a new Mac or they may get some other type of PC depending on how disaffected they feel; but, rather, the idea is to bring the customer the newest and hopefully the best that technology has to offer. This is true of both hardware and software. And, concomitantly, the hardware has to be capable of using the newest software. So, devices have to keep up with OS updates and vice versa. If you don't like it, don't update! Nobody forces you to update any device.

 

[IA64]

I've been following this thread since day one.

Long story short, the UI is ugly...an iMac shouldn't feel like a giant iPad ok ?

I've been asking my friends who aren't tech freaks nor have time to waste on forum discussions and they all confirmed that the upgrade was a step backward ( productivity, usage, look and stability )

The new UI might be appealing to some, but certainly not professionals.

I would have accepted the new transition if our Macs had touch screens since flat look is more practical. But what's the point in throwing this garbage on a $4000 Mac for office work ? Let me think... Nothing

Apple should understand that an iPhone isn't an iPad nor an iMac nor a Mac Pro. Trying to make them all look alike is... how to do we say it without offending anyone.... ok just stupid

Btw, my friends aren't fanboys, we are being objective here.

To sum it up, it like comparing the Mercedes G class to the GL. The G is newer and more expensive but the GL looks better and more comfortable.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

Your cynicism, unless you are being satirical, is mind-boggling. Like it or not, technology advances and good companies advance with it. The idea is not to "kill off old devices" although that may happen and the customer may get a new Mac or they may get some other type of PC depending on how disaffected they feel; but, rather, the idea is to bring the customer the newest and hopefully the best that technology has to offer. This is true of both hardware and software. And, concomitantly, the hardware has to be capable of using the newest software. So, devices have to keep up with OS updates and vice versa. If you don't like it, don't update! Nobody forces you to update any device.

That is true, but to a certain degree. When you upgrade you don't have the slightest idea whether it slows down etc. you system or not. If done, there is no going back, you stay with a laggy, almost unusable device. That happened to me with my iPhone 3G after installing 4.2.1. It took seconds to open an app etc.

 

[grahamperrin]

Orientation (other topics will be better suited to discussion of performance)

… slowdown …

Whilst I don't use Yosemite, I can (generally) empathise with annoyance about anything that causes reduced performance.

However, this topic is essentially about the looks, the appearance of Yosemite. It is already extraordinarily long so please, let's keep things on topic, encourage discussion of performance elsewhere. A search of the 'OS X Yosemite (10.10)' area should find plenty of matches. Keywords 'slow' or 'performance'.

Thank you

Postscript

The quotes below remind me that (at least in 10.10) Apple's default transparency for Yosemite may have a negative impact on performance.

… worried that Yosemite will bring slow performance to older hardware …

… Performance is slower due to transparency effects => improve performance (maybe get rid of transparency) …

… performance with transparency is generally pretty awful during transitions (see: Mission Control).

If you perceive that the default (or the reduced) transparency/translucency does not look good, then that's certainly on topic, but as this topic is so long I'm strongly inclined to treat the performance impact as off-topic (OT).

Yosemite performance-related questions in Ask Different:

• OS X Mavericks vs Yosemite Performance
• … slow - what to do?
• WindowServer high CPU on Yosemite
• UI Lag OSX Yosemite (10.10) on Retina MacBook Pro late 2013

– and so on; the Ask Different part of Stack Exchange network is an excellent place to get high-quality answers to specific questions.

 

[GerritV]

<snip>The new UI might be appealing to some, but certainly not professionals.
I would have accepted the new transition if our Macs had touch screens since flat look is more practical. But what's the point in throwing this garbage on a $4000 Mac for office work ? Let me think... Nothing <snip>

Deliver usability to professionals? Or sell trendy fun stuff to the big masses?
Apple clearly made it's choice - if you ask me.

 

[grahamperrin]

The best? Or garbage for the masses?

This, from the Apple Store in Regent Street (famous for shopping in an area of London traditionally associated with wealth); the premier Apple retail store in Europe and for six years, the largest such store in the world:

Yes, Yosemite looks like garbage on your non-Retina Mac …​

The plain english of that Apple employee might raise some eyebrows internally, or with shareholders, but – without a shadow of a doubt – that honesty minimises loss of reputation in a way that marketing agencies can not.

Edit: I just realised, that's a parody account. Suffice to say I feel pretty stupid. Sorry!

-----

Please, don't let the comedy above detract from the seriousness of what follows.

Bear in mind, some customers are – or will be – forced to use Yosemite when the combination of recent hardware and firmware prevents use of Mavericks. Imagine. What should be a premium shopping experience, in a world-famous store, ending in possible disappointment. Garbage.

… 92%+ of Mac users have/use non-retina displays. …

It's no surprise that Retina usage is in a minority … please, do you have any idea whether that percentage of users includes environments where a non-Retina display is peripheral to an integral Retina display?

I assume that it does. Even if the percentage is non-inclusive, it's high enough to seriously question why Apple was not more overt in its marketing.

More (please be warned, there's profanity): https://www.diigo.com/user/grahamperrin/ugly "Retina Display"?type=all

These posts, these expressions of disappointment from customers not within the ~eight percent clique, deserve special attention and some added emphasis:

Hate, hate, hate the way browsers and stuff looks on Yosemite. I'm not buying a ******ing retina display lapper, Apple. (original)

OSX Yosemite seems to be Apple's way of saying **** you to everyone too poor to afford a retina display device. (original)

And yes, the Helvetica in Yosemite looks way better in Retina. But how many years are we away from the majority of Mac users having Retina? (original)

Just played with a retina iMac. Screen is beautiful but is marred by the ugliness of Helvetica in Yosemite. Can't stand it. (original)​

Please don't dismiss such things because they're on Twitter and/or offensive. The first was from someone who has more than nine thousand followers. The last was from someone with more than twenty-four thousand followers, one of whom is highly respected in the areas of design, user interfaces and user experience.

Consider the A, B, C in Lion-related <https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/20399501/>. The potential for ugliness now is not as easily defined as the historic clear-cut removal of the Rosetta option, but I do think that Apple should react honestly and appropriately to the many complaints about the looks of Yosemite.

Apple, over to you … and please know that I do this because I'm loyal to the company.

 

[Tech198]

Its different, i'll give u that...

Not exactly what i was expecting.... Every Finder window and not folder has just got dull.

 

[Omega Mac]

Did someone write this already? "Yosemite is Apple's Vista."

Oh dear.

It just popped into my head. What horror!

You'd almost be forgiven for thinking "industrial espionage", cause no one could be that stoopid right?

When I heard about Vista (and the many versions) I didn't think twice and bought an iMac, that was 2008. It's not that long ago. I had reached a point in baby sitting my windows XP machines I wanted my life back.

An interesting asied, here's a thread I found back in 2001 someone wanted their translucent windows now! http://forums.macnn.com/90/mac-os-x/27043/why-cant-we-have-translucent-window/

 

[Tech198]

it may be a "Apple's vista", but there is one thing that does still work, unlike vista, and that is compatibility... most apps still work....

 

[TekGuy]

Hi

I'm new here but wanted to give my opinion as a Windows user for 15+ years.

I have built/repaired computers etc for years and always dreamed owning a MAC. Decided it was time to ditch Windows, I'm no fanboy I think both operating systems are good in their own ways and no doubt apple wins when it comes to quality.

I bought a 15" Macbook Pro Retina from local apple store the £1999 model. When it first loaded it had Mavericks pre installed, looked awesome and screen was nothing like I have ever seem before. To be fair majority of things made common sense so wasn't really difficult. I received a notification to update to Yosemite. I did and everything went great, no issues such as WiFi as many have had, however the new look wasn't something I liked to be honest, feels like they want to do what Microsoft did and make one OS for all devices and it just doesn't work.

Having played around with it for 2 days I took it back for a full refund. I dreamed of owning a Mac and now I had the opportunity it was a great let down seeing the new OSX UI. Windows all seem to blend together hard to distinguish active window, blue folder icon is an eye sore, the flat look just killed it for me, everything from text on the menu bar looked small and pokey as if they wanted to make everything smaller and harder to see.

I will keep up to date and see how things progress with Yosemite and Apple as I would love to switch to a Mac but at the moment after experiencing Yosemite it was enough for me to return for a full refund.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

Hi

I'm new here but wanted to give my opinion as a Windows user for 15+ years.

I have built/repaired computers etc for years and always dreamed owning a MAC. Decided it was time to ditch Windows, I'm no fanboy I think both operating systems are good in their own ways and no doubt apple wins when it comes to quality.

I bought a 15" Macbook Pro Retina from local apple store the £1999 model. When it first loaded it had Mavericks pre installed, looked awesome and screen was nothing like I have ever seem before. To be fair majority of things made common sense so wasn't really difficult. I received a notification to update to Yosemite. I did and everything went great, no issues such as WiFi as many have had, however the new look wasn't something I liked to be honest, feels like they want to do what Microsoft did and make one OS for all devices and it just doesn't work.

Having played around with it for 2 days I took it back for a full refund. I dreamed of owning a Mac and now I had the opportunity it was a great let down seeing the new OSX UI. Windows all seem to blend together hard to distinguish active window, blue folder icon is an eye sore, the flat look just killed it for me, everything from text on the menu bar looked small and pokey as if they wanted to make everything smaller and harder to see.

I will keep up to date and see how things progress with Yosemite and Apple as I would love to switch to a Mac but at the moment after experiencing Yosemite it was enough for me to return for a full refund.

Thank you for sharing! It was an illuminating story.
It reflects the objective views on Yosemite of many of us.

 

[Omega Mac]

it may be a "Apple's vista", but there is one thing that does still work, unlike vista, and that is compatibility... most apps still work....

Vista made people switch to Mac. I watched a 2008 launch where even Tim Cook outlined it as one of four reasons why Apple was on the rise.

The irony is tectonic.

----------

Check out the rendering fragmentation of the OS posted here in "all the little things" thread... yea all the little black things everywhere!

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/20427887/

----------

Hi

I'm new here but wanted to give my opinion as a Windows user for 15+ years.

I have built/repaired computers etc for years and always dreamed owning a MAC. Decided it was time to ditch Windows, I'm no fanboy I think both operating systems are good in their own ways and no doubt apple wins when it comes to quality.

I bought a 15" Macbook Pro Retina from local apple store the £1999 model. When it first loaded it had Mavericks pre installed, looked awesome and screen was nothing like I have ever seem before. To be fair majority of things made common sense so wasn't really difficult. I received a notification to update to Yosemite. I did and everything went great, no issues such as WiFi as many have had, however the new look wasn't something I liked to be honest, feels like they want to do what Microsoft did and make one OS for all devices and it just doesn't work.

Having played around with it for 2 days I took it back for a full refund. I dreamed of owning a Mac and now I had the opportunity it was a great let down seeing the new OSX UI. Windows all seem to blend together hard to distinguish active window, blue folder icon is an eye sore, the flat look just killed it for me, everything from text on the menu bar looked small and pokey as if they wanted to make everything smaller and harder to see.

I will keep up to date and see how things progress with Yosemite and Apple as I would love to switch to a Mac but at the moment after experiencing Yosemite it was enough for me to return for a full refund.

I dind't expect my point to be vindicated eh, so quickly!

Thanks... I think

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

To sum it up, it like comparing the Mercedes G class to the GL. The G is newer and more expensive but the GL looks better and more comfortable.

I was BAFFLED by this comparison on all fronts. First of all, both the G (in case some are confused the G is the boxy looking one in his photos) and the GL are BOTH in production right now so comparing it to older/newer Mavericks/Yosemite makes no sense. Secondly, the G is the OLDER of the two NAMES (since both are in current production, neither current model is technically older/newer). The G dates back to 1979 and has always been BOXY looking. The GL dates back to only 2006 and looks like everyone else's SUV "curved" look. Thus, if anything, the G should be Mavericks and the GL should be Yosemite and frankly, that's about how I'd rate them looks wise. I HATE the "wrap around" looks like everyone else thing. The boxy look is at least classic JEEP/Military in style and updated it looks pretty sweet IMO. The GL is piss ugly (like Yosemite).

 

[IA64]

I was BAFFLED by this comparison on all fronts. First of all, both the G (in case some are confused the G is the boxy looking one in his photos) and the GL are BOTH in production right now so comparing it to older/newer Mavericks/Yosemite makes no sense. Secondly, the G is the OLDER of the two NAMES (since both are in current production, neither current model is technically older/newer). The G dates back to 1979 and has always been BOXY looking. The GL dates back to only 2006 and looks like everyone else's SUV "curved" look. Thus, if anything, the G should be Mavericks and the GL should be Yosemite and frankly, that's about how I'd rate them looks wise. I HATE the "wrap around" looks like everyone else thing. The boxy look is at least classic JEEP/Military in style and updated it looks pretty sweet IMO. The GL is piss ugly (like Yosemite).

Let me guess... You're a Yosemite fan ? just kidding...

You're taking my post way to serious. If anything, the G-Class looks classic just like the old ones. Matte + sharp edges in the picture. GL looks modern. Doesn't matter which one is mainstream whatever you wanna call it.

What I wanted to say is that the G-Class with that boxy outdated classic old look is what a flat boring simplified OS UI is to OS X ie. Yosemite

Obviously no one favours traditional designs. You might want a brand new LADA but it just looks the same since ages ( excluding the 2015 one )

Not trolling or anything. But for sure the G-Class isn't everyday car.

My 2 cents...

 

[F1Mac]

Hi

I'm new here but wanted to give my opinion as a Windows user for 15+ years.

I have built/repaired computers etc for years and always dreamed owning a MAC. Decided it was time to ditch Windows, I'm no fanboy I think both operating systems are good in their own ways and no doubt apple wins when it comes to quality.

I bought a 15" Macbook Pro Retina from local apple store the £1999 model. When it first loaded it had Mavericks pre installed, looked awesome and screen was nothing like I have ever seem before. To be fair majority of things made common sense so wasn't really difficult. I received a notification to update to Yosemite. I did and everything went great, no issues such as WiFi as many have had, however the new look wasn't something I liked to be honest, feels like they want to do what Microsoft did and make one OS for all devices and it just doesn't work.

Having played around with it for 2 days I took it back for a full refund. I dreamed of owning a Mac and now I had the opportunity it was a great let down seeing the new OSX UI. Windows all seem to blend together hard to distinguish active window, blue folder icon is an eye sore, the flat look just killed it for me, everything from text on the menu bar looked small and pokey as if they wanted to make everything smaller and harder to see.

I will keep up to date and see how things progress with Yosemite and Apple as I would love to switch to a Mac but at the moment after experiencing Yosemite it was enough for me to return for a full refund.

So the only thing that matters in owning, using a using mac in 2014 is 10.10's UI changes? Give me a break! Not to mention Yosemite is very much "MacOS X" like any previous version. This thread is getting more amusing each day I guess I have no business in this discussion anymore.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

So the only thing that matters in owning, using a using mac in 2014 is 10.10's UI changes? Give me a break! Not to mention Yosemite is very much "MacOS X" like any previous version. This thread is getting more amusing each day I guess I have no business in this discussion anymore.

You have a point to some extent. Usability and aesthetic in this respect should go hand in hand, though. It is like a car: powerful, fast, comfortable, but unbearably ugly . Would you like it, would you use it?

And by the way the title of the thread is:
"Yosemite Looks Terrible!"

 

[Traverse]

It's no surprise that Retina usage is in a minority … please, do you have any idea whether that percentage of users includes environments where a non-Retina display is peripheral to an integral Retina display?

I don't know, nor do I have the means to find out, the answer to your question, but I think it's safe to assume that most iMacs in-use are not the new 5K one, there are MANY MacBook Air users and older Pro users and almost every external display in use is not a 4K display.

Except for the subset of users that just use a rMBP alone, Mac users will, at least partly, use a standard HD display. Yosemite does not look as bad as I feared on it, but it isn't as good as the Mavericks era. The color blur looses it's effects because the lower PPI makes it look like a mesh of color vs a blurred image.

I use my rMBP 80% of the time solo, but when working under heavy load I often use an external 1080p monitor with 93 PPI. It's obvious Apple didn't design around those. It's passable, but not exemplary.

 

[grahamperrin]

Cars, laughter, something more serious to follow

The Mercedes-Benz photographs, a few posts back, exemplify how some differences in taste will never change. Nor should they be changed. Another MB comparison was made a few months ago; in 'The Car Thread ... !' there's a response.

So the only thing that matters in owning, using a using mac in 2014 is 10.10's UI changes?

No, and with respect: I believe that you have contributed to topics such as this for long enough to realise that there's more than the user interface to the Mac.

The average user does not (or can not) use a Mac without the graphical user interface, so we should not be surprised when what may be a relatively minor problem – with GUI or user experience (UX) – is described in a way that appears to ignore or overlook relatively major improvements to the technical underpinnings. The GUI is literally the first and last thing that the user sees.

This thread is getting more amusing each day I guess I have no business in this discussion anymore.

Abandonment/separatism will benefit neither lovers nor haters of the looks of Yosemite. But hey it's a long, long, long topic with some repetition and repetitive responses so I expect people to lose patience.

Morpheo, please: will you read just one more thing before you unsubscribe?

(I set it aside a few weeks ago. A post by someone else, beyond the MacRumors domain, that is not obviously Apple-related, but it's one of the things that keeps me here …)

 

[TekGuy]

So the only thing that matters in owning, using a using mac in 2014 is 10.10's UI changes? Give me a break! Not to mention Yosemite is very much "MacOS X" like any previous version. This thread is getting more amusing each day I guess I have no business in this discussion anymore.

If I can't enjoy looking at the UI and don't like it I can't be productive. I have to feel comfortable and enjoy the UI, it is the OS after all which one has to view and use everyday.

Same happened with Windows 8, I hated it, it was like kids colour blocks on screen, all flat, boring, tasteless, Windows 8.1 helped make things easier but even now I can't use Windows 8.1 without Start8 (life saver) and much excitement as I am like a lost sheep without it and everything took twice as long, also I had touchscreen on two laptops running Windows 8.1 and using touchscreen on a laptop is useless, it's cumbersome, awkward, hands get tired stretching to point over keyboard to screen, smudges, fingerprints yuk! besides touchscreen screens are terrible quality compared to non touch screens.

I like Apple just not the UI on Yosemite. I've always wanted a Mac since as far as I can remember so I have no reason to diss Apple. This is coming from a Mac newbie so for me to say this aswell with nothing to compare it to except Maverick's think shows possible new Mac newbies may feel the same way.

 

[Tech198]

I guess i'll have to get used to it....

I do regret some things, i now like, the transparent dock (no more depth is a pain in the butt), as it just look plan now, but the change in dock you now see a dot to indicate an app is open visually looks better on a background.

Spotlight search popup looks like all the info you could ever want at your disposal, but i think this goes to everyone's head and really overshadows the visual indication, since it appears now as a box on screen.... not something tucked out of the way like it was in Mavericks.

Another thing would be Mail indications on messages, if there in a name in contacts and picture would show in the message, but if there is no contact, then it still shows but the first initials, and/or last or email instead..

aka MF for Macrumors Forum

single names are probably ok, but still there shouldn't be there is there is no contact listed. That would be better than showing an a portion of an email address you can already see anyway in full.

few issues, but, i'm getting used to it....

I hate to say, but some changes I previously thought off as 'bad' , is not too bad when i start actually using..

We can all complain before we upgrade, or see reviews, but until u start actually using something, and most importantly, give it a week as the minimum, then its not a true test to see if u can live with it..

using something for only 2 or 3 days is like giving up before u even started.

 

[grahamperrin]

Honesty

I guess i'll have to get used to it …

… some changes I previously thought off as 'bad' , is not too bad when i start actually using. …

using something for only 2 or 3 days is like giving up before u even started.

+1
for that post in its entirety, for the honesty. Thanks.

----

Follow-up to something that was posted around a week ago …

In their own words …

2014-10-30:

After just a few days on iOS 7 I "got it", fell in love with the UI. Not so Yosemite. Still looks like someone hit it with the ugly stick.​

2014-11-29:

Acclimated somewhat to be sure but the general lack of contrast is an aesthetic and usability issue IMHO.​

– John Scalo, Apple, Inc ex-pat. Coder, designer, entrepreneur. Founder of Numerous, Inc., a joint venture with the former CEO of Spanning Cloud Apps Inc. (Spanning Is Now a Part of EMC.)​

More emphatically …

2014-11-20:

OS X Yosemite is so ugly. 2 weeks later and I still hate it. I no longer enjoy using my Mac.​

2014-11-22:

Rolled my Mac back to Mavericks. Whew! Yosemite is one hideous mess. Glad to have my old mac back.​

– Roger Hyttinen, writer of fiction and non-fiction (technical manuals), amateur photographer.​

 

[Omega Mac]

It's risky upgrading. What a dilemma to put your user base in. Testing the Loyalty of the core user-base while trying to court the innocence of the new. Big gamble. I stopped my support fees for this very reason with another software provider that all but walked away from it's core annual paying userbase for the sake of dreamy cloud greatness leaving their core business software in the lurch for years.

Thanks to the user who posted the Susan Kare link you really brouhgt me to a great place, (heres another one) and the clue is in her name she takes a lot of "Care" and still does when she designs.

Editor Christoper Phin returns the compliment: "Susan Kare has been a hero of mine for years," he says. "Not least because when I was studying design at art school, she gave me a piece of icon design advice that has stuck with me ever since. It doesn't matter if the feature an icon represents is immediately and intuitively obvious; what matters is that once you've made the link in your head - once you've learned what an icon does - some quality of the icon makes that link unbreakable."

Cook rhymes with Books, and maybe that's all he's interested in.

Jobs got the Job done to a level of relative splendor for the Tech Industry so we could get our Jobs done in relative ease.

Those are the extra clues for me that weave across lifetimes. The insta-on-demand-let-me-see-it-now culture misses these always for sure.