Yosemite new design seems lazy

[crashoverride77]

It's not the best comparison, but it does have merit. Apple designs both the hardware and software - and the two should line up somewhat. Had OS X move more towards iOS 6 designs, I'd expect new MacBooks to look like hardcover books when I buy them.



Not possible. In this "post PC" era, OS X is no longer the main event. It needs to pair and keep up with iOS in terms of development, and the mobile space moves too quickly for Apple to sit in a two year development cycle.

On another note, aesthetics aside, have you guys actually tried focusing on your work flow to see how the new changes have either increased or decreased your productivity or enjoyment of the device? Sure, we can sit back and scrutinize every pixel on the device and of icons if we want to, but ultimately, that isn't what makes an OS great. Maybe 500 people will do so a few times a year, but the rest of the users are using OS X because it flows well, not because icons in System Preferences look a certain way better than other OS'es.

I for one can say I really like Yosemite because the new changes are nice. The UI/UX changes are different enough from Mavericks to feel new, but minimizing the top bars on several of the windows so we can focus on content is also welcomed. If you work in web, you may be irked that Safari now only shows the domain name by default, (I am), but at the same time, showing only the domain for most of the users provides them just the info they need to do what they need to do. Consumers just want to know where they're at, not necessarily what part of the building they're in - and it's touches like this that boost productivity just a lil bit for people that I appreciate.

They added a new option to show full web address now since dp 5 or 6. I prefer to just see the domain, it's so much cleaner. If I want the full web address all I have to do is klick on it and I will see the full address. Never got why people are so annoyed about this.

 

[grahamperrin]

… If I was an employee at Apple, I would actually recommend you to move to another platform. I know thats a d!ck-thing to say, but I'm not sure I would want you as a customer because you got this idea about "the essence of Apple" that more and more people seem to get wrong. …

Wrong? You're in no position to tell what's right.

… Go find a company that suits you and your needs better. Good riddance. I know it might seem like I'm beating up on you, but I'm speaking generally to anyone with a complaint like this.

You can't tell what's right; a riddance from someone in your position is negligible.

… have you guys actually tried focusing on your work flow to see how the new changes have either increased or decreased your productivity or enjoyment of the device? …

Yes. Repeatedly. For weeks.

Reduced productivity compared to Mavericks.

Horribly reduced enjoyment compared to Mavericks.

Most tests were in the context of workflows. In those contexts, the negative effects of Yosemite were at their worst.

… using OS X because it flows well

For my use case, Yosemite does not.

… minimizing the top bars on several of the windows so we can focus on content is also welcomed. …

Wherever the absence of a title – in title bar position – causes disorientation, that disorientation is most unwelcome.

… Consumers just want to know where they're at …

Safari in Yosemite Developer Preview 6 disorients me.

 

[Frankied22]

Remember the Brushed Metal vs. Aqua debate...?

Dear lord that looks hideous. It's amazing how far we've come in terms of software UI and design.

 

[Nishi100]

Oh. For. The. Love. Of. God.

Here we go again, around and around and around and around...

Yosemite is currently in Developer Preview stage. Do you know what this means? Like, do you really know what this means? Think about it before you answer, should you choose too.

It means the overall design of the OS will not change. Slight UI changes will occur and lots of bugs will be fixed. But the problems stated by the OP will not change as Apple are not just going to go back to the drawing board with their brand new UI.

I do think the design is lazy. The new features are fantastic; they could've made the design equally incredible. Small things like consistency between apps enhance the whole experience of OS X. Updating old interfaces to modern, clean designs, instead of making the sidebar (and seemingly random UI panels of other apps) transparent.

For example, I saw an example of an updated 'Get Info' panel, which looked so much better than the simple list that we have now - everything was grouped logically and set out with more important/common information being larger, all within the same space, if not less. The UI's supposed to help you, not slow you down - for example on Get Info it will list the link, but you cannot click it - why not? It also has a list to it's location, why can't I click on each individual folder in that tree to take me to a finder window with that folder displayed? (It doesn't even take you to the folder if you click on it! - it's just a 'dumb' label). Is there any need for a whole section to 'preview' the document? No. Why can't I just hover over the icon in the top left or press the spacebar to bring up quick look? Consistency is good; it makes everything predictable for us, the end user. The Get Info concept also looked modern and clean, and had features that were so obvious - why have a incredibly small version of the video playing as a preview, when showing 6-8 scenes from the movie gives the general gist of the movie in a matter of seconds.

What about redesigning the copying UI to include more information, hidden from view unless you want to see it. Also adding more information when merging or overriding folders, using images/icons of the merging item, highlighting changes, so you can tell at a glance which is the one you want. e.g. two images are shown with a few details below, one the date is highlighted and the other the resolution is highlighted. Which one do you want the higher res or newer one? i.e. what Windows has been doing for a couple of years now. One of the very few things that Windows has over OS X at the moment.

Instead of keeping with the trend of iTunes being an inconsistent mess (in GUI terms), why not just redesign it to fit in with the rest of OS X.

I'd much rather have those three options than transparency.

The one thing I really do hate are the new folder icons. One thing I'm gonna be changing when I do install Yosemite.

 

[grahamperrin]

Remember the Brushed Metal vs. Aqua debate...? …

Yes. The emphasis on Apple human interface guidelines (HIG).

I expect Yosemite to result in guidelines that are inferior.

The brushed metal look I can get behind; it's much better than the translucency Apple is pushing now.

I feel the same way.

Also, it would be nice if Apple would bring back the coloured icons in the Finder Sidebar.

For that sidebar I prefer the restrained use of greyscale.

Allowing colour, adding a preference, would do no harm.

A long-standing bug (loss of items) taught me to avoid that sidebar whenever possible, so I'm only vaguely in its appearance.

Am I alone in wishing brushed metal was still an option? I always thought that looked slick.

I never actively wished for Apple to add a preference but if it's added – not necessarily by Apple – I might use it.

… I loved their perfectionism, now they like to settle for less.

That's the impression I get from Yosemite.

… they are being lazy when it comes to the design. …

I doubt that there's laziness, but it appears to me as if Apple has not 'got it together' – there's no longer a single, clear, shared vision for OS X – so interpretation as laziness is understandable.

 

[phrozend]

Graham: You're wrong.

 

[Planey28]

Don't really understand all the moaning in this thread... The claims that productivity are affected are ridiculous, nothing has changed except for the visuals. Exaggerating much ... Geez. Just don't upgrade...

 

[grahamperrin]

Graham: You're wrong.

Wrong about all points in post 30, or just some?

Wrong about all points in this topic?

Wrong about all Yosemite-related points in MacRumors Forums?

Wrong about all Mac-related points in MacRumors Forums?

Please be more specific.

(From amongst your posts to the forum, I opened the ones that are most obviously Yosemite-related. At a glance, I saw nothing to properly explain the "You're wrong" suggestion.)

Don't really understand all the moaning in this thread... The claims that productivity are affected are ridiculous, nothing has changed except for the visuals. …

I do nearly always view the screen when interacting with a Mac, so visuals are critically important to me.

With apologies for stating the obvious:

• visuals are visible
• things that are hidden or removed are not immediately visible
• with Yosemite, Apple has hidden or removed some things.

The disorientation caused by Yosemite was counterproductive.

 

[phrozend]

Graham: Okay, I'll be more specific. You love listening to your own voice ...and you're wrong. Goodbye.

 

[grahamperrin]

… You love listening to your own voice …

Much of it is repetition, in response to repetitive statements that lack understanding.

… Goodbye.

I'd prefer you to stay and understand.