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himself · May 7, 2004, 10:15 AM

I have a vaio running XP at home (which I use on rare occasion, usually for testing), and I really like how you're notified of certain things, like when you get unread mail, at the login window.

Is there any way, or anything that can add this function to the Mac OS X login window? Since I usually switch to the login window (via fast user switching) before I hit the sack, It would be nice to see how many new messages are waiting for me when in the morning.

gorickey · May 7, 2004, 05:26 PM

Originally posted by himself:
Is there any way, or anything that can add this function to the Mac OS X login window? Since I usually switch to the login window (via fast user switching) before I hit the sack, It would be nice to see how many new messages are waiting for me when in the morning.

Umm, not that I'm aware of...not sure how really "useful" this feature would be...

KidKit · May 8, 2004, 06:31 PM

I think the ability to check for unread mails via the login window can be a useful feature for some users, but I'm also uncomfortable with the fact that the computer is making network connections and stuff like that when I'm not logged in.

Techies out there can probably better comment on this, but from what I understand about *nix OSes, making a program like that would involve having it run from root as it'll have to be on even when the user isn't logged in? that just sounds like a bad security, to be giving some program root access and to have it make network connections in the background. In short, I don't think the software feature himself suggested would be conventional for the way OS X security is laid out.

my $0.02

moonmonkey · May 8, 2004, 07:58 PM

Originally posted by himself:
I have a vaio running XP at home (which I use on rare occasion, usually for testing), and I really like how you're notified of certain things, like when you get unread mail, at the login window.

Is there any way, or anything that can add this function to the Mac OS X login window? Since I usually switch to the login window (via fast user switching) before I hit the sack, It would be nice to see how many new messages are waiting for me when in the morning.

I suggested this in the Tiger forum.
Its a great idea, I want a clock on the login window too.

himself · May 10, 2004, 08:14 PM

Originally posted by gorickey:
Umm, not that I'm aware of...not sure how really "useful" this feature would be...

Did I mention anything about "usefulness" in the original question? I'm asking whether this functionality is available. Whether it's useful to you or not isn't what I'm interested in.

On the topic of being online when not logged in, AFAIK the machine doesn't connect to the internet when no one is logged in. However, if you have logged into your account, but have switched to the login window, you will still be online, unless you disconnect first. It behaves just as if you were still logged in; any active processes (including mail, iTunes net radio, or whatever) are still active, just "hidden."

I almost always have Mail open, and my machine is always connected to the internet, but I don't always leave my machine at the desktop when I'm away. It would be a nice touch to see whats waiting for me when I get back to my Mac.

gorickey · May 10, 2004, 08:20 PM

Originally posted by himself:
Did I mention anything about "usefulness" in the original question?

No, I'm just saying I don't personally find this very useful myself; however, obviously you do...

I'm asking whether this functionality is available. Whether it's useful to you or not isn't what I'm interested in.

No, it's not available.

zachs · May 10, 2004, 08:32 PM

I'd love to see something like this.

Mockup: http://www.lightscreamer.com/forums/login_mockup.jpg

moonmonkey · May 10, 2004, 10:59 PM

Originally posted by zachs:
I'd love to see something like this.

Mockup: http://www.lightscreamer.com/forums/login_mockup.jpg

I like.

But I want unread emails shown too.

Developer · May 10, 2004, 11:43 PM

Originally posted by moonmonkey:
But I want unread emails shown too.

I think that's the red blobs.

I don't see the usefulness of this. Why would one stare at the login screen waiting for mail unread mail to appear?

ajbaker · May 11, 2004, 05:00 AM

I quite like the idea of knowing how many unread emails there are - if there are none I needn't bother logging in (that gives me an extra 30 seconds for coffee).

Having said that I'm a dialup user so it is never connected while I'm not using it. So limited use for me ATM.

A

himself · May 11, 2004, 09:10 PM

It can be useful for people sharing a machine, say 3 or more folks. No one is saying that this will be the "killer app" that everyone has to have (there's a lot of stuff in the OS already that I'm sure you use every day that isn't essential), it's only an added touch that lets you know what may be waiting for you when you login... so you know if you should check your email right away, or move on to some other task.

Why would one stare at the login screen waiting for mail unread mail to appear?

I don't know... you tell me.

moonmonkey · May 12, 2004, 04:42 AM

Originally posted by Developer:
I think that's the red blobs.

I don't see the usefulness of this. Why would one stare at the login screen waiting for mail unread mail to appear?

That would be silly.

But I sometimes log in to check if I have any emails, if I could tell without logging in, I wouldn't have to log in.

That would be clever.

eevyl · May 12, 2004, 10:07 AM

What about add a newsreader at the login screen? And a web page changes notifier, and a address book lookup app, and a file browser!

Log on the machine and all set

cybergoober · May 12, 2004, 10:49 AM

I'd rather Apple not spend their time developing something like this. I mean if it is something that could be added relatively easily then I'd be all for it. But otherwise, meh. I couldn't care less.

moonmonkey · May 12, 2004, 06:10 PM

Originally posted by eevyl:
What about add a newsreader at the login screen? And a web page changes notifier, and a address book lookup app, and a file browser!

Log on the machine and all set

No, that would be stupid.

Unread emails and running apps + a clock would be perfect.

I have 8 logins on one machine, it would take 25 minutes for everyone to log in and check email. If the unread emails appeared on the login screen then 25 minute would be saved.

Simple.

Boondoggle · May 12, 2004, 07:59 PM

Originally posted by Developer:
I think that's the red blobs.

I don't see the usefulness of this. Why would one stare at the login screen waiting for mail unread mail to appear?

It is a great way to test your ESP.

kman42 · May 12, 2004, 08:34 PM

Originally posted by moonmonkey:
No, that would be stupid.

Unread emails and running apps + a clock would be perfect.

I have 8 logins on one machine, it would take 25 minutes for everyone to log in and check email. If the unread emails appeared on the login screen then 25 minute would be saved.

Simple.

I would like to contest your calculations. If everyone is already logged in and has Mail running, but 'switched' to the login screen, then it would only take about 10 seconds to log on and 10 seconds to log off. We'll allow another 10 seconds to look at the Mail icon in the dock for new emails even though that is probably excessive. That's 30 secs/user or 4 minutes.

At any rate, I think this would be nifty, but I have some reservations about any user information being displayed outside the user's context. I can't really think of any harm that an email notification could cause, but it is contrary to my notion of 'how things should be'.

That being said, they could add the red blob to your name in the switch menu so that you don't have to switch users so that your wife can see if she has email.

kman

moonmonkey · May 14, 2004, 02:03 AM

Originally posted by kman42:
I would like to contest your calculations. If everyone is already logged in and has Mail running, but 'switched' to the login screen, then it would only take about 10 seconds to log on and 10 seconds to log off. We'll allow another 10 seconds to look at the Mail icon in the dock for new emails even though that is probably excessive. That's 30 secs/user or 4 minutes.

Gareth Keenan, is that you?

kman42 · May 14, 2004, 11:09 AM

Originally posted by moonmonkey:
Gareth Keenan, is that you?

LOL