[NewsPoster]

Apple has seeded the first OS X 10.9.1 beta to developers, reports say. In release notes, the company asks developers to concentrate testing on Mail, graphics drivers, and VoiceOver accessibility. The code is listed as build 13B27.

Work on v10.9.1 has been underway since before Mavericks shipped to the public. Apple is even believed to be developing v10.9.2 and v10.10, the latter under the codename "Syrah." Syrah should ship late next year, and is expected to adopt more still more design cues from iOS.

[OS2Guy]

I backed Mavericks out and off my system once I found I couldn't remove the dock shelf. There's just no point in upgrading if Apple is going to give the user no options. It was always easy enough to remove the shelf leaving the icons and their on/off lights below them in previous OS versions. The shelf is eye jeering, takes far too much real estate at the bottom of my MacBook or blinding as it spreads across my five feet of display with my Mac Pro. I was really looking forward to upgrading to the upcoming Mac Pro but I won't do it now - I'll spend the $5-$8,000 on other wants. When it gets to the point that OS X is no longer viable then I'll move on to Linux or some variation. Apple used to be a company that prided itself on using OS X your way but now, under Cook's direction, it is either their way or the highway. I'll take the highway unless they change their strips.

[Charles Martin]

Hmmm ... that's strange. I could have sworn that a dock with no "shelf" still takes up "valuable screen real estate," since the icons are still there.

Also odd ... command-d to hide the dock still works on my Mac running Mavericks. Also, I don't remember Apple EVER officially allowing you to remove the dock shelf, that was ALWAYS the purview of third party hacks as I remember it, and the idea that nobody's going to produce such a utility at some point soon is IMO laughably naive.

Oh well, I guess we got different versions of Mavericks. I'm going to continue to enjoy mine, as it's awesome. Have fun with Linux.

[BurpetheadX]

OS2Guy, you're just the typical online complainer who picks the most obscure random half-incorrect thing you can possibly complain about, and justifies it to pseudo-convince yourself that you are somehow better than the thing you want.

I guess I should have quit using Macs when the Control Strip was introduced in System 7.5, it took up a whole bottom corner of my screen!

There will always be something new, and things will always change from you once originally knew.

[DiabloConQueso]

I would absolutely love to hear about how the appearance of the dock is taking away functionality from the OS, or how it's preventing you from accomplishing a specific task with your Mac.

if you've convinced yourself that the appearance of the dock is somehow tied to your ability to produce with the OS, then you've got bigger issues than the appearance of an operating system.

[benj]

All trolling aside, There ARE issues that i hope apple will fix. I just Nuked and rePaved my iMac (I know- early 2008 is the bottom of the barrel)- i just came from an audio conference where many of the software developers had few nice things to say about Mavericks. I have problems scrolling in mail- with Audio over Firewire. With Running Logic Pro X without crashing (believe me -I'm not writing symphonic works here) - in general Stuff just freezes and beach balls. I have reloaded the OS twice, and my ram and HDD is fine and very was groovy in MountainLion. Console reports tons of problems with UI failing, and blinking redraws. I wish there was a button i could click that le tme turn off stuff like in IOS7 (a much better new release) I was hoping my continual out of Ram issues would be resolved but I think ram management (for this machine) is worse. I bet it's fine on 2013 iMac, but I AM in supported specs- fwiw I think Mavericks is the worst install since the first Lion (remember the admin password bug? ).

[OS2Guy]

To those of you complaining over my reason for backing Mavericks out you are not in my shoes. Again, I'm dealing with 5 feet of display (two 30" Cinema displays) and that shelf rides across both screens, is obtrusive, an eyesore, blinding from the shine and takes up far too much screen space. In prior versions of OS X yes there were third party utilities that allowed the user to remove the shelf (return to 2D format) leaving just the icons and the lights running below them. I am a movie editor by trade and use the big machine (Mac Pro) for the majority of my work. Quite seriously, you've probably seen my work in some feature movies. That's ALL I use the Mac Pro for and must quickly jump from application to application. Trying to find that application sitting on a shining shelf is irritating and slows my work down. On my smaller MacPro the shelf takes far too much screen space at the bottom of an already small screen. I don't WANT to hide the icons or run them up the side (imagine scraping that mouse across five feet of display to the left or right side to start a particular application - ridiculous).

For these reasons I won't be upgrading the Mac Pro to the newer Mac Pro nor will I use Mavericks on any of my machines. It isn't asking for much and there was no reason for Apple to make the change other than to force users to "live with" the shelf - as though it is a necessary need. It isn't. It is eye candy and nothing more.

[Arty50]

Mail is horribly buggy right now. I literally can't quit the app without force quitting. I wish I were joking, but I haven't been able to get it to quit normally even once.

[Arty50]

And before you ask...yes, I've installed the Mail update.

[azrich]

Okay, I still don't get it OS2Guy... you don't want to hide the dock but you don't like the shelf, right? If you want to know what is running then command tab and there they are.

Maybe I don't understand how far away you are from your screens, or what you're doing exactly. Are there docks on screens that didn't have them before? I don't have a multi monitor set up now so I can't see if Apple is forcing Docks on everything.

Still, it seems that this one thing must be a straw that broke the camel's back for you. That's fine, but you have to realize that whatever the issue is for YOU, it's hard to relate for ME. I'm not saying it's not valid for you.

In the mean time I've seen PLENTY of stuff that annoys me, probably related to EyeTV, but maybe related to memory compression et al. It'll be worked out I'm sure, and my issues are not nearly as important as someone else's issues that relate to working for a living like yours are.

So if you're gonna jump ship, fine. Wear a life preserver.

[OS2Guy]

It is relevant whether you get it or not. Your situation is not mine. Apple is supposed to be a company for all the people and not to force people to accept it their way or no way at all. Since Cook's inheritance of the CEO position Apple has repeatedly failed their most loyal customers. I can't being to tell you the thousands of dollars I have spent on Apple products but that ended about a year ago when I saw Apple moving away from the customer and more to Apple's profitability.

Command Tab again is another third party iteration, an action I must perform to obtain what I need/want when it isn't needed at all. Remove the shelf and the actions I need/want are there, spread across the bottom of the screen and ready for me. Stop trying to convince people to accept a feature or way or computing that you find acceptable.

[benj]

I want to simply add that a Nuke and rePave fixed a lot of issues for my aging iMac. Note to OS2guy, I work on a lot of systems (most not my config) so command/Tab and spotlight are my friends..so much that i do this on all OSes where it mostly works.

[macwebmac]

OS2Guy, I do not use 10.9. But check out TinkerTool app as it has many options for changing Dock appearance. If what you want is not supported, write to developer of TinkerTool to add that feature. If it is technically possible he will probably add it, if that is not already TinkerTool feature. If I understand it right you want 2D Dock in bottom view but with no background? In older TinkerTool versions (I am in MacOS X 10.7.5) similar feature is in 'Dock' tab and is called 'Disable 3D glass effect', it makes dock 2D but you will still have gray translucent dock background. I believe there are also many third part dock replacement apps that will mimic what you want.

[macwebmac]

OS2Guy, I do not use 10.9. But check out TinkerTool app as it has many options for changing Dock appearance. If what you want is not supported, write to developer of TinkerTool to add that feature. If it is technically possible he will probably add it, if that is not already TinkerTool feature. If I understand it right you want 2D Dock in bottom view but with no background? In older TinkerTool versions (I am in MacOS X 10.7.5) similar feature is in 'Dock' tab and is called 'Disable 3D glass effect', it makes dock 2D but you will still have gray translucent dock background. I believe there are also many third part dock replacement apps that will mimic what you want. EDIT seems that option is gone from TinkerTool version for 10.9. Check screens at http://www.bresink.com/osx/0TinkerTool/screenshots.html

[macwebmac]

I would suggest (still guessing that is possible in 10.9): on startup quit the Dock, and use some other app with similar functionality that will do as Dock replacement like DragThing. Or hide Dock on left side (and never use it) and use Dock replacement app like DragThing