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CharlesS · Jan 15, 2005, 07:37 PM

While this is true, it does not mean that they couldn't still change it. Remember, the old Tiger movies had the blue endcaps on the menu bar, and those were official Apple previews as well.

tikki · Jan 15, 2005, 11:46 PM

Originally posted by Chuckit:
If it is not pretty darn close to what they intend for the final product, it's pretty goofy for them to put it on their Mac OS X PR page. It's not like this is some dip posting a screenshot from an illegitimately obtained beta � this is Apple saying, "This is the face we want to show you. We think it looks good as is."

Would you rather them not post anything and then ship Tiger with these interface atrocities? By posting this stuff early, they can gauge feedback.

tjr124 · Jan 16, 2005, 02:41 AM

I think the biggest problem with the new buttons is the combination of the button idea with the colorful Aqua like icons. I personally believe that buttons can look really nice when the icons within the them are simple and monochromatic like the buttons in Safari and some of the other brushed metal Apple apps.

The new Tiger interface seen in Mail and the System Preferences seem to be some attempt to merge the ideas of the Aqua and Brushed interfaces. Mail's button icons seem to be an instance of the two not merging so gracefully.

I expect the interface designs will continue to mature as Tiger development continues. Well, I hope so anyway.

Chuckit · Jan 16, 2005, 03:28 AM

Since I clearly am not getting my meaning understood: I have not said that there is no possibility of Apple changing the look of Mail, nor have I said that Apple should not post screenshots. I'm just saying that if Apple posts a screenshot on its site, more likely than not we're going to wind up with that (or if not, something pretty similar) when Tiger is released. Thus if we don't like it, we should say so, not just sit back and think, "Well, it's not released yet. That's probably a shot from some first-generation alpha developed by an intern screwing around with Interface Builder. Surely they intend to change it later."

undotwa · Jan 16, 2005, 05:07 AM

Originally posted by tjr124:
I think the biggest problem with the new buttons is the combination of the button idea with the colorful Aqua like icons. I personally believe that buttons can look really nice when the icons within the them are simple and monochromatic like the buttons in Safari and some of the other brushed metal Apple apps.

Hear, hear!

The new Tiger interface seen in Mail and the System Preferences seem to be some attempt to merge the ideas of the Aqua and Brushed interfaces. Mail's button icons seem to be an instance of the two not merging so gracefully.

To put it mildly. I prefer the graying of interfaces and removing much of the pinstrips, but from what I see of Tiger - I dislike it. I think Panther looks nice as it is, perhaps with some minor tweaks. I like the title bars to be distinct, otherwise things become very messy.

I expect the interface designs will continue to mature as Tiger development continues. Well, I hope so anyway.

There is always hope, and then there is always reality.

Spirit_VW · Jan 17, 2005, 12:41 PM

I'm not saying to shut up if you don't like it or anything like that. It'd be an awfully boring forum if that was the case.

It's just that every Tiger screenshot that's been put out has been different rather noticeably from those that preceeded it (Mail in these shots looks nothing like the last two iterations we've seen), so it's obvious Apple is still making tweaks. Personally, my only main problem with the look is that it appears to be graphite buttons on a system that's obviously set for Blue - if those were blue buttons I think they'd look a lot nicer, and the difference between the Blue setting and those buttons is jarring to me. On the whole, though, I dig the new look, and I have a feeling that if I got to see it in person and actually use it It'd look even better.

andretan · Jan 17, 2005, 06:01 PM

I like the new look of Mail, but I hate the new Keynote icon. It looks too 'thin'. :/

cambro · Jan 17, 2005, 06:21 PM

Originally posted by curmi:

Could they waste anymore space in the tool/button bar?? Geesh. That thing is unnecessarily HUGE.

It takes up as much space as the To: CC: Subject: area! (Yes, I know they are probably showing large icon view with text, but still...)

CharlesS · Jan 17, 2005, 07:09 PM

Originally posted by cambro:
Could they waste anymore space in the tool/button bar?? Geesh. That thing is unnecessarily HUGE.

It takes up as much space as the To: CC: Subject: area! (Yes, I know they are probably showing large icon view with text, but still...)

They look like the standard sizes for an NSToolbar, just like the current Mail app uses. You could make it smaller by setting it to small icon only...

SS3 GokouX · Jan 18, 2005, 03:05 PM

Originally posted by CharlesS:
They look like the standard sizes for an NSToolbar, just like the current Mail app uses. You could make it smaller by setting it to small icon only...

But with the elimination of the title bar line, the space between the bottom of the widgets and the top of the toolbar icons looks huge.

clarkgoble · Jan 18, 2005, 04:04 PM

Seems to me that the problem is the color of the background of the buttons. It clashes with the other colors on screen. Ideally if they go this route they should make the icon buttons clear and not slightly colored. I was going to mock up a Photoshop of that to see what it looks like, but I'm at work.

Anyway, I think that it ends up being a more subtle problem than it first appears.