[Skywalkers new Hand]

Originally posted by <Daniel Canaris>:
<STRONG>
Mac OS X did not fly on DP3, I remember the demo. Steve was talking about how it will be running faster in the future. And I remember everyone talking about how slow OS X was compared to Rhapsody a few years ago.

Back up your claims before you write your posts people.</STRONG>

Read the posts before your smart A$$ unregistered replies. I said that 4K17 that Steve showed us in January was FAST!

[moreno]

4K17 was fast on january, and mac os x now, is fast... if up to 2 applications are open...

On january Jobs, only showed the finder toolbar, and a photo resizing... photo resizing is fast on Mac OS X too, nowadays...

[iamnotmad]

Hello, I have a couple questions about 10.1 that maybe someone who was at the show can answer.

I am a little confused about the Dock Extras/Docklets (Docklings or whatever).

1) Have the Dock Extras (the icons in the menu bar) replaced docklings essentially?

2) Do the application icons have the ability to do the things that docklings used to do? Like for iTunes, etc...

3) Will there still be Docklings?

I assume current open windows will still be listed in the app icons menu as well. Will this seem cluttered if there is an app with several windows open and there are other app functionalities (dockling like items) listed as well? How will it be organized?

Thanks for any information, I'd like to get responses from folks who've actually seen these things, or talked to an apple rep at the expo, as opposed to speculations, please.

Thanks!

[foobars]

Originally posted by iamnotmad:
<STRONG>1) Have the Dock Extras (the icons in the menu bar) replaced docklings essentially?
</STRONG>

For some system tasks. I don't know why Apple did this. Its cool but could be done with docklings.

<STRONG>

2) Do the application icons have the ability to do the things that docklings used to do? Like for iTunes, etc...</STRONG>

Yes

<STRONG>

3) Will there still be Docklings?
</STRONG>

Yes

[John Tanner]

First, the ability to add menus sounds cool. It seems tome that many docklings are really just custom menus. Shouldn't menus be in the menu bar?
However, I hope that custom menu could just be docklings in disguise. At least, i hope that it is easy to make a add-on that can be either a dockling or a custom menu. That way, if we collect a bunch of custom menus, we can put them on a Dock (like the old Control Strip).

In addition, I've been thinking about file name extensions recently. It seems that the BIG problem with hiding extensions is that some files can wind op with bizarre "double extension" names, like "program.cpp.rtf". I think that Finder should handle these suspiciously named files specially in hide-extensions mode. If, after removing the extension, the file name STILL has ANOTHER "extension," then display the COMPLETE file name! Another option would be to display the file name (sans extension) of suspiciously named files with the file's type, highlighted. "program.cpp.rtf" would become "program.cpp --Rich Text Document".Special care should be taken with extensions such as ".tar.gz". That is, "Download.tar.gz" would display as "Download".

I have also heard some people complain that having files of the same (displayed) name but different types in the same folder is confusing. I would suggest that the Finder display the file type for files with the same name. That is, you could have "Family Postcard --Nisus Writer Document" and "Family Postcard --TIFF Picture".

This can be generalized into a setting in Finder. We could select "Always display file type" (Good for beginners), "Display file type for files with matching names" (what I've just discribed), and "Do not display file type."

John Tanner

I am registered, my account is just unaccessable.

Now, sorry... I thought you were talking about MWSF 2000 when Steve introduced Aqua.

[Amorph]

John Tanner wrote:

In addition, I've been thinking about file name extensions recently. It seems that the BIG problem with hiding extensions is that some files can wind op with bizarre "double extension" names, like "program.cpp.rtf".

Or valentine.gif.vbs, to pick a particularly malicious suffix combination under Windows. For those unfamiliar with the problem, .VBS is a VBScript file - vaguely similar to AppleScript and used to write the bulk of the viruses out there. The problem is that Windows only hides the first suffix, so the script appears in an email attachment as 'valentine.gif'. Thinking it's a picture, the user opens it, and *wham*. They've got a virus.

Frankly, if we're going to have file extensions as a basic feature, I'd rather not hide them at all. I'm glad we have the option under 10.1, but whether the option to hide is the default or not is crucial. Virus authors and crackers depend for their malice on the fact that the vast majority of computers' settings are never changed from the initial default install.

[John Tanner]

Originally posted by Amorph:
<STRONG>The problem is that Windows only hides the first suffix, so the script appears in an email attachment as 'valentine.gif'. Thinking it's a picture, the user opens it, and *wham*. They've got a virus.</STRONG>

Which is why I suggest handling files with 2 or more "suffixes" or extensions differently.

<STRONG>Frankly, if we're going to have file extensions as a basic feature, I'd rather not hide them at all. I'm glad we have the option under 10.1, but whether the option to hide is the default or not is crucial. </STRONG>

Sure. We'll start out by showing the extensions by default. When (if) Apple's extension hiding system grows sophisticated enough to eliminate your virus problem and my RTF-files-from-Hades problem, we can have extension hiding by default. (Finder would probably show the human-readable type name for each file and highlight bizarre files like we have been discussing by default, then)

John Tanner

[uochris]

Here are some interesting bits of information that I ran across on a site for Apple resellers. Nothing too exciting and much of it already known but still worth a look.

A Mac OS X v10.1 upgrade program will be available for any Mac OS X user through Apple's Up-To-Date program. It is a free upgrade with a US$19.95 shipping and handling charge. Due to the large size of the upgrade, this version will not be available to download from the Software Updates section of the Apple website.

Additional performance improvements are listed below. They address specific requests from users and planned improvements by Apple, which taken together, deliver the robust upgrade found in Mac OS X v10.1.

* The Mail application includes various performance enhancements and improved AppleScript support.


* Apple System Profiler now recognizes more types of hardware and includes additional performance enhancements.


* Disk Utility includes more flexible disk formatting options and performance enhancements.


* Internet Explorer includes performance enhancements.


* Enhancements for iBook and PowerBook computers include better power management performance for longer battery life, and improved graphics support.


* There are performance enhancements for mass storage devices and additional support for FireWire and USB devices.


* Mac OS X v10.1 includes better AppleScript support so high-end users can better automate workflow, and developers can write "smarter" applications.


* There are bug fixes and performance enhancements in AppleEvents, the open scripting architecture, Script Runner, and the example AppleScript scripts included with Mac OS X. In addition, the Script Runner application now is a Dock Extra (sometimes known as a "Dockling.")


* There are performance enhancements and bug fixes to the Mac OS X version of Java:

* Support for Java applets in web pages viewed by Internet Explorer
* Improvements for developers writing Java applications or applets
* Compatibility with Sun Microsystems' latest version of Java
* Properly configured Java Archive (.jar) files will now run as Mac OS X applications instead of requiring a separate program to run them
* QuickTime for Java in Mac OS X now has all of the features found in QuickTime for Java in Mac OS 9 and in Microsoft Windows
* Java applications and applets now have better audio performance

* International features in Mac OS X v10.1 reflect enhancements and bug fixes:

* Improved compatibility with Carbon applications that use Unicode
* Improved international support for Mac OS X Setup Assistant
* Completed set of Hiragana glyphs (characters) in the Japanese fonts

* The Mac OS X v10.1 version of Sherlock includes support for Unicode file names and support for finding content within PDF files.

Security

Connection to network file servers is now more secure through support for Windows user authentication modules (UAM), which provide native authentication of Windows servers running AFP.

Displays

Mac OS X v10.1 includes support for additional display types and provides better support for systems with multiple displays.

�

Digital Hub

At the center of the digital hub, Mac OS X is the ultimate engine for your customers' digital lifestyle.


External Devices

Mac OS X v10.1 supports more digital devices than before, including MP3 players, digital video cameras, and digital cameras.

There is also improved support for older, legacy external devices that don't support standard I/O interfaces. At the same time, there is support for newly emerging standards. And finally, there is better USB device support when Mac OS X is running in the Classic environment.

Multimedia

There is now support for new the special low dispersion (SLD) DV format for use with new Canon cameras. SLD allows twice the data storage with the same amount of media.

QuickTime has been updated to v5.0.1 with Media Skin support, which lets users utilize the QuickTime engine while adding a "skin" that places emphasis on the user's branding and imaging.

Improvements in Audio

Mac OS X v10.1 includes the following enhancements to its audio features:

* Changes to the Audio Toolbox, audio for Carbon applications, core audio, core Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) features, and support for specific audio hardware on specific computers


* Support for 5.1 channel stereo surround sound


* Audio processing optimized to work with the PowerPC G4 processor with Velocity Engine.


* New I/O Audio Family programming routines, which let third-party vendors create drivers for their audio hardware devices


* Support for MIDI interfaces on third-party serial ports


* Support for hot-pluggable MIDI devices


* Better support for the iSub USB subwoofer

"Smoothing" (anti-aliasing) of small fonts (sizes 9 to 10) can be turned off for ease in reading.

Performance improvements address specific requests from users and planned improvements by Apple. Following is a partial list of enhancements:

* The Mail application
* Apple System Profiler
* Disk Utility
* Performance enhancements to Internet Explorer
* Power management for iBook and PowerBook computers
* Power for mass storage, FireWire, and USB devices
* AppleScript support
* Java performance (and bug fixes)
* International features
* Sherlock support