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zcasper · Aug 9, 2003, 11:46 AM

Take a look at all of the different implementations of the metal skin. They have about three different ones.

Take a look at these examples. Here is a portion of the iPhoto window:

Now take a look at iChat:

And now Safari:

My personal preference is Safari. It doesn't look intruding but is still metal. Nice and suttle. The others, well, that's a long story.

What does everyone else think? I just wish it was consistent.

p.s. And I don't know what's up with this:

Developer · Aug 9, 2003, 11:49 AM

Metal is always bad for obvious reasons.

a holck · Aug 9, 2003, 11:59 AM

iPhoto does not use the Jaguar System metal window, but use a custom 'themed' window.

The reason is that iPhoto will function in 10.1 as well where the system metal was not implemented yet.
The UI designer obviously did a big mistake with the traffic lights though...

Safari and Ichat use the 10.2 system metal windows.

Safari uses no window boarders and got the square lower corners.

Ichat has window boarders and therefore has the rounded lower corners.

stew · Aug 9, 2003, 01:04 PM

Originally posted by a holck:
Ichat has window boarders and therefore has the rounded lower corners.

What makes me wonder why it has borders in the first place, I thought those weren't necessary with drop shadows.

zcasper · Aug 9, 2003, 01:53 PM

Originally posted by stew:
What makes me wonder why it has borders in the first place, I thought those weren't necessary with drop shadows.

Exactly. Maybe it's the window borders that really make metal yucky.

I just really don't like any of the metal apps that much except for Safari. I really like how they have done Safari.

philzilla · Aug 9, 2003, 02:09 PM

i thought this was gonna be about Iron Maiden, or something. gah.

Angus_D · Aug 9, 2003, 03:35 PM

Actually, the iChat metal is more "correct" according to the HIG - the Safari window corner is a nonstandard hack (it's not what you get when you check the metal attribute in IB).

JLL · Aug 9, 2003, 03:40 PM

Originally posted by philzilla:
i thought this was gonna be about Iron Maiden, or something. gah.

:XI: · Aug 9, 2003, 03:48 PM

Funny how we've got three (four?) different Metals and Aqua, considering Steve doesn't like themes.

I like metal. I hope the sort out the inconsistencies though. Take a look at iTunes 4 and iChat AV. They look quite similar, but the window borders are different sizes.

The one thing I like about metal is that I don't need to go to a windows title to move it. I can drag Safari around by the status bar, I can drag iChat around by any metal surface that isn't a button, same for iTunes (except the panes of course. Is that the right word? It just sounds too... Windows...).

zcasper · Aug 9, 2003, 04:01 PM

Originally posted by :XI::
The one thing I like about metal is that I don't need to go to a windows title to move it. I can drag Safari around by the status bar, I can drag iChat around by any metal surface that isn't a button, same for iTunes (except the panes of course. Is that the right word? It just sounds too... Windows...). [/B]

This is what I like also. It's very helpful.

Matt OS X · Aug 9, 2003, 06:11 PM

Err.. Interesting....

Let's hope it'll not turn rust. Heh.

Kenneth · Aug 9, 2003, 06:12 PM

Originally posted by philzilla:
i thought this was gonna be about Iron Maiden, or something. gah.

Then you were at the wrong forum at the wrong time.

arekkusu · Aug 9, 2003, 06:25 PM

Agree: Metal is always bad. Has been since Quicktime 4.

jokell82 · Aug 9, 2003, 07:23 PM

Originally posted by :XI::
The one thing I like about metal is that I don't need to go to a windows title to move it. I can drag Safari around by the status bar, I can drag iChat around by any metal surface that isn't a button, same for iTunes (except the panes of course. Is that the right word? It just sounds too... Windows...).

Yeah, but why can't I drag with the unused space in the tabs bar??? Makes no sense to me...

I wish metal would disappear altogether...

Superchicken · Aug 10, 2003, 01:04 AM

I wouldn't mind metal if it made more sense... here's hoping we see updated iApps for panther... like that'll happen

Zimphire · Aug 10, 2003, 02:03 AM

I myself don't understand all the hate with BM. I think it looks much more elegant and less kid like than Aqua.

Aqua always reminded me of that Kid theme that WAS supposed to come with OS 9.

And I hated that theme.

Cipher13 · Aug 10, 2003, 02:21 AM

BM blows.

Sigh.

Angus_D · Aug 10, 2003, 06:05 AM

Originally posted by Zimphire:
Aqua always reminded me of that Kid theme that WAS supposed to come with OS 9.

Aqua looked like Gizmo to you? HAHHAAHAHAH. You're more screwed up than I thought.

Anyway, non-brushed Aqua in Panther is now more metal-esque.

wavegroom · 08:47 AM

there is only BAD METAL!!!!

OS 9 Gui was really more consistent than OS X.
In Panther the Finder is metal.... uurrgghh

Is apple experimenting with the different GUIs? Doesn't they know with wich they should stay? I always demetalize what I can... Thanks to Interface Builder! It's so great that you can change the Cocoa GUI of APPS without sourcecode and compiliation!!!

I love OS X, but the inconsistens in the GUIs is really disappointing.... Microsoft can do that, but a Design/GUI Guru like Apple.... no way!!!!!!

Metal is a lot slower on resizing than aqua on my iBook 600.....

So for what keep metal?
slower! ugly! inconsistent!

Another discussion are the different icon styles (for example Safari <> Mail)

JLL · Aug 10, 2003, 06:44 AM

Originally posted by wavegroom:
Another discussion are the different icon styles (for example Safari <> Mail)

?? One is a compass and the other is a stamp both rotated according to the guidelines.

wavegroom · Aug 10, 2003, 08:52 AM

I mean the icons in the application.
safari has this black/grey buttons with border and mail this nice color icons.

iPhoto has a mix of both....

I think OmniWeb confirms more to the apple Aqua Human Interface Guidelines than safari.

Developer · Aug 10, 2003, 09:37 AM

Originally posted by wavegroom:
I mean the icons in the application.
safari has this black/grey buttons with border and mail this nice color icons.

Icons -> Objects
Buttons -> Actions

Look at the Finder's toolbar. It clearly distinguishes between those two. OmniWeb and Mail clearly got it wrong.

stew · Aug 10, 2003, 09:49 AM

Originally posted by zcasper:
This is what I like also. It's very helpful.

And very inconsistent too, as not all metal parts can be used for dragging. There's no way to tell wether you can drag the window at a certain point unless you try.

iTunes, for example: You can't drag it next to the rounded corners of the yellow display in the upper middle, but you can drag it between the play/forward/backwards buttons.

iPhoto: You can't drag it at the status display on the lower left handside.

ApeInTheShell · Aug 11, 2003, 02:51 PM

The only thing i want Apple to fix about iTunes is the maximize, minimize function.
It is sorta annoying to press maximize to shrink the window then press minimize.