Windows features OS X should ‘adopt’
Two months ago, I wrote a list of 10 Classic Features to ‘Bring Back’ to OS X. But Classic MacOS isn’t the only operating system OS X could stand to swipe a few features from. Some of us Mac users also use Windows, either occasionally or full-time at work, and there are a handful of features from that operating system I think Apple should implement in Mac OS X. Here are my Top Nine (not ranked in order of importance):
1. Cut & Paste in Finder
One of the biggest differences between Mac and Windows users is that Mac users typically drag-and-drop their files to move them from one place to another while Windows users cut-and-paste them. Although OS X supports copy-and-paste of items within the Finder, it doesn’t support cut-and-paste and switchers typically find that to be a shortcoming.
The best part about adding this functionality to the Finder is that its presence would not affect those who prefer the drag-and-drop method; they could go on about their business as usual, using Spring-loaded folders, Exposé and such. It’s reminiscent of when the Mac menu bar had to be constantly held down with the mouse button while Windows menus would remain open after a single click-and-release. Apple made it work both ways (try it) and now everyone has what they prefer.
2. Applications Uninstaller
Installing applications on OS X is generally as simple as dragging them to the Applications folder. And uninstalling them is supposed to be just as simple: drag them to the Trash. But there are plenty of files associated with applications that reside within the main or user Library directories in folders like Application Support, Preferences, etc. In the case of iDVD and GarageBand, these external support files can range in the multi-gigabytes. And thus the popular AppZapper was born.
Windows has a built-in Add/Remove Programs capability that is recommended for removing both the application and its associated files strewn around the system (though I’m not making any assertions about its particular qualities). Mac OS X could use a built-in Uninstaller that uses the receipt files generated by an application’s installer to remove an unwanted applications various components (contextual menu item, preference pane, login item, etc.) and provide users with a sense of assurance that an application has truly been uninstalled, rather than its head just being cut off while the rest of its body parts sit lifelessly around the system.
Ideally, Apple should purchase AppZapper, apply its pixie dust (see SoundJam -> iTunes) and make it an included part of Mac OS X for all users.
3. Individual Folder Sharing
Pre-OS X, if you wanted to share files on your Mac with others on a local network, you could right-click on an individual folder and choose Sharing… to set up the folder permissions. That capability is now available in Windows XP (with the standard Windows networking complications, of course). Meanwhile, Mac OS X requires you to move items into your Public folder or the Shared directory – limited functionality that hasn’t been much improved since version 10.1.
I understand that the ease-of-use of System 7’s File Sharing probably can’t be regained due to the complex permissions systems of UNIX and the need to be compatible with Windows networking. But if you can share individual folders at will in Windows, you should be able to do so in Mac OS X. The third-party SharePoints steps up to the challenge, proving both that a solution can be found and that there is a desire for such configurability. But performing such a useful task shouldn’t require seeking out and downloading donation-ware.
4. Remote Desktop Connection
Remote Desktop Connection is a feature included with Windows XP Professional that allows you to remotely control another XP machine that has the remote access features enabled. The Microsoft MacBU even has an OS X client of Remote Desktop Connection (available as a free download) so Mac users can use their XP machines across the network (keeping their noisy PCs off their desk).
The current options for OS X are Apple’s quality, but spendy option of Apple Remote Desktop (which is really designed for system administrators) less-expensive third-party offerings like Timbuktu, and the free, but not simple VNC solutions.
The Apple Remote Desktop Client is already built into OS X and it has VNC capability, giving users a simple way to enable their computer for ‘remote’ viewing and control. Now all we need is a viewing/controlling application included in the Utilities folder. It should be more capable and easier to use than Chicken of the VNC but needn’t be much more advanced than the MacBU’s Remote Desktop Connection. Keeping it from doing too much should prevent it from causing competition for third-party products (which still exist for PC, despite the inclusion of RDC in XP Pro) but be better than current freeware/shareware solutions.
5. Refresh keystroke/toolbar button for Finder windows
Nearly every major revision of OS X has touted an “improved Finder” and one of the improvements has been the updating of folder contents. But there are still occasions where a file has been updated and its appearance in a Finder window goes unaltered. Windows toolbars have a refresh button that can be used to update the contents of the window. Since Apple has already copied the concept of making Finder windows look and act like browser windows (forward/backward buttons) they should add a refresh or reload button. They wouldn’t even have to create a new toolbar button icon, since they could just use the one from Safari. They could even use the same keyboard shortcut, since Command-R is currently unused in the Finder. Ideally, a refresh button shouldn’t be needed in the Finder at all, but we’ve seen four major revisions of OS X and it still hasn’t become unnecessary.
6. Expanded Finder View Options
If you open a folder of images in Windows, it can automatically view in Thumbnails mode, giving you a good overview of all the images. There is also the useful Filmstrip mode, allowing for much larger viewing of images without the need of a separate application. OS X requires you to change the view options to Show icon preview. It’s great to have the option, but it’s even better to have the OS do the work for me.
Also in Windows, if you choose to view in Details mode (analogous to the Mac’s List view) it will list relevant data like Date Photographed, Image Dimensions, etc. If the folder is full of movies or audio files, different relevant data like Length is available to sort by. Considering that Spotlight indexes all of that data (check out the More Info area of the Get Info window), the Finder’s List view is woefully outdated, providing sortability only by a limited number of values that have existed since System 7. Also many files nowadays (mp3s, jpegs, psds) have metadata built right into the file that would be useful to see in list view and sort by.
7. Multiple Undos in the Finder
This is the last Finder request of this article, I promise. The Undo command is a useful one in any application. But even more useful is multiple levels of Undo. (Anyone else remember when there was only one level of Undo in Photoshop?)
The Finder gained an Undo command in OS X, which was welcome. But let’s say you rename a file and move it to a new location. But now you’ve changed your mind (or someone else changed theirs). If you hit Undo, it will only move the file back, it will not change its name back. Similarly, say you create a new folder and name it ‘Stuff for tomorrow’ and then you change your mind because you realize there aren’t enough items to warrant creating a new folder. If you hit Command-Z, it will only undo the renaming of the folder and change it back to ‘untitled folder,’ you cannot undo the creation of the folder.
With Macs sporting dual-core processors and gigabytes of RAM, how hard would it be for OS X to remember just two levels of Undo?
8. Resize windows from more than just bottom-right corner
A longstanding feature of Windows is that any side or corner of a window can be used to resize it, contrary to the Mac method of only being able to use the bottom-right corner. The problem with the Mac method is that if you have a window on the right side of your screen and you want to make it larger, you first have to drag the window to the left and then drag the bottom-right corner to enlarge it. Similarly, if the bottom of the window is already at the bottom of the screen, but you want to make the window taller, you first have to drag the window up, then drag the bottom-right corner to enlarge it. A two-step process that should only require one step. Additionally, because you are dragging a corner, you can never simply make a window only wider or only taller (unless you have single-pixel-accurate mousing abilities). Adding more resizing capabilities to windows would provide more choices for Mac users and pacify Windows switchers who find the classic Mac way of doing things to be unnecessarily limiting.
9. System Restore
Have you ever installed a system update and then discovered it was incompatible with a certain piece of software? Because you can’t uninstall system updates, security updates or even some application updates, the only solution is to do an Archive & Install using your OS X disc and then apply all the interim updates just to go back to the version you were using mere hours prior.
Even if Windows didn’t have a System Restore feature that lets you go back in time to an older version of the system, OS X should provide a way to “rewind” the system to a prior moment. Leopard’s upcoming Time Machine functionality looks like a step in that direction, but it seems to be only for recovering individual files and folders from a former time. Prove me wrong, Apple. Prove me wrong.
Add these nine Windows features to the previous 10 Classic features, the 10 currently known Leopard features and the remaining “top secret” feature(s) and Leopard would be a can’t-miss upgrade.
Matthew Smith on January 29th, 2007 at 8:34 am
Cut-and-paste in the finder is a HUGE mistake. If you are working on something, and use the cut feature on a file, then get distracted, and come back and forget about it, then later cut or copy something else to the clipboard, you’d lose an entire file. That’s just not acceptable behavior for the finder.
Jay on January 29th, 2007 at 8:45 am
Cut & Paste along with Refresh should definately be in there.
Steven Jobs on January 29th, 2007 at 8:48 am
for idividual folder sharing: sharepoints there u can make new shares with. not as easy as in windows but it is more secure
joe on January 29th, 2007 at 8:55 am
as far as I can tell, all AppZapper does anyway is do a Spotlight search, with many a little bit of smart result’s editing. While I bought it myself and use it a lot (it’s great), it actually is a ripoff. Apple doesn’t even need to buy it – it’s practically built into OS X already. This is a 2 day job by an Apple programmer….
oliver on January 29th, 2007 at 9:08 am
the ability for iTunes to “watch” it’s directory folder. so that new media dropped into it doesn’t have to be manually added via iTunes. this would save alot of screwing around
matthias on January 29th, 2007 at 9:12 am
cut & paste is standard in modern desktops.
Also resizing on windows should be improved. OSX functions still assuming there is nothing beyond XGA.
Although it may not sound popular, I am a PC user since the mid 80’s, linux since late 90’s and just bought a macbook in the states (there are so cheap there) and started to use OSX. It is ok, but for heavily usage KDE, Windows and others are much more developed.
Maybe Mr. Jobs is focusing on his roots aka OSX, brings it to a new level and stopps dreaming about 10mio iPhone – which he won’t make anyhow.
Anshul on January 29th, 2007 at 9:53 am
The cut and paste feature and the refresh button are 2 of my favourites.
Steve on January 29th, 2007 at 10:02 am
Multiple undos: Time Machine won’t fix that?
Resize windows from more than just bottom-right corner: Yuck. There are rare circumstances where it would be nice, but it would necessitate adding frames around the windows again, and they look so much better without them. I’d rather look at good looking, uncluttered windows all the time than be able to resize a window from the left edge once a month.
Nick on January 29th, 2007 at 10:03 am
It shows the only strange weakness OSx has, at least for every day to day use, Finder and file management.
I would love to see real file manager capabilities under Finder, like multipane, sort of how Windows Commander was. I need to juggle files and going back and forth can be very confusing.
As far as cut and paste, if you get confused where you are, don’t do it. That’s all. I would like to see it there. I know how to handle it.
Great post, it shows we are open to ideas and not bigots :)
Josh B. on January 29th, 2007 at 10:08 am
Matthew (#1): that’s not how cut-and-paste works. The source file isn’t touched until it is pasted into its new location. (The file or folder is not actually on the clipboard. Imagine a 10GB folder you wanted to cut-paste into a new location. Then imagine a 10GB object on the clipboard. Not gonna happen)
Frank on January 29th, 2007 at 10:11 am
Remote Desktop Connection (Built-in VNC) is coming with iChat in Leopard. They’re calling it “Screen Sharing.”
Eddie Hargreaves on January 29th, 2007 at 10:23 am
Leopard’s Screen Sharing via iChat is not the same as Remote Desktop Connection or VNC. It will require a person on both ends.
vanni on January 29th, 2007 at 10:28 am
I totally agree with the first poster: CUT & PASTE is not the way to go. it’s wrong! I can see al kinds of data loss. As i have on occasion done in my work on Windows. I think improvements to the FInder … the Windows explorer is better in this area. Apples Finder needs a major overhaul. It takes too many windows to move files around.
Bill Gregg on January 29th, 2007 at 10:43 am
No mention of the ability to rename and move files in Open/Save dialog boxes? This is a huge convenience for me when I’m working in Windows and the number one feature I’d like to see OS X copy.
Hadley Stern on January 29th, 2007 at 10:58 am
We actually wrote a similar piece a few months ago and it is our most commented piece (over 200!). It makes for some fun reading.
http://www.applematters.com/index.php/section/comments/what_os_x_could_learn_from_windows/
Lime on January 29th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
Most of these would ruin mac os
Just because your not used to it doesn’t mean its wrong.
Snafu on January 29th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Cut’n'Paste’s possibilities of producing data loss are exactly the same an OS X’ move-type drag’n'drop operation has: unless one is moving files to another Volume, the only thing that changes is the position of the files. If moving to another Volume, the original files won’t be deleted until they are confirmed to have been safely deposited in that Volume. If one doesn’t paste them anywhere, the files simply stay where they are.
maclepper on January 29th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
Why use cut and paste when a person can simply drag a file? Dragging a file seems more natural to me. I find it far less distracting than clicking the mouse a bunch and then needing to navigate to another winod any way. I prefer to just move the file from one window to a folder or another open window. I can use a keystroke in conjunction with dragging an item to either move it or place a copy of it some where.
Ron Pomeroy on January 29th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
Actually – cut works pretty nicely on Windows. If you cut a selection and never paste it, there’s no data loss. The next copy or cut operation voids the last copy or cut operation until you paste. At any point you hit escape and that also voids the last copy or cut operation. Pretty reasonable from my perspective.
I like having both the keyboard and drag-n-drop options available. Spring-loaded folders work great.
RP
Hobbs on January 29th, 2007 at 1:38 pm
Cut and Paste/move: Use command+drag
Chris on January 29th, 2007 at 4:19 pm
The big problem of drag & drop copy or moving is you have to either have the destination folder already open or visible; or you have to rely on spring loaded folders. And it’s so annoying when you’ve navigated down a folder branch and accidentally hover over something else or go to far and have to start again.
Also annoying is there’s no way to navigate UP a folder branch while dragging.
All these make drag & copy/move very fiddlesome.
Whereas, with cut & paste, you press command-x, and click thru to the folder you want and press command-v.
And if it’s a folder higher in the tree, it’s soooo much simpler.
A surprisingly large number of Mac users are keyboard jockeys, (unlike Windows where the mouse dominates more), So command-x in Finder would be greatly welcomed by those who like using the keyboard.
I’d also like to NOT see unrelated files when saving or opening files.
Kuswanto on January 29th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
No! cut and paste please. It’s a wrong way to handle files.
System restore is not very useful even in windows, it broke the OS in some kind of way. Backing up user home directory is a good solution for *nix OS. Windows don’t have home directory, so it’s one of the window’s flaws.
We can easily re-install OS X in just less than an hour anyway.
Agree with Remote Desktop, i love to see a lightweight free Apple Remote desktop.
Dan Ashley on January 29th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
In comment 20 Hobbs wrote:
“Cut and Paste/move: Use command+drag”
If you have deeply buried finder folders and sub folders, cmd-dragging can be pretty scary. You never know where you are going to end up with spring loaded folders popping all over the place with the slightest mis-cue of your mouse or track pad. And if you have a trackpad instead of a mouse, you sometimes bump into the edge of the track pad before you get to your destination.
What if your hand is jittery because you are on an airplane, or over 50 years old, or hung over from the college dorm party or because you are just clumsy? Dragging and dropping is very scary.
It would be much less scary to cmd-click (aka right click) on a file or folder in one finder window, and select “cut”, then simply go to the destination finder window in whatever way you choose (mouse, cmd-tab, cmd-tilda, whatever!), and then cmd-click (right click) and select “paste”. Windows has it right on this one. I’m not saying to disable command+drag, but to add the cut and paste method as an alternative for those of us who scare easily.
- Dan
Mark 2000 on January 29th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
for those worried about data lose in cut paste for file, the file is not moved in windows until you paste. If you never paste it it stays where it is. There’s no forgetting and loosing it.
I would also like to see full finder functionality in save/open dialog boxes. I’d also like to see right-click dragging of files so i can choose move/copy/shortcut after dropping a file. I know you can do this with the option keys but it more complicated and easily forgotten which key does what.
Jeff on January 29th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
Nice article.
As being a recent switcher, I would like to see most of those features implemented.
What surprised me though was that I never knew you could not cut and paste in finder. I guess I never had to cut and paste yet.
Steve Hobbs on January 29th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
Dude, bad list. I guess it means OSX got it right… mostly. Other than share any folder these really aren’t critical needs. And don’t go messing with copy and paste.
Davezilla on January 29th, 2007 at 5:25 pm
A lot of these are right on. As a longtime user of both OS’s, I have a lonve-hate relationship with the inability of each to do what the other has had for years.
While we’re bashing OS’s, will Windows ever be able to support ligatures in their fonts? Or do a decent screenshot without requiring a second app to save it in? That one is really annoying.
mdmunoz on January 29th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Finder cut and paste is supported in OS X. It’s just off by default. You can edit the preference files in the terminal to turn it back on, or just use one of the many programs that modifies hidden preferences.
Or just move with Quicksilver.
Or hold the apple key while dragging a file.
jeff on January 29th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
“Cut-and-paste in the finder is a HUGE mistake. ”
In windows when you “cut” files from a folder, nothing actually happens to the files until they are pasted into their destination.. This can be faster than drag-and-drop as using the keyboard is almost always faster than the mouse for these sorts of operations in my opinion!
Chris on January 29th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
I’ve honestly never had an issue with an update breaking stuff. System restore seems totally useless to me. If you really want it I suppose you could get out your DVD and do an upgrade…
Nalgae on January 29th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
Wow, the amount of ignorance in these comments is amazing. People are actually *afraid* of cut and paste without knowing how it actually works?
Anyway, I actually agree with most of your points. Remote Desktop is the main feature I would like to see in OSX. I use it all the time at work because I actually work in two different departments and could see more offices adapting OSX if features like remote desktop are added on.
Schneb on January 29th, 2007 at 5:30 pm
I agree with almost all of your suggestions above. I do not know what everyone is whining about with cut and paste. I think Windows does it right, it grays out what you cut, pastes it to the new location, but has a temp file written before the paste is finalized. It is ridiculous to copy, paste, go back and delete. Don’t hold you breath on a lot of these. Apple thinks Aqua is perfect as is. Which it aint. This coming from a cross-plat user for 15 years.
orta on January 29th, 2007 at 5:34 pm
Refresh in Finder from 10.4 onwards is useless, the only place it would be of any use is over a network. Finder hooks into the filesystem to be told when changes are, it doesn’t need to constantly refresh like 10.3 downwards and windows.
Linh on January 29th, 2007 at 5:35 pm
I agree very much w/ cut and paste. I agree even more with Remote Desktop. VNC doesn’t cut it. I want to be able to log in remotely, and LOCK OUT my system from anyone watching or using it.
Ann Coulter on January 29th, 2007 at 5:37 pm
A refresh button or menu item is the wrong way to go. It’s one of the “features” that I’ve disliked about Windows. Why tell the computer to refresh when it already knows that it’s outdated (some bit somewhere in memory or on disk knows that it’s changed). A better option is to always show the current list of items in the window, like the Classic MacOS.
Juha on January 29th, 2007 at 5:38 pm
Moving a deeply nested item with a single Finder window (without springs etc):
1) Locate source item.
2) Drag it to the Desktop.
3) Locate the target item.
4) Drag the source item from the Desktop to the target item.
It has been like this since Finder pre-1.0 in 1984.
It’s not that hard, isn’t it?
joe on January 29th, 2007 at 5:40 pm
but then the OS X would no longer be “Stable”
substrate on January 29th, 2007 at 5:42 pm
buahaha some of these comments just show how dumb mac users really are =)
LukeSkope on January 29th, 2007 at 5:42 pm
All you people saying no cut and paste, will it affect you adversely in any way? No. If it is implemented like Windoze so you can’t loose data if you don’t paste, is there any danger of adding it? No. Will it help some people who care to have that functionality? Yes. So WTF is your problem?
I love OSX, been using it for 5+ years now, I can’t stand using a Windoze computer, but some people have to use both and adding very simple features like this make the transition back and forth a little easier.
joe on January 29th, 2007 at 5:43 pm
i agree with much of this list. copy+paste with files is sorely missed by this switcher.
Spleeyah on January 29th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
For all the Mac users complaining about the Cut n’ Paste:
THE OLD FILE IS NOT DELETED UNTIL YOU PASTE IT!
And, if you screw up and paste it in the wrong place, you can just undo and it will be back in it’s original place. I agree that it is a HUGE pain to have to open two different windows just to drag and drop it into it’s new location, especially on a laptop where sometimes you have to lift your finger and keep scrolling, all the while holding down the mouse button.
LukeSkope on January 29th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
It’s true that you can turn cut on, but it is implemented in the way that most are concerned about. Cutting a file removes it from a folder and paste doesn’t even seem to work on my G5 10.4.8.
I put this in the “please fix Finder/make it better” category.
smallduck on January 29th, 2007 at 5:54 pm
Files contain content, the clipboard is a temporary store for content. Copy/cut+paste of files breaks this metaphor, the distinction between container and content. Isn’t anyone else bothered by this?
If people really like moving files with the keyboard, Apple should invent a similar but distict mechanism, especially because of the different behavior people seem to want for file cutting vs content cutting.
sorahn on January 29th, 2007 at 5:57 pm
Refresh isn’t needed. I’ve only a few times had a file that was never refreshed, by looking at it, but as soon as i clicked on the file, all the info (thumbnail, size, date) was corrected.
As for moving windows, i agree with it sorta, i HATE the extra window borders that are all around a window. In OS X the content goes right up to the edge and that’s the end. what they need that would be a good unobtrusive solution, is to have any of the corners support it, but only if you are holding down a modifier while in that corner.
Also i’d like the ability to lock the items that are currently in the dock. On the touch pad i constantly find myself dragging non-open apps out of the dock.
Hostile Monkey on January 29th, 2007 at 6:03 pm
The Hostile Monkey reckons that when you install PathFinder, AppZapper, MondoMouse and Quicksilver, you’ll be pretty much sorted. Cough up for Desktop Transporter and you’re done, or just wait for the iChat stuff in Leopard.
Of course, Apple COULD build all this functionality in, but then the peanut gallery would start bitching about how Apple stomps all over third party developers, while neglecting to mention that all of these apps have cadged ideas and solutions from other vendors in some form or another.
Bah. Install apps, be happy.
BobH on January 29th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
DaveZilla says, “While we’re bashing OS’s…”
Nobody is bashing, just making suggestions for enhancements that might be “borrowed” from another OS. Why do you people feel the need to start an OS war at every turn?
DacJames on January 29th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
Come on, guys, cut-and-paste wouldn’t be a big deal to include and those of you that are complaining would just never use it and everyone that wants it would. Personally I’d like a shelf like the original NeXT (I’ve played with it) had–drag the file to shelf, drag it to the destination. This keeps with the OSX “dragging is better” mentality but allows you to move files around easily with only one finder window.
Individual file sharing should be a given.
Guy on January 29th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
Well I think that finder should merge folders instead of replacing the old one with the new one. I recently bought a macbook and in the first couple of weeks, I lost two entire days work because I didn’t know that OSX didn’t merge. Even a notification that this is going to happen would be better than nothing.
Leland on January 29th, 2007 at 6:10 pm
If a file isn’t “cut”, then why say that it’s “cut” in the first place? I think that the terminology is half of anyone’s concern; it shouldn’t need this much explanation in the first place.
I’ve never heard of using the Apple/cmd key while dragging, either. Option-drag to duplicate, sure, and the space bar to spring open a folder and Exposé to make everything visible and cmd-tab while dragging to another application (great for us laptop users), but not command-drag. What’s it supposed to do?
Oh, speaking of cmd-tab — it would be nice to have the use of window-switching keyboard shortcuts while dragging a file. But, hmm… it would be redundant since Exposé is so easy, though.
ch33zer on January 29th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
Wow. In windows when a file is cut, it isn’t deleted or anything, the file icon gets lighter, letting you know it’s been cut. It doesn’t move until you hit “paste” (on the right click menu, I might add :) ) It is then transfered to the new location.
Jake on January 29th, 2007 at 6:18 pm
Mr. Jobs, PLEASE pay attention to this list! I beg you! These tiny things really are a big deal and most of them shouldn’t be too hard to implement!
-Jake
Leland on January 29th, 2007 at 6:19 pm
To Guy, regarding merging of folders –
I’m sure that you’ve noticed by now that the better way is to drag the contents of the “newer” folder to its destination. OS X will ask if you really want to replace the same-named files with the ones you’re moving.
This is a holdover from the “physical metaphor” that used to rule the Finder interface more substantially. That is, using the Finder was meant to feel like moving folders & files around a physical workspace. For example, if you have a filing cabinet and want to put in a new folder, but there’s already an older one with the same name, you’ll have to decide whether to keep the old one or to rename either folder. But, if you want to mix their documents together, you’ll still have to open up the older folder, take the documents out of the newer one, and put them inside.
If you think of files & folders in OS X’s Finder as physical objects, then the interface begins to make more sense.
actiondan on January 29th, 2007 at 6:19 pm
Cut & paste in the finder/explorer is intuitive, super-useful and nothing to be afraid of. Hard to live without once you’ve experienced it. Drag & drop is conceptually attractive but fraught with practical problems (such as mis-dropping, running out of screen estate etc).
I love OS X’s minimal window borders but frankly both it and Windows should take a leaf out of Linux’s book. Having a drag motion to allow move/resize from anywhere within the window (eg Alt-left/middle drag in Gnome) is simple to learn and stupidly efficient. Why the hell to I have to search for a 1 pixel border/corner every time I want to rearrange my desktop?
Marc on January 29th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
Windows has a much better trash folder (which is ironic considering that Apple invented it). It’s got a Restore button to undelete. It tells you the date that a file was deleted, and it let’s you permanently delete only part of the trash. I miss all those things in Mac OS X.
Leland on January 29th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
Well, then a lighter shade of icon doesn’t mean “cut” to me, it means, well, that the file is “in limbo” or something… ;-)
“Cut”, in my eyes, means that it’s surely “cut”, or removed, from that location, just like while editing in any other application. That’s another example of the physical metaphor that I also mentioned just above.
ChoJin on January 29th, 2007 at 6:26 pm
I think having a “Refresh” button would be a mistake. We have to stop thinking like Windows and start to think different ;)
More seriously, something changed… the finder should update itself, period. We shouldn’t want another extra useless button in the human interface. The bugs should just be fixed.
As for the multiple Undos and System Restore, hopefully these features will be called Time machine.
Sy5t3m on January 29th, 2007 at 6:28 pm
I like alot of these suggestions, being a longtime Windows user, but I don’t need to see them adopted in OSX. Mac users like OSX because of personal preference. I like that Vista took some good ideas from OSX that make it a nicer OS than previous Windows releases, but I don’t like the idea of a homogenous market for GUI’s. Mac should keep Mac functionality, Windows should stick to Windows, everyone’s happy. :)
dmb on January 29th, 2007 at 6:31 pm
OS X is a joke compared to windows in a lot of areas – sorry to say. I’m posting from macbook btw, and have over 5 years professional development experience on each platform.
1) Cut and paste – apple thinks we’re too stupid to grok the concept of cut and paste file is different than cut and paste text. And fanboys (some of them in this very thread) agree – they are too stupid. Sigh.
2) Finder is a joke. No default list view. No address bar (man… that sucks). No UP nav button. Its a disgrace.
3) Search sucks. Spotlight sucks. Its results suck. The indexing of attached drives sucks. Even after they botched it in XP, windows file search is light years ahead of OS X. Guess what apple – people still search for files by filename using wildcards – all the time. I don’t need to search the contents of the metaverse for my string, thanks. I actually boot parallels or boot camp into XP if I need to do some heavy searching on the OS X partition – or use easyfind.
4) The dock is a joke. Seriously. You need to keep a mental map of minimized applications to know whether its going to show in the dock – and the dock acts like an app launcher in addition to open window browser. Sucks at both jobs. The windows Task Bar is vastly superior.
5) Why – OH WHY – does finder still beachball of death when it loses a samba share? This bug is literally a DECADE old now. Will you ever fix it you $&#$%$#$$#%s?
All is not lost however, and with the correct third party apps you can make OS X quite kickass:
Witch – app switcher
Dragthing – app launcher, and windows task bar replacer
Default Folder – nice file dialogue replacer
Path Finder – this is the big daddy, replaces Finder with something leagues ahead of ANYTHING on ANY OS.
Easyfind – decent little search utility, with default folder its almost as good as right click – > search from XP.
Hide the dock and you are good to go. I wish Apple would buy ALL of these companies and roll this stuff into OS X – but they’re more interested in spending tens of millions on toys like garageband while ignoring the serious flaws in the OS.
jjjjjjb on January 29th, 2007 at 6:36 pm
How about putting in proper FTP client in the Finder as well, unlike the crippled one currently in place. Windows does this much better.
Also a “hide all but the desktop” is handy as well. Even something in the dock to make it more obvious than the option-command-clickondesktop keystroke.
Finally, the ability to rename/duplicate/trash files from the Open/Save dialogue boxes is a great feature of Windows.
Scott on January 29th, 2007 at 6:36 pm
These suggestion are all “right on”. I own a Mac consulting company and have been using Macs for 15 years. I also use Windows alot in my business. Most of the comments here that are negative, are by Mac users who know very little about Windows and are a little two over protective of Macs!
Some guy on January 29th, 2007 at 6:44 pm
http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/ichat.html
Share and share alike
Remote control takes on a whole new meaning with iChat in Leopard. Thanks to iChat Screen Sharing, you and your buddy can observe and control a single desktop via iChat, making it a cinch to collaborate with colleagues, browse the Web with a friend, or pick the perfect plane seats with your spouse. Share your own desktop or share your buddy’s — you both have complete control at all times. And when you start a Screen Sharing session, iChat automatically initiates an audio chat so you can talk things through while you’re at it.
Charlie Hayes on January 29th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
I am both a Windows user and a MacOS X user.
“One of the biggest differences between Mac and Windows users is that Mac users typically drag-and-drop their files to move them from one place to another while Windows users cut-and-paste them”
Have you seen studies that show that is how Windows users manage files? How are you drawing these conclusions? As a Windows user, I use drag and drop. As a Mac user, I can say that you can already do this.
“removing both the application and its associated files strewn around the system”
Since when do uninstallers regularly clean up after themselves well? I would say it is as often as an application on a Mac worth writing an uninstaller for. I haven’t even looked at free/used space on my computers for years. Do we really need to worry about that sort of thing? What about the gigabytes that Windows installs without options to remove? At least on MacOS X they are named well and put in well named folders.
“apply its pixie dust (see SoundJam -> iTunes)”
SoundJam was and is an amazing application. iTunes is arguably no better. It’s simplified, but you lose so much power.
“Individual Folder Sharing”
Windows litters the whole experience with ‘shared folders’ all over. This is before *any* manual shares by users. One could argue that pre-made shared folders (however much more discrete in the Mac case) lead to a much better user experience. You don’t have orphaned shared folders all over the system requiring a relatively complicated application to find, you have much more consistency, and you don’t have to mess with permissions. I think a better solution would be better integration of symlinks.
“Refresh keystroke/toolbar button for Finder windows”
I think a better option would be to fix the file change monitoring.
“it can automatically view in Thumbnails mode”
I find that I more often than not am unpleasantly surprised when Windows chooses the ‘best’ way to view my files. I set a *global default* in folder options, yet it ignores this. I believe Leopard is getting ‘quick slideshow’ and much better file viewing.
“Multiple Undo’s in the Finder”
I hope it doesn’t end up being as mysterious as Window’s global multiple undo where the menu item is “Undo Move” and it’s left up to me what file/folder that is.
“longstanding feature of Windows is that any side or corner of a window can be used to resize it”
In MacOS Classic, you could drag any side of the window to move it, allowing you to move the title bar out of view, better mouse-locality, etc. One could argue either way for hours, but in the end, it’s ugly and wastes space. I don’t like it. How often do you find yourself resizing windows anyway? And if you don’t have single pixel mouse movement abilities, 3 or 4 would be pushing it also.
“System Restore”
Ah yes, another mysterious Windows feature. This often ends up doing more harm than good. When it’s really necessary to use, i.e.: Windows wont boot, it’s pretty crazy hard to find/hard to use, especially for novices. Not to mention the fact that when you need to use it there’s probably a deeper issue at hand that a System Restore wont fix, so its just taking up huge amounts of disk space and computing time to run. I disable it every time I reinstall Windows, and I have never once wished I hadn’t. Side note: I have never had to reinstall OSX.
Cory Micek on January 29th, 2007 at 7:07 pm
the finder refreshes itself automatically; you’re a complete tool.
Ozzie on January 29th, 2007 at 7:09 pm
There is a simple solution: use Gnome. Nautilus is powerful, easy to use, and looks good.
Dave M. on January 29th, 2007 at 7:15 pm
Application Uninstall is a questionable need. Sure AppZapper and CleanApp are basically application uninstallers. However, if an App or tool installs itself in a way that can’t be removed by simply taking the Application Icon and dragging it to the trash, then I would suggest making sure the Install App has an uninstall option. I really wouldn’t want an average user trying to decipher some of the files they would have to in order to remove addons and such that are not installed in the Applications folder.
System Restore is evil and should not come anywhere near OS X! My father used it to jump back to a time when a virus wasn’t on his system. He thought that would be a good way to deal with it. It wiped out changes well past a virus getting into the system and took out his internet drivers and settings.
It took me about 30 minutes to get the system even close to the way it was before and I’m sure the virus is still in there.
If Time Machine does what System Restore did, I’m sure it will do it much better and safer or it won’t do it at all.
Kyle on January 29th, 2007 at 7:15 pm
My List:
#1: OS X is a terrible multi-monitor OS. I have 3 monitors, an open app’s menu bar can be over 2400 pixels away; this is simply poor design, at the very least allow a menu bar per monitor. The current bit of design cruft made sense when monitors were less than 500x and 9×9 or so, but the current menu bar model is just embarrassing.
#2: There is no utility to snap windows at an OS level.
#3: Critically poor handling of file sharing. If there is a network share that becomes unavailable (wifi etc) the finder can freak out and lock up completely. This is poor style. Connecting to samaba shares is also painfully slow and the finder window does not update correctly (and there is no refresh as the article points out)
#4: There are no utilities to resize windows automagically (like utils xp, keystrokes to make the window half the size of the monitor and snap to the left for instance)
#5: itunes is generally a piece of crap, is slow etc. iTunes auto updating added media to a folder would be a start.
#6: The interface is generally sluggish, it needs more a more snappy feel. (on a dual core)
You on January 29th, 2007 at 7:17 pm
Honestly… the lack of a finder cut/paste operation is probably THE most frustrating part of Mac OS. As for your point Leland, when you cut a file in Windows, essentially it is on the clipboard… however, if you then copy or cut something else, the file is not lost, but instead returned to its previous folder.
Wenzi on January 29th, 2007 at 7:20 pm
Your list would ruin a mac. You want Apple to remove the ‘pixie dust’ from OSX. OSX is a great operating system designed for the market that Apple sells into.
May I suggest you stop using a Mac. It would be better for all involved if you just went back to using a PC.
Nathan on January 29th, 2007 at 7:32 pm
Do a little more research next time. Time Machine supports restoring your entire system to a previous point in time. It also supports backing up to a remote server and the ability to reconstruct your entire hard drive if it gets corrupted, or even stolen.
“With Time Machine, you can restore your whole system from any past backups and peruse the past with ease. … When you find the file you want, just select it and restore it. Time Machine brings it into the present. You can do the same with a group of files, whole folders, even your entire system.” — http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/timemachine.html
As for multiple undo in the Finder, as long as it uses Core Data the undo functionality will be available ‘for free’ (as they’re fond of saying about Core Data). Presumably an updated Finder will use the new frameworks in Mac OS X, so this is almost a given.
Number 3 would be incredibly easy. You could probably do it with an Automator action, creating a symlink to the folder from your Shared folder to the currently selected item.
Rafael Nevarez on January 29th, 2007 at 7:36 pm
I think the best way to implement the AppZapper functionality is to add a behavior to the Trash can when you drag an App into it. You drag an App to the trash, the system automatically finds the addittional files that has to erase aditionally. I dont think this is too complicated. :) and keeps the actual simplicity of the process
derek on January 29th, 2007 at 7:41 pm
I can’t believe he said system restore ….lol..well i hope you understand that leopard is rapped in a svn called time machine
me personly would like gui support for NFS but thats just me!
David on January 29th, 2007 at 7:48 pm
Cut/pasting files does not work the same way as cut/pasting text. When working with files, only a reference to the file is stored in the clipboard. If you cut another file before pasting your original cut, only the reference is replaced, not the actual file.
Me on January 29th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
Being stuck with only being able to resize windows in the corner is a constant frustration. Worse, several times, whether because of bugs or who knows, I’ve gotten windows into a state where it was bigger than the screen vertically, so it wasn’t even *possible* to get to the resize corner. You have to either close the window, or, if you’re lucky, the green button will put the whole window back on the screen. Frames are not unaesthetic unless you’re incredibly picky, and I’ll take function over form any day. My computer is a tool, not a piece of art.
Dan on January 29th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
In OS X, I find it very useful to be able to select multiple files and copy A LIST OF THE FILES AS TEXT into the clipboard. Windows cannot do this and if you made OS X work like Windows you would kill this feature on a Mac. Also, I dare you to ‘copy’ some files that are currently open in Windows and then try to paste into a text document (something very easy to do accidentally) … it took ten minutes for that mess to clear up.
And please, Apple, DO NOT make your finders list view work anything like the Windows detailed view. In Windows, you sort by name, but folders are still grouped together (Lame), you sort by size, but it can’t compute a folder’s size (Lame), you add a file to that folder, it’s at the end of the list and YOU HAVE TO refresh or re-sort… LAME LAME LAME
System Restore & Multiple Undos == Time Machine
PS. I use both platforms extensively and can only stand XP when it’s in classic mode.
BK on January 29th, 2007 at 8:05 pm
@Matthew Smith
When you cut and paste files in XP, the file is not deleted, only until it is pasted is it deleted. When you cut the file(s) they become transparent looking letting you know they are cut, if you go and cut/copy something else before pasting the files they just go back to looking solid instead of transparent. Cut and paste basically works as a move file command.
Muneer on January 29th, 2007 at 8:07 pm
The only needed feature on that list is RDC. Oh, But wait!! They already have that!! http://www.apple.com/remotedesktop/
dodo on January 29th, 2007 at 8:23 pm
There’s obviously a lot of parallels between the two OS’s, even among the “experts” there are many features that have parity on both systems that you guys don’t even know about. It’s hilarious reading through this stuff!
Leland on January 29th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
So, the words “cut and paste” mean one thing in every application, but mean something else entirely in the Finder? Why?
Again, Cut & Paste doesn’t make enough sense, and not simply enough, for me to think it should be included.
Imagine trying to explain it to my mom. That’s just not going to happen. She’s a very object-oriented person, and even after having used two iMacs over seven years, she’ll take a long time to grasp cut & paste in the Finder. She has no problem with it in PageMaker or Pages or Photoshop or iMovie or anything else, though.
We’re all geeks here. We all know more about OSes than most people walking down the street. What we CAN’T do is make something as convoluted as we’re capable of imagining.
Remember the original Mac ads? Something about “the computer for the rest of us.”
Mark on January 29th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
Good points, all of them. The VNC stuff in OSX is however about as good as they come, so not sure what else you’re asking for there (aside from an apple branded free VNC client).
Alex on January 29th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
Add one more: some way to maximize the current window. Please.
And put another damned mouse button on the MacBook. Just… get over it.
Leland on January 29th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
Why put another mouse button on a laptop? You already have four click modifier keys right next to the trackpad anyway.
Alex on January 29th, 2007 at 9:00 pm
So that I don’t have to hold down some modifier. I can just… click. This should just… work.
cpawl on January 29th, 2007 at 9:05 pm
Funny, most of the things you say OS X needs I think Windows does completely wrong. I am a mac user forced to use Windows at work for the the past ten years. MOving things in windows is a pain, cut and paste or not. Everything takes place in one Window most of the time.
Click to open Window
navigate , find, cut navigate back, click new location, navigate in – paste.
Or APPLE + N open window, find file drag to destination. Cut and paste doesn’t even make sense in the physical world. This is why Apple doe not use it. It’s not that no one “will get it” it’s that it is bad practice. Of course, Windows users find this more efficient, because you are use to taking the long way home.
I would agree with the Remote Desktop function – Apple’s lack of this annoys the hell out of me.
Resizing windows from every corner is an overkill and a waste of time. That is like saying let’s put back buttons on every corner of the borwser because I am too lazy to reach for the one that already exists.
Multiple Undos? Why? So you can umdo, undo, undo, uh where the heck was I to begin with. By the time you undo 5 times (most likely something like moving a file around) you could easily just drag to file to where you want it again. Another Windows only logic here… using multiple undos because the actual “do’ took more steps than you would rather “do” again.
The Refresh button idea is not only pointless but retarded. There is no reason, OS X or Windows should not update live. Expecting a user to refresh is an insult to a modern operating system. What am I refreshing anyway? I just dragged in 10 files in a finder window, renamed all of them, and then dragged them out- the finder updated instantly.
The shared folder issue might seem like a downfall to Windows people, but I personally like that ALL my shared stuff is is one location instead of scattered all over the OS. This is more secure, more organized, and works the way a directory should. I always the know the path, I always knwo the purpose, and I usually know the content because I took time to put it there.
Leland on January 29th, 2007 at 9:08 pm
I don’t understand the problem.
If it should have more than one button, then how many should it have? One for the regular click, one for control-click, one for shift-click, one for command-click, one for option-click, another for option-shift click….?
See where I’m going with this?
Of the modified mouse clicks, I use control-click maybe just a third of the time. I’m using one of the other modifiers the rest of the time. Adding a second mouse button won’t make those other clicks any easier.
cpawl on January 29th, 2007 at 9:13 pm
Speaking of shared folders… make a folder with an action or automator workflow- sit it on the desktop or drag an alias to it in your finder window. The action can be to move the folder to the user public folder. Now drag-drop- done. Eveything in one place.
WD on January 29th, 2007 at 9:30 pm
“And put another damned mouse button on the MacBook. Just… get over it.”
Jesus just put a second finger on the track pad! THEN CLICK! Haven’t you ever used a MacBook????
WD on January 29th, 2007 at 9:35 pm
BTW you can also scroll using two fingers as well. It’s very nice.
Kyle on January 29th, 2007 at 9:46 pm
“If it should have more than one button, then how many should it have? One for the regular click, one for control-click, one for shift-click, one for command-click, one for option-click, another for option-shift click….?
See where I’m going with this?”
Yeah, I see what you did there, you’re trying to make an argument based on false assumptions. The only modifier+click that’s used heavily is ctrl+click, which should be available as right click on laptops. (like it is on apple brand stand-alone mice, I bet the majority of users would pay over $50 alone for this ‘upgrade’ on an mbp)
“Resizing windows from every corner is an overkill and a waste of time. ”
Who’s time? Hunting for a resize corner is a waste of my time, and not snapping windows is a waste of my time.
“The Refresh button idea is not only pointless but retarded. There is no reason, OS X or Windows should not update live.”
I agree with this one, but after 6 years of failure, maybe the OS X devs should give up and allow the user to refresh instead of having a broken out-of-date finder window. Either admit defeat and give the user more control or do it right.
John on January 29th, 2007 at 9:47 pm
Great writeup..Now I’ll confess Im a windows power user, BUT I do admire the smooth elegance of the OSX GUI. Ive tried Apple computers at times during work and many of the things you mention in your article are things that irked me about OSX.
cpawl on January 29th, 2007 at 10:04 pm
“Resizing windows from every corner is an overkill and a waste of time. “
“Who’s time? Hunting for a resize corner is a waste of my time, and not snapping windows is a waste of my time.”
–
Hunting? For what? The same location – on every window – in every application. Do you also “hunt” for your “enter” or “return” key? Do you “hunt” for your “addess bar” or “back button”. A fixed location for a fixed function makes sense.
Leland on January 29th, 2007 at 10:11 pm
I’m not “trying to make an argument based on false assumptions”. Don’t give me that crap.
In fact, the modified mouse click I use the most — by FAR, when you include Safari — is command-click.
It opens links in new tabs, shows the path when clicked on a window’s title bar, selects & deselects multiple items in the Finder and in menus, etc etc.
Sure, maybe I could configure a second mouse button on my laptop to do command-click instead of control-click, but what about when someone else borrows it? They would have a hell of a time just using my computer.
This is one of those things that just shouldn’t be changed so drastically.
Nate on January 29th, 2007 at 10:23 pm
@joe
“as far as I can tell, all AppZapper does anyway is do a Spotlight search, with many a little bit of smart result’s editing. While I bought it myself and use it a lot (it’s great), it actually is a ripoff. Apple doesn’t even need to buy it – it’s practically built into OS X already. This is a 2 day job by an Apple programmer….”
It does not do a spotlight search. I disabled spotlight a few months ago and it does affect some things, but appzapper is not one of them. And the reason Apple would buy it would be because it is intellectual property of its coder. It’s just the proper thing to do.
chadseld on January 29th, 2007 at 10:32 pm
Refresh issues were fixed in 10.4. If there are cases in which icons do not refresh, then the underlying mechanism needs to be fixed. Adding a refresh menu is extremely retarded.
Cut and Paste in finder/explorer breaks the cut and paste paradigm because the ‘cut’ does not remove the original item until it is pasted. This is different from the way cut works in a text editor. Be consistent at all times!
I’m not sure I’ve ever had a use for system restore even on my Windows PC’s, but I’m game.
The rest of your suggestions are spot on.
Jesse Gardner on January 29th, 2007 at 10:35 pm
One thing that drives me BATTY is that Finder displays the folders all mixed up with the other files. Windows has all the directories right up at the top making drilling down through file structures easy. With Finder, it’s a guessing game every time.
Visigoth on January 29th, 2007 at 10:46 pm
Use Unix-style window dragging; hold down a key like Alt and left-click to drag the window, hold down another key/different mouse button to resize it.. from anywhere on the window. This reduces the need for ANY edges, corners or titlebars on windows once you get used to it, plus is reduces the need to hunt for pixels that let you resize it. Since this is such a common task, once you’ve grown accustomed to it in Gnome, KDE, Xfce or any other decent window manager in Linux/etc, it is a shock to come back to OSX or Windows.
xazuru on January 29th, 2007 at 10:54 pm
I agree with your opinion. Even though OSX is better in most cases, some things are better in Windows.
Leland on January 29th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
If you don’t need to control a remote Mac, and only need to send files to it, it’s very easy to do without any add-on software.
I did it on a whim once while chatting with my dad. I had him tell me the IP address as shown in the Network pane of System Preferences, then I pasted it into the Connect To Server… dialog in Finder. I used their username & password, logged in, and there it was.
Apart from the photocasting in iPhoto ‘06, this was the best way to send nearly two gigs of Christmas pics to my parents. I don’t know why it would need to be a separate application.
Leland on January 29th, 2007 at 11:34 pm
Oh, and don’t forget –
This whole discussion is a small percentage of what’s been discussed in the offices over in Cupertino.
If someone thinks that they’re talking about anything that Apple hasn’t discussed already, they’re mistaken.
Chris on January 30th, 2007 at 12:07 am
Corey, you’re wrong. It refreshes when it feels like it. It does more so in Tiger than Panther, but is still a problem. In the end I wrote an Automator script to refresh the Finder.
And yes, Apple swears on they’re website it does, but they’re wrong too.
Chard on January 30th, 2007 at 12:11 am
People against cut and paste – In windows the file is not removed from the old location until its pasted somewhere else. It becomes a move file operation. So data loss is a non-issue, unless you paste to a floppy or cd and then loose it, in which case you probably should have copied it anyway. my appologies to anyone who may have already pointed this out, I didn’t read all the posts.
Leland on January 30th, 2007 at 12:58 am
For the last time, and I don’t think I need to explain it any further:
Why is “cut” not really a “cut” operation when it comes to cut & paste in a file browser?
In other words, why even call it “cut” at all? It’s not doing a “cut” as defined in every other application & operation, so it shouldn’t be called by that term. Call it “move” or something, but absolutely do NOT call it “cut”.
As chadseld said earlier, “Cut and Paste in finder/explorer breaks the cut and paste paradigm because the ‘cut’ does not remove the original item until it is pasted. This is different from the way cut works in a text editor. Be consistent at all times!”.
I agree completely.
Kyle on January 30th, 2007 at 1:32 am
”
I’m not “trying to make an argument based on false assumptions”. Don’t give me that crap.
”
You’re trying to claim average usage patterns don’t favor a single modifier for rt-click, but clearly they do. Ctrl-click is the obvious choice for rt-click as my user testing and apples pro testing has confirmed, and as it was designed that way by apple, note they use ctrl-click as right click in their own hardware.
”
In fact, the modified mouse click I use the most — by FAR, when you include Safari — is command-click.
”
Good for you, nothing is stopping you from continuing to do that.
”
Sure, maybe I could configure a second mouse button on my laptop to do command-click instead of control-click, but what
”
Why would you do that, the cmd button isn’t going anywhere?
”
about when someone else borrows it? They would have a hell of a time just using my computer.
”
Why? The guest login uses the defaults?
”
This is one of those things that just shouldn’t be changed so drastically.
”
It’s not drastic, we’ve had 15 years to adjust.
buddhistMonkey on January 30th, 2007 at 1:35 am
First, Apple has already announced that the Leopard version of iChat is going to have Desktop sharing built in. You’ll even be able to use your microphone to communicate while you’re controlling the remote Desktop. So scratch #4 off the list.
Second, a refresh button is stupid. The Finder should (and generally does) update itself automatically — when it doesn’t, that’s a bug. A refresh button is just a workaround for that bug. Fix the bug, lose the refresh button. And for the record, Command-R is the Finder command for Show Original when you have an alias selected. It’s been that way since at least System 9.
Lastly, if you want to resize your windows from anywhere within the window, download the free Application Enhancer plug-in WindowDragon. It will also let you move any window or group of windows by dragging anywhere within them.
Kyle on January 30th, 2007 at 1:39 am
”
For the last time, and I don’t think I need to explain it any further:
Why is “cut” not really a “cut” operation when it comes to cut & paste in a file browser?
In other words, why even call it “cut” at all? It’s not doing a “cut” as defined in every other application & operation, so it shouldn’t be called by that term. Call it “move” or something, but absolutely do NOT call it “cut”.
”
For the last time, and I don’t think I need to explain it any further:
Why is “paste” not really a “paste” operation when it comes to copy & paste in a file browser?
In other words, why even call it “paste” at all? It’s not doing a “paste” as defined in every other application & operation, so it shouldn’t be called by that term. Call it “clone” or something (”copy here” is a lot more accurate), but absolutely do NOT call it “paste”.
Pbizzle on January 30th, 2007 at 1:49 am
A maximize button really should be an option.
Hoopman on January 30th, 2007 at 1:55 am
Use this 5 dollar shareware if you need cut n paste.
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/21769
Command + drag used with spring loading folders is the same thing. Most user dont know that the space bar will open a folder immediately. No need to wait for the default time when hovering a file over a folder.
Dirk on January 30th, 2007 at 1:57 am
I would like to have the menu bar on top of each program app. If you have two big screens, you sometimes have to drag big distances to the menu bar on the no 1 screen.
Tom Waits on January 30th, 2007 at 2:02 am
Schneb wrote: “It is ridiculous to copy, paste, go back and delete. Don’t hold you breath on a lot of these. Apple thinks Aqua is perfect as is. Which it aint. This coming from a cross-plat user for 15 years.”
You do know that you can just MOVE a file don’t you – maybe you should learn your operating system a little better before assuming something has to be done a certain way. I’d hate to think you’ve been this unproductive for 15 years.
SpeedAbuser on January 30th, 2007 at 2:03 am
How come the most annoying thing is’nt listed here? I’m talking about the fact that there is no way to sort files by type in OS X. I want all my folders to be placed in the top of every finder-window, but to see that I have to use 3-party software like Path Finder.
Hoopman on January 30th, 2007 at 2:24 am
You can sort by type. The list is displayed alphabetically. Folder starts with the letter F.
Use color labeling if you want more options for sorting a list.
Dennis Tennis on January 30th, 2007 at 2:38 am
By the way, how come OS X doesn’t sort items correctly when you rename something? Seriously, try it – let’s say there’s a folder with 5 subfolders:
v Folder
> Subfolder 1 | Mails
> Subfolder 2 | Phones
> Subfolder 3 | Streets
> Subfolder 4 | Transport
> Subfolder 5 | Undo
Now, let’s say you need to rename these (change the | characters to – so that Windows users can see the folder names correctly). You move to #1, hit Enter to rename it (no comment on that particular short key!), change the character, hit Enter again to confirm the new name. So far, so good. Now you go down a row, hit Enter again, change the name,
SB on January 30th, 2007 at 2:39 am
Why don’t you just sell your Apple and buy a bloody Windows-based PC instead??
Dennis Tennis on January 30th, 2007 at 2:42 am
…argh, hit the wrong button there.
continued:
(… hit Enter again, change the name,) confirm the new name, but wait! Now Finder sometimes will reorder the Subfolders! The new order is now #2, #1, #3, #4, #5. You go down a row and hit Enter because you haven’t noticed yet. Then you realize: whoops, I’ve already edited Subfolder 1 – well, I’ll just confirm this as it is and go one row down to #3. But! As soon as you confirm, the order is corrected to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 again, and you find yourself (cursor down, Enter) editing #2, which is also already done. Drats!
Sorry about the double post :)
Paulo Gomes on January 30th, 2007 at 2:57 am
For moving objects a different drag&drop aproach will be more logic for me. Moving in 2 steps:
1. first move the object outside original location (drag up)
2. the object(or group of objects is allways visible in screen (will stay allways on top and other windows are faded) user can open location and pick up object again and drag it down.
jfmiller52 on January 30th, 2007 at 3:03 am
Can’t believe the author didn’t mention the ability to join an Active Directory domain. This would really help the apple’s adoption in the work place.
Brandon Paddock on January 30th, 2007 at 3:27 am
Some corrections:
1) Cut and paste for files makes perfect sense. No user is ever going to be confused by the way that works in Windows. Windows users aren’t idiots. And cut/copy operations do NOT mean the source is immediately copied to a “temporary storage container” as somebody claimed. That’s how it works for text, sure, but when you copy files in the Finder, they don’t actually get copied until you paste them somewhere. The clipboard only holds references to them, nothing more.
2) Someone said that you can “back up your home directory” and that this would accomplish the same thing as System Restore. Of course, it will do nothing of the sort. But it’s interesting to see what non-Windows users imagine System Restore to do.
3) The same person claimed that Windows doesn’t have home directories, which of course it does and has for over a decade. Sometimes we call it the “User directory” or “User profile” but it’s the same thing. “cd %homepath%” will get you there in a console window.
4) Window refreshing. Some people seem to think that Windows Explorer doesn’t automatically update if the contents of the current folder change. Of course it does, and has for a long time (at least since Windows 2000 – much longer than the Mac has). There actually is no refresh button either, though you can get to the refresh command from the View menu or the context menu. Why is this useful? Because sometimes you’ll browse non-filesystem locations that don’t necessarily provide change notifications to the shell like the filesystem does. An example might be the shell extension for ActiveSync that lets you browse your mobile device, or a network share hosted by a non-Windows server that doesn’t implement those notifications (or if the notification was lost in a network hiccup, for example). It’s a useful fallback.
5) Mouse buttons. When you lay your hand on a mouse, how many fingers do you have on the top of it? My guess is two. Thus two buttons is quite natural, and having a button for a context menu is invaluable. Right-click drag is handy too. Furthermore, I use a mouse with a wheel (which functions as a middle button) and 3 thumb buttons on the side (back/forward, and a task-switch button that triggers Flip 3D). Using my mouse, I can perform tasks like reading documents and browsing the web without using the keyboard at all.
6) Folder sharing. Windows actually uses the same idea as the Mac, except it’s called the Public folder (or “All Users” on older versions). You can enable read-only or read/write sharing of the Public folder with basically one click. Or you can share any other folder you like, if you’re a more advanced user.
Many Mac users here seem very adverse to giving people options. Perhaps that’s indicative of a problem in Apple’s design philosophy that has held them back over the years.
Flávio Furlan on January 30th, 2007 at 3:43 am
Instead to use Install/Uninstall Windows like, I think that OS X upcoming versions uses Linux Debian apt-get application.
Namo on January 30th, 2007 at 7:32 am
Windows users think Mac users are arrogant, yet they think just because Mac useres don’t like a windows feature that windows people like, we don’t know anything about windows. I can garuntee you anyone in america has had planty of time with windows, so when we say we don’t like a feature or we like the Mac way of drag-n-drop we are not speaking out of ignorance.
1. Cut and Paste
No thanks. I am perfectly aware of how this works on windows. I think there is a better solution. I would rather duplicate my current window and move up a directory then drag and drop then cut and paste any day. The problem is you can’t duplicate a finder window and you can’t intuitively move up the directory with out a keyboard command.
2. Applications Uninstaller
I agree that there needs to be a better way to uninstall Apps on a mac. Right now I just search the files and delete them. But the way you uninstall files on windows isn’t the solution. I’me never sure if all the files are uninstalled on windows.
3. Individual Folder Sharing
I question how folder-sharing will effect the security model of OS X.
4. Remote Desktop Connection
Apple has chosen to let third party developers provide this function. And i think they made the right one.
5. Refresh keystroke/toolbar button for Finder windows
Fix the problem not the symptom. In 10.4, I think they did just that.
6. Expanded Finder View Options
The finder already provides a lot of this functionality. its improved upon in 10.5 So I’ll agree somewhat with this quibble.
7. Multiple Undos in the Finder
Agree : ). But if they do it, they must do it right.
8. Resize windows from more than just bottom-right corner
9. Put URL of downloaded files in Get Info’s Comments field
Agreed
In conclusions I think there can be arguments made from both sides. But remember that Apple is not trying to make a Windows clone. All new switchers of OS X should give OS X a change as is with out any fiddling with the system or changing the default programs. Then you can be a real judge on how things are done on the Mac.
Peace out guys
Jarrod on January 30th, 2007 at 7:43 am
try Filecutter
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/21769
DESCRIPTION
FileCutter is a context menu plugin that brings two new file management features to the Finder context menu. In addition to Apple’s offered ability to copy and paste files, FileCutter lets you cut files before pasting, and lets you paste an alias to a copied file rather than make a duplicate file.
WHAT’S NEW
Version 1.2:
* Added Copy To… and Move To… commands.
* Reduced PPC system requirements.
Harry Lime on January 30th, 2007 at 8:21 am
Instead of adding borders for window resize, I think a two finger gesture to grow and shring windows ala iPhone would be awesome.
Brian on January 30th, 2007 at 8:23 am
What Dan (#74 said)!
There is nothing wrong with file handling in OS X. List view in Windows is LAME. Not beging able to easily copy filenames in windows is lamer. (Program much?)
And DUH, the reason there are so many similarities is that Microsoft never does anything original, they only copy what Apple has done years before and then change something idiotic to make wintards (many on this very thread) think there is something ‘innovative’ going on.
Tom on January 30th, 2007 at 8:29 am
“I agree even more with Remote Desktop. VNC doesn’t cut it. I want to be able to log in remotely, and LOCK OUT my system from anyone watching or using it.”
So buy Timbuktu, which has this feature built-in.
Why not support third-party products instead of expecting Apple to develop everything?
55IsABigLie on January 30th, 2007 at 8:43 am
While OSX is not perfect, it’s more elegant than windows is. I find there is a way to do
Windows type stuff for almost every feature. Except one. This is the only one I wish they would hurry up and fix. It’s kinda embarrasing, and that is this: A NATIVE, RECURSING FILE COUNT!
Yes, the Unix world loves slamming out cryptic commands to simulate it, but it doesn’t help with the reality of work where you are counting many folders with subfolders and do not want to keep switching to command line. (A command line? Damn..)
I’ve been searching for a utility that is 1) non obtrusive 2) does the job without extra baggage and I STILL can’t find it in 2007.
Ok, we’re on which zillionth major revision and STILL no decent file count? (Oh and if you don’t believe file count is important- you are NOT in business today.)
File counts are the fastest way to tell me that my checklist is complete, all objects are accounted for and I’m just generally doing what I think I should be doing. Programmers do checksums for error detection, file counts are the desktop version.
Sketch on January 30th, 2007 at 8:56 am
A GUI for handling ACLs; this is an Enterprise-level feature that I personally would appreciate.
Better keyboard navigation. Sometimes I really resent the mouse.
Built-in theme support.
downstairsdave on January 30th, 2007 at 9:33 am
Hmm…Cut and Paste is a BAD idea, having worked in support I know it would be WAY too easy for users to lose data. This is a misfeature on Windows and shouldn’t ever come to the Mac. App uninstaller, not a terrible idea although not that big a deal. Folder sharing, ok but not that big a market for it and advanced users will get Sharepoints. RDC- just use a simple VNC program and the built-in client support. Finder Refresh- YES. Extended Info- some of that is coming in Leopard with QuickLook. Window resizing, sure although OS 9 had it and it isn’t much tougher as currently implemented. System restore…maybe, although Apple is hot on having customers use the current releases/updates. Older point releases are quickly deprecated and the focus is on getting everything current and working.
Rob on January 30th, 2007 at 10:21 am
In response to those who say there’s no way to move *UP* a directory, not true. Command-click on the Finder window title. A pop-up file path will appear, allowing you to easily move all the way up to the top level directory.
Grant on January 30th, 2007 at 10:21 am
Two big things I’d like to see OS X copy from Windows: 1) The ability to delete a single file from the trash without having to empty the entire thing. 2) The ability to restore a file from the trash via right click -> restore. The only way to restore a file on OS X is to drag it from the trash to where it belongs, but if you don’t know where it belongs you’re screwed.
I also agree that Cut and Paste is needed. That’s the feature I miss most from Windows.
Jay on January 30th, 2007 at 10:21 am
Please, not the Uninstaller!!!
It leaves files strewn throughout the system and doesn’t consistently remove registry entries. Maybe the OS X version could be better than it is but not much. Delete the preferences and the app’s folder and that’s about it.
Windows Uninstaller is total crap!
Pecos Bill on January 30th, 2007 at 10:34 am
Just because Windoze has it doesn’t mean that OS needs it. Those who haven’t used Windoze may panic the moment they cut a file then cut again. EVERYWHERE else, that action destroys the first item. Is it THAT difficult to drag to the desktop or other location then drag to a target?
Unlinke Windreck, leaving any files behind when deleting an app doesn’t harm anything with one exception: the (kernel) extensions folder. There are, rightly so, few items that go there. If you’re that worried about disk space, you need to look at the other stuff that hoovers up the space.
I DESPISE how difficult it is to target windows for resize on Windoze. Not every app gives you a grow box like Macs. You must be a windows fan.
I would agree on Remote Desktop. You can do that now yourself with VNC though it would be nice to have it pre-installed.
Finder windows should, under Tiger (10.4), automatically refresh all local contents today. There may be issues with server volumes that I’m not aware of. In 10.3, clicking on a backgrounded window will do what you want so that likely is held over for servers. Issuing a refresh command is too geeky and should not be required — even on server connections.
SharePoints: yes, it shouldn’t require a server. As you said, you’re really talking Classic, which Windows borrowed from. You were just pointing out that it still exists on windrek.
I agree with the rest and Leopard will address some. Yes, I suffer on Windreck at work.
doctornote on January 30th, 2007 at 10:40 am
RDC for Mac, yes! I’m amazed. At my office I have an intel mac I usethe mac os for 99.99% of my work, and windows xp pro running on Parallels for those few things where the Mac version of software is vastly inferior – can you say Quickbooks – hello Intuit. Anyway, from my home Mac, I can log into the Windows portion of my office computer and it’s speedy – just like I’m sitting in front of that computer. I can log into the Mac side with Chicken of the VNC and it it’s slow and clunky. I hate to say, I actually shudder to say it, but this is one thing Microsoft has done so much better than Apple. Come on Apple, you can do better!
heavyboots on January 30th, 2007 at 10:48 am
I wrote a “Refresh Frontmost Finder Window” script back in 10.2. Haven’t needed it much in 10.4, but here ’tis if anyone desires it.
– begin script
try
tell application “Finder”
tell front window
update every item with necessity
end tell
end tell
on error
display dialog “Couldn’t find a Finder window to update OR the window you have tried to update is empty.
Please make sure you have at least one window open in the Finder first and that it has at least one item in it.” buttons “OK” default button 1
end try
– end script
Save it as an app and use QuickSilver or MaxMenus to get it to launch via kbd.
Matt Carrell on January 30th, 2007 at 10:55 am
Come on.. NO NEED FOR SYSTEM RESTORE.. Why? This is already slated for Leopard under Time Machine.. duH!
bob johnson on January 30th, 2007 at 11:16 am
Whenever I hear a mac zealot begin speaking, I shut off my ears.
I don’t know how anyone uses those stupid boxes. The only thing I’m able to tell that thing is good for is email and IM.
That’s it, macs suck for developers.
Pecos Bill on January 30th, 2007 at 11:18 am
Oh yeah, I HATE Windoze resize. I just grabbed the title bar. NOPE! WRONG. I grabbed the damn edge so no window move for me. YUCK. You can keep that miserable idea.
photomacuser on January 30th, 2007 at 11:45 am
Number one should be the return of the functionality of the Apple menu! The dock is cumbersome. In OS 9, you could get to Control panels/Printers (Chooser) and could add anything to your Favorites folder. You could also access your Applications and any other folder, file or Application by placing an alias in the Apple Menu Items folder. The heirarchal menus have almost completely disappeared and opening a Finder window is tedious. I know I can put a folder in the dock, but it does not work as well as accessing items in the old Apple Menu. I also want the trash can on the desktop.
As a photographer, I am appalled at the fact that the Finder chokes on displaying folders with large numbers of image files. When reading a DVD with a thousand jpeg images in a folder, it takes at least 3 minutes before it displays any files. I guess this is because the finder is building thumbs of each image. I doesn’t even display the names! You have to wait until it is done caching all the thumbs. This is regardless of the View you select. I believe that the pc creates thumbs that are stored in the same folder, but it doesn’t seem to happen with the Mac. Anyway, using the Finder to browse images-especially on DVD data discs is abysmal! Using an image browsing application is the only solution. Speed up the Finder please.
One last item is the Printer set-up and dialog menus. The worst is the printer dialog where you have no less than five different drop downs! Why not give us one menu with all the paper/quality and other settings rather than having to jump through hoops every time just to print one color photo?
Thanks!
Phillip Winn on January 30th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
1. Cut and paste is fine. I won’t tend to use it, but it won’t get in my way.
2. If they implement an uninstaller that works better than Windows Add/Remove, then great. Otherwise, I’d rather have nothing at all. Windows Add/Remove is dreadful!
3. I would have sworn I’ve done this, but maybe I dropped to the command line to do it. Yes, this should be easy.
4. You want them to bundle a VNC client. I wonder. Anybody who wants one can download one for free, of course, but is there an advantage in installing it by default? (And adding yet one more thing to the Utilities folder.) Maybe. Sure.
5. I haven’t had a problem with this in forever. If a folder in the background hasn’t auto-updated, I just click to bring it to the foreground and it auto-updates. Bringing the folder to the foreground seems easier than a refresh button which is almost never needed. I mean, I do network stuff from the command line all the time, and things still all auto-refresh. I’m not sure why it’s not for you.
6. Cheers for more Finder options!
7. There’s no such thing as “two undos.” There is only “one undo” or “unlimited undos.” Stopping at two makes no sense at all. Unlimited undos gets complex for novices really, really quickly, as you end up deep in an undo/redo chain. I agree that undoing the creation of a new folder should consider the folder creation and the subsequent naming of it as one action, but that’s different from a generalized “two undos.”
8. Resizing windows from all corners on Windows become necessary for several reasons, not least of which is that it’s really easy to end up with the lower-right corner inaccessible in Windows. The “Zoom” button eliminates that reason — and most others — from OSX. And again, this becomes more difficult for novices.
9. The ability to undo patches is great. The file system detritus Windows accumulates to accomplish this is not. A better solution would be nice.
So overall a nice list, but I have quibbles. :-)
Dave on January 30th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
Deep Click – In the old Mac, you had to click once in a window to bring it to the front and then again to get something to happen there. In some Mac OS X situations (notably in the Finder), clicking on a button or other control in a background window brings the window to the front and performs the click action all in one click. (This is called Deep Click.) When you get used to Deep Click, the extra clicks on the Mac become very tedious. I doubt Deep Click was invented by Windows, but it is ubiquitous there. Old reasons for not having Deep Click have eroded because now we have the Dock and multi-level undo.
Dave on January 30th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
Two things I’d like to see:
1) TabletMac.
2) Plugins for previews in the finder’s “column” (NeXT) view.
I use both my Macbook Pro & a Motion Tablet PC regularly. There are lots of times when pen input makes life much easier. I’m glad to see a third party version (announced just after I bought my MBP C2D), but an Apple version would be nice. Of course the third party guys would go the way of Outbound or Outback or whoever those poor Aussie blokes were who had a decent Mac portable before Apple did…
As for previews, there are lots of file types that the Finder doesn’t know how to handle, and often the preview is like looking through a keyhole. If Apple opened up the interface to allow us to build our own plugin previewers with access to simple controls (zoom & scroll say), it would make the Finder™ better for “finding”.
Salle on January 30th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
I’t so much faster to use cut & paste with the keyboard than drag and drop with the mouse, even more anoying when moving files up the file-hierarchy using the mouse.
APPLE + X (Cut)
APPLE + Up (Navigate to parent folder)
APPLE + V (Paste)
Salle on January 30th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
I’t so much faster to use cut & paste with the keyboard than drag and drop with the mouse, even more anoying when moving files up the file-hierarchy using the mouse.
APPLE + X (Cut)
APPLE + Up (Navigate to parent folder)
APPLE + V (Paste)
Don on January 30th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
I’d rather see cut’n'run in Windows than cut’n'paste on the Mac.
Scott on January 30th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
The problem with using cut and paste in the finder is that people expect it to do the same thing, regardless of the domain in question. However, there are several situations that break this assumption when using cut and paste with files…
- Incomplete moves if the operation fails (some of the files make it, some don’t)
- The operation may be undoable
If your wireless connection goes down, firewire cable gets disconnected or the target volume runs out of space, your files could be spread across two volumes. What files made it? What folder where they in? What should happen when you hit undo? What if the amount of free space on the source drive changes and you don’t have enough space to put the original files back?
Since I’ve had this problem bite me several times in Windows, I always copy files instead of moving them. If a copy fails, you simply delete the new files and start again.
When you copy and paste in a word document, are there times when half of the text is pasted and the other half is not? Do you have problems undoing a cut/paste since your wireless connection goes down? No. If it says cut and paste, users expect it to work exactly the same way – regardless if it’s two paragraphs of text or a users entire iPhoto library with over 2,000 high-res JPEG images.
Sure, most of the people reading this thread know the difference between files and text, but many users don’t even give it a second thought. They expect cut and paste to always work. And if it doesn’t, they waste their time trying to clean up a partial copy or loose data.
You can always hold down the command key when dragging and dropping files to perform a move.
Tiny on January 30th, 2007 at 3:40 pm
“Only one level of undo in Photoshop.”
*shudders at memory*
me on January 30th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
There’s no up nav _button_, but cmd-uparrow moves you the parent directory, cmd-downarrow does the analogous into a folder (or launch an item).
cmd-click on the window name to choose any parent item in the hierarchy.
EmptySet on January 30th, 2007 at 3:48 pm
IMO, the copy/paste feature of Windows is the least welcome addition to Mac OS X that Apple has copied. It breaks the semantics of Copy/Paste. It is annoying as hell, because it is very tedious to copy and paste a list of filenames from the Finder, which used to be simple in OS 9. For example, why would I want to paste files into a TextEdit document? No clue, but this in fact is what happens. Workaround is to change the doc to plain text first. Instead of adding Cut, I think the whole kit and kaboodle should be removed. The forumla: Windows copies Mac features, then wrecks it, then a zillion people use broken feature, and then someon complains that it’s not on the Mac. Bah!
I like many of the other ideas in this article. I don’t particularly want an uninstaller app. But, it would be pretty slick that if when you tossed an app into the trash the Finder asked if you’d like to unintall it and then did so automagically with no need to visit a horrible unstaller app.
Eric on January 30th, 2007 at 4:54 pm
I don’t know if someone else has already raised this issue, but I used to do a lot of file management from WITHIN an application in Windows. Now that I’m on a Mac, I’m frustrated to have to go out to the finder and do file/folder management, then go back to the app, then do my saving or whatever. I want full finder functionality from within open and save dialogs. That would be huge.
PlunderBunny on January 30th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
The thing that’s wrong with cut-and-paste for files is that it breaks the clipboard metaphor – the idea that, when you copy or cut something it’s ‘on the clipboard’. For files, only a reference to that file is on the clipboard, not the file itself. Why is this a problem? consider these two examples:
1. In a word processor: Copy some text to the clipboard. Delete the text. Paste the text. Everything works as expected.
2. In the Finder/Window’s Explorer: Copy a file. Permanently delete the file. Try to paste the file – doesn’t work – the file is lost.
In general, putting references to things, rather than the entire thing itself onto the clipboard breaks several of the fundamental ideas of the Macintosh interface – predictability, forgiveness, consistent metaphors.
Lee on January 30th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
The Finder does *not* refresh properly in 10.4. I use a photo-sorting application, and it moves photos into different files (”best”, “discard”, etc.). I usually have my Finder windows sorted by date, most recent at the top. If I have my finder window already open, and the folders in it have been updated by the photo program, it will not refresh the window until I click in the window. The problem with this is that I click in the window to open a file or folder, and when I do so it immediately refreshes the window, before it process the double-click, and then it opens the wrong file or folder. It needs to refresh the windows in the background before I try to click in them. OS 9 did this 5 or 7 years ago.
As to the multiple mouse buttons — there really should only be one mouse button, anyway. All the actions you do with the mouse cursor are completely distinct and do need anothe button, or even a modifier key, in many cases. 1) single-click and drag to move an icon 2) double-click to open a file 3) click and hold the button to get a contextual menu (no right button or control key needed!)
Henrik N on January 31st, 2007 at 7:18 am
I don’t have what I prefer. I would like it better without click-and-held menus disappearing on release. At least if a previous menu level was opened with clicking.
I often find myself clicking open a menu, then click-holding on a submenu, then releasing the hold to rest my finger or whatever, and the menu disappears.
Not saying this would be consistent or even a good idea, but the menu behaviour doesn’t work as well as it could with my usage patterns.
Brandon Paddock on January 31st, 2007 at 1:59 pm
Someone mentioned the ability to select a bunch of files or folders and copy the list of paths to the clipboard.
This functionality is built-in to Windows Vista – just select the item or items whose path you want to copy, and Shift + Right-click on the selection, and click “Copy As Path.”
Certainly it’s an advanced-user function (thus why it’s in the Shift / “advanced” context menu), but it’s handy to have.
Brandon Paddock on January 31st, 2007 at 2:00 pm
Forgot to mention – CTRL+SHIFT+C works as well.
Scott Rose on January 31st, 2007 at 7:10 pm
I agree with EVERY SINGLE POINT in this entire article, and have been requesting these features for years. But how about going one step further and giving us the fantastic dialog boxes that Windows has: the ability to rename & delete folders within a dialog box, along with multiple viewing options within dialog boxes. Mac OS X could learn a LOT from Windows, and it seems like Apple just isn’t listening.
Sanna on February 1st, 2007 at 2:54 am
Am I the only one who really misses Paint? I think its a great and simple way to draw small pictures of what it may be. Things that I wouldnt open photoshop to draw?
Ben Kennedy on February 1st, 2007 at 9:35 pm
In regards to the resizing windows from more than just the bottom corner… i’ve been a Windows user all of my life,and only when you mentioned it, did I check it out and realise I could resize a window from anywhere besides the bottom right corner.
Moofius on February 2nd, 2007 at 10:27 am
2:
How about if you throw a application in the trash a popup will open saying: “Do you want to move (applications name)’s settings to the trash also?”, with 3 buttons: “yes”, “no” and “also move all my saved files to the trash” (3′rd is only to programs that drop a save-box into your face (but not if several programs can use that format)
The settings and the filetypes is provided with the program
Daze on February 4th, 2007 at 11:01 am
Excellent article.
Actual User on February 5th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
I’ve been using both OS’s for over 15 years, unlike most of the peons answering things like “It would make OSX suck” I have an IQ over 90, and use my computers at speeds which require certain functions to be available. I love expose and I miss it when i use XP, and I use Cut/Paste all the time on XP and likewise, I miss that on OSX. The fact that the files take forever to refresh in OSX is just obnoxious. These things need to be fixed, if you don’t agree with my opinion, chances are you’re not a real power user. When an operating system has to catch up with what I’ve done, and it’s 3 steps behind my clicks, Guess what? It sucks! and that goes for XP and OSX. Please, if you don’t understand why cut and paste is a necessity then you’re in no position to be talking. Just trust me and keep your opinions to yourself, cause to people with half a brain you sound incredibly stupid. You have any idea how much faster it is to use the shortcut for cut and paste, instead of dragging things all over the place? If anything OSX should at least make expose’s “ALL WINDOWS” function be able to drag and drop files. For now I pretty much have to always have the two folders (the origin and destination) somewhere in the forground, unless I’m dragging from a folder to the desktop or vice versa (then I use expose).
Rafa on February 7th, 2007 at 5:58 am
**cut & paste is standard in modern desktops**
Don’t be silly…
The only reason why it’s a (de facto) “standard” is because Microsoft had that stupid idea and then all those Linux guys just copied the sillinesses of Windows. Cut & Paste is just plain stupid HCI. If you think it’s great is because a) you are already used to it and don’t realise of its drawbacks (or you just assume them as “things of life”) or b) you have never used it.
Rafa on February 7th, 2007 at 6:03 am
** If anything OSX should at least make expose’s “ALL WINDOWS” function be able to drag and drop files.**
He… and you are a “power” user? you *can* drag and drop when using Exposé!
Regarding the files/folders taking time to refresh… I totally agree, and that’s something that should be brought back from Mac OS 7.1! OSX is great, but in some aspects, Mac OS 7.1 is still far better than OSX or any Windows.
Mr Anderson on February 8th, 2007 at 12:27 am
1: Cut and paste files… bad idea. Just drag, CMD-Tab, CMD-~ or press F9 to move to wherever you need to go. I miss that in Windows. That makes things so much more keyboard-centric whereas I like to use a combination of Keyboard and Mouse (why ignore an input peripheral if it’s there?)
2: Applications Uninstaller: It would be good to have an option to delete all associated files when trashing an application, but not in a separate application that remembers every application you have deleted (for no good reason).
3: Individual folder sharing: What’s wrong with the “Sites” folder in the home directory?
4. Cheaper RDC: Amen. Way too expensive for the home user.
5: Refresh Finder: Good with the keystroke but a button could be cluttersome. I find just re-opening the folder works most times.
6: Expanded Finder view options. Now that’s just silly. That asks for the same list view columns for everything. Folders and documents would have blank space in the “time” “Camera” “artist” and “exposure” columns.
7: Multiple Undos: That would be nice.
8: Resizing windows: I hate the way I keep resizing windows in Windows when I just want to move them. Bad idea. Plus you have to be so careful to move the mouse to just the right place to get that feature to work in Windows it ends up being needlessly fiddly.
9: System Restore: I admit, doing an archive and re-install to get to the previous OS level can be tiresome.
To #5:Oliver: the iTunes folder, like the iPhoto Library folder, organises your files in a way that the application can find them rapidly and use them. If you’re too lazy to open the relevant iApp and drop the file into a playlist or album, then why should that iApp do the hard work for you?
You probably do not even put them in the right folder. iTunes has a preference that says “Keep iTunes Music folder organized: Places files into album and artist folders, and names the files based on the disc number, track number, and the song title”
To #21: Chris: you cannot hide “unrelated” files in the finder, so why should you be able to hide them when saving? It just means you cannot find the actual file if the program breaks down because you have never seen all the other files you have to navigate past in that folder.
I think that covers most areas…
Garry Young on February 11th, 2007 at 9:10 pm
I agree with most of the ideas mentioned in the article. As a Mac/PC user, it can be frustrating switching between the two OS’s and having features in one, but not the other.
Cut and Paste is a necessity. The process of opening two Finder windows and dragging between one and another is antiquated, and really sets OS X back in terms of lack of features.
Three things not mentioned (as far as I could tell):
* Some kind of Restore facility from the Trash can. In Windows, it remembers where a deleted item lived previously, and it allows you to click Restore and it magically appears back home. OS X stores the file in the Trash, but doesn’t remember where it came from. This would come in handy when you have multiple files with the same name, from various locations.
* Some applications, like iMovie are moveable from all areas of the application’s body. I like in Windows, how, if you want to move an application around (that hasn’t been maximised) you can only drag it via the top section of the application. When in iMovie for example, you can try to drag the timeline marker, yet, if you are only a pixel off the marker it will drag the whole application around on the screen. Not all apps have this problem, and from what I can tell, some seem to have been “fixed” in Tiger.
* The mouse pointer can be inaccurate. In Windows, if you move the mouse pointer onto the edge of a button for example, the button can only be pressed if the mouse pointer is actually located on the button – not next to it. If you don’t know what I am talking about, open QuickTime Player in OS X and try dragging the timeline to somewhere in the middle of an MP3 or a movie. Then try dragging the timeline marker yet again, but just slightly to the left or right where it currently is located. No matter how accurate you try to be, it always either moves too far, or not at all. I have never had this problem on a PC.
I know with these things that I am nitpicking, but my main concern is the time wasted, and the frustration caused by these little “quirks”. Ultimately, its about efficiency and the user experience. If these things are the only major concerns of OS X users, then Apple have truly created an outstanding operating system. Now all they have to do is perfect it…
Zulo on February 23rd, 2007 at 4:22 pm
You’re talking about the forward and backward buttons in the toolbar of Finder windows.
A function I like in Windows is the “Up one level”-button.
Best regards
Zulo on February 23rd, 2007 at 4:52 pm
Another function in Windows I think is good is the possibility of marking (two or more) items in a window that are not laying side by side (well, you could do it when the content i showed as icons, but not in a list).
Another difference on the same theme (marking items that are not side by side) appears in the versions of Excel for Windows and Mac respectivetly. In the Win Version you can mark (two or more) “squares” (I don’t know the english name for the squares that makes the spread sheet) that are not side by side, but not in the Mac Version.
brian d on March 5th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
I can’t believe no one’s brought up this one..
Has anyone noticed that the Desktop works backwards … this is old (its always been this way).. but no less dumb. To experience the stupidity, get a bunch of icons on your desktop – choose Arrange By… NAME…
Tada.. welcome to China.. The screen reads Top to bottom , Z to A, and Right to Left.. completely reversed.
Just think of the billions of wasted thought cycles everyday as millions of mac users have to do mental math every single time they look at their desktop.
Steve, here in America, our brains, have some very efficient subroutines for operating on things in ABC order – make the OS go along with that, will you?
My guess is theirs some stupid patent law .. and right to left is _compeletly_different_ than left to right – so much so that if the mac goes left to right .. all u know what breaks loose.. If this is the case .. put in a secret pref’s option like – ‘Set_finder_to_rational_thought_mode = TRUE” or “Sillyness = off” or even “We_knew_this_was_dumb_when_we_made_it = truedat”
Joe User on March 19th, 2007 at 11:19 am
There is no such thing as ‘uninstall’. You REMOVE an application, not ‘uninstall’ it.
Leland on March 25th, 2007 at 7:33 am
Selecting several non-adjacent items in a Mac’s Finder window (or in iTunes, or a text editor, or anywhere else) –
Hold down the Command key as you click each one. Also, rather than dragging down a whole list of items to select them all, you can select the first item, scroll down the last, then Shift-click it to select that item and all others going back to the first one. If you want to deselect some of the items that you’ve just selected, command-click them individually.
Sorting items goes backwards in List view –
Click the column title again to reverse the sort order.
Go up a directory level in Finder –
Press command-up arrow. Or, command-click the folder name, and you’ll see its entire path. There’s also a button you can add to the Finder window’s toolbar that shows the path with a single click.
Please, before making sweeping statements and complaints, ASK AROUND. There’s probably a way to do exactly what you want to do, even if it’s a little different than you learned elsewhere.
DataHead on March 25th, 2007 at 11:15 am
Ok, if you want to install your own keyboard shortcuts for cut/paste functionality until Apple decides to make it official do this:
Install OnMyCommand from free.abracode.com/cmworkshop.
(By copying the program file to Applications.)
Install OMCEdit from inside the OnMyCommand package (by copying the program file to Applications).
Install Shortcuts from free.abracode.com/cmworkshop.
Go to free.abracode.com/cmworkshop -> Online archive of user submitted commands -> view “File” commands by category -> 212 Cut Item(s) -> Open (Firefox gives a inappropriate error window.) Then save that text file somewhere.
Do the same with 213 Paste Item(s).
Run OMCEdit and File -> Import those two commands.
You can now ctrl click -> Cut and Paste Item(s) Finder items.
Now quit OMCEdit and run Shortcuts.
On the Setup tab start the ShortcutObserver and add it to your login startup.
On the Assign Hot Keys tab under File select Cut Item(s) and assign it Shift Command X.
Under Folder select Paste Item(s) and assign it Shift Command V (or whatever you want that doesn’t conflict with other shortcuts).
Quit Shortcuts and give it a try!
Many thanks to Abracode, Knut Lorenzen and Fredrik Andersson!
Kevin Serwick
Sasha on April 3rd, 2007 at 7:06 am
I love my mac, and really the cut and paste issue mentioned above isn’t a huge issue. I find it hilarious that the mac zealots thing that cut and past is a bad idea because someone MIGHT misuse it and get hurt. Since when do we have to limit functionality on the basis that someone might hurt themselves? Why not just take away the super user rights? You can do grave harm with those!
In other news, my most wished for feature is rip-off of Window’s alt-key access to virtually any menu, its simple, its unobtrusive, and its relatively logical.
Cheers,
Sasha
Sam on April 15th, 2007 at 2:52 am
Matthew Smith, you sound anal, the cut and paste wouldn’t lose your file if you cut and paste something else before you paste your file in finder, it would (like it does in windows) just leave the file in it’s original location.
InnateTech on April 22nd, 2007 at 7:27 am
Most of these features are available in stock OS X — some of them need to be enabled, some of them are buried behind an innocuous GUI element or deep within the systems functionality, others can be realized by a quick trip into the Terminal, and still others are not neccessary due to being replaced by better functionality (such as finder windows refreshing their contents automatically upon changes rather then relying on a “reload” button.)
Some of the Finder complaints are ESPECIALLY bogus:
-Finder can do cut-and-paste file management — turn it on.
-There is a multipaned view available in the Finder windows. Select it.
-The Finder can sort on any column heading in list view. If you want the list sorted by kind, then click the file type column header.
The MacOS is not Windows, nor is it KDE or even GNOME. It is in fact better thought out than any of those. People complain about the Finder, but I still think it wins out on its combination of intuitive usability and feature-completeness.
Adam on May 13th, 2007 at 8:26 am
1. It’s not windoze.
2. It will never be windoze.
3. Steve Jobs does not care what you want from windoze.
4. If having to do a few things different bothers you so much, then…
5. Switch back to windoze.
Seikon on May 25th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
brian d, you are an idiot. You are a windoze using idiot and should upgrade to a REAL OS. The screen reads right to left which means that A-Z works on the same principle. Use your tiny Microsoft dominated brain and realise that that is how the icons are arranged! How many thought cycles would that take. Could you do that for me? Hmm? Thank you.
Adam, it is windoze because compared to OS X, it is basic and primitive and guess what, Bill Gates doesnt care either but he sure as hell does care what Apple is doing because Vista is basically micro$oft’s copy of OS X…except with nothing done right.
And in-case you’re wondering, I have both a PC running windows and a mac but you can probably guess which I prefer.
Casi Dougal on June 13th, 2007 at 10:45 am
I recently switched my production environment from XP to Mac OS X.
My number one issue is the separation of the menu bar from application windows…in particular as I’m using an extended display / dual monitor off my MacBook. I keep thinking there’s got to be a way to keep it with the application Window but as of yet I’ve been able to find a hack. If I would have been aware of this before hand I probably wouldn’t have made the switch.
While the Mac has lots of better features than Windows…they seem to be in la la land on some basics. On the hardware side, I am still dumbfounded that MacBooks have no port replicator / docking stations.
arlen smith on June 14th, 2007 at 7:34 am
It’s so funny to hear people defend the mac OS as something that could be “ruined” by features that they simply wouldn’t need to invoke if they prefer the more labor intesive UI paradigm. I can tell you from a lifetime of using both OS’s that Apple should take a page from MS and lose a little of the ego, shamelessly copy the other guy’s useful features, and don’t wait 10 years to do it. (2-button mouse) Windows has shamelessly done it, and it’s improved usability. Apple has always been against giving people options, as it’s something “Windows does”. Apple knows the best way to use your computer, why would you need options? That attitude could cost them the opportunity to gain a huge market share. Accept that people use computers differently, even accept that Windows/Linux users are used to a certain paradigm and *gasp* placate them with options. Options. Keep your drag and drop, one mouse button, hold down the button forever UI. But give power users the features they want as options and your OS will dominate. Here are the things you can list under “Let’s get real already, people want to get work done.”
1. Dual pane option for finder.
2. Drag a window from any edge. No brainer. Don’t even argue.
3. Don’t make me drag everything around all over the place.
Give me the option to work more quickly with less mousing — Cut and Paste.
4. Option to de-candy the entire interface. OS X, despite the hype has always been the sluggish OS in terms of responsiveness, by leagues compared to Windows on comparable hardware. Time to give us the option to cut the fat and make it more responsive. I want instant resposnse from everything in my interface, no bouncing, no flying, no delaying. Just response. When I click my cursor into a window or field, I want it there instantly because I’m instantly typing.
5. Just accept that there are users out there who aren’t drinking the kool-aid and just want to get work done, could care less about the users who worry about a feature being “ugly”, don’t care that much about animation or the appearance of chrome. People who just plain work on computers, and get their enjoyment/entertainment out in the real world. People who actually look at “Mac guy” on the commercials and don’t want to be like him, who find him smug and irritating.
6. (hardware) Give the notebooks two mouse buttons already. My Lord! How stubborn can you be?
Lance on September 11th, 2007 at 7:25 pm
My son has been a PC guy for a long time and has just begun to use the Mac for Web development. But he has really only three things that drive him crazy in the OS X world.
1. Not being able to have an application take over the full screen so that you cannot click out of your current app by accident.
2. Resizing the window from any of its sides.
3. Not being able to use drop down lists with the arrow keys, i.e. in photoshop not being able to easily scan through multiple fonts by simply using the down arrow and see the changes on the selected font, instead having to click on each font, this is a real deficiency in lots of apps or just in the whole OS X environment, I am not sure which
cawpin on November 20th, 2007 at 12:56 pm
@#123 55IsABigLie
Right click on a folder and click properties. Ta-da! recursive file count.
Mirek2 on May 10th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
I’ve actually been annoyed with Mac OS X since I switched for entirely different reasons. Hence, I’m adding them to your list:
– Dock should show open windows, not just open applications. The Mac behavior starts to bug when working with, for example, two documents, one of which contains some information and the other, let’s say, is an essay you’re writing based on the info. And let’s say perhaps you also need to occasionally look up stuff in Safari. Switching back and forth between the three windows is awful, believe me. Go on, try it.
– Selection should work differently. If I select one file more than I intended to, Shift-arrow (in the opposite direction) should select one less file, not one more file above my selection.
– Folders should be sorted on top, not between documents. (Just like in real life…)
Jake on September 15th, 2008 at 10:54 am
Having used a Windows for years, I recently started using an iMac. I’m not an Apple fanboy and I can safely say that are a lot of things in Windows that they got right; better than Apple. My biggest peeve is resizing windows. They really should improve that@
Pila on October 3rd, 2008 at 4:37 am
this shit dont have what i need omfg…
mickleberry on October 12th, 2008 at 11:35 pm
Great article, and thanks @#174 arlen smith for your sensible commentary .. the only person to mention Dual Pane file management. This is something that Neither windows nor mac have built in natively .. and both should consider.
All the hassle around drag / drop vs copy / paste just dissolves when you use a dual pane file manager (for example Xplorer2 by zabkat.com
Just put two folders next to each other (in a single application window), and you can choose whether to drag, paste .. or even use a single (copy/paste) shortcut eg ctrl+F6. Wildly obvious, once you get the picture.
i’d feel a whole lot better about switching to a mac if i knew there was an equivalent to Xplorer2 .. or if this was built into the Finder.
Most windows users have no idea about the enormous benefits from such an application ..
and this is something they have in common with most apple users.
Knock each other out ;-]
kind regards, michael
thinsoldier on December 3rd, 2008 at 12:47 pm
@#1 Matthew Smith
Wrong. In windows if you click a file and ‘cut’, its icon ‘fades’ out about 50%.
If you then click on another file and ‘cut’, the 1st file’s icon goes back to normal. It doe not disappear into the abyss. It’s fine.
thinsoldier on December 3rd, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Also, some people (my mom) who can barely move the cards around in Solitaire have problems with dragging & dropping. For people like that (and possibly some handicapped people as well) cut & paste is a better option.
thinsoldier on December 3rd, 2008 at 3:37 pm
#33 orta says:
Refresh in Finder from 10.4 onwards is useless, the only place it would be of any use is over a network.
–
Funny you should say that. 99% of my work is done over a network.
#48 Guy says:
Well I think that finder should merge folders instead of replacing the old one with the new one. I recently bought a macbook and in the first couple of weeks, I lost two entire days work because I didn’t know that OSX didn’t merge.
–
Despite my best efforts I’ve had this happen more than 50 times in 5 years. Of those 50+ exactly 33 times it resulted in me losing at least 5 days of work. Before the end of the decade this “feature” will have caused me to lose 1 YEAR OF WORK!
Unfortunately I’ve never kept track of all the minutes(hours) wasted working around this “feature” by digging through folder after folder after folder, sorting by modified date and only copying the most recently edited files!
thinsoldier on December 3rd, 2008 at 3:38 pm
#52 Leland says:
But, if you want to mix their documents together, you’ll still have to open up the older folder, take the documents out of the newer one, and put them inside.
–
Depending on how many nested folders & files you’re working with that technique can suck a good half hour out of your day!
#53 actiondan says:
frankly both it and Windows should take a leaf out of Linux’s book. Having a drag motion to allow move/resize from anywhere within the window (eg Alt-left/middle drag in Gnome) is simple to learn and stupidly efficient. Why the hell to I have to search for a 1 pixel border/corner every time I want to rearrange my desktop?
–
QFT
thinsoldier on December 3rd, 2008 at 3:40 pm
#59 jjjjjjb says:
Finally, the ability to rename/duplicate/trash files from the Open/Save dialogue boxes is a great feature of Windows.
—
This is one of the top 3 time-saving features of Windows.
#66 Kyle says:
#1: OS X is a terrible multi-monitor OS. I have 3 monitors, an open app’s menu bar can be over 2400 pixels away; this is simply poor design, at the very least allow a menu bar per monitor. The current bit of design cruft made sense when monitors were less than 500x and 9×9 or so, but the current menu bar model is just embarrassing.
#4: There are no utilities to resize windows automagically (like utils xp, keystrokes to make the window half the size of the monitor and snap to the left for instance)
#5: itunes is generally a piece of crap,
—-
ditto
#68 Wenzi says:
May I suggest you stop using a Mac. It would be better for all involved if you just went back to using a PC.
—-
…reminds me of a time when a little old lady politely suggested that I take my black ass back to africa. But I’m sure you didn’t mean to say that in the same unjustified, thoughtless and hateful way.
thinsoldier on December 3rd, 2008 at 3:43 pm
#74 Dan says:
In Windows, you sort by name, but folders are still grouped together (Lame)
—-
I disagree but I respect your preference.
We just want the option to group folders like that to be somewhere. We don’t want it to be the default.
We don’t want to remove anything that’s already there. We just want the option.
#80 Alex says:
Why put another mouse button on a laptop? You already have four click modifier keys right next to the trackpad anyway.
—-
I let a student do their spreadsheet homework on my macbook using bootcamp. The homework software was written in flash and no matter what utility I found that make windows see modifier+click as right click, flash just would not respond properly.
But of course you’re just going to blame flash for that.
There are also quite a few games that need a 2nd mouse button and there isn’t always room to plug in and use a mouse when you’re on a bus or in a chartered plane.
chadseld said earlier, “Cut and Paste in finder/explorer breaks the cut and paste paradigm because the ‘cut’ does not remove the original item until it is pasted. This is different from the way cut works in a text editor.
—-
I would actually prefer _an option_ for text editors to work the other way. Select text, cut, the text changes color and starts gently fading in and out until you paste it or cut a different range of text.
daniel hamilton on January 27th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
To that i would add, 15 suggestions for Windows 7. Mostly for navigation and speed. I now run Vista HB, dual booting with XP
1. Change the default folder view to Details, and allow one to set what one chooses under that to every kind of folder (i have hundreds, and know “apply to all..” is spssd to do it. Fixes for this do not stay – Google for threads).
2. Fix the problem with Vista not remembering Windows sizes (again, Google for problems with fixes)
3. Put the Up arrow back. It is often faster even after one learns the breadcrumb menu, and is needed when using folders without the navigation pane, which is helpful to eliminate due to Vista not rembering folder sizes. See free QTTab bar for this and more options worth incorporating.
4. Allow moving of Task Bar buttons, and choosing different colors, as well as saving sessions, just like Firefox allows for tabs (Colorful Tabs extension for the color). Then copy more things from FF for IE. Or retire it. (doing research, I usually run 2 instances of FF concurrently, one of Sea Monkey and 1 of others if needed, and find IE the least to be preferred)
5. Allow right click to copy whole path in the address bar of folders (ctrl and c will do it now). And allow the same for copying things for 3 d boxes.
6. easily allow hot keys for fast launching (with free AutoHotKey you can make scripts to launch one, or even many many apps, etc. simultaneously – closest thing to a session saver)
7 Provide a master list of everything in the Control Panel, etc, (things like C:\Windows\System32\powercfg.cpl) for faster access. Stat menue should seldom need to be used.
8. Greatly improve Speech to Text (and vice versa) and commands to do the above (and turn on, off PC, etc.) so you can just say things like , “Go to …”
9. Improve ability to see incoming and outgoing Internet traffic.
10. Can UAC, and use something like Winpatrol.
11. Add options to clipboard, to remember all (like clipboard diary)
12. Improve clock (colors, cpu load, free ram stats, etc.)
13. Allow changing file type icons on even basic versions of OS.
14. Put “copy to” and move to” as default options on right click menus (I have this).
15. Make it faster than Vista, which on a Dell E520 (3ghz cpu, 2.5gb ram) is slower than my W/98 (650mhz, 320mb ram) on basic tasks (navigating, opening folders), and slower than XP on the same PC. Even after tweaking and spare ram and low cpu load. (I do thank God for both, with Vista being overall better and more mature than XP)