RE: Apple and Cocoa (why don't they eat their own dog food?)
RE: Apple and Cocoa (why don't they eat their own dog food?)
- Subject: RE: Apple and Cocoa (why don't they eat their own dog food?)
- From: "Salter, Adam Q" <email@hidden>
- Date: Mon, 13 Jan 2003 16:10:57 +1100
Hmmm... Have to agree...
I'm an old Mac user, went with the flow to Windows and just returned to the
pure UNIX way. But I have to say one thing I took for granted under Windows
was the text items useability... Mac Text editing commands don't seem to
have a standard.
Cmd-Right arrow jumps to the end of the line in some apps, end of the
paragraph in others, but not all. Word is different to the rest of the
System. Can't use tab to change widget to widget in all apps. Windows
keyboard only is ugly but functional. You have to use the mouse in OS X.
Just pick a standard and stick to it... it is really frustrating to have to
discover the text edit commands in every new app.
Visual Basic may not make beautiful apps, but they work consistently and are
quite drag-n-drop... Not that I'm going back mind ;).
Adam
>
>
>> From: James DiPalma <email@hidden>
>
>> ...
>
>> Apple used to promote Cocoa's ability to preserve consistency and
>
>> adapt to new functionality when
>
>> Apple updated Cocoa; if developers go about rolling our
>
own windows
>
>> and widgets, Cocoa suffers.
>
>> ...
>
>
>
> Instead, follow the user interface guidelines for YOUR
>
CUSTOMERS! Make
>
> it easier on them to understand your programs. Easier for them to
>
> identify common features, and to be able to handle common
>
commands. And
>
> hopefully easier for them to purchase your software.
>
>
>
> Steve Sheets
>
>
However, I do not find the consistency in application interface (with
>
Apple's dev examples and products - iTunes, AppleWorks, iPhoto - or
>
with non-Apple products) that exists with most dev kits and products
>
for Windows. Toolbars and the effect of the toolbar buttons seems to
>
vary widely from app to app. Even in things simpler than UI controls,
>
like the use of Ctrl-right arrow and Cmd-right arrow, varies
>
in effect
>
from product to product, both Apple and non-Apple. That increases the
>
steepness of the learning curve and frustrates users. I
>
cringe whenever
>
I see (frequent) posts to this list asking "How do I get this-or-that
>
control to do <fill in your own 'I've got a better idea'>?"
>
>
Consistency in the UI develops the user's intuition. When his/her
>
intuition is right, the app becomes easy to use.
>
>
If your app isn't intuitive and easy for the user, it's a bad app.
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