"The IndieHIG Wiki is a place where developers and UI designers can come together to create a new set of Human Interface Guidelines to supplement Apple's guidelines. Apple has neglected to update their HIG with modern UI designs and controls, so developers have been forced to replicate these UI elements on their own to keep their applications from looking dated. Since each developer has slightly different implementations of these elements, it has resulted in a fairly inconsistent look and feel for Mac OS users." Meanwhile, for the first time in over three months, Apple is asking its developer community to begin testing and providing feedback on a forthcoming update to Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger.
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Member since:2006-06-26
Aqua as such is seen be a growing number of people as a negative influence for ones productivity. Too much game, too much candy, too many different styles.
Member since:2005-11-10
Almost all OS X apps respond the same though. They may look slightly different, but they are very consistent when it comes to productivity. You can press Cmd+Q on any app to quit it, Cmd+H to hide, Cmd+, to view preferences (my favourite), the Edit and Window menus are consistent. When you go back to Windows, one thing that really bugs you is that this behavioural consistency is lacking: Whilst you can use Alt+F4 (mostly) and Win+M, is preferences under Tools > Options, View > Preferences, or worse File > Preferences? Why is there no shortcut for it? Then there's the whole system-menus, Office-XP menus, Office 2003 menus, the soon to come Office 2007 menus, and every half baked owner-drawn menus to emulate them...
Edited 2006-12-22 12:37
Member since:2005-11-23
Member since:2005-07-07
Member since:2006-11-15
"I have to agree that too much consistency can start to get dull and blend together, making the UI less useful. I find slight UI inconsistency useful in many cases, just to easier differentiate between apps without too close of a look."
In Windows, every app has an icon next to the title. That makes it much easier to pick out different apps.
Member since:
2005-07-06
I agree with Kroc, it never hurts when apps have an own "identity". The problem with GNOME apps, especially every app in the same category (IM, audio, browser), is that they all look mostly the same. GNOME tries so hard to be "consistent" that it becomes boring.