Apple Menu still sucks

[strobe]

The special items in the Apple Menu could have more logically been placed in the Desktop's contextual dock menu.

The Apple Menu in OS X serves no purpose. I haven't used the Apple Menu in MacOS in YEARS (since Now Menus was released). I don't see a point to this other than making some mac users 'nod'.

A better idea would have been to have the window server manage the menu and title bars thus giving absolute control over all application's menus and their items. Then Apple doesn't have to be creative, 3rd parties can replace the 'Apple Menu Module' with something else inherited from the same class. Changes would have a uniform (global) effect thus preserving UI uniformity.

Apple allows you to customize tool bars in applications, why not menus and title bars? Take all the menu items an application registers and create new ones with those items and custom ones. Why a menu 'bar'? Why not a floating window or popup menus or tool bars. Why not a global utility menu with items from other applications with custom hotkeys, colors, icons, and sounds? Mine could have:

Mail: Fetch Mail
Mail: New Message
IE 5: Open Location...
Music Player: Play
Music Player: Pause
Music Player: Open
QuickTime Player: Open
WordPerfect: Open
etc.

Think about it, nearly every command in every single application is a menu item, yet we only use a small number of them. I could create a new menu/utility window for Photoshop with those items I use the most adding custom hotkeys. So long the window server manages these menus there would be no IPC call thus no delay. In fact responsiveness would be better than it is currently!

Something for 2.0 I guess, but the current Apple Menu looks like an odd ducking in an otherwise clean and consistent interface.

 

[monty]

Originally posted by strobe
The special items in the Apple Menu could have more logically been placed in the Desktop's contextual dock menu.

Couldn't agree with you more. apple put them in an menu so it would be accessable from all applications. The desktop icon in the dock would make more sense.

Here's my special hack for people who miss the apple menu when OSX final comes out.

Make a new folder.

Paste an apple icon on it. There's bound to be one at www.xicons.com.

Put stuff in it.

Move it to the dock.

There you have it. A fully hieracial, customizable apple menu, with a nice big icon. It also has the added advantage that you can add items to it by dragging their icons to it. Even the mighty OS9 apple menu can't do that.

peter

 

[DJ_XTC]

You must remeber that althought some of the mentioned suggestions would be nice for "power-users", such as myself. Apple wanted to make it simple for users that are new to the mac platform as well. I know that after 9 years of using PC's, when I switched to Mac in 1996, simplisity is what made the switch so easy.Then later on as I discovered what the OS could really do, I was able to learn at my own pace. Because I wasn't forced to learn all the power functions just to set up my new mac.

Just my opinion.




DJ XTC

 

[Kinniken]

That pseudo apple menu in the dock is the first thing I thought off when Steve started telling us about those contextual menus in the dock.
Hmm... Jobs said that you could access to apps setting via dock contextual menus. Wonder if it works if the app in question is in a folder in the dock? Because if I can set app pref, especialy that system pref app, from the contextual menu, I'm going to be very happy ;-)
Thats an other thing the OS9 menu couldnt do =)
I agree with Strobe on the new apple menu though... it would be usefull in PB, but if this contextual menus in the Dock are well implemented, it just remove the need for an OS9-style apple menu.

Kinniken

 

[endian]

It's a compromise. This way the applemenu lovers can satisfy their fetish and say 'look, Apple really *is* listening' and Apple doesn't have to ruin the purity of Aqua too much.

Also, Apple is trying to decouple the finder/desktop app from the system - that could be why system wide settings/functions are in the menu bar. If theyre put into a dock context menu, that then depends on Dock.app being there, which isn't guaranteed either. The only thing that's really guaranteed to be around all the time is the menu bar.

 

[strobe]

Originally posted by endian
It's a compromise. This way the applemenu lovers can satisfy their fetish and say 'look, Apple really *is* listening' and Apple doesn't have to ruin the purity of Aqua too much.

I don't think many would have complained after Apple made the Dock more flexible as it is now.

PS I don't necessarily like the Dock, but I definitely hate the Apple Menu.

Also, Apple is trying to decouple the finder/desktop app from the system - that could be why system wide settings/functions are in the menu bar. If theyre put into a dock context menu, that then depends on Dock.app being there, which isn't guaranteed either. The only thing that's really guaranteed to be around all the time is the menu bar.

Well anyway who the hell uses shut down from the menu? I use the power key myself.

Also dock menus are going to be implemented by 3rd parties I'm sure. Any self-respecting application switcher will implement them. If you don't have the Dock you'll be bound to have a Dock replacement.

Notice my ultimate menu 'bar' solution would allow anything to register menu items which could be available anywhere by any means you wish. This you could have a library which registered menu items, no need for the Desktop.app to do so.

 

[AdmiralAK]

Ever since I got my first mac ( a perfroma 635CD) I only had limited use for the apple menu.

The only items that I used on a regular base were the control panel, and my kaleidoscope schemes for changing my look. When OS 8 & 9 rolled out, I still use it in a limited fashion. What do I use now ? Control panels, Kaleidoscope scemes folder shortcut, DVD player and scrapbook. C'est tout.

In OS X, I am covered and for me having an apple menu doesnt really do me harm, but it still doesnt do me much good since my needs are met by the dock.


Admiral