Apple Menu
- Thread starter MacFreak
- Start date
The *new* apple menu in OS X is finally a System menu. Something we've never had before, and I have always wanted. You can notice that things having to do with system wide features (dock, preference app, shutdown/sleep, etc.) are all that's included in it. I think that it makes sense to finally have menus in this order:
System menu - App menu - Document menus
It's almost heirarchical, if you think about it. It's definitely better (once you get used to it, admittedly) than having system commands scattered through 3 or 4 menus.
-jab
tomsinclair
Registered
During the PB, it seemed the loudest screaming came from people who wanted the exact opposite...
Anyway, I believe the desktop is still a folder so perhaps you could just make it read-only? (This would only apply to the Desktop Folder in your user directory, of course.)
strobe
Puny Member
Those people were morons.
It'll probably give me an error, even if I set the immutable bit (lock the folder).
It's a pity so many mac users were so entrenched. I stopped using the Apple Menu with System 7.1, Now Menus was much better. Today I use Drop Drawers to replace the functionality of Now Menus.
Man, what a pity.
The way the OS is organized, may take a little getting used to, but there has been a LOT of thought behind it and it's much more logical.
Apple Menu:
This now contains system-specific functions which can be accessed at any time, from within any app without having to click to the Finder first. Most importantly, it contains Log Out, Sleep, Restart, Shutdown, and System Preferences.
App Menu:
In pre-X days, there were no rules for where certain functions would go. If you wanted to quit the app, you went to the File menu, if you wanted a preference you would go somewhere else, if you wanted information about the app you would to the Apple menu -- no logical reasoning behind it. Now App-specific information is located under the App menu: About this app, App preferences (what a concept), show/hide, and quit app.
File Menu:
Finally, app specific information has been removed from File menu which now only contains file-specific information: printing functions, open/saving/closing functions and so on.
My best advice to you is to abandon the old way and embrace the new. Much of what we knew in pre-X were kludges and hacks and didn't really make sense. To fully appreciate X you have to put all of that behind you.... not that I wouldn't like to see some changes, but one thing at a time.
Apple Menu:
This now contains system-specific functions which can be accessed at any time, from within any app without having to click to the Finder first. Most importantly, it contains Log Out, Sleep, Restart, Shutdown, and System Preferences.
App Menu:
In pre-X days, there were no rules for where certain functions would go. If you wanted to quit the app, you went to the File menu, if you wanted a preference you would go somewhere else, if you wanted information about the app you would to the Apple menu -- no logical reasoning behind it. Now App-specific information is located under the App menu: About this app, App preferences (what a concept), show/hide, and quit app.
File Menu:
Finally, app specific information has been removed from File menu which now only contains file-specific information: printing functions, open/saving/closing functions and so on.
My best advice to you is to abandon the old way and embrace the new. Much of what we knew in pre-X were kludges and hacks and didn't really make sense. To fully appreciate X you have to put all of that behind you.... not that I wouldn't like to see some changes, but one thing at a time.
strobe
Puny Member
I abandoned the old way a looooooong time ago bud. The Apple Menu was a stupid idea post-System 6. It used to be a place to put DAs which at the time was the only way to run multiple programs at the same time.
The Apple Menu was useless post-6 and it's even more useless now. If I want to reboot I use the power key for crissakes. What would you rather to, hit power then the 'r' key or try to hit a little menu with the mouse?
Public Beta didn't have an Apple Menu and the only people complaining were blind mac users who had no imagination. Now that we have one they are still complaining because it doesn't do the semi-useless crap it did before.
It's utterly USELESS!
The Apple Menu was useless post-6 and it's even more useless now. If I want to reboot I use the power key for crissakes. What would you rather to, hit power then the 'r' key or try to hit a little menu with the mouse?
Public Beta didn't have an Apple Menu and the only people complaining were blind mac users who had no imagination. Now that we have one they are still complaining because it doesn't do the semi-useless crap it did before.
It's utterly USELESS!
I agree with everything you said. Given this new organization, it might make sense to add back and augment an old Apple Menu feature. I would utlimately like to see the AM include access to control panels (now system preferences) but with hierarchical access to the settings.
The final Mac OSX apparently includes this type of functionality for a couple of system preferences, such as monitor resolution and color depth. But the one complaint I have about the Dock, which on the whole I've grown to like, is that it tries to do a bit too much. The new Apple Menu might make a logical access point for system-wide access to system preference settings, and moving them there would relieve some of the stress on the Dock.
Build 4K78 has the "System Preferences..." in the item in the Apple Menu list which does the same thing as clicking on the icon in the Dock.
While you can't pick the individual pane you want, it does simplify the "control panel" experience by addressing it all in one spot.... no more scrolling up and down trying to remember what you're looking for.
Dont you remember?
GoMac has been released in few years. This program is useful. Now we have new MacOS X come with Dock which is great! Only one thing is missing. We cannot put hard drive alias on Apple Menu. I know we can put on Dock. Of course we do like to put anything in Apple Menu. But one reason why people complain and want apple menu back. Of course allow people to put any alias in apple menu. Apple decide to put back and cannot allow us to put anything on it. Thats silly! I find it real useless now!
GoMac has been released in few years. This program is useful. Now we have new MacOS X come with Dock which is great! Only one thing is missing. We cannot put hard drive alias on Apple Menu. I know we can put on Dock. Of course we do like to put anything in Apple Menu. But one reason why people complain and want apple menu back. Of course allow people to put any alias in apple menu. Apple decide to put back and cannot allow us to put anything on it. Thats silly! I find it real useless now!
again, the point of the Apple Menu is for System-specific items, not a hodge-podge collection of random things -- that is what the Dock is for.
I stopped using the Apple Menu for random crap a long time ago and chose to use Drag Strip (from aladdin systems) instead. far more useful....
now, if i could just get someone to write my own version of the dock...
I stopped using the Apple Menu for random crap a long time ago and chose to use Drag Strip (from aladdin systems) instead. far more useful....
now, if i could just get someone to write my own version of the dock...
TommyWillB
Registered
[Edited by TommyWillB on 03-25-2001 at 08:41 PM]
TommyWillB
Registered
Of course the lack of a power button on the keyboard is supposed to compel us all to buy Cinema displays. That's where Apple is putting the power button now.
For all of us poor slobs who lack the Cinema, I guess we are just supposed to hit the power button on the G4... because climbing under you desk is much easier than selecting shutdown with your mouse.
[Edited by TommyWillB on 03-31-2001 at 09:22 PM]