I haven't got access to a developer's version of Leopard, and I haven't even seen the keynote speech (I keep trying to access it, though...), so I'm not best placed to make comments. But I'll do so anyway!
Time Machine Unnecessary eye-candy. Imho, is not exactly the best interface for a backup-app.
I agree. I've seen videos of Time Machine and it feels very un-Mac-like to me. It seems rather over the top! I hope that the feature itself works well, though, as it could be useful to many.
Unified Leopard or whatever we'll call the "new desktop" etc., I'm also not sure whether I really like it. I *do* like that they got rid of two out of three looks, no doubt about _that_. I'm just not sure I'm down with the look we've seen in iTunes 7 for _everything_.
I'm certainly pleased they there is more consistency. Apple seems to have listened to the criticism on that note. As for the style, it's hard to say what is best (perhaps a new look altogether?), but I'm glad it wasn't brushed metal! I've always found the brushed metal Finder windows a bit... "chunky"... and a bit ugly. That said, looking back at the old Aqua windows, I realized that the styling was a bit over the top in the early days too.
I think it is a step in the right direction, but maybe a newer, single theme could be developed by Apple.
The translucent menubar Unnecessary eye-candy. Well: No, Apple. It doesn't really work well. I've read somewhere the user can turn it off, but I don't find anything about that anywhere.
Ah, I had heard, too, that you could turn it off. If so, then I think it is OK. If not, then my first impression from the screenshots was that it could get annoying. It has the potential to look nice, but also the potential to make the interface harder to use.
The new Finder Unnecessary eye-candy. Yep. Cover Flow? Please...
I agree! I really thought they're milking the CoverFlow concept now... I'm not sure I'd ever use the Finder like that!
Who knows, though... I virtually never used Exposé until I got a multibutton mouse. Even now, I don't use it much, but a feature that I might have never used has now snuck into my routine, on occasions. Dashboard looked great, but I wasn't sure I'd use it lots. I've ended up getting a few Widgets and using them now, and I especially use the calculator Widget, rather than running the Calculator app.
The new Dock Unnecessary eye-candy. You guessed right: I'm not so sure about that one, either. Yay 3D. Yay glassy effects. Yay screen candy, eh? Uuuurgh... Icons seem less distinct in the new Dock. The new "lightbulb" effect to show whether an app is active doesn't work - period. It's too subtle. Nothing wrong with the old black triangle in my opinion. Not after seing what they've come up with to replace it.
Mmm, I wasn't too impressed when I first saw the 3D effect Dock. I hoped there might be a 2D option too.......... The reflections are quite cute, but it does all seem a bit unnecessary. I also think it somehow makes things a little less clear. The glowing blue dot under the app icons looks nice, though! I don't know how clear it is in practice, but it looks very pleasant in the screenshot. As for clarity, the black triangle is, by comparison, hard to miss, however.
Then again: All put together, it _kinda_ works. It _does_ feel modern. And the graphics power _is_ there, even with my lowly MacBook's integrated graphics. But it _does_ feel like they've taken a page from Microsoft's Vista, and I'm just not sure that it's been necessary to do so.
Perhaps they worry that Microsoft might actually start to take the lead in aesthetics?
...Hmm, can't believe I just said that!
So out of 10 points, if you want a review, I'd rather give them zero and go back to Tiger's mishmash look of 3 looks than give them 5 points for trying... Yes, they're halfway there, but if it doesn't work completely, I don't think they should release it. Apple is the company that once did Platinum, for crying out loud! A clean look that actually _worked_. They're the ones who did NewAqua in Jaguar! A modern look that actually worked.
I certainly think Jaguar's Aqua was an improvement. I'm not so sure I'd like to go back to Platinum now, although I did think it was better than Windows at the time.
(You see I'm not a fan of the old Aqua in 10.0-10.1. or of Brushed Metal.)
Me neither!
Now, right now in Leopard Beta, it really _is_ a look in beta. That's _not_ finished, and I hope they'll tweak it _right_ 'til release in October.
Considering how much time they've had, and how some of the new features seem like pointless eye candy, that's a little worrying...
