MacOS X.4 User Interface Idea

cockneygeezer

cockneygeezer

Registered
Dear All,

I probably get flamed to bits for this, or even worst, get banned from this website, but I want to test peoples opinion on the following.

As we all know, Microsoft has ripped off the Mac interface for years. Yes, I know that Apple copied Xerox etc etc. But, why can't Apple rip off Windows XP? I know we do in some respect...

The reason that I ask is in conjunction with the new Aqua Finder in Panther 10.3. Steve Jobs claims that the new Finder Folder Panel is based upon iTunes playlists. Come on Steve, we not that stupid. We know that you are a couple of steps away from an Interface like Windows. But is this a bad thing?

I work with both Windows and Macintosh in my work environment and I like the idea that you can quickly type in an web address into the environment window, instead web browser.

To illustrate what the hell I am on about, I have made up a mock Finder window, which I think would be a great addition to MacOS X.4. We already have an input field box in our Finder window, why can't we put an Internet address in there as well and surf to that page?

Some people might argue that this might be an unfair advantage to other web browsers on the Mac blah blah blah. I ask you, how many of us really use anything about from Safari? 5%? (see past posts for results)

Personally, I would welcome this methodology to the Mac, what about you?

Discuss...

PS: I would do a Poll, but I can't seem to find it? It seems we can't do them anymore :(
 

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As long as we're talking lazy, how about a beer tap up there along with a bag of chips.
 
As much as I hate Windows, I do like the in-Finder web browsing ability. With Mail and Safari sharing an HTML rendering engine, I imagine it would be very doable to add that ot the Finder.
 
I guess if I kept a Finder window open, it would be handy, but I rarely have one open and always have Safari open.
 
I like the idea. Perhaps Apple is already thinking about it, hence the need to develop a browser like Safari in the first place.
 
That sounds like a good idea. It could open the URL in your specified default browser instead of just Safari, could be useful at times. Also, showing columns based on metadata of certain files like size and resolution for images or bit rate and length for songs would be cool.

BTW, you have to be a contributing member (read: one who has donated) or a moderator/admin to post polls.
 
The only problem with that is that Safari would have to be integrated into the Finder, which is one reason M$ is in court for building IE into their OS.
 
Along the same sort of idea, if we had the option to use something like the windows "Run" command, we could then do anything. simmilar to the connect to server dialog, but set up so that it recognizes the default helpers. so if you enter a generic web address, or specify http: it will use the default browser, mailto: will open the mail client, ftp: the ftp client, and also allow it to run commands locally, like typing /Applications/iTunes.app to run itunes, or pico to run pico in a terminal session. this is one thing i think would be of great use to power users.
 
Power users already have this: Terminal.

it will edit your files in pico, ftp, it will even provide psychriatic help in emacs. the command open http://www.apple.com -- opens a new browser window with apple.com in it.

you can already type /Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/MacOS/iTunes or open -a itunes is much simpler.

Maybe it's just me but this browser/finder combo sounds like a very bad idea. It blurs lines which don't need to be blurred and makes bloat. Want a perfectly good browser/file browser? use Omniweb it's pretty full featured. No, not everyone uses Safari, it's pretty lacking in features.
 
Captain Code said:
The only problem with that is that Safari would have to be integrated into the Finder, which is one reason M$ is in court for building IE into their OS.
Click to expand...


True in some respect, but as we all know, the Mac is customisable, so you in effect, turn it off. At the moment, we can customise the Toolbar in our Finder Windows, so if you choose not to have this option, you don't have it.

The problem with Windows (from my understanding) is that the users don't have that luxury.

On the whole from the feedback receive on this thread, users think that it's a good idea. As mentioned before, I think that Apple could get away with it, either with Courts and users, if Apple supplys the option to turn it off.

I have already submitted the idea to Apple.com, we just have to wait and see now. The ball is in their court now...
 
I know that Koelling. But its a bit different being able to hit Cmd-R (run?) and typing something, and having to open terminal type what you want, and quit it again afterwards. kinda defeats the purpose.
 
Hmm... I'm all for a keystroke that invokes a small text-line input field. There, you could issue Terminal commands as well as URLs, E-Mail addresses, application names... It'd basically replace LaunchBar for me, of course, but LaunchBar doesn't do _any_ URLs, just bookmarks...
 
I'd like to be able to browse my disks in Safari...

Having the Internet in the Finder looks a bit like Sherlock... not really adapted.
 
wouldn't apple just have to implement webkit into the finder? would this slow down navigating on your local disk
 
The question for me is: Do I _want_ the Finder to also act as a webbrowser... And really: I don't think I want that. Windows actually uses IE to also display 'Finder' windows (I know that it's not called Finder there, thus the 's...).

I think it's much better to have a separate Finder. More features to the Finder: Yes. Webbrowsing: No.
 
I've been using Mozilla variants on my Windows box exclusively for over a year (read: no IE. I now launch the app about once a month, for WindowsUpdate purposes). It bothers me that, essentially, resources are loaded that I never use. I can do everything under the sun to minimize resource utilization, short of running an alternative shell/file browser, and MS still has me by the balls. Just makes Linux feel that much more friendly.

So no, I don't think Apple should do this. I highly doubt that there would be a simple checkbox in System Preferences for turning the 'feature' on and off.

I do, however, LOVE the idea of a run-like dialog box that is quick and simple.
 
ok, personally i would like to have a little bar tha acts like the "go to folder" comand in the go menu with a little variance. like if you put in HTTP web addresses it automatically opens you default web browser or if you go to a FTP address it would act like connect to server. but i don't ever want to see a a browser integrated directly in to the finder. i think that would cause more problems than it would solve
 
A web browser is just a window the web. There's no reason the Finder couldn't be the same thing. Sherlock used to be separate Find utility. Now it's built in to the Finder windows. Perfect integration.

I would welcome Finder web browsing. The distinction is solely in our heads because that's what we're used to. Already the Finder supports FTP connections (though not the same thing at all as web page viewing, but still, it's a connection visualization).

In fact, if you look at Safari, it's got a very similar interface already to the Finder. I guess for some reason it makes people feel better to separate the two, but again, there's no functional or technical reason I can think of why NOT to just add web browsing to the Finder (not necessarily as the exclusive web browser, per Windows forthcoming, but as a quick and dirty option for basic viewing).
 
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