iMaculate Conception

Mac Salvation: A 10.1 Step Program

I'm ready to start using 10.1 as my primary OS, but a few problems are standing in my way. The following ten (point 1) items are steps Apple needs to take to finish The World's Most Advanced Operating System. I have to warn you - after trying to use 10.1 in a design environment, I'm a little frustrated.

1. Fix AppleTalk or get rid of AppleTalk

In my office sit 2 Macs, my trusty Pismo PowerBook and my G4. The fact that I have to go through a server with a static IP address to get these two computers, which sit no farther than 4 feet apart, to communicate is totally unacceptable. In order to get my computers to talk, I have to: enable the root user; open a terminal window; type in a series of UNIX commands to disable and restart AppleTalk; pray; wait for 10.1 to detect SOME of the Zones at my Univeristy; type in the number of the Zone I want; watch the WRONG ZONE appear in the network preference panel; swear; cry; start over.

Let's face it, alhtough AppleTalk may be an outdated standard, its the standard used by A LOT of primary, secondary and collegiate education institutions. I don't know any agencies or design studios that don't use AppleTalk. If you want us to switch to TCP/IP, FINE. But it would be nice to tell us up front. Let's not even examine the issues of trying to log into a portable using DHCP supplied by an Airport Base Station.

2. Actually, fix any service that requires you to open the Terminal

I'm speaking as both an educator and a designer. I don't want to deal with UNIX commands. I think its great that they are an option, but in order to keep your reign as the "user-friendly" OS, keep UNIX optional (see above AppleTalk issues). I've spent a little time in the Apple Support Discussion areas lately, and I've noticed the line "to solve that, first open a Terminal window.." way too much. I did DOS and UNIX once. I didn't like it. I'm not going back.

3. How about a little documentation

I'm willing to go out and buy a manual, but let's face reality. You are reading AppleLUST.com. You know as soon as the box arrives, the wrapper is off, the CD is in drive, and installation has begun. It's kind of a drag to try and find a manual locally (since we are 5% of the market, documentation can be scarce) or wait for a delivery.

Would it kill you to print a manual? And I mean print, not supply a PDF. I run a new X server, and it came with a one page - trifold setup "manual." On the disc is a 300+ page PDF. This presents two problems. You can't view a PDF on a crashed system. Also, you can't print a PDF if you don't have a printer driver.

4. Ruthlessly pressure hardware developers to post Carbon and Cocoa drivers, IMMEDIATELY

I mean ruthlessly - send some pipe toting thugs to the offices of HP, Microsoft, Griffin Technologies, and everybody else whose hardware is not quite working right with 10.1. Then maybe I could print the OSX Server manual from the server. I feel like a BetaMax user in a VHS world.

Let's get some drivers for all that cool hardware in the world - little hardware, like PDAs, software keys, you know - the things I need to in order to work. Its kind of hard to launch QuarkXPress without the hardware key. I'd really like to use the other buttons on my Intellimouse, too.

5. Ruthlessly pressure software developers to port Carbon and Cocoa software, IMMEDIATELY

Classic sucks. The entire concept of running dual operating systems is not a subject I hold dear. A significant percentage of the Mac community is made up of graphic and interactive designers. So why are almost zero design Applications being released for X in the near future? Adobe has announced InDesign, Acrobat and Ilustrator support, but no real word on Photoshop. Since Adobe won't be bringing their graphics behemoth to X anytime soon, I can make a pretty good guess that many designers won't be making the transistion anytime soon, either. I'm still waiting for word from Macromedia on Flash, Director, Dreamweaver and Fireworks. I'm not holding my breath.

I don't see many designers wanting to install fonts into both Classic and 10.1 jsut to keep production going. Let's face it, for designers, time is money - and their Macs are mission critical. I don't imagine many designers jeopardizing their paychecks to reap the benefts of just how cool the Dock looks on the desktop. Believe me, as a designer, I want to run 10.1 just to enjoy the visual quality of the OS. But then again, I need to make mortgage payments, too.

6. Fix the font issues

Reason number two that designers are going to be wary of 10.1. there is apparently a rather large insectoid feature of the 10.1 code that randomly restarts the computer after activating fonts in font managment software. That's what I like to see after waiting ten minutes for a really big display graphic to open. (black screen <BONG>) Nothing says productivity like random restarts!

Once again - Mac dominates the design market. Why are there gaping holes in the code that controls typefaces - a MAJOR concern to said market?

7. Free the Dock

I LOVE the dock. I can't get enough of searching www.xicons.com for cool icons to place on my hard drives and in the dock. I just sit and roll the mouse over the dock - gradually hypnotizing myself as the icons grow and shrink. You are feeling sleepy, so sleepy. Go to CompUSA...

On the flip side, I think Apple stopped too soon when they allowed us to move the dock to the right or left side of the screen. Remember that cool feature of ye olde Mac OS that allowed you to "pull" the Applications list off the menu bar at the top of the screen?

Free the dock, I say - let us yank it from the edge of the screen and dump it wherever we wnat - let us reshape the dock to fit our own skewed world view!

I want a twisty, snakey dock that looks like you're feeding it mice when you roll across it. And like the famous Dr. jones, I hate snakes.

8. Speed up network transfers

Unlike Mick Jagger, time is NOT on my side. I have other things to do. Make it snappy. Do we have gigabit ethernet cards to offset the TREMENDOUS slowdown in network speeds?

9. Steal a decent Microsoft idea

I really did like the Chooser. Sure, it had a strange name - but it was a quick and easy way (dare I say, user friendly) to connect to other machines on the network. the "Go" menu "Connect to Server" method is definitely a step in the wrong direction.

It's time to (gasp) look to Microsoft Windows for a good idea. The Network Neighborhood (later called "My Network Places" by some flack who must have a lot of Hello Kitty crap around their desk and about 32 cats at home) is actually the Windows equivalent of the chooser. It works rather nicely so go and steal it! Get revenge for the theft of Apple innovations over the years. It will make you feel good. Hell, Steve's already halfway dressed for a midnight raid. Just add black pants and a watch cap.

10. Get the 10.1.1 or 10.2 or whatever patch out ASAP, as opposed to next year in SF

Like next week. Don't be coy and wait to roll it out with other announcements. With that giant projected PowerPoint display full of startling uses of the evil, yet ubitquitous Comic Sans typeface. We really could use this now.

10.1 Remember your core audience

We want to be loyal. We like our toys. We want the latest and greatest. We know 10.1 puts a foot right through Windows. Just make it work, and get those Carbon and Cocoa applications out so we can actually use it.

The Bottom Line

I'm really in love with 10.1, believe it or not (probably not, after I spent the entire page moaning about bugs and missing features). I can see those promised performance gains, I love the way it looks and handles like a well engineered sports car. I'm even convinced that this is the future of Apple Computers. But it would be nice to see an OS released that is not considered a "work in progress."

Joel

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