Metal OS X

[Richard Gaskin]

Tuviah Snyder wrote:

>> wouldn't a simple template background pattern do?
>> Anything is faster than Aqua, even a Mac128K!
> Possibly for Windows, and Unix. However the way a brushed metal window looks
> depends on it's size (play around with resizing a metal window). It's like
> trying to simulate a gradient with a background pattern.

A little pespective:

Apple's HIG sez of "textured windows" -

  This window style has been designed specifically for use by
   ‹ and is therefore best suited to ‹ applications that provide
  an interface for a digital peripheral, such as a camera, or an
  interface for managing data shared with digital peripherals,
  such as the Address Book application.

  This appearance may also be appropriate for applications that
  strive to re-create a familiar physical device‹the Calculator
  application, for example. Avoid using the textured window
  appearance in applications or utilities that are unrelated to
  digital peripherals or to the data associated with these devices.

In summary:  most apps will never need it.

And even if every OS X app were to disregard Apple's recommendation (as
apparently Apple themselves are doing with Safari and the Panther Finder),
the sum of all affected users would total only about 1% of all computer
users (a generous estimate of 50% adoption of OS X among Apple's 2.4% market
share).

Meanwhile we still don't have native appearances for the OS most widely
used, XP.

I recognize that there's a certain "wow" factor with metal far
disproportionate to its true usage, and in the emotion-driven world of
marketing I appreciate making its implementation in OS X a priority.

But please, before any effort is expended in migrating an Apple-specific
novelty appearance to other OSes, we need native appearances for XP (or even
features or bug fixes affecting all platforms).

If a novel "look and feel" is desired, what's needed to roll your own has
been in the engine since the addition of the windowShape property, which is
probably a better bet anyway:  just as Mac users get fidgety with apps that
are obvious sloppy ports from Windows, making Windows users use Apple
appearances may affect perceptions in that audience opposite the developer's
intention.  What we find "wow" others may think "ugh!".

-- 
 Richard Gaskin 
 Fourth World Media Corporation
 Developer of WebMerge: Publish any database on any Web site
 ___________________________________________________________
 Ambassador at FourthWorld.com       http://www.FourthWorld.com
 Tel: 323-225-3717                       AIM: FourthWorldInc