Sacrilege? Four Mac Usability problems
So I admit it, I’m a MacHead. My Windowsearthal friends detest it - the cloud of smug which rises up from my Powerbook. But I want to prove I’m not beyond some criticism of the glorious thing that is MacOSX. Here are my top 4 MacOSX Usability bugbears, and yes, it does feel rather sacreligious …
1. Minimize is irreversible without the mouse
I love the Dock. I love my keyboard. I enjoy being to Apple-M windows away, but I also want to be able to make those windows come back with my keyboard - without switching to my mouse.
Reversible interactions is one of the cardinal rules of Usability. Come on Apple, please make the Dock keyboard accessible! I know I could simply layer my application windows and use Expose, but sometimes a bloke just wants an uncluttered desktop.
Possible solution: this article on arstechnica refers to a “Full keyboard access” feature which gives you complete control over the Mac from your keyboard. The catch is that its buggy … and its so buried that I can’t find it within the preferences …
2. Non- shortcutable Preferences
I use some of the MacOSX preferences everyday, e.g. Network. But getting there is a hassle (Apple menu -> Location -> Network Preferences, or Apple Menu -> System Preferences). I tend to use Spotlight which helpfully includes them in results (but see problem 3 below). I’d love to be able to have a simple link from my Dock.
Possible solution: there is some talk of esoteric keyboard shortcuts to some of the preferences, but I don’t want to remember such detail …
3. Spotlight results reordering
Spotlight is a great thing, but I hate the way it keeps resorting after the first items have appeared. Again, this is really poor usability … I’d almost suggest not displaying results until they are all in. I’m invariably after a sub-panel of preferences, and the number of times I’ve clicked on a document due to reordering. Grrr.
4. Those mini windows which aren’t quite real windows
Why does Apple use those mini-windows for certain features like the Colour Picker (see pic below)? Why is this annoying? Well they don’t obey all the keyboard shortcuts (e.g. Apple-` to switch between application windows), and you can’t minimize them. Also, the close/maximise icons top-right are half the size of normal windows’ ones. Cue Fitts-law fiddliness.
Thats it - enough ranting. Please let me know if I’m being an idiot regarding any of the above!
November 20, 2006 at 12:23 am
I think it is interesting that two people can use the same operating system, but in very different ways.
#1: That problem never bothers me because I never use minimize and I never use the Dock (I’ve hidden it away). I use Apple-H, Apple-Tab, and Exposé + Hot Corners to manage all of my windows. I use Quicksilver for launching applications.
#2: Again, I never encounter this because of Quicksilver.
#3: Quicksilver wins again. I never use Spotlight.
#4: Agreed, those mini windows suck.
November 21, 2006 at 7:13 pm
My big issue with OS X is the response time on selecting things on the desktop or in applications; there is a noticeable delay like on the razor cellphone. Why should there be a delay when one clicks on the url bar in camino/safari, windows is more responsive, sadly.