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GitHub for Mac

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Re: GitHub for Mac

#81
post #71

That's cool and all, but a Windows client would make a lot more business sense. There are already a couple of nice git clients for Mac. There aren't for Windows. And I assume github is targeting SMB with its paid offerings. Unless you're a design shop or a hip startup, odds are you're not running OS X. Based on my unscientific data, most companies have the devs working on Windows (or occasionally Linux).

> Unless you're a design shop or a hip startup

They are the latter. Welcome to the San Francisco bubble, where you think everyone uses iPhones and Macs, because in your world everyone does. It's the same reason Twitter has a Mac app but not a Windows app. They build these things for themselves (and arguably they should).

Re: GitHub for Mac

#85
post #12
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is it a huge deal? It's just a desktop version of their web app. Or am I missing something?

That's kind of like saying that a BMW M5 is just a version of a Ford Fiesta. Both will get you there, but the comfort and enjoyment will be somewhat different.

That doesn't mean the M5 is a huge deal. It's a nice, enjoyable ride, but it's not a huge deal.

Re: GitHub for Mac

#87
post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you tried GitX? What you described seems a bit more like GitX than what GitHub is trying to do here. When I first fired this up, I made a tarball of one of the repos I'm currently working in (it has uncommitted changes) and started clicking around. I'd do something in the GitHub app, then go back to my bash prompt to see what happened. I was pretty confused when I switched branches and all my changes were gone.…

Nothing in your reply addresses my points, so I'm not sure what to answer. Yes, I tried GitX, and I'm not looking for (or using) Git GUI tools. This doesn't make GitHub for Mac less visually cluttered. I'm mostly discussing GUI trends (as a Mac developer who cares about this stuff), using GitHub as an example (which, as you say, gets job done great, but I say that it can be improved).

You argue that spacing produces clutter, but I completely disagree. Clutter is shoving tons of information together without spacing.

Re: GitHub for Mac

#88

Am I justified in being disappointed this doesn't support OS X 10.4 (Tiger)?

I think you mean "Is it reasonable to be disappointed this doesn't support 10.4", in which case no, I don't think it's reasonable. 10.4 stopped being updated in Nov '07.

Re: GitHub for Mac

#89
post #69

I'm sorry, but in the world of awesomely-licensed Qt and other cross-platform toolkits, why would you go out of your way to build a native app on Mac libraries and only release it for a single platform? I can understand that OS X probably has the biggest share of GitHub visitors, but git is fully open source, GitHub seem to very much like open source, and in the spirit of that I'd expect a native app that works on as…

a native app that works on as many platforms as possible

The definition of native app has changed. It's no longer a synonym for compiled binary; or using native widget. It is not as simple as coding your UI in a cross-platform toolkit. In these days, a native app means something that feels like the built-in apps: it's beyond skinning and appearance and is more about how the app as a whole interacts with the user to get the job done. As the platforms diverge, it's now really hard - if not impossible - to make a cross-platform native app. Among Performance, Cost, Time, Scope, you can only pick three. GitHub sacrifices the scope.

Re: GitHub for Mac

#90
post #28

I hate all the visual clutter and unjustified complexity the new stylish iOS-like interfaces bring. Those interfaces are only good for Twitter and friends (and for screenshots). Some feedback: * Get rid of huge spacing everywhere (for example here: http://github-images.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/2011/mac-screensh... ) * Make animations go faster. * History should have preview pane with diffs (see Mail) instead of making m…

FWIW, I disagree that windows should freely proliferate. I prefer apps that stay in a single window. Also, you should let some of that angst go, because it's clear that Apple is anticipating an iOS experience on the desktop for a long time coming.

FWIW, I disagree that windows should freely proliferate. I prefer apps that stay in a single window.

I think there's a misunderstanding. I'm not against single windows, I'm against making me navigate through screens when it's unnecessary.

Also, you should let some of that angst go, because it's clear that Apple is anticipating an iOS experience on the desktop for a long time coming.

Apple is anticipating better GUI experience. It doesn't mean that they'll make all apps occupy a single window with a single task shown at a time. Notice the difference between iPhone Mail and iPad Mail clients.

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