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OS X 10.10 Yosemite: The Ars Technica Review

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Re: OS X 10.10 Yosemite: The Ars Technica Review

#61

Post by glhaynes »

ak217 wrote: post #54
vacri wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As ericd says, a lot of those little flourishes actually aid human perception and cognition. Yes, we don't need giant flashy effects or lots of animation, but that doesn't mean that the most functional design is the most minimal. Also, it's kind've ironic that you can now have a 5k display to show off your flat, monochrome circles...

This. Shadows (fake 3D), textures, colors, and other elements may seem like a gimmick, but they are fundamentally crucial in visual cognition of the UI. What's sad is that so much UI design is driven by meaningless trends instead of more precise research data on how well UI elements work.

Are they actually crucial, though? There was a ton of gnashing of teeth about iOS 7 (and other "flat" designs) but one rarely hears those anymore… and it's not at all clear to me that less-savvy users are having more trouble operating their devices than they did a couple of years ago. In fact, it seems just the opposite, that these devices have steadily continued to integrate themselves into people's lives more than ever before. Come to think of it, it seems that the gnashing of teeth has shifted to that (these screens that we spend our lives staring at!) over the last year or two.

I'm sure there have been at least some regressions in some aspects of some user performance measurements, but it seems really clear at this point that it hasn't been a catastrophe… or even a significant problem.

Re: OS X 10.10 Yosemite: The Ars Technica Review

#62

Post by hrktb »

ericd wrote: post #42
jackmoore wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even though it feels very fad-ish because it's been used as a buzzword/bandwagon, I don't feel like it's actually a fad. My view is that that digital design has matured to the point where designers no longer feel they have to wow users with lots of effects and visual flourishes, allowing for a more purpose driven design. My hope/opinion is that is here to stay.

A lot of those flourishes were actually design affordances, though, visually denoting certain functions and making things more intuitive. Not a fan of the super-flat design trend.

As you say super flat might not be great, but all the designs preceding the current trend where extremely harsh on the visuals.

From windows XP to 7, the windows default themes and colors where disturbingly flashy and "in your face". OSX was more bland but aqua was still kitch and unneedingly strippy. iOS6 app's ultra textured or "realistic" interfaces were the peak of that trend IMO.

In the real world, not everyone likes kids playroom colors, nor grandma's 60s style wallpaper, nor steam punky design, nor green-blue metalic robot parts. Personally I like MUJI style clean and clear design, and I feel like it took that much time to have a core of people to value cleanness and simplicity in computer UI design as well.

Re: OS X 10.10 Yosemite: The Ars Technica Review

#63

Post by prawn »

smutticus wrote: post #6

None of these reiews answer the one question I always want answered; will this cause my MBP to crash more often than 10.8.5? I have all the features I need, I want fewer GPU panics. I know these reviewers cannot answer this question, I just want to point out that it's the only relevant question for me. Given Apple's track record, this release will most likely cause my MBP to crash more often, but I want data on that.…

I have been using the Yosemite beta and it has been pretty horrible. Constant visual glitches in Photoshop CS6, crashes with display glitches in Sublime Text and really long pauses anytime I try to save a simple document for the first time. e.g., save a new 100KB JPG in Photoshop? 1 min or more. Save a 100MB+ PSD that's already been saved? Instant.

Would've happily avoided the beta but the only way to screen record directly from an iOS device and the Apple-recommended way to create preview videos for the app store involved Yosemite and iOS8.

Re: OS X 10.10 Yosemite: The Ars Technica Review

#64

Post by mentat »

song wrote: post #46
smutticus wrote: post #6

None of these reiews answer the one question I always want answered; will this cause my MBP to crash more often than 10.8.5? I have all the features I need, I want fewer GPU panics. I know these reviewers cannot answer this question, I just want to point out that it's the only relevant question for me. Given Apple's track record, this release will most likely cause my MBP to crash more often, but I want data on that.…

Yes, I've never had OS X crash as often as Mavericks. And some of the crashes are completely repeatable. For example, open a lot of windows (20 terminal windows, 5-6 projects in Sublime, a bunch of browser windows used to test apps), turn on mission control and it just crashes every single time. I haven't done more test to figure the exact number of windows until it crashes but I know that it does for my workflow. Ad…

There are and have been real GPU HW bugs that this could be triggering. I just had my main logic board replaced twice due to these with a similar trigger.

Re: OS X 10.10 Yosemite: The Ars Technica Review

#65

Post by [deleted] »

toggle wrote: post #13
cdbattags wrote: post #7

I actually read this all the way through... Quality writing.

I'll check it out, but in his past reviews, I've had the impression that the author really likes showing off his background knowledge of all things Apple. A lot of the text is irrelevant to the review, and therefore shouldn't be there. Also, the endless, endless links. He really needs to learn when something should be linked and when it shouldn't -- it really affects the reading experience on the web. You're constant…

[deleted]

Re: OS X 10.10 Yosemite: The Ars Technica Review

#66

Post by archagon »

[deleted] wrote: post #65
toggle wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll check it out, but in his past reviews, I've had the impression that the author really likes showing off his background knowledge of all things Apple. A lot of the text is irrelevant to the review, and therefore shouldn't be there. Also, the endless, endless links. He really needs to learn when something should be linked and when it shouldn't -- it really affects the reading experience on the web. You're constant…

[deleted]

Negative way to put it: "written for the stereotypical Apple hipster"

Positive way to put it: "written with the indie Mac dev community in mind"

These guys have been in the game for a long time and have an emotional attachment to the development of the Mac platform.

Re: OS X 10.10 Yosemite: The Ars Technica Review

#67

Post by subdane »

prawn wrote: post #63
smutticus wrote: post #6

None of these reiews answer the one question I always want answered; will this cause my MBP to crash more often than 10.8.5? I have all the features I need, I want fewer GPU panics. I know these reviewers cannot answer this question, I just want to point out that it's the only relevant question for me. Given Apple's track record, this release will most likely cause my MBP to crash more often, but I want data on that.…

I have been using the Yosemite beta and it has been pretty horrible. Constant visual glitches in Photoshop CS6, crashes with display glitches in Sublime Text and really long pauses anytime I try to save a simple document for the first time. e.g., save a new 100KB JPG in Photoshop? 1 min or more. Save a 100MB+ PSD that's already been saved? Instant. Would've happily avoided the beta but the only way to screen record d…

iOS8 has made my 4S nearly unusable. Wish I had waited to install it.

Re: OS X 10.10 Yosemite: The Ars Technica Review

#68

Post by ericd »

hrktb wrote: post #62
ericd wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot of those flourishes were actually design affordances, though, visually denoting certain functions and making things more intuitive. Not a fan of the super-flat design trend.

As you say super flat might not be great, but all the designs preceding the current trend where extremely harsh on the visuals. From windows XP to 7, the windows default themes and colors where disturbingly flashy and "in your face". OSX was more bland but aqua was still kitch and unneedingly strippy. iOS6 app's ultra textured or "realistic" interfaces were the peak of that trend IMO. In the real world, not everyone…

Oh, I definitely agree, XP's playskool-esque design was way over the top, and OS X's excessive animations/reflections/etc. are obnoxious. It does seem to be getting better in that regard. I like most of Bootstrap's choices, and those seem to be diffusing out.

Re: OS X 10.10 Yosemite: The Ars Technica Review

#69

Post by benbreen »

prawn wrote: post #63
smutticus wrote: post #6

None of these reiews answer the one question I always want answered; will this cause my MBP to crash more often than 10.8.5? I have all the features I need, I want fewer GPU panics. I know these reviewers cannot answer this question, I just want to point out that it's the only relevant question for me. Given Apple's track record, this release will most likely cause my MBP to crash more often, but I want data on that.…

I have been using the Yosemite beta and it has been pretty horrible. Constant visual glitches in Photoshop CS6, crashes with display glitches in Sublime Text and really long pauses anytime I try to save a simple document for the first time. e.g., save a new 100KB JPG in Photoshop? 1 min or more. Save a 100MB+ PSD that's already been saved? Instant. Would've happily avoided the beta but the only way to screen record d…

n=1 of course, but I've been using the beta on a 2013 Macbook Pro for a couple months now with no problems besides Safari crashing more often than usual. No issues with Photoshop and performance generally seems better than Mavericks.

Re: OS X 10.10 Yosemite: The Ars Technica Review

#70

Post by [deleted] »

archagon wrote: post #66
[deleted] wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[deleted]

Negative way to put it: "written for the stereotypical Apple hipster" Positive way to put it: "written with the indie Mac dev community in mind" These guys have been in the game for a long time and have an emotional attachment to the development of the Mac platform.

[deleted]
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