As predicted previously here on gF, Leopard is slowly moving to a new look. It seems that the brushed metal Finder — a metaphor that never made sense given how brushed metal was being used by Apple elsewhere — is being put to pasture. In its stead, we have a smoother, more unified GUI texture (click to embiggen):
I think this subtle moves backs up my prediction that we’ll see a more iTunes 7-ish overall look and feel, which I love. Others have said quite vocally that they hate the look. Regardless of speculative hand-wringing and what people might think they think, my bet is that Apple will do quite a nice job on Leopard’s GUI refresh and it will be almost universally loved.
Note how starkly this more refined (and, arguably, professional) look contrasts Vista’s excessive use of transparency and color. This is quite intentional.
17 responses so far ↓
Peter // April 13, 2007 at 9:53 pm
Uh…
Bring up a Finder window. Grab the dimple control and move it to the left. The names disappear when you get to a certain point.
Go to the View menu and choose “Customize Toolbar…” Drag a “Flexible Space” between the “Back/Forward” buttons and the view options. Drag another “Flexible Space” after the view buttons and put an Action button after that.
In short, I can configure the Finder windows to look this way now.
mark powell // April 13, 2007 at 10:01 pm
Uh…
Peter, read the article before replying.
ceejayoz // April 13, 2007 at 11:59 pm
Peter, I’m sorry, where in your comment did you explain how to remove the brushed metal texture, which is what the entire post is talking about?
Read, then comment, perhaps?
KC // April 14, 2007 at 2:22 am
boy…quick to jump down Peter’s throat….anyone here heard of Uno? This is horribly easy to accomplish…including the removal of the brushed metal…I haven’t had brushed metal on ANYTHING in osx for the past 3 months.
tom // April 14, 2007 at 3:05 am
nobody claimed it was hard to remove brushed metal from finder. all this post is saying that finder will not have brushed metal in Leopard. by default. no uno needed.
DBL // April 14, 2007 at 5:24 am
Hey commenters, I know it’s fun put down the guy who made the first comment, but sometimes it helps to read the other comments, first!
Matt // April 14, 2007 at 8:17 am
tom: The point is that the removal of brushed metal is a drop in the ocean. Maybe giving the option to move the menu bar onto a window would be an improvement? Lets not get excited every time Apple farts. Honestly. If you have put up with brushed metal in Finder this long, you clearly either like it (because you would simply use Uno), or you don’t care either way.
Also, I believe Peter was getting at the fact that this image certainly does not look like the product of Apple, but rather some kid that did exactly what he described (plus Uno) and called it Leopard.
So lets all calm down, eh? Its a damned file manager, for Christ’s sake. Don’t we have other things to concern ourselves with?
GeekBoy // April 14, 2007 at 10:45 am
I always thought the brushed metal was a little inconsistent. I’ve tried a few “re-skinning” apps (but not Uno), and I find they tend to slow the system down or make things look a little odd. I for one will be glad when the whole UI is a bit more consistent.
I’m also glad to see that they won’t be going for transparency and all that other stuff which wastes screen real estate and saps resources. This is why I love the look of OS X (and XP) compared to Vista’s “overkill” look.
herkamer // April 14, 2007 at 11:14 am
Where is this from? how is this Leopard? I’d say this is just mac os x 10.4 with Uno and customized toolbars. cause this is exactly what my mac looks like. lame.
print // April 14, 2007 at 11:27 am
I think what the first poster was implying that this screenshot was entirely fictitious and therefore you cannot rely on the notion that the merely the brushed metal will go.
Not having any clue about this site, its author, the content, I cannot say one way or another, I would assume something a little different, making more use of learnings in the field of HCI in regards to how we use UIs.
As the poster above says, how is this leopard?
Mike // April 14, 2007 at 3:57 pm
I hope this is the new look of Leopard, I’m tired of using Uno. Also, did anyone else hear that Apple isn’t planning on releasing Leopard in June @ the WWDC like was expected, but is releasing the iPhone and waiting until October for Leopard?
I hope that news isn’t true. I want Leopard in June.
Jeff Ventura // April 14, 2007 at 4:47 pm
Mike: It’s true.
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[...] OSX Leopard finally hints at new GUI look. As predicted previously here on gF, Leopard is slowly moving to a new look. It seems that the brushed metal Finder […] [...]
brent01 // April 15, 2007 at 8:16 am
I think that picture has to be wrong. The finder will look like a much lighter tinny gray than brushed metal. And I think they are going to totally revamp the layout and add more functionality. What is your source for the image?
Christer // April 17, 2007 at 4:36 am
It could be like that Apple are unifying the interface first to ensure that all windows looks the same and then revamp the interface with something that is included in Apple’s several Top Secret things. We’ll need to wail until WWDC or October before knowing about GUI. Anyhow, unifying the GUI is a good step to a better OS.
nickmatteis // May 12, 2008 at 7:43 pm
i want me some brushed metal for my leopard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! im so bored with this GUI its sooooo bland
mark // May 22, 2008 at 1:37 pm
I too feel uncomfortable that the look and feel of my (software) product is under the whimsical control of some Apple Geek: They get a lot right but every so often they cock it up … Brushed metal should be an option!
Quite frankly the textured panels look … we.. grubby is the only word I can think of… I had to go to some lengths to rework all my interfaces.
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