Tech IT Easy

 “Message from Jeremy: To all Tech IT Easy readers, who could obviously not necessarily remember the initial announcement, I have invited my friend Steve to help me try to provide you, dear readership, with everyday better technology insights. Steve’s mission statement is that there’s no mission statement: what matters most here is to raise the right issues on underlying market trends, bringing to light new software, Internet services and consumer electronic devices. Steve, the floor is yours…”

No, dear readers, I have not joined Redmond - you know, the dark side of the Force - and I will not here suggest that Apple is about to include in the latest evolution of its OS elements inspired from Vista. (This could be a good idea by the way, especially if OS X ugly brushed metal GUI is replaced by an Aero-liked interface).

But Apple is copying Microsoft in a sense.

Like the Redmond-based giant, the Californian MP3 player manufacturer, which happens inceidentally to be a small player in computer and software, seems to have much difficulty in delivering its OS on schedule. Yesterday, a suprise announcement was made by Apple, explaining that Leopard (Mac OS X.5) will be released in October, instead of June. Mac users will have to wait four months - a mere delay compared to the three year postponement of Vista. Still, this was enough to infuriate many of them, since Mac-users always expect marvels each time Apple releases a new version of its OS.

To be honest, if I was a Mac user, I would probably also be thrilled by Leopard. Actually, I couldn’t care less about Time Machine (backup tools have been around for decades), Spaces (know VirtueDesktops ?), 64 bits (few applications are 64-bits native, so there’s no gain), or improvements to Mail (seriously, who uses stationery ?). Too bad these gadgets have been labelled as Leopard’s flagships.

BUT I will surely be in awe when I’ll work with applications using Core Animation API. This will enable any unskilled developer to make its software far more exciting, with smooth animations implemented inside the UI in no time. Even though I suspect this will lead to a proliferation of horrendous 3D effects in many applications, I presume that Core Animation will improve our user experience at the end of the day. Seriously, this is not a fancy API system developed just to please the child behind each of us. After all, we are able to manage complex moving environments in say, Warcraft III, aren’t we ? Well then, just imagine for example unused inspectors slowly fading away in Flash, and progressively highlighting when you browse them. Or zooming in the Finder by just moving in and out with your wheelmouse. And I am sure our readers will suggest dozens of new ideas for introducing useful effects within applications - effects being both productive and aesthetic, as Apple’s philosophy has always been.

QuickLook is another Leopard functionality I joyfully use 200 times a day….in XP ! Basically this is an instant previewing system, which allows you to have a glimpse of a file directly in the OS (Finder for Mac, Explorer for Windows), without opening the associate program. Small feature, big benefit. The good news here is that Apple’s feature will be slightly more advanced than XP’s, since third party developers will also be able to add easily plugins for Quicklook so the files issued by their applications are also compatible. On top of this, many people are speculating about a coverflow-like interface to browse your folders’ content. Cool.

Another long-waited feature will be warmly welcomed: resolution independance, which has been implemented in some other systems long ago. I am still unable to explain quickly all its benefits, so I’ll just link this video so you get the idea. To be very superficial, let’s say that the display will be much nicer and scalable.

One more thing: iChat is going much more efficient in Leopard. In fact, it will be by then the best IM system in the marketplace in terms of functionality and ergonomy. Too bad Apple and Microsoft can’t agree on a compatibility with MSN, all the more since Messenger for Mac is useless.

In the end, I will conclude by saying that Mac OS X.5 might be worth the wait. Take your time, Apple….and please meet our expectations.