Ease of Switching
Making the Finder more "familiar" to Windows users is absolutely critical. And, using more iTunes features may "pave the way", but it can only go so far.
The things that trip up switchers are many and basic (and, easy to fix). For example:
In Safari, clicking in the address bar places the cursor. In IE, clicking in the address bar selects all. I've seen many a Windows user using the delete key to get rid of the current URL. Yes, that seems dumb to power users, but that's what they do and they don't like "having" to do it.
The green button behaves inconsistently.
"Replace" means something different.
"Replace all" isn't an option.
It's difficult to sign into a separate iChat account. (This may be fixed, I don't use iChat any more). I've observed Windows people trying to sign into their AIM accounts using iChat at the Apple store and not having an easy time of it.
In Windows, selecting a file icon and hitting the "Return" key opens the file. On the Mac, it selects the filename and makes it editable. That is a problem when your muscle memory tells you to hit return and start typing. Windows users inadvertently change filenames in Mac OS X all the time. At least in recent versions of OS X, they can undo, but do they even know that? What's odd about this little convention, is Apple is the one that invented the "better" way. In an application dialog, like TextEdit, you hit CMD-O to open a file, type the first few letters of the filename and hit enter to open it. Why doesn't it work that way in the Finder? It's one of the great mysteries, and Microsoft chose the better way.
The fact that Apple is implementing iTunes features accross the Finder suggests that they understand that switching needs to be made easier. Lets hope this represents fundamental change change at Apple and the Finder fixes that the blogosphere has been screaming about for years now get done. Maybe, just maybe, Apple is listening again. Then again, this may be Apple's way of recognizing the problem without fully admitting it.
I don't doubt that implementing iTunes features across the Finder will make it easier for Windows users, but there are other, simpler changes that would make Switching even easier. Let's hope some of them make it into Leopard. If not, maybe a future rev.
The things that trip up switchers are many and basic (and, easy to fix). For example:
In Safari, clicking in the address bar places the cursor. In IE, clicking in the address bar selects all. I've seen many a Windows user using the delete key to get rid of the current URL. Yes, that seems dumb to power users, but that's what they do and they don't like "having" to do it.
The green button behaves inconsistently.
"Replace" means something different.
"Replace all" isn't an option.
It's difficult to sign into a separate iChat account. (This may be fixed, I don't use iChat any more). I've observed Windows people trying to sign into their AIM accounts using iChat at the Apple store and not having an easy time of it.
In Windows, selecting a file icon and hitting the "Return" key opens the file. On the Mac, it selects the filename and makes it editable. That is a problem when your muscle memory tells you to hit return and start typing. Windows users inadvertently change filenames in Mac OS X all the time. At least in recent versions of OS X, they can undo, but do they even know that? What's odd about this little convention, is Apple is the one that invented the "better" way. In an application dialog, like TextEdit, you hit CMD-O to open a file, type the first few letters of the filename and hit enter to open it. Why doesn't it work that way in the Finder? It's one of the great mysteries, and Microsoft chose the better way.
The fact that Apple is implementing iTunes features accross the Finder suggests that they understand that switching needs to be made easier. Lets hope this represents fundamental change change at Apple and the Finder fixes that the blogosphere has been screaming about for years now get done. Maybe, just maybe, Apple is listening again. Then again, this may be Apple's way of recognizing the problem without fully admitting it.
I don't doubt that implementing iTunes features across the Finder will make it easier for Windows users, but there are other, simpler changes that would make Switching even easier. Let's hope some of them make it into Leopard. If not, maybe a future rev.
3 Comments:
In the Mac OS clicking ONCE places the cursor, clicking TWICE highlights the word beneath the cursor, clicking THREE times highlights the entire paragraph (which can then be dragged wherever you want) OR in the case in question of a URL ...highlights the entire URL address line.
Simple elegance that works throughout the OS and its applications, except for MS Office apps in some cases.
That is definitely a powerful OS X feature. When it comes to typing URLs, I usually teach switchers to use CMD-L, which also works on the PC. I'm ambivalent about suggesting that Apple make the Address bar auto-select because I find that behavior to be annoying. It makes it harder for sophisticated users to edit a URL.
I also know that EVERY relatively unsophisticated Windows user I've observed switching is annoyed by the opposite and ends up using the delete key. I've seen it over and over. Microsoft does a lot of their interface design based on that type of observation, seeing users do dumb things and then dumbing down the interface in response to that.
The "auto-selecting" address bar, may or may not be based on that type of design. It certainly isn't aimed at people who need to edit URLs.
So, if Apple changed it, it would be easier for Switchers if only because it would be more familiar, but at what cost?
I wish I had left that one off the list. CMD-L is better. Chalk it up to one thing that Switchers should JUST LEARN.
Using Safari, double-click on a word in a web page to select it. Click and hold on the word, then drag it over Safari's dock icon. Safari will perform a Google search on the word (or words).
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