Fix the Leopard folders?
We've previously posted on Leopard's Dock problem (viz. it doesn't work well on the side because of the reflections, etc.). Now, Brandon Walkin has an interesting post on his IndieHIG blog about Leopard's default folder icons. It seems that Leopard's icon art (so far) leaves a lot to be desired - aesthetically and functionally. He argues that the Leopard folder icons don't fit well in the the Aqua interface and fail to convey important information at a glance. I think he's basically right...what about you?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
andy said 10:05AM on 9-12-2007
I think he's basically wrong...
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exzack said 10:07AM on 9-12-2007
Well, I think Aqua is about to disappear and everything will look like iTunes and Time Machine's system preferences.
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Fraser Drew said 10:11AM on 9-12-2007
I like the new icons, they just need coloured symbols in the middle, like the applications A, should remain the same colour.
The stripy aqua just gotta' go!
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Brian said 10:13AM on 9-12-2007
The first icon: A person on a diamond-shaped sign
Meaning: DANGER Beware of people
The third icon: A circle with lots of curved lines on it
Meaning: Yarn folder - Cats inside
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Mo said 10:18AM on 9-12-2007
I don't have a problem with the lack of differing shapes, although I understand the justification behind having that in the HIG. It's one reason why the folder icons lose their “folder” when placed in the sidebar in Finder, and I assume the same will happen with these.
I *really* dislike the lack of colour.
In all honesty, these look like a third-party icon set. Not a bad one, mind you, but not one to Apple's calibre either (contrast these with the level of detail and attention in the high-resolution icons for applications included with Leopard, for example).
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B deR West said 10:18AM on 9-12-2007
All my folders are little Matrix-like green folders with a waxed-string wrap via CandyBar.
But I disagree. I think the new folders show exactly what's in them (sure, they might all be the same shape, but for a self-admitted minimalist company, are you surprised?), and I find the icons on them extremely easy to follow. If you're browsing in Cover Flow, I expect that goes doubly so.
Also, the folders look more "real," i.e., they look like folders you might find in Staples. I agree this "reality" didn't work with brushed metal, but I don't mind the paper-esque folders.
I think Apple's point is, with stacks, you shouldn't have folders in your dock. Use stacks.
I agree "aqua" is over. iTunes' and Aperture's scroll bars basically confirm this: where there was blue goo there is now blue/gray matte. And I like it better. Down with the glowing goo!
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Niklas B said 10:29AM on 9-12-2007
His assertion that we only look at contours of folders is flat out wrong and that assertion has plagued the usability community for about a decade now. Every graphic designer knows it but many "usability professionals" argue that what is inside does not matter, only the shape of the border (which is the essence of Brandons first criticism).
We should know that our perception of the world is not so simple that we base our understanding of the things around us first on shape or shape alone.
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Tritone said 10:36AM on 9-12-2007
Brian, you are too much! I Rofl'd.
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Aron Trimble said 10:41AM on 9-12-2007
#4 "The third icon: A circle with lots of curved lines on it
Meaning: Yarn folder - Cats inside"
Hilarious
Ps, I think the new folders are ugly and not useful at all. If they really do use these I'll be searching for a much nicer/more usable folder set shortly after install.
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Johnny Thrash said 10:42AM on 9-12-2007
I like the new icons.
I like the orientation. They look like they are opening toward you instead of that awkward angle that OSX and Windows currently uses.
I like the color because it's easier on the eyes.
I also like the icons on the folders. I always wondered why the Applications icon was overlaying a folder in Aqua since it is actually a folder that hold applications.
So yea, I like em.
A lot of people will complain just to have a reason to complain and you can't please all the people all the time.
I think it's a good change. It shows the OS is maturing into something greater.
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James Donevan said 10:44AM on 9-12-2007
The new icons are a nice change... and overdue.
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Tom said 10:46AM on 9-12-2007
The contrast is very low on these folders, which is an accessibility issue really. Also, if you view them from afar it'll be difficult to pick one out from the other.
So far I'm pretty disappointed with Leopards interface... it all went downhill after time machine and those silly slanted buttons
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Chris said 10:56AM on 9-12-2007
I don't like this new look at all, the new folder icons, the new iTunes Scrollbars, the much used shade to grey in finder windows, all that looks like the boring stupid grey interface design from Windows 95. There is no more fun and beauty in it, it's all kinda boring and I don't looking forward to use that stuff. I switched to the Mac because of the beauty of the early MacOS X Aqua, all that stuff that looked that much different from all I've used before... and now they take the Mac back to the 90ies and do an UI that sure works great for that "pros" that were yelling about anything colorful.
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Johnny Thrash said 11:00AM on 9-12-2007
Since I can't edit my comments... an adjustment to what I wrote:
I also like the icons on the folders. I always wondered why the Applications icon *wasn't* overlaying a folder in Aqua since it is actually a folder that holds applications.
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AndyB said 11:06AM on 9-12-2007
Mmm. They suck
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matthew said 11:08AM on 9-12-2007
I don't mind the new icons, but they're definitely not anything spectacular. Some of the icons he uses in his examples are much better than Leopard's.
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Tomahawk said 11:08AM on 9-12-2007
I think the new icons are great. I think what Apple is trying to do is move towards a more simplistic and reserved view, that is carried on throughout all their products for consistency. Remember Apple is also makes the iPod Touch, and iPhone which both run OS X. Using icons like these on a mobile device probably look better, and probably doesn't decrease the performance of the device. I really have to disagree about the Adobe's icons "That said, these icons suck for all the reasons the author listed. I’d say they’re about on par than with Adobe’s current icons," I think the new Adobe icons were ingenious and a great step into what many designers are doing these days.....stepping back and going back to the basics. Just look at many of the social websites are moving away from Flash and going back to just basic HTML and CSS. The fisher price, glossy, fancy stuff is overdone (remember all the complaints about XP's start menu when it first came out). This is a bold move and I gladly welcome it.
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Tomahawk said 11:10AM on 9-12-2007
I think the new icons are great. I think what Apple is trying to do is move towards a more simplistic and reserved view, that is carried on throughout all their products for consistency. Remember Apple is also makes the iPod Touch, and iPhone which both run OS X. Using icons like these on a mobile device probably look better, and probably doesn't decrease the performance of the device. I really have to disagree about the Adobe's icons "That said, these icons suck for all the reasons the author listed. I’d say they’re about on par than with Adobe’s current icons," I think the new Adobe icons were ingenious and a great step into what many designers are doing these days.....stepping back and going back to the basics. Just look at many of the social websites are moving away from Flash and going back to just basic HTML and CSS. The fisher price, glossy, fancy stuff is overdone (remember all the complaints about XP's start menu when it first came out). This is a bold move and I gladly welcome it.
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wouter said 11:12AM on 9-12-2007
Altough I don't really like Tiger's folder Icons, aesthetically that is, Leopard's are even worse, and harder to recognize as well. So I totally agree.
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Bob said 11:14AM on 9-12-2007
I've been using the Leopard folders for about 2 months now and cannot imagine going back to the Tiger versions. I love them and welcome the change.
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