F451 wrote on Jan 13
th, 2010 at 7:07am:
I've just downloaded and started using v0.9.6. Jerry, the new toolbar simply isn't you
Well, that's the idea. Let me put it this way: We don't want BookMacster to be me
. Now I will admit that when I first read Conejo's suggestion that it needed a toolbar, I thought, "ugh". I'm not much of a toolbar fan either. But after thinking about it carefully, I realized that Conejo was correct, and the first time I launched the new version with the toolbar, I kind of liked it. Maybe the yellow is a little too bright, but there is a real value to having a new user launch the app and say "Oh, I kind of know how this probably works". Next time we get into the Preferences panel, we'll be adding a "Toolbar shows text only" preference for minimalists who consider icons to be an inefficient intrusion onto their screen real estate. With that option, it actually takes up less space than the old segmented control did.
F451 wrote on Jan 13
th, 2010 at 7:07am:
and the consistency of the app takes a hit.
Well, it's true that, to get into
Settings and
Reports, you click a toolbar item to get into the first level, and a segmented control to get into the second level, but I don't think that's hard to grasp. The
Content tab never had a second level anyhow, so even the old way was inconsistent.
F451 wrote on Jan 13
th, 2010 at 7:07am:
This is not because of the graphics, but because the vocabulary you have established (since Bookdog) has been altered.
When you have a minute, please explain what you mean by
vocabulary. I don't think you mean the words (we haven't changed any of the words).
F451 wrote on Jan 13
th, 2010 at 7:07am:
I know there have been requests for a more Apple-like GUI, but I think this is mistake for reasons of time and the necessity of having to work with someone who specializes in GUI and having them sync with you to develop a consenting vocabulary between the two of you—easier said than done.
Actually it was fun. But then, anything is fun compared to fitting a shaggy dog icon with an alpha mask.
F451 wrote on Jan 13
th, 2010 at 7:07am:
Since I value Bookdog and now BookMacster for their background operations as I do other must-haves on my Macs, I am less concerned with BookMacster's GUI than I am its performance.
We'll get back to working on performance soon.
F451 wrote on Jan 13
th, 2010 at 7:07am:
My suggestion is a return to what you were comfortable with
I'm really comfortable with the toolbar now. Actually, I've never been comfortable with the Tag Cloud. The project for today is to replace the Tag Cloud with a simple table, and flip the split view so it's on the left instead of the top. But we're still thinking differentLY, more logically. If Apple were designing this app, they'd put the first level of bookmarks (Bookmarks Bar, Bookmarks Menu, etc.) in the left sidebar, like they do in Safari, Mail.app and iTunes. (Apple calls that a
source list.) I think they're illogical and have had to educate many new Mac users on how they work. We're not doing that. But listing tags there makes alot of sense, since tags are, in a sense, another parallel view of bookmarks.
F451 wrote on Jan 13
th, 2010 at 7:07am:
and provide something along the lines of what Mike has done with PithHelmet [Rule Exchange] ... supplying users with a means of setting up BookMacster along the similar tastes of others. You can also provide some initial rules sets such sharing between FireFox and Safari (essentially the staples with which most Mac users interact between their browsers.)
I think we still have a challenge to make the New Bookmarkshelf wizard good enough that people who don't have special requirements will keep their mitts out of the Clients, Structure and Agents tabs, at least until they know what they are doing. I'll give it some more thought, but right now I can't think of any analogs to PithHelmet rules. I see only two common use cases: "I want Safari bookmarks sorted" (which maybe should be a "lite" version but forking the product is a whole nother bag of headaches), and then "I want Safari and Firefox and/or Client Xxxxx to have the same bookmarks". Maybe we need some
Restore Defaults.
F451 wrote on Jan 13
th, 2010 at 7:07am:
I submit the above with the utmost respect
Thanks for the kind words. I very much appreciate your feedback.
F451 wrote on Jan 13
th, 2010 at 7:07am:
as I do believe that you are true "think different" Mac developer versus the now masses who believe that Apple Mail is the proper GUI format (I've always dislikes Apple Mail GUI). What Bookdog and BookMacster have is true substance so as long as you keep developing BookMacster (and its succession software) I will keep licensing your products.
Thanks, but we need the masses too. Regarding Mail.app, in the View menu, you should click "Hide Toolbar". The only problem with that is that it also hides the Mailbox Search, which is the one useful thing in there which is not accessible elsewhere. When you ⌘⎇F to do a mailbox search, the stupid toolbar comes back and stays. Our "Text only toolbar" option will do better than that.