Apple to introduce new OSX interface with Snow Leopard?

The rumor mills are buzzing with reports from "sources" that Apple will apparently ship a new, more consistent and streamlined, user interface in the next version of OSX, dubbed Snow Leopard.

osx_GUI-rumor.png

The new interface will reportedly use a system-wide GUI similar to the current iTunes interface with flatter, smoother and darker GUI elements. The new theme is rumored to be codenamed "Marble," and will rid OSX of the last signs of Aqua, the glossy colorful orb-style GUI used since OSX's beta introduction in 2000.

You can read more at AppleInsider, MacRumors, as well as John Gruber's Daring Fireball site.

I'm not much for Apple rumors, they rarely play out as reported, and when they do it's because they're painfully obvious directions for Apple to go in. But this rumor carries a lot of interest for me.

"OSX's user interface can't seem to make up its mind what it wants to be."

While the OSX interface isn't all that horrible, I've grown quite tired of the brightly colored gel-like buttons and scroll bars. For a short period of time, I used themes via Shapeshifter, but the roster of available themes worth using was so short that I quickly gave up on them.

OSX's user interface can't seem to make up its mind what it wants to be. We've got Aqua, Brushed Metal, Unified Window theme (such as iTunes and the Finder), the Aperture HUD interface, and the horribly ugly Garageband GUI.

Personally, I like the idea of OSX having a single GUI for all applications, both from Apple and third parties. I wouldn't mind if this "Marble" rumor (as seen in the mock-up above from AppleInsider) were the main interface, with sparingly used HUD windows.

It's completely shocking to me that Steve Jobs, with his well-documented insistence on having a beautiful interface, has allowed OSX's schizophrenia to go on this long. Please, for the love of all that is good in the world, PICK AN INTERFACE ALREADY!




The downside

While consistency is an admirable goal, the ability to design different application interfaces allows for experimentation and innovation.

In general, people seem to like the Itunes interface, but it would have never been created had Apple forced the Itunes developers to use an established style.





interface

do a google search for iLeopard - system wide them for os X that makes all windows, etc, look like the iTunes interface. - been using it for quite some time i a production environment - no issues at all





Thanks Glen

I'll give iLeopard a try.





Hasn't leopard gone a long

Hasn't leopard gone a long way in solving this problem? Except for the aqua-style buttons and sliders, I haven't seen any brushed metal or aqua windows.

Granted, it seems that the new iWork and iLife introduced a whole new-looking set of HUD elements





Just installed iLeopard

VERY nice! No issues at all with stability. Nice to have a somewhat consistent GUI.





Aqua is more elegant

the GUI Aqua es more beautiful and elegant, GUI Marble is dark and ugly.





Thanks for the its much

Thanks for the its much appreciated





Thanks

Thanks for the information. I really like mac OSX and prefer it over XP and Vista. Whatever happens, it will still be good and easy to use.



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