Mac OSX done with Aqua theme?


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I have been looking at screen shots of Mac OSX and have noticed some big changes in appearance. Mac OS X was always about the cool Aqua theme. However is this Aqua theme not on Apples agenda anymore? It seems like the new mac os x snow leopard is going away from this. I also liked the features in the Mac OS X 10.3 The folders where 3D Aqua and also the matallic window themed looked great.

I noticed on the new mac os x version that the 3D folders are gone and its back to old 2D non aqua style. Also the windows are not the cool medal or chrome look anymore ( dont know exact words to describe it ) and is just a plain gray windows default. Also whats up with the faded out finder bar thats hard to see now.

Here is screenshots of the Mac OS X 10.3 and the OSX snow leapard.

I dont want to complain but is apple going away from the Aqua look? I liked the old look better.

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With the looks of the latest versions of iTunes and iPhoto, a lot of people believe a new 'Marble' interface will be coming in 10.7... But that's been a rumour since Snow Leopard was originally announced.

People talked about "Marble" back in the Leopard days. When it didn't show up, they talked about it as coming in Snow Leopard. When that didn't happen, they said it was coming in iWork '09. Now it's been moved up to iWork '10, etc.

Rumors are rumors. I heard a rumor that Steve Jobs is going to shut down Apple and work for Microsoft.

While I could handle the way Tiger (10.4) looked I much much prefer 10.6 (the transparency on the menu bar can be turned off and the dock switched back to 2d). The different window styles had to go, they were confusing and had no consistency between apps (developers were supposed to use one style for certain app and the other for other apps but no one really followed it...even Apple)

The current look still has room for improvements but it's coming along nicely :)

While I could handle the way Tiger (10.4) looked I much much prefer 10.6 (the transparency on the menu bar can be turned off and the dock switched back to 2d). The different window styles had to go, they were confusing and had no consistency between apps (developers were supposed to use one style for certain app and the other for other apps but no one really followed it...even Apple)

The current look still has room for improvements but it's coming along nicely :)

Things still aren't fully consistent, and considering Apple seems to enjoy changing visual styles ever few years, I kind of doubt there will ever be a truly, fully unified Aqua. (The plastic/unified look in Leopard is appearing to be gradually discarded in favor of black/dark gray "Marble" or w/e dumb term you want to use.) One inconsistency is those scrollbars... Some apps (Finder) use the older Aqua-style scrollbars, others (iTunes) use the "pastel" ones while still more (iPhoto) use yet another style.

As for the HIG, Apple recommended that apps that replicated "real world appliances" (such as iTunes replicating a real jukebox) use the brushed metal style, while those that didn't use the unified style. Except this became real confusing, real quick, and there was more of a demand for a unified look rather than what would turn out to be an arbitrary choice of window styles.

Aqua or not, OS X is the best-looking OS around!

In your opinion, of course. There are some very nice GTK+/KDE themes that are available for use, ones that are completely open for customization, too. Aqua is nice, but not completely consistent in certain areas and is locked down considerably. You can use things like CandyBar to change some application icons, but other things like altering the font are much more complicated to do.

Well of course the Aqua theme was great, but that was in the past when it matched their hardware. The new Macs are for the most part all black/silver - it looks great and contrasts well with the hardware. I love SL on my new iMac because it matches the exterior. Looks good.

  • 2 weeks later...

Aqua look was something I never enjoyed. The look since Leopard is so much cleaner and modern. Any move by Apple would to continue this look and move towards their marble "dark" look like with QuickTime in Snow Leopard, also maybe add some more transparency.

Aqua look was something I never enjoyed. The look since Leopard is so much cleaner and modern. Any move by Apple would to continue this look and move towards their marble "dark" look like with QuickTime in Snow Leopard, also maybe add some more transparency.

+1

minus the transparency part.... no need for that

I like the Leopard look more the Apples old one. Imho I also think OSX 10.5x+ is the best looking OS around, Win7 is beautiful and I played around hours in Linux but OSX Leopard just has this certain "something" I can't describe that just makes it look the best :p

"something" I can't describe that just makes it look the best :p

Maybe all small things and details. Think what big difference non alpha blended/non-antializad window borders would do. Pixeletad window borders don't really look nice.

Altho, you can also use antialias and alpha blending in W7's dwm, and in Windowblinds shaders, but fully freely using it in dwm requires debugging code from betas (blur really disables option to smooth freely window borders, as the blur box is behind every window and "requires" per-pixel transparency. Betas allow to disable that overlay).

What comes to old aqua look; i don't like it at all. Huge window borders and unrequired spacings, when where there is no content to make readable, is bit bad. The interface just seems to waste space and it doesn't look nice with stripy look.

I like the Leopard look more the Apples old one. Imho I also think OSX 10.5x+ is the best looking OS around, Win7 is beautiful and I played around hours in Linux but OSX Leopard just has this certain "something" I can't describe that just makes it look the best :p

Totally agree. 10.5 and above look really good. I personally think its got a lot to do with the theme getting out of the way, allowing me to really focus on the content. I hardly notice the Aqua theme most of the time.

I hate the old 'Aqua' look, I've never been a fan of it. I absolutely love the Leopard style though.

I agree. Aqua and pin-stripes are what made the OS look like it was developed my playskool. The newer interfaces look sleek and much more professional IMHO. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Isn't there a way to theme the OS to make it look how you want?

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