WWDC 2007 Play-by-Play

[Southern Patriot]

Just a note to all of you bashers saying that Apple didn't introduce anything new here: go look at the Leopard site at Apple.com. There are many things featured there that Steve didn't even hint about at WWDC. Watch the video demos there. Things look much better in motion than with static images.

[TruckWEB]

Safari for Windows crash each time I try to do something with bookmarks.... Wow. Running on Vista x64.

[Hurmoth]

Wow, I must've imagined the stacks, the network-wide Spotlight searching, Quick Look, Cover Flow in Finder, Time Machine (which isn't Shadow Copy, contrary to popular belief), and Spaces. I had one crazy acid trip.

Again nothing new. Spotlight searching through the network? Nothing new there since I can setup Google Desktop Search to do that, Quick Look is nothing spectacular and neither is Cover Flow (in fact Cover Flow is pretty much pointless IMO) and there's how many other backup solutions out there (my personal favorite is Acronis True Image) and Spaces, that's been in Linux for how many years? Again nothing new.

[giga Veteran]

Again nothing new. Spotlight searching through the network? Nothing new there since I can setup Google Desktop Search to do that, Quick Look is nothing spectacular and neither is Cover Flow (in fact Cover Flow is pretty much pointless IMO) and there's how many other backup solutions out there (my personal favorite is Acronis True Image) and Spaces, that's been in Linux for how many years? Again nothing new.

You don't think Quick Look is impressive? :| You've seen the first three demos right? http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/features/ (desktop, finder, quicklook)

[Southern Patriot]

Again nothing new. Spotlight searching through the network? Nothing new there since I can setup Google Desktop Search to do that, Quick Look is nothing spectacular and neither is Cover Flow (in fact Cover Flow is pretty much pointless IMO) and there's how many other backup solutions out there (my personal favorite is Acronis True Image) and Spaces, that's been in Linux for how many years? Again nothing new.

Maybe individually they have all been around in one form or another, but what is new is the fact that they are all included and integrated into the OS. Just because YOU think CoverFlow is pointless doesn't mean that it isn't useful for other people.

[Hurmoth]

Maybe individually they have all been around in one form or another, but what is new is the fact that they are all included and integrated into the OS. Just because YOU think CoverFlow is pointless doesn't mean that it isn't useful for other people.

How exactly is Cover Flow useful? Give me an example.

You don't think Quick Look is impressive? :| You've seen the first three demos right? http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/features/ (desktop, finder, quicklook)

I can see Quick Look being useful, but it isn't spectacular though.

Look, I'm not bashing Leopard, I'm bashing Apple because I was expecting something spectacular and I'm just not seeing anything new that we really haven't already seen, either from past demos of Leopard or in other technologies. Apple isn't innovating like what they have done in the past, although I'll give Apple this, Time Machine is something useful, the way they've implemented it into the OS that hasn't been done before, but once again it isn't spectacular and we already knew we were getting that.

So besides some changes to the UI, where's the top secret features we've been promised, or is that it? A new UI that isn't that revolutionary, at least not like what Apple's claiming.

[Chad]

Again nothing new. Spotlight searching through the network? Nothing new there since I can setup Google Desktop Search to do that, Quick Look is nothing spectacular and neither is Cover Flow (in fact Cover Flow is pretty much pointless IMO) and there's how many other backup solutions out there (my personal favorite is Acronis True Image) and Spaces, that's been in Linux for how many years? Again nothing new.

Perhaps, but these items are new in the OS. I believe once you use it, you'll love Quick Look. It beats opening up a document to see what you need. Cover Flow...yeah I don't see using that too much, but who knows. I didn't think I'd use Dashboard either, but I do.

Different backup solutions....true. There aren't many good ones for OS X though. At least nothing that I like using. I like it when features are integrated into the OS. One of the things that makes Apple appealing to me is the hardware and software are built around each other, specifically for each other. Spaces is no different. It's been in Linux but it's new in OS X.

Outside of Time...whatever the backup app is called, I don't remember Steve touting any of these items as 'revolutionary'.

[Elliott]

Spotlight searching through the network? Nothing new there since I can setup Google Desktop Search to do that

I dunno about you but I love messing with my registry (which is Windows only anyway).

Spaces, that's been in Linux for how many years?

In my opinion, Linux has never done something quite as streamlined as Spaces.

Quick Look is nothing spectacular and neither is Cover Flow (in fact Cover Flow is pretty much pointless IMO)

I don't see how Cover Flow giving you good-sized previews of your files is useless, especially since you can play/preview them right in the Cover Flow view (I'm going to use it a lot for quickly determining which version of a file I want).

and there's how many other backup solutions out there (my personal favorite is Acronis True Image)

...Windows app. Besides, it's not nearly as integrated or developer friendly as Time Machine.

[Southern Patriot]

How exactly is Cover Flow useful? Give me an example.

I think that it will make sorting through a folder of similar documents a breeze. I can't give concrete examples of how useful it will be right now because I don't have a copy of Leopard here, but if the ease of use of CoverFlow in iTunes is any indication of how easy it will be to use in Finder, it's going to be nice.

[Chad]

How exactly is Cover Flow useful? Give me an example.

I can see Quick Look being useful, but it isn't spectacular though.

Look, I'm not bashing Leopard, I'm bashing Apple because I was expecting something spectacular and I'm just not seeing anything new that we really haven't already seen, either from past demos of Leopard or in other technologies. Apple isn't innovating like what they have done in the past, although I'll give Apple this, Time Machine is something useful, the way they've implemented it into the OS that hasn't been done before, but once again it isn't spectacular and we already knew we were getting that.

So besides some changes to the UI, where's the top secret features we've been promised, or is that it? A new UI that isn't that revolutionary, at least not like what Apple's claiming.

The Finder and Dock are pretty spectacular, imo. The rest was just gravy. Who knows what else they didn't talk about though? I don't expect every new item in Leopard to be the best thing ever. It sounds like that's the mentality you had though. There were great strides made with earlier releases of OS X because it was such a 'bare' OS originally. There's only so much you can do before you have to start over. We see it all the time. Early updates of an item are huge but tend to trail off toward the end of it's life. I don't expect anything different from Apple or MS

[bob_loblaw]

Boo! No new hardware announcements. When is the next big Mac congregation?

Btw, I'm totally buying Leopard as soon as it comes out. I think I'll go with the Ultimate version :p

[giga Veteran]

How exactly is Cover Flow useful? Give me an example.

Again, watch the demo for the finder. Large scale previews of images, docs, excels, pdfs, ppt/keynote presentations, movies is outstanding.

http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/features/finder.html

[Hurmoth]

The Finder and Dock are pretty spectacular, imo. The rest was just gravy. Who knows what else they didn't talk about though? I don't expect every new item in Leopard to be the best thing ever. It sounds like that's the mentality you had though. There were great strides made with earlier releases of OS X because it was such a 'bare' OS originally. There's only so much you can do before you have to start over. We see it all the time. Early updates of an item are huge but tend to trail off toward the end of it's life. I don't expect anything different from Apple or MS

I'm not expecting everything in Leopard to be the best ever, but nothing in Leopard screams "Buy me" Same thing with Windows Vista. Neither of these companies are adding anything to their new spectacular OSes that make me want to go out and spend $129+ on a new OS. And of course I wouldn't want to put either of those new OSes on my current hardware because it is kind of old by now, so I'd have to buy a whole new machine.

I did expect more of those top secret features though. Apple has been touting them for a year now and we're getting, well a new UI, which I kind of expected based on the blogs and rumor sites I've read. So nothing really exciting from this year's WWDC, just like last year's and just like MacWorld (excluding the iPhone of course).

Again, watch the demo for the finder. Large scale previews of images, docs, excels, pdfs, ppt/keynote presentations, movies is outstanding.

http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/features/finder.html

I've watched that and it just doesn't get me excited, no where near as useful as Quick Look. I've tried using it in iTunes and it gets on my nerves, I can't imagine how it would get on nerves in Finder.

[+Fahim S. MVC]

I think you are expecting a whole paradigm shift, when we haven't reached the limits of this paradigm yet... so companies like Apple and Microsoft are squeezing everything out of the traditional desktop interface which has been out for ages now.

Things will change, eventually a very very drastic change, but not yet. The reason neither Microsoft or Apple have made significant steps in the os is mainly due to the fact that the previous releases were pretty sweet (fanboys may disagree on the opposite corners) and hence it is just a case of making it that little bit tighter.

If you have any bright ideas as to what needs to come on the os next, you need to write it down and patent it or something...

[giga Veteran]

I've watched that and it just doesn't get me excited, no where near as useful as Quick Look. I've tried using it in iTunes and it gets on my nerves, I can't imagine how it would get on nerves in Finder.

Guess some things aren't for everyone.

[Powerless]

Wait until you use it eh?

[Hurmoth]

Wait until you use it eh?

That's true, once it is released I'll make my way to an Apple Store to see for myself, I might change my opinion, but at this moment I'm kind of disappointed. But I can always change :D

[+Batfink Subscriber²]

Boo! No new hardware announcements. When is the next big Mac congregation?

Btw, I'm totally buying Leopard as soon as it comes out. I think I'll go with the Ultimate version :p

I'm happy... my 20" iMac isn't out of date (which I thought it would be)!! I will be getting Leopard as soon as possible too.

[Southern Patriot]

I've watched that and it just doesn't get me excited, no where near as useful as Quick Look. I've tried using it in iTunes and it gets on my nerves, I can't imagine how it would get on nerves in Finder.

That's just it though. CoverFlow is just an alternative interface for QuickLook in Finder. You don't HAVE to use it, but it is there if you want. I can personally see myself using it for some folders on my machine but not for others, it just depends on the content of the folders. It would seem to me that you could actually use it in place of iTunes and/or iPhoto for many things.

[Elliot B.]

Is there any video footage?

[BajiRav]

TimeMachine --> Shadow Copy (although MS completely screwed up on implementation that I agree)

QuickView --> Previews in Vista

Transparent menubar --> Transparent taskbar (I can't imagine how much MS/vista bashing was on neowin for all transparent vista stuff)

CoreAnimation --> WPF

Network search --> Vista desktop search

I can't believe after so much MS bashing Apple came with something so trivial. And does anybody remember all the Vista needs new hardware propaganda ? Guess Leopard will run just fine on 3 year old iBook G4s...eh ? /sarcasm

[TruckWEB]

When will the keynote be online for viewing?? Link?

[giga Veteran]

When will the keynote be online for viewing?? Link?

From what I remember last time, usually later in the evening.

[PyX]

Hahhhhhh I wish we would have seen something newer. Once again, he showed the 64-bits, Spaces, etc. x_x

Maybe tomorrow, since we'll be a Tuesday, we'll see hardware announcements ?

I just can't wait to see all the 300 new features...

[Elliott]

TimeMachine --> Shadow Copy (although MS completely screwed up on implementation that I agree)

QuickView --> Previews in Vista

Transparent menubar --> Transparent taskbar (I can't imagine how much MS/vista bashing was on neowin for all transparent vista stuff)

CoreAnimation --> WPF

Network search --> Vista desktop search

I can't believe after so much MS bashing Apple came with something so trivial. And does anybody remember all the Vista needs new hardware propaganda ? Guess Leopard will run just fine on 3 year old iBook G4s...eh ? /sarcasm

1. Time Machine and Shadow Copy are pretty different. Time Machine is a full backup solution whereas Shadow Copy just basically saves versions.
   
2. Quick Look is quite a bit more advanced and functional than those little Explorer previews in XP/Vista.
   
3. I freaked out about the transparency in Vista because it's everywhere. One transparent menubar isn't killing anybody's eyes here.
   
4. Core Animation focuses more on the actual eye candy while leaving all the programming to the respective language (Cocoa for the most part). WPF/Avalon is kind of a hybrid programming language/animation layer. Plus, with a base like Core Image for Core Animation to work off of, you really can't go but so wrong.
   
5. I thought networking seaching on Vista was nixed and, instead, you have to search the slow way (i.e. without an index) over a network