

IPhone-Likeness - astrec
http://daringfireball.net/2008/11/iphone_likeness

======
iigs
_The overriding factor, I think, is that the overall scope of the Mac platform
(and Windows, too, for that matter) has grown so large that it supports a wide
variety of UI design philosophies and styles._

Apple has also wandered around a lot over time, especially cosmetically.
Remember 10.0-10.1? The horizontal pinstripes and garish drop shadows?
<http://www.guidebookgallery.org/screenshots/macosx101> is an example of 10.1.
Control Panel, Safari, iTunes, etc all had disparate styles, especially over a
version or two. System 6.0 -> OS 9 got a lot busier with no clear benefit, as
well.

As far as I'm concerned, one of the biggest things about Apple's human
interfaces, especially contrasted with Windows is something that can't be
taken in isolation in a single screenshot. Namely, Apple will readily rework a
flow for a task (such as changing an IP address, for example) that Microsoft
would just put a wizard over the top of but otherwise leave in its archaic
form for multiple generations.

Part of maintaining an Apple-like UI is keeping the visual appearance fresh,
adjusting to new widths, spaces, gradients, etc. with most every release.

So far the iPhone has centered around minimalism for one good reason -- most
every other smartphone is horribly fiddly, with a zillion options (Nokia S60)
or an exceptionally busy (WM) or crude (BB) UI. Minimal is Apple's schtick,
and there was an underserved market for it right there.

~~~
Timothee
> Namely, Apple will readily rework a flow for a task (such as changing an IP
> address, for example) that Microsoft would just put a wizard over the top of
> but otherwise leave in its archaic form for multiple generations

That's a good point. Overall, Mac OS X feels very complete and one whole,
whereas Windows shows its many generations here and there, in an icon (e.g.
most system tools' icons), in a never updated app (take Paint or Notepad for
example)...

~~~
unalone
Yes. And Apple's made it a point to really nitpick at themselves.

I remember loving Tiger when I used it last year for a month. Now I have
Leopard on my MacBook, and Tiger seems incredibly worse than it - largely
because it is. I'd love to hope that the things Snow Leopard improves on are
things that outdate Leopard similarly.

