Lion Mail usage

Thank you Cindy, that gives me hope! I could get no sound and I saw none of the twisty triangles next to the folders, but seeing that display gives me hope it will be okay. I am VERY concerned that this embracing of iOS on the Mac platform represents a "dumbing-down" of the interface. I have ALWAYS been able to stick an app on the desktop, I do not need - not do I want, the iOS architecture all over the place. It is fine for the limited use of an iPad or iPhone, but completely unacceptable for my MacBook or iMac. I like to keep my desktop clean, I use it for intermediate and temporary stuff while building Omnigraffle, Photoshop, Word, Powerpoint - and whatnot - documents. I do not use my iPad or iPhone for such things, only my MacBook Pro and iMac. I have over 40,000 photos files on all three Macs I own in synchronized file systems which works for my entire family, and is synchronized on my NAS. I do not WANT any OS X deciding how to file files for me.

I confess that Lion worries me. I see LESS features rather than MORE!

Lawrence

Hi Etresoft, I fear I was unclear, I am not concerned about the iOS interface nor did I call it dumb, I have been using the iPhone since it appeared and also an iPad, it is the dumbing-down of OS X I am concerned about. iOS is excellent, but the application of iOS to iPhone and iPad class hardware and the capability of those platforms is a far cry from the work I do on my iMac and MacBook Pro. I have been using Apple gear since Lisa and have a Fat Mac right here in my office. My Macs are used within an enterprise, which exists at the office and is extended into my home. The system includes PCs and NAS devices. Although I am pleased to see new features being introduced, I would not want them at the expense of existing capability.

OS X has, at least in the past, been capable of supporting attribute based file systems which are excellent. Such systems are wonderful for folks who use a single computer and have no interest in learning how to structure and use a name-based hierarchical file system; my kids at college, my parents, perfect examples of a target market for attribute file systems. I am an enterprise architect however and use a lot of high-end tools, I need a file system over which I have full control. iOS does not stand a chance!

You say that the iOS architecture is identical to that of Mac OS X. Not so. The underlying core is likely "almost" identical, the kernel may be very close although pre-emptive multi-tasking and other aspects of application control are quite different, and the overlying GUI is not the same at all.

I said: "[iOS] is fine for the limited use of an iPad or iPhone, but completely unacceptable for my MacBook or iMac." You say: "How do you know? Ever tried it?"

Good grief! Of course! I carry an iPad and iPhone with me everywhere. The iPad is my principal tool for meetings and conference, it connects wirelessly to the enterprise. I've used an iPhone since their inception.

I said: "I do not WANT any OS X deciding how to file files for me." And you replied "All operating systems do that."

Maybe you are referring to the technical aspect of how a file is stored on a hard drive and the type of system, journaled or no, attribute-based or whatever. Yes, the O/S does that. But the organization of a file system is up to the user. For a single-system user it is not too important, and an attribute-based system may well be the best. Either way, for a single-system user the difference is marginal. For an enterprise however it is a significant difference. I cannot use anything other than a hierarchical system with SMB and AFP support. Clearly journaled is an important factor, but if OS X were to make significant changes to its file system it would have a serious impact.

Another big issue with iOS is lack of Flash. Depending on your line of work, this may have little impact, but in my line I am constantly hitting sites where Flash is used for any number of reasons. Wallaby and other tools will help reduce the impact of this issue, but they are not being used much yet, nor are they 100% solid. We'll get there I make no doubt, but until we do, iOS does not cut the mustard.

I have one person here now running a pre-release of Lion, I am beginning to get input and answers to some of my questions. I am an early-adopter of Apple products, but - so far - Lion is going to have to wait.

Cheers - Lawrence

Well - Mr. Level 6 sure did not impress me! I guess "go for the throat" is an acceptable level 6 response technique, but I think that if "... wrapping up two major software releases and just a little bit frazzled ..." means being rude then I'll request responses from levels 3, 4 and - risky perhaps - 5, in the future. Shame too, these are interesting points and Mr. Level 6 would appear to have some insight, but I guess being level 1 is simply too low on the food chain to be worthy...

Why on earth would I want to fight etresoft? Why?? But I consider your response conciliatory and would welcome a debate, I still find a number of your opinions contrary to mine however, I'd love to know why! But - for all love - fighting? I think not!

I am moving to Lion as I write, a new MBP, 0.5TB OWC 6G SSD, 2.3 GHz i7 quad - a honey - and I'd love to talk about it, I love this stuff. I worked on Lisa - when many here were but a gleam! And I had a 128K Mac. I have written apps for Macs and Windows - and a whole mess for CDC legacy systems, I have a fat mac and a Powerbook 140 in my office which try their best to start up but expire in a pool of sweat; shame. I love this stuff, it doesn't pass with age! But general discussion here is scary with level 6 whizzbangs looking down on us pion Level 1's!

Thanks Eddie for your contribution - like twtwtwt said, I let it go as a lost cause back in June, but it came back! I was quite unaware of any significance behind these levels, but maybe we level 1's need to stick together, its scary out there!

Perhaps this thread might clear the air a tad...