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Level 2

261 points

sidebar missing from iCal in Lion — seeking a third party product to restore lost functionality

Apple has removed the sidebar, the always-on list of calendars that required no click.

The shallow popover that appears only when clicked — obscuring part of the calendar before disappearing — is to me (and some others) an unacceptable substitute for working with multiple calendars, especially where calendars are grouped across multiple servers.

I'm aware of third party alternatives to iCal. (Most full-featured calendar interfaces do have an always-on full-height list of calendars. Probably the best known alternative to iCal is BusyCal.)

This topic does not seek alternatives; I do wish to continue using iCal, albeit in a way that is less frustrating than what Apple forces upon users of 10.7.

This topic seeks:

a third party product that will restore lost functionality to iCal.

To any developer who reads this topic: please, I beg you, on my knees, submit your iCal sidebar app — or whatever you wish to call it — to the App Store as soon as you can. I'll gladly pay, and more than gladly help to test any pre-Store development version.

Other readers please note: whilst I'm extraordinarily frustrated by Apple's design decision, this is not an invitation to rant. Let's gain something constructive from this discussion.

If you wish Apple to restore the sidebar to iCal, as an option, then please:

submit iCal feedback to Apple, with your use case; explain why for you personally the limited disappearing popover is a poor substitute; explain how the sidebar will improve both (a) your productivity and (b) your appreciation of Apple's software.

Side note: no category includes iCal, so I file this opening post under Using Mac OS X v10.7 Lion.

Thank you

Graham

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7), 8 GB MacBookPro5,2 GeForce 9600M GT

Posted on Jul 21, 2011 8:45 AM

124 replies

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Apr 4, 2012 8:16 AM in response to stevefromgladstone

stevefromgladstone wrote:

Technically perhaps Csound1, I haven't read the fine print but will soon. I cannot copy the software and sell it as my own, duh.

snip

If, as you say, I am under license to Apple, then they should be on their way to my home to remove
"their" software, because I'm sure I must be breaking the agreement by not updating it.

No, you can update or not, your choice.

Apr 16, 2012 6:54 AM in response to Graham Perrin

I agree with Mr Graham Perrin!

If someone likes this, why can't we have this as a choice in the preferences? Is it really that hard?

lakaye

Level 1

0 points

Apr 19, 2012 6:48 PM in response to Graham Perrin

After a frustratingly long time waiting and hoping for Apple to give us back the functionality they so carelessly stripped iCal of, I bit the bullet and tried BusyCal. OH MY GOD!! This program ROCKS!! I hate that I had to pay for something with features that were previously available for free in iCal but there is so much to rave about in BusyCal that I no longer care. All the missing iCal functionality plus many more wonderful features such as 5-day weather forecasts to boot? I'm SOLD.

With Apple pandering more and more to the consumer market and ignoring the needs of small business owners like myself, this was a 100% justifiable expense, and one I am happy to have made.

BusyCal also has TREMENDOUS support - after a few minor issues with syncing, a quick google search gave me all the solutions I could possibly want, and their online manual is clear, concise, and well laid out. BRAVO BUSYCAL. Bye bye ical...

Over and out.

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Apr 19, 2012 7:16 PM in response to lakaye

lakaye wrote:

After a frustratingly long time waiting and hoping for Apple to give us back the functionality they so carelessly stripped iCal of, I bit the bullet and tried BusyCal. OH MY GOD!! This program ROCKS!! I hate that I had to pay for something with features that were previously available for free in iCal but there is so much to rave about in BusyCal that I no longer care. All the missing iCal functionality plus many more wonderful features such as 5-day weather forecasts to boot? I'm SOLD.

With Apple pandering more and more to the consumer market and ignoring the needs of small business owners like myself, this was a 100% justifiable expense, and one I am happy to have made.

BusyCal also has TREMENDOUS support - after a few minor issues with syncing, a quick google search gave me all the solutions I could possibly want, and their online manual is clear, concise, and well laid out. BRAVO BUSYCAL. Bye bye ical...

Over and out.

I totally agree, I have been using it since long before Lion, it is an excellent product.

Graham Perrin Author

Level 2

261 points

Apr 19, 2012 10:46 PM in response to lakaye

Again: this topic is explicitly not for discussion of BusyCal. Readers, please respect this.

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Apr 20, 2012 5:09 AM in response to Graham Perrin

Graham Perrin wrote:

Again: this topic is explicitly not for discussion of BusyCal. Readers, please respect this.

Graham, if you wish to set the posting parameters please start your own site, I am not under your authority, and I represent the majority here.

Apr 20, 2012 5:11 AM in response to Csound1

i agree. let's here more solutions to ical's woeful shortcomings and less moaning from this moderator.

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Apr 20, 2012 5:14 AM in response to jenkinstoby

jenkinstoby wrote:

i agree. let's here more solutions to ical's woeful shortcomings and less moaning from this moderator.

Graham is not a moderator, he is just another user.

lakaye

Level 1

0 points

Apr 20, 2012 5:25 AM in response to Csound1

I believe the original thread had to do with discussing and complaining about the shortcomings of the Lion version of iCal and "seeking a 3rd party product to restore lost functionality."

Towards that end, iCal alternatives were brought up - the predominant one being BusyCal. I believe my most recent comment about BusyCal falls squarely within the topic.

Since, earlier on in this discussion, I was pretty vocal about expressing my frustration with Apple and my reluctance to spend my hard-earned money on an alternative to software I was used to getting for free - I only wanted my positive review of BusyCal to help other folks with the same issues.

wbossons

Level 1

0 points

Apr 20, 2012 7:01 AM in response to lakaye

If Apple said it was a good idea to jump off the Golden Gate bridge, would you do it? I lost alot of productivity with the iCal changes in Lion. What a giant piece of garbage is Lion. I am now using Snow Leopard again.

I appreciate learning about the BusyCal app and will even look into it for Snow Leopard. Thanks for the info.

Graham Perrin Author

Level 2

261 points

Apr 24, 2012 8:10 PM in response to lakaye

Readers, please review the first bullet point in my opening post:

… restore lost functionality to iCal.

BusyCal does not add functionality to iCal. For that reason and others:

BusyCal is off-topic.

This topic is focused on iCal in Lion.

Thank you.

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Apr 24, 2012 8:17 PM in response to Graham Perrin

With respect Graham

The thread title is Re: sidebar missing from iCal in Lion — seeking a third party product to restore lost functionality

It does not say: … restore lost functionality to iCal.

And, while that is one interpretation, it could just mean "seeking a third party product to restore lost functionality"

Which is exactly what BusyCal is, minus Exchange.

Graham Perrin Author

Level 2

261 points

Apr 24, 2012 8:44 PM in response to Csound1

To clarify:

the one-line subject was not intended to be comprehensive, there are limits to the number of characters that can be entered or displayed
in the opening post I used a bullet, and bold text, to make clear a key point
by discussing BusyCal again you ignore that key point, which is simply disrepsectful.

Graham Perrin Author

Level 2

261 points

Apr 24, 2012 8:46 PM in response to Graham Perrin

This topic may have become too long for people to read in its entirety. Amongst the eight pages, too much has overlooked the opening post, so I abandon hope of gaining an answer that is on-topic.

Conclusion

In Apple Support Communities I'm marking question as answered — without an answer.

The focused question remains:

To add a sidebar to iCal 5.x in Lion: is there an API, or would a hack be required? — Stack Overflow

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Apr 24, 2012 8:46 PM in response to Graham Perrin

Graham Perrin wrote:

To clarify:

the one-line subject was not intended to be comprehensive, there are limits to the number of characters that can be entered or displayed

in the opening post I used a bullet, and bold text, to make clear a key point

by discussing BusyCal again you ignore that key point, which is simply disrepsectful.

Not ignoring, disagreeing with you, that's all

sidebar missing from iCal in Lion — seeking a third party product to restore lost functionality