post 10.6.6 scroll bar

Question

Level 1

16 points

post 10.6.6 scroll bar

OK, I know that time has passed since Snow Leopard and it's "traditional" scroll bar whith up/down arrows sadly disappeared, but are Apple saying that they REALLY want to taint their excellent reputation for accessibility and general ease of use (of which there is an element of cross over, just like wider doors, etc) with an illogical, stubborn refusal to make the pre 10.7 scroll bar an option in System Preferences?

No matter how large a company is, they should not forget "the little man" on whose purchases and brand loyalty they depend upon. Can it be right that complaints on the forums, and direct to Apple be ignored and not even used as a tool for market research activities? Even a SWOT analysis on the issue which would be a really simple market research activity using free and accurate data from Apple forum posts, and feedback received via the website and over the phone would be rather easy to do, and would provide accurate data.

Going back to the possibility of making the old style of scroll bar optional within System Preferences... I am really at a loss as to why Apple are so dead set against this. It doesn't make sense and from a user of many operating systems since the days we were blown away by GEM Desktop (and using BIG heavy green screen computers before that), I have NEVER seen an operating system be knowingly made harder to use by both physically disabled, and non disabled people. I'm hardly expecting Apple to revert back to OS 7, 8, or 9, but just to correct something that has made life difficult for some people, probably more people than use VoiceOver, but quite rightly, Apple would never take VoiceOver away.

Surely Apple know that they have made all software, not just that produced by Apple harder to use? My Microsoft Office and Adobe CS6 Suite are now very difficult to use, not because of me having ataxic cerebral palsy affecting my arm control, but because of Apple and Apple alone.

If Tim Cook and co think that is ok, there is a problem within Apple that must addressed.

Comments? Agree? Disagree?

Sarah Jayne Davies MSc

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.1)

Posted on Jul 2, 2015 6:38 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Jul 2, 2015 7:25 AM in response to SarahD22

Sarah,

The purpose of the Apple Support Community is the post of technical questions, and where appropriate, the answer in the spirit of technical solutions. It is not for initiating surveys, polls, or the like. That is spelled out in the terms of use for this site. Your “Comments? Agree? Disagree,” falls into this category, and will likely attract volumes of responses from anyone that has some form of Apple change grievance since OS 7.

Though you should not expect to receive a response from Apple, the best way to communicate your desire for returned past features is to send Apple focused feedback. Here is Apple's product feedback landing page.

This is an international, open community of volunteers that have no influence in Apple's product change trajectory. Apple won't respond to you here. You are not alone in some of your thoughts. This just isn't the correct place for memory lane, or surveys.

Reply

Answer 2

SarahD22 Author

Level 1

16 points

Jul 2, 2015 7:38 AM in response to VikingOSX

I have tried all of the usual feedback avenues, but with a distant lack of understanding of the issue on the part of Apple, and their denials of it not even being a problem, what would you do?

As for "memory lane", don't patronise. If you read the comment again, you will find it's a comparative point that I made. Why would the manufacturer of any item, software etc, make it more difficult to use?

The situation makes no business sense.

Reply

Answer 3

SGIII

Level 8

35,276 points

Jul 2, 2015 9:23 AM in response to SarahD22

You're probably aware, but just in case...

In System Preferences > General you can select 'Always' for 'Show scroll bars:'

That doesn't restore the old arrows. But the up-down arrows on the keyboard work well for precision scrolling.

Like me, probably many users these days scroll with two-fingered swipes up and down on the trackpad.

SG

Reply

Answer 4

SarahD22 Author

Level 1

16 points

Jul 2, 2015 12:14 PM in response to SGIII

Thanks. I do have that option on, but it doesn't really help as it doesn't bring the up/down arrows back, or increase it's width back to it's previous sensible size. I do use the keyboard arrows, but in Photoshop, that doesn't afford as much accuracy as the proper scroll bar did.

Improve things, yes, but don't make none optional changes to an OS without considering the consequences for people in the disability categories that your OS's accessibility features cater for. I have poor hand/arm control so use Sticky Keys as I can't hold down shift etc but use a specialist trackerball rather than Mouse Keys. Apple therefore know that they have customers who have a physical disability and may very well struggle with such a scroll bar.

I'm sure making the old scroll bar optional wouldn't stop non disabled people from buying Apple computers....

Reply

Answer 5

SGIII

Level 8

35,276 points

Jul 2, 2015 12:55 PM in response to SarahD22

SarahD22 wrote:

Improve things, yes, but don't make none optional changes to an OS without considering the consequences for people in the disability categories that your OS's accessibility features cater for.

Not sure what you mean by "your". Is is rhetorical, somewhat similar to the royal "we"? 🙂 As VikingOSX has explained, we're fellow users here. You might want to have a look at this document, specifically sections 2.1, 2.3, and 2.4.

SG

Reply