“So, during the beta stages of Mac OS 10.5 (Leopard) there were some key features that Apple decided to add to the new OS, and advertise publicly on their website in order to create buzz and get people excited about the new OS,” Kuragari.com reports.
“One of these features was what Apple calls ‘Stacks’ in the new 3D glassy looking Dock area. Some people love the new dock, and the way the stacks work on the dock, some don’t. This article has nothing to do with either side,” Kuragari.com reports.
“Instead I’m going to show everyone the way it was ‘supposed’ to be. This is not a hack, this Dock was taken from one of the Leopard beta installations that was seeded to developers and beta testers before the official release. Up until the final release of Leopard, this part of the feature was not only present in the beta versions, but was also included in the description of the new Dock features on Apple’s website,” Kuragari.com reports.
“In fact, this capability still seems to be present in the current/final release code, at least it still has all the descriptions and settings intact. How to enable the feature? I’m not sure, maybe someone can figure that part out for us. All I know is that the feature is really cool, and useful and I can’t for the life of me figure out why it was ever removed or disabled,” Kuragari.com reports.
Kuragari.com also reports that “there was also a major change in the way the folders on the right side of the dock behave, I’ll post a video of that later.”
Watch the video of the full-featured Leopard Dock in action in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “davecc” for the heads up.]
MacDailyNews Take: Obviously, something caused Apple to dumb down the Dock at the last minute which, on the bright side, gives us hope that useful functionality will be restored by Apple ASAP.
Mac OS X Leopard’s Stacks’ default curving fan is ugly and virtually useless. The optional grid view is better looking, but just as pointless. Of course, users of former versions of Mac OS X who are now on Leopard know that what we’re really bemoaning is the loss of hierarchical folders in the Dock. What a stupid backwards step Apple made here! Where users could simply drag their drives to the right side of the Dock and “Boom!” in previous Mac OS X versions, now they just get an ugly dead end. “Stacks. An ugly dead end.” Some slogan. So, Apple, what was the goal, to make the Dock much less useful? To force users to go through the new Finder to see the snazzy new Cover Flow view? Seriously, what’s the point? Here’s hoping Apple fixes this (a third-party fix would be nice, but Apple should restore the lost functionality themselves) in a future Leopard update as soon as possible. – MacDailyNews Take, November 30, 2007
Somebody coined it “Leoptard”.
It’s really sad, it’s like Apple is not paying attention or a lot of people are overworked.
Something is wrong.
Stacks are fugly and useless.
If you check VersionTracker, there are numerous fixes to restore heirarchical menus to the Leopard Dock.
I’m still waiting for a few applications’ Leopard compatibility updates before jumping to Leopard full-time.
Personally, I don’t use the Dock very much, opting for LaunchBar & Spotlight.
No video, that’s why everybody uses YouTube
Please get it done already Apple and give us back what was taken away!
By the way kewl video.
Apple software has some overloaded X-mas-tree features, let them go back to user friendly. .
Stacks is ok. Just not awesome.
I really wish I could just have a folder in the right side of the dock though. Why can’t that be an option?
The reason why the stack curves is because our hands do not move in a straight line easily – they move in a natural arc. Try it. Move your cursor across your screen and see the subtle arc. This is why the Dock has magnification that makes it curve. Stacks follows the same principle.
It curves to the right because 89% of people are right-handed (sorry lefties).
I, for one, prefer the grid arrangement, but I cringe every time I see the icons refresh when you open a stack with a lot of documents in it – so Winblows-like. Improve it Apple!
Just looked at the video… now THAT looks useful AND pretty darn cool.
You can BET some third party will be able to add this Dock functionality and probably a few surprises.
Give it time. Apple was trying to get Leopard out the door. Think of all the refinements & enhancements that every previous Mac OS X version has received during the update process.
I agree. Sometimes Apple adds features that I just don’t use, but still make sense. This grid and fan are both ugly and more difficult to use than the prior options.
There needs to be a haxie or pref to disable these.
Anyone who kinda hates leopards dock and the lack of hierarcical menus (and please drop the stupid see-through menubar)
tell Apple , every day, on their feedback page :
http://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html/
I like the concept of Stacks, I just wish it didn’t replace the nested browse-able folders.
I agree with the MDN’s take and will do it one better: although 10.5 is loaded with useful technology and features, the interface is very ugly indeed.
Shame on Apple for giving us this bright but homely OS.
Clearly a Steveness marketing gimmick. Useless except for the visual – which Apple.com always has on dispay – which is the essence of Apple’s approach these days – form over function.
Gloss over substance.
But, hey, it’s better than the worst other OS – another milestone in Mac’s new standard
Is it just me or does having a folder/stack of apps on the right side of the Dock feel inconsistent. I think grouping a set of applications (by company or function) on the left side of the Dock, with all the other apps makes a lot of sense. The Dock has only some much space.
Having spent many years designing bespoke user interfaces I can assure you all that with every UI change some like, some are indifferent and many hate.
Personally I find stacks useful in some situations and not in others. I have 2 of them on my dock and they suit my user style perfectly and get used many times each day.
The old approach to folders in 10.4 and earlier I found also useful but a little clumsy.
Clearly there are improvements that can be made but when you design something as comprehensive as an operating system you have to draw the line somewhere. Part of the Apple magic is actually in limiting options. Part of the Windows bloat is on trying to provide too many options.
At the end of the day — if you don’t like a feature just don’t use it. But always consider adapting your own way of working as part of an ongoing experiment.
I haven’t had the privilege (or misfortune, depending on who you talk to) of using Leopard yet, but do think the Stacks function has a great purpose. Well, if it’s used the way it was in beta versions—and like in that video—that is. You know, it will be a great function if done the way it was in the video b/c it will keep your dock from stretching from one end of the screen to the other and the icons from being a miniscule pixel-sized dot. It’ll make the dock a little more functional b/c you would actually be able to see the icons on it—I’m talking to all y’all that have most everything on your computer, on your dock that is. Also, it will help with organization by keeping like apps/items together. Here’s to hoping Apple will ‘unlock’ this feature in a future software update!
Apple buys a lot of “cool” creative ideas from other companies/people.
For instance the iPod, Coverflow and iTunes visuals all came from OUTSIDE the company.
That should tell you something right there.
I use stacks all the time they are great. Like add a application stack which makes it much quicker to get to your app. Also there was a command posted a couple weeks to add a recent apps stack which works great I’m sure that works for recent docs as well. I think apple got it spot on
I bought the family pack. It improved my iMac Core Duo a bit, but it really helped my kids eMac 1.25, up from Panther. I was then able to update iLife, and can’t believe how much more useful their computer is now.
I loaded Onyx on theirs to be able to lock the Dock. Maybe they will unlock this feature at some point.
Application stacks would totally kill my desire for a return of hierarchical menus to the dock. I used to keep a folder with subfolders for “Utilities” and “Graphics” and so on, with application aliases inside. That’s the only thing I’ve needed it for, but it still wouldn’t hurt to have that option back. Someone, please find that little “defaults write com.apple.dock…” string so we can get this!
APPLE: FIX THE FUCKING DOCK!!
Just get Quicksilver… you’ll never use the dock again!
I like stacks and the way they work. They definitely clear the clutter. I especially like the fact that I can put a folder in a stack, click on it, and the folder opens. That’s very useful for me. I created three folders, put aliases to commonly used programs into them, and dragged the three folders to the dock to serve as stacks. I go to the Applications folder for programs I don’t use very often.
Another feature that is great is that I can pluck things out of the downloads fan or grid and put them in the trash.
I think the problem is that when there is a change in the UI, you have to give it some time.
The video doesn’t work… You Tube it or quicktime it!