I love Apple, I really do. The recent beta release of Safari 4 has some really exciting features, such as faster javascript, a new Top Hits view and better history searching.
However, in an attempt to steal some thunder from Google’s Chrome, Apple moved the task bar from below the bookmarks bar and replaced the title bar with tabs.
Is this OK? It completely breaks every Apple Human Interface Guideline for window title bars. I understand one reason for doing this: To take a title bar that wasted space and make it more useful, while freeing up some space for browsing.
However, in the process, they replicated the Windows XP task bar. Take a look:
This was ok when the bar was just a tab bar. But now it is my title bar! I can no longer move my mouse into the title bar and drag. I have to be aware of X (close tab) controls. I have to be aware of handles that drag the tab, vs the window. The more tabs I add, the more of these controls I have to be aware of.
I might like this over time, but for now, I find it very disconcerting. I think Apple should, at the very least, make this one UI feature an option. In fact, I’d like:
- Tabs on Top
- Tabs below the title bar
- Tabs below the bookmark bar (Safari 3)
Or even better, let me drag the tab bar in the Customize Toolbar dialog to whatever location I want, even at the bottom of the window.
What do you think?
I agree completely. It’s more functional to have the tabs right there, down where they were, to select, move, drag off to make a new window, etc.
Customisation of the tab bar location is essential!
I like this idea—if nothing else, because the ‘Selected Tab’ state leaves the window with a color lighter than OS X Leopard’s default dark grey.
The hindrances on manipulating the window do seem to diminish usability, but Bram has a point: the direction of the tab coloration change strengthens the visual link between the website and the tab representing it. Not conforming to user expectations could be trouble. I wonder what Jakob Nielsen would have to say.