7 ms·

I remember watching a video awhile back that noted how Steve Jobs, being keen on eastern religions, brought Zen principals into his surrounding environment. In

I remember watching a video awhile back that noted how Steve Jobs, being keen on eastern religions, brought Zen principals into his surrounding environment. In that particular case, they showed how his home was very spartan, eliciting an expression of focus and elimination of distractions from the task at hand. The point they were making was that this showed through his products. On the iPad, you can only do one thing at a time. You have to focus on that one thing, and are not able to be bothered by distractions such as other windows/programs. Of course, having multiple apps open on the earlier iPads would have been quite challenging anyway, so this was either a happy coincidence or an excuse/interpretation made after the fact. But the idea was cool none the less. It made me think about how distracting and unfocused work on a normal desktop can feel like compared to an iPad. The downside, of course, is that while this inability to have multiple things open side-by-side is fine for casual usage and entertainment, it makes a lot of tasks related to creation and work quite difficult. So it will be a relief to finally have this feature on iOS. It certainly was a pain point. But that concept of focusing on a single task without distractions is still something worth remembering.

Untit1ed 11y ago
It's an interesting contrast to OSX, which most people I know use by keeping a stack of odd-sized windows on screen such that at least a bit of each is always visible.
- devindotcom 11y ago
  That's my way too. A single click is always simpler than navigating a task switching interface, so I just have "big window" on left, "mid size window" peeking out at its right edge, and then "little window" - usually textedit - poking through in back. It's like a little sideways pyramid. I can also alt-tab through them super easy. Never found much use for Expose or Mission Control, i consider having to use them an organizational fail state for my process.
  - sergiotapia 11y ago
    Do yourself a huge favor and check out SpectacleApp. It's Windows image resizing brought to Mac OSX and it's really neat. 100% free and open source too with sensible defaults unlikes it's competitors.
    - thebouv 11y ago
      Love love love Spectacle. https://github.com/eczarny/spectacle https://github.com/eczarny/spectacle
    - r00fus 11y ago
      Or BetterSnapTool, Cinch or Divvy. Lots of options here, all better than what OSX offers by default.
    - joosters 11y ago
      (I have the same 'windows everywhere, all just partially visible' approach that the parent commenters have). I can't see how this app (and other layout managers) would help this workflow. I don't move or resize windows. They are all where I want them to be, albeit stacked on top of each other. You click (or keypress) to pick the window you want to use, then use it. No window movement necessary.
    - jeffbr13 11y ago
      Amethyst tiling window manager is even better, as you can get the computer to move your windows for you! [1]: http://ianyh.com/amethyst/ http://ianyh.com/amethyst/
    - tjl 11y ago
      I use Hammerspoon.
- JoshTriplett 11y ago
  That concept seems ingrained in OSX application window management as well. For instance, OSX's equivalent of "maximize" works more like "size window to content", and as a result I see many people on OS X with an active window they're paying attention to that takes up only half the width of the screen, with other windows or the desktop showing through on the sides. I can't function that way. I'm currently typing this on a 2560x1440 monitor, in a maximized Firefox window. Occasionally I put two windows half-maximized side by side, but only if I'm actively looking at both simultaneously (for instance, presentation slides and notes I'm taking, or a document in LaTeX and the rendered PDF). Otherwise, I maximize everything, even if it "wastes" space or makes the window wider than the "natural" size of the content, just to avoid distractions
  - untog 11y ago
    For instance, OSX's equivalent of "maximize" works more like "size window to content" It used to. Now it makes the window fullscreen and it infuriates me.
    - gry 11y ago
      You may hold down `option` while clicking the green button to get the previous behavior.
      - untog 11y ago
        I know, but it's a poor, poor substitute.
        mbillie1 11y ago
        https://xkcd.com/1172/ https://xkcd.com/1172/ Some of us like fullscreen windows...
        digi_owl 11y ago
        That thing should be the desktop background of every DE developer the world over.
drivenow 11y ago
But isn't it still about doing one task but using multiple apps? I guess there will always be people who, when given a gun(or any powerful tool), will always shoot themselves in the foot.
joshdance 11y ago
I like using one app at a time, until I have to copy data between 2 apps. Then multitask becomes awesome.
goatforce5 11y ago
> But that concept of focusing on a single task without distractions is still something worth remembering. Apple has a habit of pooh-poohing any idea that they don't currently support right up until the moment that they do support that idea.
- vezzy-fnord 11y ago
  Gonna have to side with this. The parent poster is effectively trying to rationalize what is a technical regression by most interpretations under a veil of woo and mysticism.
  - ethanbond 11y ago
    I'm not sure about this specific scenario (seems to me you're right, it's technical), but this principle has been actually used before and abandoned recently. The size of the iPhone 6 is a great example of something Jobs dismissed under usability notions, despite them certainly having the technical ability to do it. Now it's done. Although not sure if Jobs changed his mind, or if this was a "post-Jobs" decision. Apple's product development timeline would make that seem unreasonable.
    - LiweiZ 11y ago
      Apple Watch offers a new screen to work with. Single-hand operation is still possible. It does not match the experience before for the moment, but it will get better. Viewing it as user surrounded by devices, it will offer a clearer picture.
      - bane 11y ago
        You need two hands (or rather two arms and one hand) to operate an Apple Watch.
        LiweiZ 11y ago
        I think voice control (Siri here) will reduce the need for another hand to get involved in operation. Actually, we could categorize all the operations. I guess for most of those high frequency operations, voice control + wrist triggered display + customized settings would be fine for many users, if they are working well. I believe Apple has fact-based analysis on this and made their choice. How that would deliver is another story.
chongli 11y ago
You have to focus on that one thing, and are not able to be bothered by distractions such as other windows/programs. The issue with this philosophy is that the one thing you need to do might not exist as a monolithic application. This is where the unix philosophy shines: lots of small, simple tools interacting over streams of text.
alexk7 11y ago
And that's why they added fullscreen mode to OS X. Both ways of working excel for different situations. It's great that they are now making the enhancements in sync on OS X and iOS.
derefr 11y ago
Indeed. It seems like the new features are all about focusing on single workflows that involve multiple apps, rather than being anything about "multi-tasking" (trying to get multiple orthogonal things done concurrently.) * Split Screen is obviously for things like taking Notes from a page in Safari. One input app, one output app. No more switching. (Interestingly, together with its enhancements, this makes Notes.app a real competitor to Evernote.) * Side Frame is obviously for "watching" one app for (slow, asynchronous) updates you care about, while doing your regular stuff in the main pane. Like keeping an eye on a Slack conversation that you're not actively a part of, while working. Side Pane could also be for building "accessory" apps that give you extra controls for another app. I could imagine running your Unity game in the main pane with a Unity editor/debugger/inspector in the side pane, for instance. Instead of every Unity game having to ship those controls in a hidden way, they just run a socket server that the other app attaches to. * Picture in Picture is just a combination of the above, specifically for video content. Listening to a presentation while taking notes on it or doing other things, looking down at it whenever it seems something interesting happened in your peripheral vision. Would be great for iTunes U, where a lecture can be in PiP and the course's iBook can be in the main view. I will note that Side Frame greatly resembles a similar Windows 8 feature, which didn't turn out well, though. If Apple wants their version to live up to their expectations, they'll perhaps have to limit apps from having Side Frame view-controllers unless it actually makes sense to be using that app as part of a workflow. Otherwise, we'll get the W8 "Email inbox in the Side Frame" design that is just constantly distracting people, instead of encouraging them to set up filters and proper notifications.
mplewis 11y ago
I don't think I buy that line of thought. If you want to focus on a single task without distractions, don't open Multitask.

Untit1ed 11y ago

It's an interesting contrast to OSX, which most people I know use by keeping a stack of odd-sized windows on screen such that at least a bit of each is always visible.

devindotcom 11y ago
That's my way too. A single click is always simpler than navigating a task switching interface, so I just have "big window" on left, "mid size window" peeking out at its right edge, and then "little window" - usually textedit - poking through in back. It's like a little sideways pyramid. I can also alt-tab through them super easy. Never found much use for Expose or Mission Control, i consider having to use them an organizational fail state for my process.
- sergiotapia 11y ago
  Do yourself a huge favor and check out SpectacleApp. It's Windows image resizing brought to Mac OSX and it's really neat. 100% free and open source too with sensible defaults unlikes it's competitors.
  - thebouv 11y ago
    Love love love Spectacle. https://github.com/eczarny/spectacle https://github.com/eczarny/spectacle
  - r00fus 11y ago
    Or BetterSnapTool, Cinch or Divvy. Lots of options here, all better than what OSX offers by default.
  - joosters 11y ago
    (I have the same 'windows everywhere, all just partially visible' approach that the parent commenters have). I can't see how this app (and other layout managers) would help this workflow. I don't move or resize windows. They are all where I want them to be, albeit stacked on top of each other. You click (or keypress) to pick the window you want to use, then use it. No window movement necessary.
  - jeffbr13 11y ago
    Amethyst tiling window manager is even better, as you can get the computer to move your windows for you! [1]: http://ianyh.com/amethyst/ http://ianyh.com/amethyst/
  - tjl 11y ago
    I use Hammerspoon.
JoshTriplett 11y ago
That concept seems ingrained in OSX application window management as well. For instance, OSX's equivalent of "maximize" works more like "size window to content", and as a result I see many people on OS X with an active window they're paying attention to that takes up only half the width of the screen, with other windows or the desktop showing through on the sides. I can't function that way. I'm currently typing this on a 2560x1440 monitor, in a maximized Firefox window. Occasionally I put two windows half-maximized side by side, but only if I'm actively looking at both simultaneously (for instance, presentation slides and notes I'm taking, or a document in LaTeX and the rendered PDF). Otherwise, I maximize everything, even if it "wastes" space or makes the window wider than the "natural" size of the content, just to avoid distractions
- untog 11y ago
  For instance, OSX's equivalent of "maximize" works more like "size window to content" It used to. Now it makes the window fullscreen and it infuriates me.
  - gry 11y ago
    You may hold down `option` while clicking the green button to get the previous behavior.
    - untog 11y ago
      I know, but it's a poor, poor substitute.
      - mbillie1 11y ago
        https://xkcd.com/1172/ https://xkcd.com/1172/ Some of us like fullscreen windows...
        digi_owl 11y ago
        That thing should be the desktop background of every DE developer the world over.

drivenow 11y ago

But isn't it still about doing one task but using multiple apps? I guess there will always be people who, when given a gun(or any powerful tool), will always shoot themselves in the foot.

joshdance 11y ago

I like using one app at a time, until I have to copy data between 2 apps. Then multitask becomes awesome.

goatforce5 11y ago

> But that concept of focusing on a single task without distractions is still something worth remembering. Apple has a habit of pooh-poohing any idea that they don't currently support right up until the moment that they do support that idea.

vezzy-fnord 11y ago
Gonna have to side with this. The parent poster is effectively trying to rationalize what is a technical regression by most interpretations under a veil of woo and mysticism.
- ethanbond 11y ago
  I'm not sure about this specific scenario (seems to me you're right, it's technical), but this principle has been actually used before and abandoned recently. The size of the iPhone 6 is a great example of something Jobs dismissed under usability notions, despite them certainly having the technical ability to do it. Now it's done. Although not sure if Jobs changed his mind, or if this was a "post-Jobs" decision. Apple's product development timeline would make that seem unreasonable.
  - LiweiZ 11y ago
    Apple Watch offers a new screen to work with. Single-hand operation is still possible. It does not match the experience before for the moment, but it will get better. Viewing it as user surrounded by devices, it will offer a clearer picture.
    - bane 11y ago
      You need two hands (or rather two arms and one hand) to operate an Apple Watch.
      - LiweiZ 11y ago
        I think voice control (Siri here) will reduce the need for another hand to get involved in operation. Actually, we could categorize all the operations. I guess for most of those high frequency operations, voice control + wrist triggered display + customized settings would be fine for many users, if they are working well. I believe Apple has fact-based analysis on this and made their choice. How that would deliver is another story.

chongli 11y ago

You have to focus on that one thing, and are not able to be bothered by distractions such as other windows/programs. The issue with this philosophy is that the one thing you need to do might not exist as a monolithic application. This is where the unix philosophy shines: lots of small, simple tools interacting over streams of text.

alexk7 11y ago

And that's why they added fullscreen mode to OS X. Both ways of working excel for different situations. It's great that they are now making the enhancements in sync on OS X and iOS.

derefr 11y ago

Indeed. It seems like the new features are all about focusing on single workflows that involve multiple apps, rather than being anything about "multi-tasking" (trying to get multiple orthogonal things done concurrently.) * Split Screen is obviously for things like taking Notes from a page in Safari. One input app, one output app. No more switching. (Interestingly, together with its enhancements, this makes Notes.app a real competitor to Evernote.) * Side Frame is obviously for "watching" one app for (slow, asynchronous) updates you care about, while doing your regular stuff in the main pane. Like keeping an eye on a Slack conversation that you're not actively a part of, while working. Side Pane could also be for building "accessory" apps that give you extra controls for another app. I could imagine running your Unity game in the main pane with a Unity editor/debugger/inspector in the side pane, for instance. Instead of every Unity game having to ship those controls in a hidden way, they just run a socket server that the other app attaches to. * Picture in Picture is just a combination of the above, specifically for video content. Listening to a presentation while taking notes on it or doing other things, looking down at it whenever it seems something interesting happened in your peripheral vision. Would be great for iTunes U, where a lecture can be in PiP and the course's iBook can be in the main view. I will note that Side Frame greatly resembles a similar Windows 8 feature, which didn't turn out well, though. If Apple wants their version to live up to their expectations, they'll perhaps have to limit apps from having Side Frame view-controllers unless it actually makes sense to be using that app as part of a workflow. Otherwise, we'll get the W8 "Email inbox in the Side Frame" design that is just constantly distracting people, instead of encouraging them to set up filters and proper notifications.

mplewis 11y ago

I don't think I buy that line of thought. If you want to focus on a single task without distractions, don't open Multitask.