Case Study 2 - Mac OS X page 2

Part of the file system viewers case study.

The Finder continues to be one of the weakest parts of the Macintosh experience, which is sad because on a proper operating system, it could be smoothly switched out and replaced with something that works.

One of its strangest oddities is the implementation of the filename edit box, and getting it to appear in the right place:

or (thanks Mr Anonymous) anywhere near the file in question:

One of the strange features of Windows Explorer is a preview area that lets you play video and audio files straight in the folder window. The Finder goes to greater lengths to support this, but you didn’t think it would work, did you? (Also from Mr Anonymous)

silvestrij sends me this screenshot showing that, unlike him, the Finder’s Network icon can’t get a date:

I am worried that the Finder thinks that the Network should even possess a modification date. Networking in 1903? Tin cans and wet string?