I’ve already gushed about how I’m learning to love Interface Builder but there are still some things that I find annoying.
- Toolbars
If Interface Builder is supposed to be WYSIWYG editor, then why can’t I create my toolbar in Interface Builder? I could then preview my complete user interface in Interface Builder. Why on Earth should I be expected to write *so much* code to accompany a mock-up of demo GUI?
- Resizing Springs
It took me ages to get the hang of those darn springs! Is the fixed position relative to the enclosing view or the window? How many people get caught out by this every day? I actually think that the spring metaphor is a good one, but I think its detail as presented in the sizing window of the inspector could be more clear.
- Consistent Look and Feel
In the first instance I think that using a standard widget set is fantastic. This provides fantastic consistency between applications, and really reduces the burden on the user. So why does Apple insist upon changing the look of an app at every release? Take the latest iTunes for example, with its darker toolbar. It looks different to Mail, which both look different to Safari’s metal toolbar. Each time Apple releases a new look the independent developers rush to produce something “similar” such that their app is not deemed to look obsolete.
- Human Interface Guidelines
Is anybody actually following these anymore? John Gruber doesn’t think we should blindly follow them. Daniel Jalkut has a great article on where we go from here. As mac users we’re spoilt for great looking and easy to use GUIs. But I have to ask why does Apple insist on
writing the Human Interface Guidelines when they themselves violate them so frequently. I struggle to think of a single Apple application that obeys all of the HIG.
In short, I am learning to combine the visual approach with a hand-coded approach. There are a lot of things that Interface Builder does well, especially when combined with bindings. However, I can’t help but feel that Interface Builder in its present state is only half the tool it could have been.
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