[Forrest]

Originally Posted by fourier

OS X drawers are used infrequently (if at all), in leading OS X applications (Apple or third party).
Drawers decrease the visual appeal of the application (well documented)

Recent article on OS X drawers:

http://www.mcelhearn.com/article.php...41116135640496

The first issue they bring up, the window size, is not a problem in OW. The second, the space atop the window, is subjective. I suggest if you are confused by the space, you've got other problems ;)

Additionally, the article cites an app that does it "almost right" and then goes on to describe nearly the same interaction that OW provides. (And I do not like how it only opens up on one side. I think choice is a good thing.)

Overall I find the article places a poor argument. Much of it is statements such as "It's a good idea gone bad" and really only places two arguments against it.

If you have similar articles, I would like to see them. I think the drawer could be made better, but I think a persistent, fixed column that is stuck on one side (ala iTunes) is not the solution.

[myckmack]

Originally Posted by jphaag

I seem to be the only one, but I really, really like the tab drawer the way it is and prefer it much over a sidebar. And I´ve paid already ;-).

I agree with you.

[Drayon]

Originally Posted by Len Case

You know--we had bookmarks and history in a "sidebar" (drawer) back in OmniWeb 4. When Safari introduced the bookmarks taking over the window we got a lot of requests to do it that way.

Funny how that works...

That's because a little innovation can bring possibilities if BETTER ways of dealing with functions. In 2000 drawers were the rage, well now some cooler more useful ideas have surfaced, what do you do stick with the old retarded way or upgrade to the new an more useful way? Im sure i agree that ppl dont' just change their minds for the sake of popularity in some cases.

I just view the Drawer Tab idea was bogus idea 5 years after everyone in the community decided drawers were NOT the once fantastic application design ;-) Funny how innovation evolves eh ;-)

[gumby]

I guess we can all flame until the cows come home about UI features. But my (limited) understanding from my usability buddies is that the drawer is better for "not center of the task" information BUT the "unified look" was likely added to try to tie everything to iTunes (where the look makes sense).

Disclaimers: none of these (half a dozen) folks have worked for apple since the early 90s if at all, they're just usability folks. And of course they're thinking of actual usability, not the "ooh shiny" factor.

In any case I like it the way it is but as we all know Your Milage Apparently Varies. There are a number of tab drawer UI features that are essentially impossible with the old "list across the top" format. If you don't need that then it's all just a taste issue.

[Morto]

Originally Posted by fourier

• Replace the ugly and usability ridden tab drawer with a sidebar ala iTunes and similar applications.
• Option to place the tabs across the top or bottom
• Options to view the bookmarks or history in the sidebar

I don't think I can agree with you on your first point. The tab drawer is kind of a selling feature for me. In fact, when I am showing OW to friends the tab drawer is the one thing where they all stop and say 'Oh that _is_ better than {their browser}'. Replacing it with a sidebar seems like a solution in search of a problem. Sidebars are really a lot like drawers that you can't close, and if you really want the text list instead of the thumbnail you can already do that with the button at the top of the tab drawer.

As far as an option to have a Safari style tab bar across the top of the screen, I'm all for options, but I wouldn't use it personally. Firefox / Safari style tabs drive me crazy, especially when you have lots of them. The current OW tab implementation is one of those things that keeps me using it.

As for an option to view the history or bookmarks in a sidebar / drawer, I'm not really partial one way or the other. I remember how OW did it in version 4, and don't have any particular urge to have it like that again. Again, options are good, but I think I would just end up using the default option in any case, since I view/organize bookmarks/history so infrequently.