ben sutcliffe

Recently Google added a new feature into Docs. They called it “Upload anything” and, as it says on the tin, you can just about upload any file you like, without the neccesity of waiting for Google to convert your files in to a Google Docs readable format (you can do that later though).

The best thing about it was, though, for a new Google feature you didn’t have to be a geek to understand it. (All modesty aside, I consider myself to have joined the elite ranks of the geek.)

Case Study

I had to get two PowerPoints to a colleague after a presentation, but their inbox didn’t want my large attachments and I couldn’t see them understanding a compressed folder. So I uploaded them, without converting them, made them public documents and bit.ly’d the links. The landing page for downloads is beautifully simple, with all of Google’s normal meta data tucked away and a big “Download” button centre stage.

My colleague was so impressed that I got an email back, thanking me for the presentations and explaining “that it actually worked”. Sure, you still have to be a geek to get the upload process right, but finally here’s a Google product (or element of) – other than Search – that mere mortals can use.

I’ve flirted with Apple’s latest browser offering on and off for a couple of months now. The first time I had downloaded the Safari 4 beta was after hearing about all the cool features such as coverflow in bookmarks and history and the top sites menu. That same time I uninstalled it about ten minutes later, hopped on to the Apple web site (where would I be without Chrome – it’s my workhorse) and reverted back to version 3.2.2. Since then I’ve tried it a few times, hoping Apple had fixed it, but as yet they haven’t.

The main problem I see with it is the Windows native design. It looks okay-ish in Vista, but then Vista can’t support running a browser and you don’t get to see much of it. For those of us who stuck with XP, Safari 4 looks absolutely hideous. The tabs bar is horrid XP blue (or oliver or silver) and the close buttons are far too big. I don’t know about anybody else, but the reason I swapped to Safari in the first place is because of the Cocoa style interface and a slight passion of mine for hating everything Windows. Safari 4 does continue to use Apple fonts – such as Lucida Grande, but if you’ve already got them installed then you’re going to be welcomed with a Times New Roman interface … nice. A button to turn off the XP sillyness and force the Safari 3 interface would be a very welcome addition.

Even worse is Safari’s copy and paste job on the “Page” and “Settings” menus that have been in Internet Explorer since version 7. I would have been happy with them if I could have dragged them out of the menu bar and back in to the customize menu, but to date you’re forced to live with them. I know why, a user needs their functionality, but when I’ve turned on the traditional menu system (File, Edit…) then I really don’t need the repetition. It’s the same in IE, but I had credited Apple with a bit more intuition than that.

Finally, there’s work needed on the rendering engines. It’s not good when even Apple’s own web site doesn’t function properly. It probably looks lovely on a Mac, but why produce something for Windows if it’s going to be a half-hearted attempt. Safari 4 hasn’t moved on that much since 3 either. Sure, Apple have thrown in all your favorite iTunes functions and upgraded the Web-Kit and JavaScript libraries used but where’s the amazing new Apple features we’ve come to expect. With increased competition from Chrome and Firefox, as well as the launch of Windows 7 (unless that doesn’t work either), Apple had better get their thinking caps on.

Then again, Steve’s back.