Nov 24, 2015 - The dock in Mac OS X is intuitive, customizable, and aesthetically pleasing, which is a stark difference from its clunky Windows alternative. MacOS Sierra is the latest Apple OS, and its developers undoubtedly did a great job with its design. If you like the Mac look, but you prefer (or afford) Windows, here is how you can make the Microsoft OS have a Mac OS appearance by making the appropriate configurations.
Dock A component of Details Type Included with, Service name Dock.app The Dock is a prominent feature of the of the operating system. It is used to launch applications and to switch between running applications. The Dock is also a prominent feature of macOS's predecessor and operating systems.
The earliest known implementations of a dock are found in operating systems such as. Has its own version of the Dock for,. Apple applied for a US patent for the design of the Dock in 1999 and was granted in October 2008, nine years later. Applications can be added to and removed from the Dock by, except for the, which is a permanent fixture as the leftmost item (or topmost if the Dock is configured to be vertical).
The Trash icon is also a permanent fixture at the right end (or bottom if the Dock is repositioned). Part of the macOS, Dock.app is located at /System/Library/CoreServices/. OpenStep Dock In NeXTSTEP and OpenStep, the Dock is an application launcher that holds for frequently used. The icon for the Workspace Manager and the Recycler are always visible. The Dock indicates if a program is not running by showing an below its icon. If the program is running, there isn't an ellipsis on the icon. In macOS, running applications have been variously identified by a small black triangle (Mac OS X 10.0-10.4) a blue-tinted luminous dot (Mac OS X 10.5-10.7), a horizontal light bar (OS X 10.8 and 10.9), and a simple black or white dot (OS X 10.10-macOS 10.13).
In macOS, however, the Dock is used as a repository for any program or file in the operating system. It can hold any number of items and resizes them dynamically to fit while using magnification to clarify smaller resized items. By default, it appears on the bottom edge of the screen, but it can also instead be placed on the left or right edges of the screen if the user wishes. Applications that do not normally keep icons in the Dock will still appear there when running and remain until they are quit.
These features are unlike those of the dock in the NeXT operating systems where the capacity of the Dock is dependent on. This may be an attempt to recover some functionality since macOS inherits no other such technology from NeXTSTEP.
(Minimal Shelf functionality has been implemented in the.) The changes to the dock bring its functionality also close to that of 's Button Bar, as found in the MessagePad 2x00 series and the likes. Applications could be dragged in and out of the Extras Drawer, a -like app, onto the bar. Also, when the screen was put into landscape mode, the user could choose to position the Button Bar at the right or left side of the screen, just like the Dock in macOS. The macOS Dock also has extended menus that control applications without making them visible on screen. On most applications it has simple options such as Quit, Keep In Dock, Remove From Dock, and other options, though some applications use these menus for other purposes, such as iTunes, which uses this menu as a way for a user to control certain playback options. Other Applications include changing the status of an online alias (MSN, AIM/iChat etc.) or automatically saving the changes that have been made in a document (There is no current application with this feature made available for macOS). Docklings (in Mac OS X 10.4 or earlier) can also be opened by using the right-mouse button, if the mouse has one, but most of the time either clicking and holding or control-click will bring the menu up.
Stacks in grid view. In, docklings were replaced. Stacks 'stack' files into a small organized folder on the Dock, and they can be opened by left-clicking. Stacks could be shown in three ways: a 'fan', a 'grid', or a 'list', which is similar to docklings. In grid view, the folders in that stack can be opened directly in that stack without the need to open Finder. In, the dock is used to store applications and, since, folders containing applications. Unlike the macOS dock, a maximum of 4 icons can be placed in the dock on the iPhone and the.
The maximum for the iPad however is 6 icons. The size of the dock on iOS cannot be changed.
The dock, as it appears in The original version of the dock, found in Mac OS X Public Beta to 10.0, presents a flat white translucent interface with the Aqua styled pinstripes. The dock found in Mac OS X 10.1 to Tiger removes the pinstripes, but otherwise is identical. Mac OS X Leopard to Lion presents a 3D glass-like perspective instead of the traditional flat one, resembling ' application dock. OS X Mountain Lion and Mavericks changes the look to resemble frosted glass and has rounded corners. OS X Yosemite reverts to a 2D appearance, similar to Mac OS X Tiger, although more translucent and with a blur effect. In iPhone OS 1 to 3, the dock used a metal look which looks similar to the front of the Mac Pro.
IOS 4 adopted the dock design from Mac OS X Leopard to Lion which was used until iOS 7, which uses a similar dock from Mac OS X Tiger but with iOS 7 styled blur effects. In, the dock for the is redesigned to more resemble the macOS dock. Related software The does has a dock-like application called Launcher, which was first introduced with models in 1993 and later included as part of. It performs the same basic function. Also, add-ons such as added a dock for users of earlier versions.
Microsoft implemented a simplified dock feature in with the Quick Launch toolbar and this feature remained until. Various docks are also used in.
Some examples are (which emulates the look and feel of the NeXTstep GUI), and, (amongst others) for and various other / docks, 's Wharf (a derivation from the NeXTstep UI), iTask NG (a module used with some -based such as ) and 's Slit. Criticism , a usability consultant who worked for Apple in the 1980s and 1990s before was developed, wrote an article in 2001 listing ten problems he saw with the Dock. This article was updated in 2004, removing two of the original criticisms and adding a new one. One of his concerns was that the Dock uses too much screen space.
Another was that icons only show their labels when the pointer hovers over them, so similar-looking folders, files, and windows are difficult to distinguish. Tognazzini also criticized the fact that when icons are dragged out of the Dock, they vanish with no easy way to get them back; he called this behavior 'object annihilation'. John Siracusa, writing for, also pointed out some issues with the Dock around the releases of in 2000. He noted that because the Dock is centered, adding and removing icons changes the location of the other icons. In a review of the following year, he also noted that the Dock does far too many tasks than it should for optimum ease-of-use, including launching apps, switching apps, opening files, and holding minimized windows.
![Aqua dock for windows vista Aqua dock for windows vista](/uploads/1/2/5/3/125381924/485090511.png)
Siracusa further criticized the Dock after the release of, noting that it was made less usable for the sake of eye-candy. Siracusa criticized the 3D look and reflections, the faint blue indicator for open applications, and less distinguishable files and folders. Thom Holwerda, a managing editor, stated some concerns with the Dock, including the facts that it grows in both directions, holds the Trash icon, and has no persistent labels. Holwerda also criticized the revised Dock appearance in. See also.
References. tweetbtn, Austin Modine 8 Oct 2008 at 19:02. Retrieved 2017-08-08.
Tepper, Fitz. Retrieved 2017-08-08. Gartenberg, Chaim (2017-06-05).
Retrieved 2017-08-08. Moore, Charles (October 2, 2001). Archived from on July 27, 2014. Retrieved July 28, 2014. Tognazzini, Bruce (January 1, 2004). Retrieved December 20, 2006.
![Windows Windows](/uploads/1/2/5/3/125381924/201866145.jpg)
John Siracusa (2000). Retrieved February 28, 2008. John Siracusa (2001). Retrieved February 28, 2008. John Siracusa (October 28, 2007). Retrieved February 28, 2008. Thom Howlerda (October 17, 2007).
Retrieved February 28, 2008.
The new Mac operating system offers more than a name change. MacOS Sierra version 10.12 moves Apple's desktop OS closer to its mobile counterpart, gaining Siri, Apple Pay, and more.
Pros Apple's digital assistant moves in: Siri, the iOS personal digital assistant, is available in Sierra. Ask for help by clicking Siri's icon in the Mac menu bar, tapping its Dock icon, or using a keyboard shortcut. Calling on Siri brings up a window with a waveform and a query asking what you need help with. Unfortunately, saying 'Hey, Siri,' does not work.
The digital assistant works on Sierra much as it does on iOS, responding to your queries and helping you perform tasks. Closer ties to iCloud: With iCloud Desktop and Documents, iCloud will sync the files and folders you've stored on your desktop and in your Documents folder across your Mac and iOS devices. You can also have iCloud take on some of your storage needs by moving photos and documents off your local Mac and into the cloud.
Likewise, you can store seldom-used files and iTunes movies and TV shows on iCloud. Unlock with Apple Watch: With an authenticated Apple Watch on your wrist and Auto Unlock, you can wake up a locked Mac and log in to it from up to three feet away. Apple Pay for Sierra: Apple Pay, the company's mobile payment and digital wallet service, is now available in Sierra.
With Safari, tap the Apple Pay button on a supporting e-commerce site and authorize your purchase on your iPhone or Apple Watch. Messages: In iOS 10 the Messages update is huge; in Sierra, not so much.
Still, Mac users get some of the improvements. For example, you can view some of the new iOS 10 chat features in Sierra, such as animations and Invisible Ink, but you can't create them. You can preview webpages, however, and watch YouTube videos in Messages. Photos 2.0: With Sierra, Apple continues to move its photo-editing app forward with new editing tools and the ability to find and display photos in context. The Light tool, for example, can now make area-specific adjustments in an image.
And - hooray! - you can edit Live Photos with Photos' editing tools. Photos also has a Memories tool that collects and presents images around an event. ITunes: Apple Music gets a new look in Sierra. The For You section, for example, does a better job displaying recommended albums and playlists. And with Radio you now can more easily find and listen to Beats 1 and music-only stations. Tabs in apps: Borrowing an idea from Web browsers, Sierra lets you use tabs in Apple-built apps - including Maps, Mail, and Keynote - as well as supported third-party apps.
It's free: Since Apple OS X Mavericks in the fall of 2013, the company has made its OS free, and Sierra follows the trend. Generous system requirements: Sierra runs on a broad range of Macs, going back to some 2009 models: iMacs and MacBooks from late 2009 and later; and MacBook Airs, the MacBook Pros, Mac Minis, and Mac Pros from 2010 and later. Cons iCloud limitations: Apple mainly sees the cloud as an individual service. You can share photos and videos with friends and family and collaborate with others on iWork documents in iCloud.
But if you want broad sharing and collaboration tools, such as those offered by Dropbox or Google Drive, iCloud comes up short. Bottom Line MacOS Sierra is another solid update to Apple's desktop OS. While it can at times feel like the Mac gets the hand-me-downs from iOS - Siri, finally, and a limited version of Messages - the additions are welcome and makes MacOS an even better companion in your Apple device neighborhood. More stories. What can your Mac do now?
Siri makes its debut on Mac, with new capabilities designed just for the desktop. And that's not the only way your Mac is smarter.
MacOS Sierra helps you rediscover your best photos, shop faster and more conveniently online, and work more seamlessly between devices. It can also help free up valuable storage space. Now your Mac does even more for you, so you can do more with your Mac. Just like you, Siri can do great new things on a Mac. Talk about big news.
No matter what you're working on, your intelligent personal assistant is always a click away. The handy features of Siri on iOS are now on your Mac, along with brand-new ways to help you with the things you do every day on your desktop. Ask Siri to do its thing while you do yours.
Siri on Mac is all about multitasking. So you can be working on one thing, like finishing up a document, and ask Siri to send a message to your coworker saying it's on the way - without stopping what you're doing.
Let Siri locate your files for you. Working with files is a big part of using a Mac. And Siri makes it a snap. Can't remember where you saved that report?
Ask Siri to search for the documents you opened this week, then refine your results to just the ones with the word 'annual' in the title. Keep Siri results where you can always find them. Pin sports schedules, Twitter results, a list of files related to your big project, and more, right in Notification Center. Everything stays up to date - so you always know where to find game times, trending topics, or important documents. Search for images and information just by asking. Then drag results right to a window on your desktop. Drop an image from the web into a Pages document to make it pop.
Or a Maps location into an invitation to get your party started. Universal Clipboard Copy on one device. Paste on another. Copy images, video, and text from an app on your iPhone.
Then paste into another app on your nearby Mac - or vice versa. There are no extra steps. Just copy and paste as you normally do. Find a great recipe while browsing on your Mac? Paste the ingredients right to the grocery list on your iPhone.
Auto Unlock with Apple Watch - Log in before you even sit down. Automatically log in to your Mac when you're wearing your Apple Watch.
No password typing required. Need to take a quick call or step away?
Get right back to work when you return. ICloud Drive - Your desktop and Documents folder. Accessible on all your devices. Access the files on your Mac desktop right on your iPhone. Now the files on your desktop and in your Documents folder - where most files are saved - can be automatically stored and updated in iCloud Drive, so you can always access them on your iOS devices and even another Mac. Apple Pay - The web.
Now accepting the easiest and safest way to pay. Your Mac has always been the perfect place to sit down and do some serious online shopping. Now with Apple Pay in Safari, it's an even faster, easier, and more secure place to pay on the web - because you can check out without having to enter your credit card number. Look for Apple Pay on many of your favorite sites, then complete your purchase with Touch ID on your iPhone or by double-clicking the side button on your Apple Watch. Your credit card details are never shared by Apple when you use Apple Pay, and your transactions are protected with industry-leading security.
Optimized Storage - When you need more space, let your Mac find it for you. Storage space maxed out? MacOS Sierra can help make more room by automatically storing rarely used files in iCloud and keeping them available on demand. It can also help you find and remove old files you no longer use. So the files you've used most recently stay on your Mac and there's always room for new ones. Files you rarely need are saved in iCloud. Until you need them.
When you need more space, Optimized Storage makes room by storing infrequently used files, email attachments, photos, and previously viewed iTunes movies and TV shows in the cloud. You can easily find every file right where you saved it. Just open it up and download the original as if it was always there. Files you've used recently remain on your Mac along with optimized versions of your photos, so you can work offline. Easily get rid of duplicate and obsolete files.
MacOS Sierra can keep unneeded files from cluttering up your Mac. It prompts you to delete used app installers, and clears out duplicate downloads, caches, logs, and other unnecessary stuff. You can also easily find and delete large apps and files, or ones you simply don't use. So you can be free of clutter.
It can even get rid of it for you, deleting items that have been in the Trash for 30 days. Photos Rediscover memories in beautiful new ways. You've spent years capturing moments worth remembering. Now Photos can turn them into unforgettable experiences called Memories.
And powerful new technologies deliver improved face recognition, display all your photos on a world map, and even allow you to search your photos by the objects and scenery in them. Messages - Liven up the conversation. Express yourself in fun new ways. Send a huge emoji. Respond back with a heart or a thumbs-up on a friend's message bubble. And play videos and preview links right in the conversation. ITunes - Now with an all-new Apple Music experience.
Finding your favorite songs and discovering new ones is even simpler with the freshly redesigned Apple Music inside iTunes. The revamped For You makes it easier to discover new music and playlists we think you'll love, thanks to expert curation and advanced machine learning. The new Browse section lets everyone see the best of what's available on Apple Music, from exclusives and new releases to playlists and top charts. And now you can view lyrics while you listen in the refined MiniPlayer.
Tabs - Get all your docs in a row. Now it's easy to keep windows from piling up on your desktop. Tabs work just as they do in Safari - but now they work in most apps on your Mac, and in many third-party apps as well. Just update to macOS Sierra and your apps are good to go. Breeze between multiple Pages documents in full screen. And look at lots of different destinations in Maps without getting lost.
Picture in Picture - Keep one eye on what you're watching and the other on what you're doing. Now you can float a video window from Safari or iTunes over your desktop or a full-screen app. Play the video in any corner of the desktop and resize it to see more or less of what's behind it. So you can catch up on your favorite show while you catch up on email. Or watch the big game while playing a game yourself. When you upgrade to macOS Sierra, you get new features that make using your Mac even more efficient and enjoyable. You get all the latest security and performance updates, too.
MacOS is available free on the Mac App Store, so it's simple to upgrade.