#Windows bbedit mac os
#Windows bbedit software

On NeXT systems, both scroll bar arrows were at the same end of each scroll bar, while on Mac OS 9 and earlier, they were on opposite ends. For example, when Apple introduced Mac OS X, a lot of preferences were introduced to make OS X behave more like Mac OS 9. Often, preferences are introduced to appease a specific group of users. It only changes the look or (superficially) the behaviour of an application. You don't 'prefer' that only some users have access to your computer's screen you configure your system so only some users can access it:Ĭhanging a preference does not change the functionality of an appliation. You don't 'prefer' to turn on Screen Sharing turning on and setting up Screen Sharing is part of your system's configuration. For example, most entries in 'System Preferences' aren't preferences at all. When a given feature of your computer needs you to change settings to make it work, this is a configuration. Before talking more about how you can avoid preferences, I want to define what I mean by the word 'preference.' I find it useful to distinguish between configurations and preferences. Not every item you find in an application's preference window actually is a preference. These users easily get confused by preferences, and they can become frustrated when they attempt to use a familiar application where somebody has changed preferences.įor this reason, it's best to avoid preferences.

However, unless you're working for Bare Bones Software, your product probably is no BBEdit.įor most applications, the target audience consists of - or at least includes - casual users. Programmers, writers, sysadmins and other high-end Mac users all use BBEdit for vastly different tasks, which is why BBEdit has ended up with a huge set of preferences. Their audience is a diverse set of power users.

#Windows bbedit software

Now, I want to make it clear that I don't fault Bare Bones Software for this. I'm sure somebody, somewhere absolutely needed that feature, but by implementing it, Bare Bones Software forced everyone else to also consider that preference when trying to change a setting. Here it is:īBEdit actually allows you to select the window stacking algorithm. At one point during BBEdit's existence, somebody must have been annoyed with BBEdit's default window stacking algorithm and requested that it be made a preference. Just make it a preference, and everyone will be happy.Īfter a few years, you will end up with a preference window looking like this:īBEdit has so many preferences that Bare Bones Software actually included a full-featured search function within the preferences window. Every programmer and user interface designer eventually comes to this point: You can't decide how a specific part of your user interface should behave.