[JK47]

The Leopard Technology Series states that:

In Leopard, the system will be able to draw user interface elements using a scale factor. This will let the user interface maintain the same physical size while gaining resolution and crispness from high dpi displays.

However, resolution independence is not amongst the 300 new features, nor is it listed in the technology portion of the Leopard page.

Does anyone have a concrete answer?

[MSFT]

It is my belief that it was originally going to be shipped in 10.5, but they later decided to either not ship it at all or ship it with an update (eg 10.5.1, etc...). Not really sure.

[duyvan82]

It looks like they have dropped it altogether
they have actually dropped quite a few cool features. I remember they were saying Bootcamp would allow instant OS switching at first but then they decided to pull it off later on :/

[chucker]

Originally Posted by duyvan82 It looks like they have dropped it altogether

The UI elements are resolution-independent; there merely isn't a UI at this point to let the user scale it.

I remember they were saying Bootcamp would allow instant OS switching at first but then they decided to pull it off later on :/

Boot Camp does have a special Switch to Mac OS command.

[ghoti]

Originally Posted by chucker The UI elements are resolution-independent; there merely isn't a UI at this point to let the user scale it.

What about the magnification function (part of Accessibility)? Does that still just magnify the pixels, or does it render the UI on a different scale?

[chucker]

Originally Posted by ghoti What about the magnification function (part of Accessibility)? Does that still just magnify the pixels, or does it render the UI on a different scale?

I don't know. I'm obviously hoping it's the latter, but I don't believe so.

[Wyatt]

Originally Posted by chucker Boot Camp does have a special Switch to Mac OS command.

When the Leopard Web site first went live, there was a mention on the Boot Camp page of a feature where you could put one OS to sleep and restart in the other. The implication, of course, would be much faster switching between OS X and Windows. Rather than starting from a cold boot every time, you would just wake from sleep. I believe that is what he was referring to.

[ghoti]

I don't see the contradiction. The "Switch to Mac OS" function in Boot Camp could do exactly that.

[chucker]

Originally Posted by ghoti I don't see the contradiction. The "Switch to Mac OS" function in Boot Camp could do exactly that.

I'm not sure a "Switch to Windows" exists at this point, however.

(I'm afraid I can't check right now.)

[duyvan82]

The current switch to Mac OS that is in Bootcamp beta isn't quite the same as what was promised last June (at WWDC). Steve was saying that the new feature would allow booting Windows while putting mac osx into sleep mode which would make it significantly faster to switch between the 2 OSes. That feature was removed from the Bootcamp's website... You could have a look at those rumour sites, I'm sure they still have those articles

[chris e boy]

Originally Posted by duyvan82 The current switch to Mac OS that is in Bootcamp beta isn't quite the same as what was promised last June (at WWDC). Steve was saying that the new feature would allow booting Windows while putting mac osx into sleep mode which would make it significantly faster to switch between the 2 OSes. That feature was removed from the Bootcamp's website... You could have a look at those rumour sites, I'm sure they still have those articles

Steve never said that, it was posted on the Apple website shortly after the keynote and taken down shortly after that.

On the Resolution Independence front, i'm pretty sure that it can be used on a per application basis, since all the OS widgets and frameworks are in place. Any developers want to chirp in on this one, or is the big bad NDA still in place 'til next week?

[hmurchison]

I remember a blurb from Apple telling developers to be ready for Resolution Independence in 2008 which means I think they turn it on in a future 10.5.x update.

[chucker]

Originally Posted by hmurchison I remember a blurb from Apple telling developers to be ready for Resolution Independence in 2008

Yup.

which means I think they turn it on in a future 10.5.x update.

That, and it probably means they're planning to introduce monitors in the 150 ppi and beyond range around mid- to late-2008.

For the current screens, it really isn't that big of a deal anyway.

As I said, though, the UI widgets have already all been rewritten to be scalable. (You can see this in slight differences in the detail.)

[tsa]

It is a big deal if you connect a TV to your laptop and suddenly all your windows fly everywhere. Resolution independance would solve that.

[Kickaha]

Yes, but unfortunately it wouldn't solve being able to see the content... a TV (NTSC) is what, 640x480, roughly speaking? You'd get RI, alright, but the result would be big blobs of blurry blotches. RI is *great* moving to higher-resolution devices, but it creates an impressionistic painting on moving to lower-rez displays.

[tsa]

Certainly, but that can be solved with the fantastic zoo-in option

[ast3r3x]

Originally Posted by tsa Certainly, but that can be solved with the fantastic zoo-in option

How would animals solve anything?!

I'm hoping for fast boot camp switching at some point with a .x upgrade, but I'm afraid Apple may be worried about killing parallels.

Also I like the idea of having higher resolution monitors, the idea of moving toward print quality is always a good step. Does anyone know how windows rendered fonts look like on high resolution monitors? Since it works harder for the pixel grid, I'd figure it would actually be harder to read than something like Apples which will appear even more like printed text.

[BuonRotto]

My understanding is that the stuff for resolution independence is mostly there, but there are lingering bugs, and without serious need for it yet, it's basically turned off. Most of the elements are becoming vector elements, but the full implementation has not arrived.

[curiousuburb]

Yeah... TrueType will still look like it evolved from the pixel-grid primordial ooze.

Postscript will lurve resolution independent displays.

Yay for NeXT Display PostScript revival!

[Chinney]

I am a bit disappointed with the fact that resolution independence will not be a part of Leopard in its the initial release. Previous information indicated that it it would be. In light of previous discussions on this board, I am not surprised that Apple has not been fully able to achieve this, but I am still a bit disappointed.

[chucker]

Originally Posted by Chinney I am a bit disappointed with the fact that resolution independence will not be a part of Leopard in its the initial release. Previous information indicated that it it would be. In light of previous discussions on this board, I am not surprised that Apple has not been fully able to achieve this, but I am still a bit disappointed.

Considering there aren't any mainstream displays where resolution independence is particularly useful, I think Apple has plenty of time left. I'd rather see them get it right than rush it.

[julesstoop]

I've recently worked with a hirez 17" MacBook Pro (1920) and I dare say that resolution independence would be a nice thing to have on that particular screen.

[siddhartha]

Originally Posted by ast3r3x How would animals solve anything?! I'm hoping for fast boot camp switching at some point with a .x upgrade, but I'm afraid Apple may be worried about killing parallels. Also I like the idea of having higher resolution monitors, the idea of moving toward print quality is always a good step. Does anyone know how windows rendered fonts look like on high resolution monitors? Since it works harder for the pixel grid, I'd figure it would actually be harder to read than something like Apples which will appear even more like printed text.

Can we please leave the animals out of this?

They have problems enough as it is

[Taskiss]

My 17" MBP with the hi-rez display is awfully difficult to see when displaying print. Either that or my > 50 year old eye-balls are hardening.

naw, that can't be it!

I figure that there will be some solution in Leopard though, even if it's not a full featured resolution independent interface.

There's NO place like home... there's NO place like home...

Are we there yet?

[Partial]

I thought this was supposed to be the shining achievement of Leopard.

[BuonRotto]

According to whom?

[Partial]

Word on the street.

[Kickaha]

The problem with the word on the street, is that the street is generally populated by nincompoops.

[Taskiss]

Originally Posted by Kickaha The problem with the word on the street, is that the street is generally populated by nincompoops.

I think in that case someone needs to move to a better neighborhood.

[ghoti]

And with "the street", tensdanny probably referred to websites like this one here ...