https://lmnt.me/blog/intuition.html LMNT / Blog / Intuition July 12, 2024 * Louie Mantia This morning, I saw a popular Internet post remarking how the "install window" on macOS is not intuitive. The "install window"? A Finder window displaying contents of a disk image (DMG) from Slack. There was Slack.app on the left and a shortcut to the Applications folder on the right, with a sweeping blue arrow from the application to the folder. [disk-image] As you can imagine, the replies were filled with brutal, polarizing opinions on the matter. The ride-or-die Mac people questioned what could possibly be more intuitive than drag-and-drop. Others stated they similarly never understood this installation method. I want to analyze this, starting with the methods of installation on macOS. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Disk Image Download a disk image, mount it, drag the app to the Applications folder, unmount the disk, and delete the disk image. The app is where you moved it to, likely the Applications folder. Package Installer Download a disk image (usually), mount it, open the package installer, go through individual steps including agreeing to the license and confirming the install disk, authenticate with Touch ID or your password, unmount the disk (occasionally automatically), and delete the disk image. The app is where you installed it to, likely the Applications folder. App Store Go to an App Store page (click a link, search, or navigate), click Buy or Get, and authenticate with Touch ID or your password. The app is in the Applications folder, but you can also click Open on the App Store page. ZIP Download a ZIP file, uncompress it (occasionally automatically). The app is in the Downloads folder, but if you open it from there, you may be prompted to have it moved to the Applications folder for you. --------------------------------------------------------------------- The most confusing part of the disk image method is wrapping your head around what a disk image is. What is Slack-4.39.90-macOS.dmg and why does it look like a disk document? Why does it look like a disk when I open it? Why do I have to eject or unmount a non-existent disk? This is 100% macOS's version of the "floppy disk icon" for Save. This doesn't even address the core concern about this, which is that the presentation of an app next to an Applications folder shortcut with an arrow is arguably not intuitive. To me, the most cumbersome method is the package installer, because I think those typically come inside a disk image anyway, so you have all that baggage in addition to the multiple steps the package installer walks you through. The App Store aimed to be a simpler alternative, and it mostly is, but since it also acts as a storefront, it has an authentication step that gets in the way. The ZIP method might be the clearest, but it's not perfect either. Semantically, apps living in a Downloads folder isn't great because that's not where the app or the system expects it to be, which is why I think they get automatically moved to the Applications folder when opened. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Frankly, each of these could be better. Disk images could use some rebranding. A hard disk is probably not the right metaphor. And arguably, a folder that appears to be inside the disk image as the target for where you should drag the app to doesn't really make any sense. Why would you move an app to a folder inside the disk image? If you don't understand that the little curly black arrow means "shortcut," then this is really quite bizarre. Ideally, someone would open a DMG file (that is not named so poorly), and the system identifies it as containing an app, and asks to install it for you. After, the system automatically unmounts the disk image, and deletes the disk image file. Do package installers have to come in disk images? I'm not sure. I'm not against the idea of wizard-based installers, but they feel heavy-handed for most things that don't need to install components across the system. Removing steps--including the disk image wrapper--would make them more approachable. Though the App Store has settings to skip authentication for free apps via "Use Touch ID for purchases," it turns off Touch ID authentication for paid apps too. Apple won't let you download free apps without Touch ID while requiring Touch ID for purchasing apps. They could and should fix this. If you download a ZIP file that contains an app, and the system already uncompresses it automatically, if the resulting file is an app, the system could prompt to move it to the Applications folder for you before you even open it. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Even if all these things improved, I'm curious about the word "intuitive," because I think people use it in different ways. Intuition and instinct are similar but I think differ in one important way. Instinct is what we do without thought. Intuition is what we do based on what we believe to be true. There is some element of thought with intuition. There's a lot about computers that's not instinctive. Most of computing is not instinctive, however direct manipulation can feel instinctive. I remember everyone being amazed that babies could navigate the Photos on iPhone app back in 2007. But intuition is more about thinking, "well, I assume this will work, so let's try it." And when it does work, your intuition is validated, and you become more comfortable with the interface presented to you, because you know it can do things you expect it to. And I think that's a fundamental part of what macOS aims to be. It's not that you can operate it on instinct or without thought. But if you're able to just poke at it, you can often be delighted about how smooth something can be. But a lot of people aren't comfortable doing that (especially people who come from a Windows environment), because they're afraid they'll break it, which is understandable. I remember using Windows and feeling like one wrong move could break it too. That may explain why so many people aren't confused at all by installing an app via a disk image. For lots of people who have used a Mac for decades, it feels intuitive. I understand how a disk image works and what it is. But I also understand that it's not a great solution for everyone, and so it should probably be re-evaluated. Is this Apple's fault? No. In this specific instance, it's Slack's fault for choosing this mechanism to primarily distribute their app. They should know this is not ideal for most people. As I said above, disk images are just one mechanism to distribute files, and I think it should continue to exist. Of course, Slack also distributes via the App Store, and has a "Download on the Mac App Store" link on their download page. But instead of a DMG, they could distribute the app via a ZIP file. It would be a little larger, because DMG compression is a little more efficient than ZIP. Admittedly, they could also look at trimming down the app size from 480MB so size wouldn't be a pain point to begin with. There are lots of ways to do things. Good design is about choosing the way that works for everyone. Yes, Apple could make disk images, package installers, and their App Store better. But Slack can also distribute however they like, including a humble ZIP file. If you like this... 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