Raskin - a new look at the file manager

In this review we will focus on the company Raskin Software and its ambitious project Raskin, but first a little history. Jef Raskin name known to anyone who is interested in the history of Apple, because at the end of the seventies he was the initiator of the Macintosh project. In 1982, Apple's leaving the company, Raskin began his own project, doing their developments, not included in the Macintosh project. It should be noted that the scope of IT was not the main in life Jef Raskin. Simulation of toy airplanes, consulting services, a class photo and music left its mark Professor in life, but the most significant achievements he has achieved in the field of custom design interfaces. The basis of his views is the rejection of all existing GUI. According to Jef Raskin person should not have to remember how to work with the interface, various commands and features. There should be only the user and the data. Thus was born SWYFT, which is a huge monolith of a text, no interface, no file system in its conventional sense. It is very interesting that SWYFT was not an ordinary word processor. He supported the work programs, macros, even a modem. Unfortunately, the public could not understand all the ideas Jef Raskin and receptive to novelty as just another word processor.

The apogee of thought Raskin on the user interface was the release in 2000 of the book «The Humane Interface». In the course of further development appeared ZUI - Zooming User Interface - Scalable surface allows you to view the contents of files a simple approximation.

After the death of Jeff, his son Isa Raskin continued his father's work. Thus were born Raskin application. It was based on the ideas of the majority of Jef Raskin about working with the user interface and the computer's file system. It is based on the idea that familiar to us the file manager interface outlived its usefulness and it must be replaced with a different view on working with files on your computer.

Raskin on the official site you can see a very interesting and illustrative video clip where a girl name Nina tells us that from itself represents the application and how it helps her to work designer.

Just want to note that the application is not cheap. Developers are asking for it $ 24.99. However, while I am not talking about whether or not to give this application for such a sum. We return to this later, but for now I will tell you more about what gives us Raskin and how it works.

The first thing you notice - this is what the application is made in the not so long ago became popular among the colors and design. The combination of blue and dark gray. It must be admitted that it is a combination of pleasing to the eye and are all very easy to read against this background. In the upper left corner emblazoned logo, just below the two demos, then the figures that tell about the multi-touch gestures in the application. This concern about the user perplexed. It turns out, no video, no pictures with tips you can not hide. It can be assumed that someone in the early days of working with the application it really might be useful, but once mastered, it's definitely still starts to irritate. Users who have already, for example, the year of the application uses the daily contemplation of the tips seem dubious pleasure. We will not dwell on it annoying slip and proceed to further consideration Raskin. The rest of the program's interface takes some kind of "sheet" which contains all the files and folders you have on your computer. Of course, this does not appear immediately, and your application requires some time on the hard disk indexing.

What it offers us Raskin kordinalno different from the file system as we know it. In no there is nothing like the operating system. The app replaces the wallpaper on your desktop. The left on a blue background placed clues about which I have already mentioned, and a list of installed applications. Running applications are marked with a darker color and have a static preview. The rest is occupied by folders in a hierarchy and the alphabet. So my first is Desk, then the home folder, then the folder contained in it.

Each of the list of objects you can add a color label. The same file list can be sorted on the necessary parameters. Subdirrektorii in the list are marked frame, and contain information about the size. If the sub-folder a lot of files, Raskin will report how many files are not shown and will offer a show remaining here, or open a folder in the Finder. This is handy, because without having the lists will not grow to enormous lengths. Working with files happens as in any file browser - they can rename, move inside the columns, and between them, in other words, to perform all the usual actions. Subdirrektorii can be taken in individual columns if necessary.

It's nice that all the files are supplemented by thumbnail, which can be moved, as well as resize them. Familiar "pinch" can increase the preview to an impressive size. With too much approximation, the file will open in the default program. You've got to pay attention to the difference from the original idea Jef Raskin. Files do not need to open the app, and edited directly in the approach Raskin interface. Of course it is difficult to implement in practice. By the way, you can open files and more obvious and familiar way - by double-clicking. File description besides the name contains an extension, format, size, date of creation and change. It's comfortable.

Now let's talk about the shortcomings. To start with I did not like the appearance of the column headers. I do not know why, but the gradient of I associate with Windows XP, and clearly stands out from the general application of style. But the most serious flaw - Raskin very greedy in terms of system resources. In the "quiet" state it is quite satisfied 500-600 Mb of RAM, which is not enough. But during the indexing time (and sometimes without any apparent reason) Raskin can shamelessly take to your needs all the free RAM. I, at one point, he managed to select 3 gigabytes of RAM, and that it was not enough. No comment.

In general, the application makes a good impression. However, it is difficult to recommend to all for a permanent use. To some, it may be useful indeed and would be difficult to give up the "File sheet" on the desktop, but for most users, this is nothing more fun than a couple of days.

Let us return to the issue price. $ 25 application is clearly not enough to optimize system resources, sometimes controversial design could be a little more deliberate and sustained in the same style. But if we remember that this app is not for everyone, and it will take more to those people whose work svzana with a large number of files that need to be keep before your eyes, so that the application is not correct to call the file manager, a tool for productivity and quality work. In this case, the price becomes secondary as, for example, Adobe products.

Download the Mac App Store: Raskin
Price: $24.99
Trial version: Raskin
System requirements: Mac OS X 10.6.6 and higher