iDownload 1.6

Ooh, it’s a download manager! And called “iDownload” at that! I bet this’ll be fantastic — after all, you don’t just go sticking an “i” on things for nothing, right?

Wrong. Oh, the pain. First, it seems that the likelihood of an app having a metal interface is directly related to its name, with an “i” prefix increasing it most, followed by “e”, “Simple”, and “easy”. However, since iDownload represents a toaster oven in functionality, I think we can excuse it, since Apple’s UI Guidelines state that the metal appearance may be appropriate for applications that “strive to re-create a familiar physical device”.

The joy does not end with its perverse metal-ness. With delightfully blue Help text, and a plethora of grammar and spelling mistakes, iDownload makes for a package uglier than a lard bucket full of armpits. Also not to be missed are the pointlessly rounded text fields in the registration sheet, which is also home to a pair of small buttons confusingly named “Abort” and “Validate”.

One amusing aspect is the Preview button, which appears to function as a Reveal in Finder button changed to read “Preview” so that the icon from Apple’s Preview application could be plagiarized.

Don’t be fooled by the advanced version number — I personally watched its release as 1.0 one day, only to jump to 1.5 the next.

But wait! It is obvious to me now — This must be a JOKE application! After all, “nl software” wouldn’t pepper the interface with text smilies otherwise! This also explains the mystery of the Preview button. Ha ha, get it? Preview!

nl software, since I don’t get it either, yet could still use the downloading feature if threatened with a version of REALBasic supporting metal windows, I award a 7.2.

Download iDownload (ha! ha!)