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- 2001.02.28
When you took it out of the box, your Mac looked better than
anything Windows. Whether you had System 7.5, Mac OS 8, or Mac OS
9, it simply looked better. The truth is, the default Platinum
appearance is nice but a little tasteless. How can Apple Computer,
the company that markets the stylish iMac, G4
Cube, and Power Mac G4, stick
with an operating system appearance that's so boring? I don't know
why, but I can help you change that.
Dump Platinum
This is the most crucial step. If you want to do this, you have
to get Kaleidoscope,
developed by Greg Landweber and Arlo Rose. It is US$20 shareware
and worth every penny. Kaleidoscope takes over your Mac's interface
by detecting what the Appearance Manager draws, patching it, and
redrawing all the interface elements from a plug-in file called a
scheme. As a result, it gives the Macintosh a serious facelift.
The great deal is that your choice of designs is almost
limitless. The official Kaleidoscope site has a scheme archive for you
to dig among thousands of them to find the one you want. If that is
not good enough, since you have the appropriate ability to create,
you can create your own schemes and show the world that you're the
king of the jungle. The Kaleidoscope site has links to resources
for scheme creation, and it also runs a mailing list with the
intent of bringing follow designers together to find mutual
help.
Kaleidoscope supports System 7 through Mac OS 9.1. The creators
are working hard on converting the software to work with Mac OS X
for everybody to enjoy great looks under the new system.
What Platinum?
Change your icons
After a general user interface overhaul, you want some icons to
match! Many Kaleidoscope schemes have their own icons, but what if
you want something for specific folders, or you want to create
custom icons? An unbeatable source to iconize your Mac is Iconfactory. The widely known
icon site features incredibly good icon artists who really know
their stuff. The selection is wide, and the quality is high. Head
to that site, it is a great resource.
You want to make your own icons? This is possible. It requires a
bit of work, but it is doable. The Iconfactory offers the IconBuilder Photoshop plug
in and also a tutorial on how to
make icons. With time and practice, your own creations may
force a few people to blush.
Another great way to make icons match your interface, or simply
to kick the default Mac OS icons out, is to get Custom Folder
from Dark Eagle Software. It allows you to patch your system icons
so that your generic folders and default Mac OS icons will be
replaced by a different set than the blue folders that ship with
Mac OS 8 through 9.1. Many plug-in files are
available from the Dark Eagle site, and Custom Folder will patch
both Kaleidoscope and the Mac OS.
Get new desktop pictures
There are probably millions of sites that offer desktop pictures
and "wallpaper." One of the best is Mike Bonnell's site. The
galleries of pictures are huge, and there are enough free pictures
for someone to pick elegant background images without having to pay
to become a member of the site.
Here is another interesting source of desktop pictures: Official movie sites!
Many of them offer free downloads, not just QuickTime trailers. The
official site for Tomb
Raider is an example.
There are many ways to change a Mac's interface, but the above
options are perhaps the best ones of all. They can, in very little
time, change your Mac from Platinum to whatever you want it to be.
Mac of the Day: PowerBook 500 Series, May 1994 - 25-33 MHz 68040 powered PowerBooks with smart batteries, grayscale and color displays.
List of the Day: G-Books is for G3 PowerBooks and iBooks.
May 16 in LEM history: 98: iMac: A second look - 00: Raised in a 6-color world - 01: The exclusivist Mac - Troubleshooting your Mac - 02: MP3 and the Mac - SE/30 catharsis - 03: Don't confuse a pretty interface for an easy OS - SCSI and OS X on a beige G3 - 05: The Apple III and Lisa era - Bigger, faster, more: Enough! - G4 upgrade for iMac A-D - 06: MacBook - PowerBook 3400: Surprisingly useful and spry - 07: MacBook value equation - 3 GB in a MacBook
Windows on Macs: Three paths for integration, Jason Packer, Macs in the Enterprise, 05.14.
Mac users have three routes for running Windows apps: Run Windows using Boot Camp or virtualization, or use a compatibility layer such as WINE.
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10 cult Macs adored by collectors, Tamara Keel, Digital Fossils, 05.13.
Macs are not only noted for their longevity, but also by the passion which collectors have for some of the most interesting models ever made.
Low End Mac's Compleat Guide to the Lombard PowerBook G3, Charles W. Moore, 'Book Value, 05.13.
With the Lombard PowerBook, Apple abandoned the legacy ADB and serial ports for USB, trimmed 20% from WallStreet's weight, and hit 400 MHz.
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LA Computer Company: LA Computer Company: Specials on AppleCare, Apple Displays, MacBooks, iMac's, MacBook Pros, Laptop and iPod accessories and more. Apple A/C Adapters for laptops starting at $25.00 Call 1-800-941-7654 or Click Here.
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Platinum
