Customize Mac Os x

Im new to mac and i just got this macbook and installed Snow Leopard and i want to know how to customize stuff like icons and any other stuff. Ive tried changing the icons but the guide i used didn't work

Help Is Appreciated

 

well.. thats not an easy answer.... you can change icons on a case by case basis... if you want some type of overall theme management to make major changes to how the interface looks, the best software I've found for that is called Magnifique, and its a free download... BUT it doesn't work at all on Snow Leopard and can really mess up your machine... so do NOT install it, or any other theme manager unless it specifically says it works with Snow Leopard.

 

One thing about Mac OS X, there isn't really any "easy" way to make any customizations. That's what I'd like Apple to address later on; to allow more customization in its products.

Anyway, icons are relatively easy - there are lots of custom icons to be found on InterfaceLIFT.

Here's a guide for Mac OS X Leopard: http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/how-to-change-mac-os-x-leopard-icons/

I don't think there's any change in Snow Leopard - the process should be the same.

 

Followed the guide an have even looked around and its not working to change the icons. =(

 

Use candybar

 

Unlike Windows, OS X already looks magnificent as is, so most users aren't compelled to alter its look.

I used to be into ShapeShifter back in the Tiger days, but frankly, none of the themes look as good and clean as Apple's. In Vista, OTOH, some of the themes are truly amazing and destroy Microsoft's stuff.

Anyways, changing your icons individually is easy: right click on the icon, select "Get Info," and then click the icon's image in the info window --now simply past any icon image over the original.

 

beg to differ... who's to say theme designers can't come up with something that's better than the look of leopard ... I for one don't like leopard at all .. i'ld have preferred Apple to stick to a more Tiger oriented look (if that's the only choice i have), and it'ld be great to have the option to try out some themes to customize. This is one thing that's great about MS ... yes.. they're not the most ingenious when it comes to UI design .. however... they don't make it insanely difficult to theme their OS ... and for all the talk about the "sameness" of the UI that mac boasts across applications (3rd party as well as those developed by Apple) ... you'll find that Apple ends up not adhering to their UI guideline book in more cases than not ...

I just wish Apple would get over their arses and use common sense sometimes ...
Similarly to ipods (touch version) and iphones... a lot of ppl who've dwelved into summerboard/ winterboard wouldn't' think twice about sticking to apple's existing UI scheme of things.

candybar is an option at this point, it changes the icons well, and dock tweaks can be made ... but that's about all. There was an application in the making for creating custom themes in leopard, however it didn't make light of day .. it was supposed to be the shapeshifter for leopard ... developed by some company named ... "insanely**" (* - word i don't remember)... i don't quite recall anymore .. since i got tired of waiting for their product ... mabe someone might remember ...

 

CandyBar is definitely the way to go if you want to change your icons.

You could also use SuperDocker if you want to change just the dock

 

It doesn't say anywhere on SuperDocker's website that I can find, but does it even work on 10.6?

 

Magnifique is really good for Leopard, and I'm hoping they make an updated version for Snow Leopard... not sure which one your talking about though

I never liked Shapeshifter cuz it had to run constantly using up resources.

Maybe Apple will wake up some day and allow themes as good as MS does... its really the only part of OSX I dislike.

 

I applaud Apple for not allowing users to easily destroy the beautiful interface they've designed, as happens often on PCs.

 

you .... my friend should live in dictatorial regime ... and maybe then talk about applause to stifling creativity ....

 

I do find it ironic that Mac's are touted as the creative machines, but when it comes to customization of that same machine, its very closed and standard, as beautiful as it is, that beauty diminishes if you can imagine a roomful of Mac systems with the same wallpaper, icons, screensaver, general look, etc.

And saying things that are a limitation in the OS and calling it a feature is drinking the kool aid a bit too much.

 

and what you do is complaining for sake of complaining... sorry, but I have to ask you one question-how many useful(I understand that criticizing is a good thing to do, but lets count just technical) posts have you maid in apple forum? who said you can't change wallpaper?or screen saver? or icons? I customized everything on my old mac with candybar and it looked totally different...

 

Back on topic please, guys! Help Brendanmurphy customize OS X!

 

It isn't difficult to change the way that OS X looks, and it never has been. Where is this myth coming from?

There are already tons of suggestions on how to change the appearance of OS X.

BTW, it isn't "easy" to change the look of Vista either. You have to go through even more hassles than in OS X.

Every single OS X theme that I've seen is clearly inferior to Apple's, IMO. Most Vista themes, OTOH, are far better looking than MS's, IMO.

 

I find it amusing that you throw around terms like "dictatorial" when you are the one who seems incapable of tolerating other opinions. This is the second post in this thread where you respond to an OPINION that differs from your own.

 

firstly... my opinion wasn't towards your post... hence your opinion on my opinion regarding another's opinion (who isn't you) is kind of tertiary, nonetheless, in some ways, it's quite similar to my own actions ... (which is give an opinion to another's opinion). That's completely fine by me... however, it's perhaps slightly hypocritical to raise that as an issue.. and then do the same action yourself ...

---x-x-x-x-x-x---

Anyhow, i agree with Sam that this thread need not be hijacked by discussing opinions 'secondary' to the thread ... (we may however continue to do so in the Off Topic thread in the main forum if you choose to ). Back on topic, ... check these two out -

DragThing
Visage

drag thing in action -
deviant art link I
deviantart link II
search around for dragthing, you'll find some really interesting customizations done.

 

I got it to work. The permissions on Snow Leopard are automaticlly set to read only so i had to change it so i can write aswell. I Managed to change some of the icons =D

 

This is completely untrue. it takes maybe 5 clicks total to completely change the way vista looks. the UX theme hack (easily installed w/ vista glaz) takes 2 clicks. download a theme, put theme in directory. switch theme. takes 2-3 minutes tops. I change my theme on an almost daily basis.

 

you still have to use 3rd party tools(in this case-themes)...

 

and? I'm not leaning towards either side here. I'm just saying, it is -not- difficult, whatsoever, to install custom themes in winvista, or winxp.

 

Is there a way to replace the Stacks icon on the dock where I don't have to put the stacks icon in that folder and sort by name first?

I usually delete everything in my downloads folder and having to recopy the stacks icon into that folder doesn't make any sense.

CandyBar does replace the stacks icon but only shows the icon and not the contents of the folder inside the stacks on the dock.

Is there another way of doing this?

 

http://lifehacker.com/5352954/the-slate-mac-desktop

 

With SP2 you need to edit and replace the theme files in the resources folder.

 

It is very clear that Windows currently has much more options in terms of customisation, both in terms of the customisations options within the OS itself, as well as third party tools (although that is more likely due to the difference in market share). However, the restrictions put in place on OS X is probably to make the OS run smooth and polished. Apple tries to deliver a product that is as faultless as possible, and one of the downsides is the lack of customisation both in its OS X UI, as well as in its internal hardware configurations.

Regardless, please stop focusing on how easy it is to customise various versions Windows, and instead focus on discussing ways to customise the OS X UI.