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iPond317 · Apr 19, 2000, 02:15 PM

I've noticed in some posts that various people have reported that when they bought new Macs, like an iMac DV SE, that the variation color in the Appearance CP. I'm running OS 9.0.4 and I still have the standard colors that came with OS 8.5 and 9.x. Have any of you ever heard of this? If so, is there a way to get the other colors, cause I'd like to use the same type of color used in IE 5 for the Graphite scheme for my system instead of Azul. Thanks!

------------------
-- iPond317
All hail iMac DV
G4 Performance Leader
iBook #1 consumer laptop
Mac OS 9: Your Internet co-pilot
Power Mac G4 considered "super computer"
Think different.

wlonh · Apr 19, 2000, 02:36 PM

open your Appearance control panel, click the 'Desktop' tab, and have fun...

make your own custom theme using all the option tabs...

OOPS!! i didn't read your post carefully the first time, you want new colors/patterns, ok, you can make them with Appleworks or Graphic Converter or whatever... easy

you can even take a screenshot of anything and edit that (or don't edit it, whatever) and use that
go nuts

and it's easy to make transparencies for the desktop. i believe resexcellence has details on this

i'm sure some folks know where you can get lots of this stuff already made, i've forgotten which sites have this sort of thing

[This message has been edited by wlonh (edited 04-19-2000).]

iPond317 · Apr 24, 2000, 11:06 AM

Oh, goodie!! How do I do this then? Do I need to use ResEdit to make new themes?! Or do I just open the theme file in the Themes folder in the Appearance folder? Can you tell me how I need to make/edit new themes?! PLEASE!!!

'Cause I really want the Graphite theme from IE 5 for my system theme. Sorry I asked so many questions. I've posted this same topic at AppleInsider also and didn't get any great responses. Muchisimas gracias!!

------------------
-- iPond317
All hail iMac DV
G4 Performance Leader
iBook #1 consumer laptop
Mac OS 9: Your Internet co-pilot
Power Mac G4 considered "super computer"
Think different.

wlonh · Apr 24, 2000, 11:31 AM

oh wow you want to edit themes... i thought you just wanted desktop colors/patterns

well ok, you need to get yourself over to resexcellence.com and go fishing, there are some very pertinent posts recently on editing themes etc

lots of great edits at that site and yes you need to get acquainted with ResEdit, don't be afraid of it just ALWAYS edit a COPY of whatever file it is you are working on in ResEdit!! dive in!

iPond317 · Apr 24, 2000, 11:33 AM

Not only do I want to edit the themes, I also want to make my own. But I visit ResExcellence.com quite a bit so I'll look into it!! Thanks!

------------------
-- iPond317
All hail iMac DV
G4 Performance Leader
iBook #1 consumer laptop
Mac OS 9: Your Internet co-pilot
Power Mac G4 considered "super computer"
Think different.

wlonh · Apr 24, 2000, 12:01 PM

and check this site: http://www.macthemes.org/

Footy · Apr 29, 2000, 09:56 AM

Hello,

Want good themes! Try Kaleidoscope out, it's probable my favorite shareware ever! I love it.

It's shareware, but you can try it for free. It just give you a reminder box at startup till you pay the shareware fee.
http://www.kaleidoscope.net

Mel

wlonh · Apr 29, 2000, 10:06 AM

KAL uses what are known as 'schemes'.

MacOS Appearance control panel uses THEMES, and they are far superior in that they are more stable and do not slow your Mac down like KAL does, oh i know, you say that you can't tell/don't see that KAL slows your Mac down... it does, granted it is not so bad on today's fastest Macs but it slows them too!

benchmark your Mac with KAL on and then benchmark it with KAL off.

KAL not only makes some Macs unstable, it slows them down

i used it fairly successfully (it would crash my Mac occasionally) for a few years, maybe two or so, until MacOS Themes came out and then i dropped it

be nice to your Mac, use Themes not schemes

ok flame me

not!

exa · Apr 29, 2000, 05:04 PM

So where are these themes anyhow? I only know of five! and there are what, 5000 schemes?

[This message has been edited by exa (edited 04-29-2000).]

iPond317 · Apr 29, 2000, 06:30 PM

I've been using Kal for a while now, a couple of months, I think. I'm using the AquaX II scheme for my system appearance, and I decided that I didn't really like the Platinum look anymore. I suggest that anyone with Kal download this scheme at www.RailheadDesign.com. Enjoy!

------------------
-- iPond317
All hail iMac DV
G4 Performance Leader
iBook #1 consumer laptop
Mac OS 9: Your Internet co-pilot
Power Mac G4 considered "super computer"
Think different.

[This message has been edited by iPond317 (edited 04-29-2000).]

exa · Apr 29, 2000, 07:21 PM

I must agree, the platinum look is sucking much. I've been using kali for years now, and am using an OS X aqua duplicate (not sure if it is AquaX II)

wlonh · Apr 29, 2000, 10:06 PM

there is an Aqua Theme for MacOS Appearance, it looks FAR better than any KAL scheme...

and there's a new version of Liquid, a Theme: http://agccosprey.org/theme/

there is ALSO info on making one's own themes: http://www.agccosprey.org/theme/Guide.sit

[This message has been edited by wlonh (edited 04-29-2000).]

exa · Apr 29, 2000, 10:28 PM

woo hoo!!!

there I spelled it right

[This message has been edited by exa (edited 04-29-2000).]

exa · Apr 29, 2000, 10:56 PM

I installed the theme and after a while, the whole finder crashes into what macsbugs calls a "GetColorAndPenState" error. Any ideas? this proves that kaliedoscope is more stable than the appereance manager as far as I am concerned... oh boy...

wlonh · Apr 29, 2000, 10:58 PM

constructive, exa...

at least you could've spelled it right

"woo hoo"

and thanks for being a smartass, doubt if i will be able to help you with that except by ignoring you

wlonh · Apr 29, 2000, 11:01 PM

exa, some people know how to keep their Macs healthy enuff to use Appearance Themes without crashing

and most are smart enuff to not be a wiseass to someone who is here to help... NOT smart!

bye now!

[This message has been edited by wlonh (edited 04-29-2000).]

exa · Apr 29, 2000, 11:48 PM

Well, if anyone cares, my problem was solved by disabling virtual memory... well, so far so good...

Footy · Apr 30, 2000, 12:02 AM

Hello wlonh,

I'm aware of the MacOS Themes, and have used them in the past for short periods. However, I've also been using Kaleidoscope "schemes" for years and it's always been very stable and updated very quickly with new OS releases.

Come on, you have to admit there are many more schemes than themes.

The only Kaleidoscope scheme that has ever been unstable for me is "Lisa". Other than that they are very stable. Though I havn't tried them all, there are just to many of them, and most just aren't my style.

I will, however, try not running Kaleidoscope for a while and see if things really are slowed down as you say they are. Can't say I've noticed a slow down, but I've been running so long with, maybe there is.

Mel

wlonh · Apr 30, 2000, 12:16 AM

look pal, i never SAID A DAMN THING ABOUT NUMBERS OF THEMES VS. SCHEMES

futhermore, i said that KAL slows down Macs, on a fast Mac you MAY not ever notice it but MacBench WILL!!!

Old and slow Macs should not be running KAL, it is a waste of cycles

on yer bike, mate

exa · Apr 30, 2000, 12:22 AM

Heh, this is getting funny now... anyhow, 'lon is right, kali DOES slow your comp down. Also, I've noticed that virtual memory doesn't quite seem that slow when kali is off, though, it makes Liquid a tad bit unstable (for me at least). I am liking this Liquid theme now, stable, and the whole system is quicker than ever.

Footy · Apr 30, 2000, 11:55 AM

Hello Wlonh,

There really is no need for your deffesive nature here, or the cursing. I'm taking your advise and looking into the Kaleidoscope slowdown myself. I didn't state that you ever said that Kaleidoscope was unstable, made that statment myself about a particular scheme.

So take is easy on me. I'm not your enemy, just a fellow Mac Lover.

I even put a smily face in my post so that you would understand that I was befriending a fellow Mac user in a interesting conversation and not tring to make some flame war on wheather of not to use Themes or Schemes.

Sorry to have upset you. Consider the subject dropped.

Mel

Wlonh worte:

"look pal, i never SAID A DAMN THING ABOUT NUMBERS OF THEMES VS. SCHEMES

futhermore, i said that KAL slows down Macs, on a fast Mac you MAY not ever notice it but MacBench WILL!!!

Old and slow Macs should not be running KAL, it is a waste of cycles

on yer bike, mate"

wlonh · Apr 30, 2000, 12:38 PM

i often richly demonstrate my human fallibility... as do we all

and if the word DAMN is offensive to you i suggest you stay at home and never turn on the radio or tv and please don't read anything either

it seemed you were needling me and this i do not like, forgive me

Apr 30, 2000, 04:26 PM

Yaay. Can we please discontinue these arguments? I mean, wlonh, if you were really mad, which I can understand completely, you could have just privately e-mailed exa and Footy, not yelled at them over the forum. Please don't take any offense to this wlonh, I'm only suggesting something. We all get mad sometimes, and frankly I think it's unproductive and a waste of forum space to yell at people when they have their own opinions, right or wrong. Just thought I'd like to pitch in.

P.S: I found an excellent guide to making themes from the maker of Liquid, Ben Mackin, at http://www.agccosprey.org/theme/Guide.sit .

iPond317 · Apr 30, 2000, 06:38 PM

Geez... All I did was ask a simple question and it turns into a huge argument! LOL! Oh, well. Can't we all just be friends?! Please?! That's better!

------------------
-- iPond317
All hail iMac DV
G4 Performance Leader
iBook #1 consumer laptop
Mac OS 9: Your Internet co-pilot
Power Mac G4 considered "super computer"
Think different.

wlonh · Apr 30, 2000, 06:53 PM

i do not use email to contact individuals posting to the forum for any number of reasons which i will not enumerate

and, i had already posted the url to that guide you mentioned

[This message has been edited by wlonh (edited 04-30-2000).]

May 1, 2000, 09:59 PM

Sorry for yelling, wlonh. Normally I actually pay attention to forums, but I guess I must have skipped your URL for the Theme Guide. iPond317 and Footy are right�let's consider the subject dropped and let's all be friends. Thanks.

P.S: As a regular reader of MacNN forums, I think you posted your real name on the forum somewhere (are your initials TO?). So that kind of eliminates privacy. The reason why I am always "someone�unregistered" is that I, too, am into privacy. Once again, sorry for yelling, wlonh.

exa · May 1, 2000, 11:00 PM

Wlonh's initials, TO, as in.... Todd Oberdick?

wlonh · May 1, 2000, 11:31 PM

nope my name is NOT Todd... Adam Silver made the same mistake of assuming my name was other than what it is in legal reality

hiding in plain sight... it is not hard to find/figure out what my name is

LOL

wlonh · May 2, 2000, 01:42 PM

http://www.MacThemes.org/ is another resource

ok so i repeat myself when i am distressed

[This message has been edited by wlonh (edited 05-02-2000).]

exa · May 2, 2000, 03:23 PM

You said that twice, wlonh

May 2, 2000, 09:37 PM

Ooh! Sneaky, wlonh! So when you said your name was Todd Oberdink in this thread , you were really giving us an alibi? Cool! I should do something like that.

Thanks for actually responding to my post(s).

Exa, how did you know about Todd Oberdink?

Y'know, this post has nothing to do with themes. I hope MacNN is relaxed about that. Otherwise, just delete this post.

wlonh · May 2, 2000, 09:43 PM

oh dear

... if you read that thread you refer to very closely, you will note that i ask if we (MacNN forum members) could help this guy out...

that is not me, this Todd person is not me... really and truly and cross my heart and hope to die, that is not me

i wish that i'd been more clear when i first posted that, it sure has led people to the wrong conclusion

exa · May 2, 2000, 09:58 PM

Heh, I knew about it because this very same thing, about naming wlonh as Todd, occured in another thread

Uh, themes, right... hmm... oh yeah, they crash for me!!!!!!! All of them!!!!! virtual memory or not (though without, it happens more rarely). I am back to the platinum theme, stablest/fastest (with virtual mem enabled)... go me...

Fredo · May 3, 2000, 12:43 AM

Hey, where do you guys get all the funny faces?

Todd Madson · May 3, 2000, 11:39 AM

So far as I know I'm the only Todd here. Thanks for the macthemes.org resource. I'll look at it. I'm interested in MacOS themes (not Kaleidoscope). The liquid themes look great. Fabulous. More of that kind of thing, please! Also, does anyone know why the Drawing Board and High Tech themes are so persona-non-grata? All sites I've seen refuses to post them. Was apple not happy about their existence or are they just so different that they refuse to release them?

wlonh · May 3, 2000, 01:43 PM

both, kinda... Apple was concerned that they were too great a departure from etc etc, or some line o' caca

but they are available: Hi-Tech, Gizmo, DrawingBoard... HERE

May 3, 2000, 08:27 PM

http://macthings.8m.com/ also had the illegal themes, but they took them down. Fredo, when you post a message, click Smilies Legend to get the code for faces. wlonh, don't worry about the Todd Oberdink name, it seems that you have just inadvertantly established yourself as him. Think of it this way: you'll never have to reveal your name on MacNN! Ever!

exa · May 3, 2000, 09:10 PM

I haven't seen a link with the DSG theme, so here it is: http://www.dsgroupinc.com/dsgtheme.html

Fredo · May 3, 2000, 11:19 PM

Thanks someone?!

May 4, 2000, 10:06 PM

As I said somewhere earlier, I am always "someone�unregistered" is that I am kinda into privacy, so I don't like a user name that might reveal anything about me and I don't want my persional information to be revealed at any time when I become a MacNN member. Anyway, you're welcome.

wlonh, when I went to the site that you mentioned and clicked on "download," the site sent me to what I think is MacInSearch's home page. Oh well...

wlonh · May 8, 2000, 09:57 AM

yes, someone, they have been pulled!

but there are others, new Liquid version just released: http://agccosprey.org/theme/ and he has others, see all download links near bottom of page

and check out this site: http://www.powermac.co.uk/
this is the theme page at the site: http://www.powermac.co.uk/themes/index.html

wlonh · May 31, 2000, 01:49 AM

liquid's been pulled but there are others, this site has a pretty comprehensive list, some very recent themes http://www.macthings.net/framesetfor...?main=/themes/

wlonh · May 31, 2000, 01:52 AM

test

reader50 · Jun 7, 2000, 02:13 AM

test?

wlonh · Jun 7, 2000, 07:33 AM

oops sorry i meant to delete that... it was me having troubles with my Forum cookies, sorry

Simon Kornblith · Jun 7, 2000, 05:38 PM

I know wlonh's real name (\real last name and shortened first name?), but I won't post it because he seems to want to keep it a secret.

------------------
Simon Kornblith
Computer Consultant
Programmer

[This message has been edited by Simon Kornblith (edited 06-07-2000).]

wlonh · Jun 7, 2000, 05:53 PM

Simon, the cat's long outta the bag now... but thanks for the consideration

my name is on the team.macnn.com site because i did a bit of contributing to it

i did get freaked the other day when someone 'revealed' it (last name and all) and i over-reacted and i have not gotten around to apologizing to this person for my reaction yet... shameful behavior, i know. and it is impossible to hold onto all of my privacy...

but if that person is reading this, i apologize and i will do so again more directly in an email...

to be clear, this person revealed it before it was actually in print on a MacNN page... but as i say, no big deal now...

[This message has been edited by wlonh (edited 06-07-2000).]

wlonh · Jun 16, 2000, 07:50 AM

http://www.geocities.com/doghouseonline/new.html

some new themes