[M$2MBP]

Hello everyone, I am a new mac user. I still own my badass XP gaming rig, but with Vista becoming a reality I am looking hard at something new. So, I bought a mac book recenlty (last week) and am curious about skinning programs for the mac OS.

I use win blinds with my XP machine, it slows down the system a tiny bit, but not so much since I don't use any bloated themes with transparencies, widgets, and whatnot. I am content with simply changing the colors of the UI. Anyways my question has to do with the mac OS and these theme programs I have been reading about. I found a few, Shapeshifter seems to be the name I read about most, though I can't say I found *ANY* actual review for it yet (actual facts, not hype) so that left me with nothing. I am curious how these programs effect your systems speed.

I value my system's speed the most, especially since it's a laptop. I don't mind a tiny speed slow down, even windows blinds gets a tiny slow down, but I remembered trying some bloated themes and having to wait just for the menus to pop up. Would a program like Shapeshifter slow my system down? If so how much (in your opinions)? If so, does it seem to be like WBs, where the speed decrease depends on the theme used? i.e. simple theme means it's not noticed, bloated theme means waiting for things to happen.

I would really like to use some of the great themes I found for Shapeshifter, but I am worried about the effect it will have on my mac. Are there other programs out there with less or "0" speed decrease but maybe they don't offer as much/same stability or something?

Thanks for anyone who actually reads this long ass post and replies! hehe

[digitaljames]

On an Intel based Mac there is a slight hit to performance. Mostly at application startup....not so noticable once everythings running.

[Kevin]

It was noticeable enough for me to not use it. I wont go into random application oddness.

You can theme your OS without using SS. You just don't have as many options.

Mac puts out themes that don't require SS. It's just like the system was running Aqua.

But it looks different. No slowdown.

[M$2MBP]

Originally Posted by Kevin 

It was noticeable enough for me to not use it. I wont go into random application oddness.

You can theme your OS without using SS. You just don't have as many options.

Mac puts out themes that don't require SS. It's just like the system was running Aqua.

But it looks different. No slowdown.

Where can I find these. I already tried the mac website, but only found links to big software titles... Please help. I don't mind not having 8,000 themes, but I really can't stant the brushed metal look. Of all the default themes they could have chosen, I think they chose the worst!

[digitaljames]

I think he means Max Rudberg but his installer based themes haven't been updated in a while......

[M$2MBP]

Wow, so you mean to tell me that the mac OS doesn't even come with more then a single theme? That blows! What a horrible thing to do, to users. Even Windows has like 4-5 default themes....

[digitaljames]

themers/customizers make up about .00009% of all computer users....and you could always go back to windows....I hear those themes rock.

[Curiosity]

Windows themes are very easy to put together. All the themes I use on XP are themes that I compiled from bits and pieces.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by digitaljames 

I think he means Max Rudberg but his installer based themes haven't been updated in a while......

His installer based themes have been updated since his GUI based ones have.

I installed Smooth Stripes on the latest version of 10.4

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by digitaljames 

themers/customizers make up about .00009% of all computer users....and you could always go back to windows....I hear those themes rock.

Ah but you too have to use a third party application to drastically change the GUI like OS X as well. Which also slows the OS down.

[digitaljames]

I think he means via the windows theming engine, (luna blue, olive, silver and classic) not windowblinds.

[Kevin]

Well OS X has Graphite and Aqua!11

Yeah... OS X needs a Aqua theme, and a more pro level minded theme. I always though it should have done that in the first place. Aqua, or Platinum.

Oh well.

[M$2MBP]

Originally Posted by digitaljames 

I think he means via the windows theming engine, (luna blue, olive, silver and classic) not windowblinds.

That is exactly what I mean, doesn't the mac OS have more then one basic GUI? I would even be happy with a flat colored one, but brushed metal is hard to look at.

[peeb]

No, there's just one!

[M$2MBP]

Does Shapeshifter slow the system down? I mean, enough to notice?

[peeb]

Skinning and theming is really a windows thing - I've always assumed that was to do with Windows looking so lame out of the box.

[eyevaan]

I may have this wrong but since SS is swapping the resources as they are called up by the OS - yes there is a performance hit. That is the direct answer HOWEVER . . . some of the themes are bada** and worth every bit of the slight slowdown. I know you can't use the themes with some programs AND with the ongoing tweeks and adjustments to iTunes, from Apple, one can feel a bit let down by the length of time an update can take on a favorite guikit. Remember no one in the community is making money changing the 13,000 elements in the interface so have some patience. I am a UI addict - nothing stays the same for very long and I deal with it. My recommendation to you is download the SS, try it, get some kits and see if the hit is too much for you. BTW - welcome to our house - I won't say its the 'lightside' it just has fewer people on the beach.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by M$2MBP 

Does Shapeshifter slow the system down? I mean, enough to notice?

Yes, yes it does. BTW you can theme your OS without using Shapeshifter.