Comments on: The State of Mac Themeing http://www.twistermc.com/blog/2005/10/12/the-state-of-mac-themeing Like a Themepark of random information. Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:40:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Deeds http://www.twistermc.com/blog/2005/10/12/the-state-of-mac-themeing#comment-11580 Deeds Fri, 14 Oct 2005 23:14:09 +0000 http://www.twistermc.com/blog/?p=662#comment-11580 If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I think a lot of people feel the same way I do. Apple's GUI is so clean and aesthetically pleasing, I've never felt the need to theme it. That's my 2¢ If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I think a lot of people feel the same way I do. Apple’s GUI is so clean and aesthetically pleasing, I’ve never felt the need to theme it.

That’s my 2¢

]]> By: wfro http://www.twistermc.com/blog/2005/10/12/the-state-of-mac-themeing#comment-11576 wfro Fri, 14 Oct 2005 21:24:17 +0000 http://www.twistermc.com/blog/?p=662#comment-11576 Being savvy enough to theme my computer, and artsy-fartsy enough to want to do it, I find that installing a theme, right now, is probably too intimidating for the average user. Really, themes need apper totally safe, usable, and 1-click; whether they are or not right now is a matter for debate, but the feel is too technical for most folks. However, what keeps me from theming is the grating blandness of almost all the themes available. OSX and Aqua are all right, I guess, but I'm not married to them like many Mac users. It seems that most themes, though, are either dull retreats into flat grey plus one other color or they're all black, silver and green with little rivets everywhere. Aqua was designed by a bunch of professional designers who were paid well for their work and given lots of structured feedback. Theme writers are attempting to one-up apple either by being as "tasteful" as they are, or they're forging their own path and creating themes which look cool for a while, but lack lasting juice. For theming to get big, we need some serious aethetic thinkers to get into it and bring some cool new ideas. Being savvy enough to theme my computer, and artsy-fartsy enough to want to do it, I find that installing a theme, right now, is probably too intimidating for the average user. Really, themes need apper totally safe, usable, and 1-click; whether they are or not right now is a matter for debate, but the feel is too technical for most folks.

However, what keeps me from theming is the grating blandness of almost all the themes available. OSX and Aqua are all right, I guess, but I’m not married to them like many Mac users. It seems that most themes, though, are either dull retreats into flat grey plus one other color or they’re all black, silver and green with little rivets everywhere. Aqua was designed by a bunch of professional designers who were paid well for their work and given lots of structured feedback.

Theme writers are attempting to one-up apple either by being as “tasteful” as they are, or they’re forging their own path and creating themes which look cool for a while, but lack lasting juice. For theming to get big, we need some serious aethetic thinkers to get into it and bring some cool new ideas.

]]> By: bandmassa http://www.twistermc.com/blog/2005/10/12/the-state-of-mac-themeing#comment-11543 bandmassa Fri, 14 Oct 2005 01:48:52 +0000 http://www.twistermc.com/blog/?p=662#comment-11543 Themes are cool, I guess, but with Apple's designs always being so lickable, why would you bother? Themes are cool, I guess, but with Apple’s designs always being so lickable, why would you bother?

]]> By: Alain O'Dea http://www.twistermc.com/blog/2005/10/12/the-state-of-mac-themeing#comment-11542 Alain O'Dea Fri, 14 Oct 2005 01:46:49 +0000 http://www.twistermc.com/blog/?p=662#comment-11542 Response to S: Mac OS X has a much much better process for extension than Mac OS 9 and below had. Themes should technically be able to be installed in the user's Library folder like Internet Plug-ins, Fonts, and Dashboard Widgets. As long as you have auto-login turned off and a backup account you should always be able to correct any problems that arise by removing the extensions. This is the approach theme frameworks should be taking. If they don't I won't even give them a second look. I have too much important work on my Mac to lose it. Response to S:

Mac OS X has a much much better process for extension than Mac OS 9 and below had. Themes should technically be able to be installed in the user’s Library folder like Internet Plug-ins, Fonts, and Dashboard Widgets. As long as you have auto-login turned off and a backup account you should always be able to correct any problems that arise by removing the extensions. This is the approach theme frameworks should be taking. If they don’t I won’t even give them a second look. I have too much important work on my Mac to lose it.

]]> By: S http://www.twistermc.com/blog/2005/10/12/the-state-of-mac-themeing#comment-11529 S Thu, 13 Oct 2005 18:39:10 +0000 http://www.twistermc.com/blog/?p=662#comment-11529 I don't add stuff to my mac that messes w/ my system files, etc. Sure, themes are fun, but I thnk the decline is twofold: 1. if it ain't broke... and 2. people may have had experience w/ themeing causing conflicts w/in their system folders in the past. I mean you could write a perfect theme, and apple will do a .1 securtiy patch and all of a sudden your mighty mouse stops working.... Ok I know that's unlikely, but you know what I mean, wierd random stuff can happen when you start messing w/ your sys files. I don’t add stuff to my mac that messes w/ my system files, etc. Sure, themes are fun, but I thnk the decline is twofold: 1. if it ain’t broke… and 2. people may have had experience w/ themeing causing conflicts w/in their system folders in the past. I mean you could write a perfect theme, and apple will do a .1 securtiy patch and all of a sudden your mighty mouse stops working…. Ok I know that’s unlikely, but you know what I mean, wierd random stuff can happen when you start messing w/ your sys files.

]]> By: Justin http://www.twistermc.com/blog/2005/10/12/the-state-of-mac-themeing#comment-11528 Justin Thu, 13 Oct 2005 17:24:26 +0000 http://www.twistermc.com/blog/?p=662#comment-11528 Actually I'm extremely happy with the current ShapeShifter - if you want to really check out themes that match Apple's UI folks, grab Somatic @ dlanham.com and Niqu @ vanillasoap.com. These two themes are the best, most tasteful ones around! Actually I’m extremely happy with the current ShapeShifter - if you want to really check out themes that match Apple’s UI folks, grab Somatic @ dlanham.com and Niqu @ vanillasoap.com. These two themes are the best, most tasteful ones around!

]]> By: kidmidnight http://www.twistermc.com/blog/2005/10/12/the-state-of-mac-themeing#comment-11527 kidmidnight Thu, 13 Oct 2005 16:43:46 +0000 http://www.twistermc.com/blog/?p=662#comment-11527 Windows needs to be themed because it it butt ugly. OSX? Not so much. Most people are happy with the look. Windows needs to be themed because it it butt ugly. OSX? Not so much. Most people are happy with the look.

]]> By: Adam Hitchcock http://www.twistermc.com/blog/2005/10/12/the-state-of-mac-themeing#comment-11526 Adam Hitchcock Thu, 13 Oct 2005 14:51:18 +0000 http://www.twistermc.com/blog/?p=662#comment-11526 You left out one thing. Along with the difficulty of creating themes, Apple has set a _very_ high standard with Aqua and Graphite, its hard to match their clean and elegant style. You left out one thing. Along with the difficulty of creating themes, Apple has set a _very_ high standard with Aqua and Graphite, its hard to match their clean and elegant style.

]]> By: benton John http://www.twistermc.com/blog/2005/10/12/the-state-of-mac-themeing#comment-11525 benton John Thu, 13 Oct 2005 14:39:56 +0000 http://www.twistermc.com/blog/?p=662#comment-11525 Yup, Mac owners tend to be fetishistic and I Love my themes. All these Programs you have mentioned are great but it is overwelming to begin. The theming community is Great and supportive, but , yes, Apple doesn't make it easy....Toobad... Yup,
Mac owners tend to be fetishistic and I Love my themes. All these Programs you have mentioned are great but it is overwelming to begin. The theming community is Great and supportive, but , yes, Apple doesn’t make it easy….Toobad…

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