steel-like tool bar and menu bar ?

[copo]

Hi there I'm a new Mac user from Asia.

I saw someone posted their desktop screenshots and see any software including the Finder using a steel-like too bar, as well as the menu bar at the top, how can I do this ? Is that call "Brushed" ?

And, I also see some of you got some good tool which can display informational stuffs in the menu bar such as the network traffic, just like this . Where can I find these kind of useful stuffs ?

I'm new to the Mac world but I'm going to fall in love with it. Any hints and links will be greatly appreciate!

[Ifrit]

Hm, they 'themed' their OS probably using a theming prog like Duality and a brushed metal 'skin'. Actually these themes are some kind of hacks (replacing the pdf(?) files which contain the OSX gui graphics). I would be very carefully when applying one of these.
Revert to the default Aqua style when you're updating OSX or you might run into a lot of problems including display corruption, missing buttons etc.
Always use the latest version of the theming prog and the theme you like.

[phatcactus]

Have a look at...
http://homepage.mac.com/max_08/

The one you want is called Brushed, but have a look at all the others.

I use Theme Changer to switch themes...
http://www.clichesw.com/themechanger/

[copo]

Thanks !!!

Let me try!!

Thanks everybody~

[Evil Ryu]

If you take the theme off later, however, Make sure you use a program called AquaRestore to fix it completely. I had a problem where it didnt fully revert my mac GUI afterwards, and everything was buggy until I had fixed it.

You can find the program on www.versiontracker.com

[hulkaros]

Originally posted by copo
Hi there I'm a new Mac user from Asia.

I saw someone posted their desktop screenshots and see any software including the Finder using a steel-like too bar, as well as the menu bar at the top, how can I do this ? Is that call "Brushed" ?

And, I also see some of you got some good tool which can display informational stuffs in the menu bar such as the network traffic, just like this . Where can I find these kind of useful stuffs ?

I'm new to the Mac world but I'm going to fall in love with it. Any hints and links will be greatly appreciate!

1st of all: Welcome here!

2nd of all an on so on:
The following are sites with Themes and loads of them:
http://homepage.mac.com/max_08/
http://www.resexcellence.com/

Before applying a theme download this:
http://www.lordofthecows.com/software/AquaFix.dmg

This will help you IF ever you will have any theme troubles including problems to boot your Mac! So, 100% download this... Also, before applying a Combo Update, say 10.2.6 or 10.2.7 (maybe it will come out later on) from Apple, it will be better if you will run AquaFix... Also, some themes require specific OS X versions so be extra careful... If you will play by the theme game rules you see see that no harm can be done

Still, if problems will rise do these:
"AquaFix can be run from the command line simply by typing "aquafix" at the command prompt in the Terminal application. This means you can restore aqua defaults even if your interface is messed up to the point of being unable to boot into OS X. The procedure for running AquaFix when you cannot boot X is as follows:
1. Start up your computer holding command-s
2. When you get a command prompt, type /sbin/fsck -y and press return
3. When the prompt returns, type /sbin/mount -uw / and press return
4. Type sudo aquafix at the prompt and press return
5. Continue booting OS X by typing exit at the prompt and pressing return.
You may want to print this procedure, as when you need to run it, you probably won't be able to access this document."

Also, I think it will be better for you to use ThemeChanger to change themes:
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/mac/17504

ThemeChanger from Cliche Software is a popular theme switcher.
4,4 out of 5 stars user rating from versiontracker.
+ Makes a backup of Aqua
+ Support for .dlta
+ The user can choose which files that should be switched
+ Works with all my themes
+ Free
+ Awsome authentication process, you only need to enter your password once!
- Not updated very often..
- Sometimes the progressbars gets stuck after switching to a theme (click a menubar item for it to go away).

For those traffic lights up to the top menu bar and especially the ones your picture has, are MenuMeters from here:
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macos...enumeters.html
or from here:
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/17713
or even here:
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/10451

Loads of this kind of utilities can be found here:
http://www.macupdate.com/
and here:
http://www.versiontracker.com/macosx/
and of course here:
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/

If you need anything else let us know! Until then, ENJOY

[copo]

I'm really appreciate with all the help here especially for such a detail guide from Hulkaros!

Well, I'll have these try someday next week since my PowerBook is in service center for some fix.

Listen -- Thank you very much everybody!