Fresh Mac user: Desktop customization questions

[Struki84]

Hey guys!

I'm a fresh Mac user (a week or so.), got myself macbook pro 7,1 13" with snow leopard on it . Anyway I'm doing some modifications on my desktop, I've been A linux user for some years so I know my way around shell scripts, editing config files and so on. There are some things I can't figure out, mac os is a closed os ,not much costumization to be done here, and coming from linux is a bit of shock to me, but not enough to ignore it completly, I'm giving it a fair shot. Any way, I got these issues, and I've depended on online help for years now, so I did my share of googling, and searching the net before deciding to post...

Questions:

1. I can't figure out how to change system font colors, not the ones on the menu bar (I got that covered), the ones on window titles and inside the windows, I tried TinkerTool and I can change font size and font style but not the color, Themepark is a bit unintuitive, so if there is a solution there pls let me know.

2. I've installed path finder, and used it's desktop for my shortcuts, but it keeps displaying this info about the files size witch I can't remove, can someone let me now how to remove the size info?. The ideal solution would be to replace finder with path finder, and then use the finder desktop, but opening shortcuts from finder desktop in path finder is not working form me, I've tried this guide :
http://hints.macworld.com/article.ph...41129160952245

These are like top issues for me now, so any help would be great .
Thanks for the oncoming help !

Simon

 

[Satcomer]

Click on the Desktop. Then in Finder menu bar select "view" and choose in the drop-down "Show View Options" and uncheck "Show Item View".

Now to blow you mind get and external hard drive and clone your Intel hard drive to it. Then with that drive connected choose system Preferences->Startup Disk and boot from that external.

Now trust me in saying you should get the cheap references book called Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Snow Leopard Edition. It will answer 98% of your new OS X inquiries.It is very easy reading and will help ease your transition to OS X.

 

[Struki84]

Click on the Desktop. Then in Finder menu bar select "view" and choose in the drop-down "Show View Options" and uncheck "Show Item View".

I'm using path finders desktop, not the default finders desktop, that is the source of the problem... pls read my question thoroughly.

Now to blow you mind get and external hard drive and clone your Intel hard drive to it. Then with that drive connected choose system Preferences->Startup Disk and boot from that external.

I don't get it, why would I go trough the trouble of doing that?

 

[Satcomer]

I'm using path finders desktop, not the default finders desktop, that is the source of the problem... pls read my question thoroughly.
I don't get it, why would I go trough the trouble of doing that?

Well excuse me jerk! Goodbye!

 

[Struki84]

Well excuse me jerk! Goodbye!

How did I offend you? Obviusly you misread my question, that was the only thing i implied, and as the external hard drive goes, I really don't understand why would I do such a thing. I think you guessed my attitude wrong, sry if I mislead you.

 

[ElDiabloConCaca]

Just to offer a little bit of advice:

1) As you have guessed and experienced, Mac OS X is not nearly as customizable (from a GUI standpoint) as most of the window managers with Linux are. You can't change the font color (it's not stored in any plist variable or anything), nor can you (easily) change things like the menubar size or menubar font size(s).

2) Work with Mac OS X -- don't work against it. Mac OS X looks the way it looks, and you can change simple things like the desktop background and Finder font/icon sizes, but beyond that, it's static. A yellow menubar isn't going to make you any more productive than a gray menubar (and I mean no offense by that, jus' sayin').

3) Abadon the notion of "window dressings" and a customizable window manager. That's Linux (and Windows) stuff -- if you want to retain control over the size and positioning of EVERYthing, stick with Linux -- the Mac ain't too forgiving in this area. Apple likes to say, "THIS is the best window color, THIS is the best font, and THIS is the best size" and there's not too many ways around that. Most of the time they get it right. Sometimes they don't. Either way, clicking on the "File" menu ALWAYS produces the same results, whether "File" is in black, yellow, green, or plaid, whether it's in Myriad Plain or Helvetica, and whether it's 10pt. or 14pt. type.

4) Following #3 -- focus on functionality, not how it looks. There are quirks to get used to (just as with anything else in life). Look at your experience as a whole, not any one single part (e.g., "I love Mac OS X but the fact that I can't change the menubar font is a deal killer and therefore the entire thing sucks as a whole"). Focus on productivity instead of an extremely customized user interface. Join the flock. Be a sheep. Go and hang out in the pasture. Don't rock the boat.

As for the Path Finder issue, I can't help. I'm a command-line nerd, so Mac OS X's own Finder does the job nicely in the 40% of the time I actually use it.

Hope that helps!