Improving UI / Application Enhancer bad?

D

Durbrow

Registered
Recently, Tog has suggested that several applications can "correct" the User Interface mistakes in Panther.

http://www.asktog.com/columns/060MonsterMac.html

However, two of these applications (WindowShades and Fruitmenu) require Application Enhancer. I have two questions:

Have people found that Application Enhancer leads to bugs?

Do people generally agree with Tog about the UI shortcomings?

Thanks for your comments!
 
APE is known to be bug-prone, and so are some of the haxies that use it. Right now I'm using APE and ShapeShifter along with Max' SmoothStripes theme, but I wouldn't generally recommend using such haxies. If you ever have to support Mac users... Make them deinstall APE and haxies - and in about 70% of all cases the problems they're describing are gone.

However: APE and haxies are deinstallable. So why don't you just try out what you want to try out?
 
One addition... Usually, software should not lead to kernel panics in Mac OS X because of how it's 'constructed'. However, WindowShade X in combination with iChat (in some version of either) led to kernel panics I could repeat on three machines using the same software. I don't _like_ software that can cause kernel panics. They destroy work.
 
I have Ape Enhancer, Fruit Menu, ClearDock, FullScreenSafari, iChatEnhancer and dont' have any problems in Panther. Been running almost all since they came out.
 
the article mentions things that can most like likely be done in apple script, eg adding clour to icons in the dock, names of things in the dock, but I'm not much of a scripter...

Adam
 
Stimulating post, Durbrow. A haxie enthusiast myself, I read Tog's article with keen interest. As to your questions:
Don't know if it is Application Enhancer or Menu Extra Enabler that is at fault, but I can't get the latest versions of WeatherPop or WeathermanX to launch from the menubar, could be the apps themselves not up to Panther. (Out dated WMX still works fine, though.) Other than that, since doing a fresh install of AE and all my haxies in Panther, everything seems to be working flawlessly. And dang, have I got haxies...

As to Panther's UI shortcomings, as particularly addressed in The Good, the Bad & the Ugly, some of Togs points may be just a wee bit overblown. Yeah, I hate label colors in Panther too and check obsessively at the Unsanity site for an update to Labels X, which looked spectacular in Jaguar. But I don't get all his objections to the Finder, which I find absolutely brilliant, and frankly I resent being told how to customize my own Mac.

FruitMenu is the greatest thing since sliced bread, glad Tog likes it nearly as much as I do. And Contextual Menus are fully addressed in FruitMenu's Preference Pane under Help. I love being able to move items between volumes instantly; FM makes this and other neat tricks possible. And as in Classic, FruitMenu allows you to put your entire HD into the Apple Menu in any configuration and navigate through it rapid fire with but a single click. Plus it allows you to assign hot keys. For only ten smackers, FruitMenu has got to be the best value of all Unsanity's offerings.
(AliasMenu is another convenient little hack that allows you to place multiple menus with customized icons in the Menu bar. Unfortunately it can run rather slowly when called upon to display large icons/submenus. But it does make efficient use of otherwise wasted real estate in the Menu bar. Still overpriced at what, $25? But I digress...)

Couple other little complaints of his, about Safari Import/Export and Application Switching: hidden features can be activated with Safari Enhancer (free!) and you can see and switch running apps with Command Tab.
Still, Apple should enhance Safari by default, and I don't understand why we still need third party apps just to bring back the functionality of OS 9. I payed more for haxies than I did for Panther!

Sorry for running on; had I the time, I'd been briefer...
 
There is also the menu app call xMenu that DevonTechnologies has on their website. It is not as feature-rich as Fruitmenu but it is free and seems stable. Would be glad to hear any other apps people use to improve the efficiency of Panther.

Any DragThing haters or lovers out there?
 
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