Kaleidoscope X

Jayem

Jayem

The All Seeing
Well I dont know about you guys, but I for one loved kaleidoscope. Personally, I use X.1 as my default OS, and to tell you the true, I am getting absolutely sick of the Aqua interface. I think its playing tricks with my mind... all the lines, are starting to bug me out.... any how. I was wondering if anyone heard anything about Kaleidoscope X. I've heard buzz on IRC, that there NOT gonna make a version for X.
Well, i tell you what. Not that I'm saying its his obligation to make the software, but i dont think he gives to poops. I emailed one of the authors of Kaleidoscope when Public Beta first came out . He said that he didn't know what he was going to do because of some legal actions or such with Apple. I said, ok, just keep me posted. I waited till X first came out, emailed him again. No response. then X.1 and still no response. :-/ is he dead?
Well, I say you get on the digital horn, and start emailing this guy. I think he needs some encouragement. :-D
Its been nearly 2 years and nothing... I think thats enought time to develop a "low-level" hack, as he puts it. :-D
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G4 733
1.5 Gigs Ram
40, 20, 60 GB HDs
17' Mitsubishi
Harmon Kardon
canon Scanner
philips webcam [ usb ]
GeForce 3
blah blah blah
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:rolleyes:
 
The developers have already said that they have abandoned both the development of any Kaliedoscope X as well as further development of Kaliedoscope for the Classic Mac OS. Sad, but true.

If you really hate Aqua that much (it really does look good), then just download Metamorph X -- the existing themes aren't that great, but it includes a utility to build your own if you are so inclined.
 
With the way Aqua works, I don't think it's possible to change the general "look" of it, except for the hack that lets you use other colours for the stoplight buttons.

Maybe write to Apple and ask them to make the next release of X have a changable interface, however I doubt that will do any good. Maybe the Kaleidoscope people will be able to figure something out or a work around, but I remember hearing back in the Public Beta days that apple made it almost impossible to change the interface look.
 
hmm... I seem to recall somebody was making his own theme... I think it was in "post your desktop pic"...
 
Ok... MetamorphX = Kill your system = Make X unbootable = Make Jasoco mad = Don't USE!

I tried it. Simple enough. I downloaded one o their "Themes" and switched to it. It says "Log out and back in to take effect".. Ok.. I log out.. Nothing. No custom look. Nada. I have to Hard Reboot. Doesn't get passed the blue screen. That damn application (Yeah, it's a Beta, I know) made my GUI Resources corrupted. So I boot into 9. Look around. Find the "Backup" of the original theme it makes (Which, BTW, uses old graphics from 10.0.4) and try replacing the corrupted resources with their "Backup" counterparts. Nope. Same effect.

So I'm stuck REINSTALLING 10.0 THEN 10.1 UPDATE! Now I have to REDOWNLOAD THE 10.1.1 UPDATE! AUGH! At least it was easy. Just had to copy my "Library" and "User" folders to a safe place and erase all the X files in the root dir from 9. :rolleyes:

So after a REAL FUN 3 hours, I'm back to normal. I think I'm going to wait until Apple does Themeing themselves or I do it myself. :( Which will be a WHILE knowing Apple.

I'd love to make OS X look the way I want it to!

As I've noticed, X not only has the ability to do transparency, but also Real-time Shadowing. And from the "Sosumi" theme, they can be adjusted.
 
MetamorphX will definitely trash your system if you try select a theme which is not compatible with 10.1, of which there is only the Sosumi theme and the "circular blue widgets" widget which (OMG) are certain to be compatible with OSX 10.1. The others will murder.
 
Man, your system setup looks really similar to mine... the ram and all.
Plus I see you use dragthing and stuffit deluxe (awesome utilities that i use too) So you havent had any problems with the Iridium Quicksilver theme?
Is it one of the themes listed as 10.1 compatible?
And what is that audio player your using? the long skinny dealio?
Thanks
 
Originally posted by level9
I've heard the same thing about MetamorphX, therefor I haven't used it. And btw, there are a few other themes, other than Sosumi. I've been using Iridium Quicksilver for about a month now. This is an old screenshot, but you can see what it looks like here: http://homepage.mac.com/levelnine/temp/desktop10-25a.jpg
Click to expand...

The quality of the new design is impressive, but this is no art... I miss some artistic addition.

I agree with the other readers that aqua, aqua, aqua... is boring. But I would like more creativity, and I loved Kaleidoscope.

BTW, one important improvement would be to make possible for each user of the same Mac to have its own interface. So they will feel they have their own computer.
 
Well, if and when it is possible to change themes, the users will have their own theme. Ahhhh that'll be the day :)
 
Originally posted by chevy
BTW, one important improvement would be to make possible for each user of the same Mac to have its own interface. So they will feel they have their own computer.
Click to expand...

Yes, I noticed this little Flaw yesterday. Some GUI elements don't allow different users different options.

The HD icons for one will always be the same in each User. The UI widgets as well since it's the same file. Then there's the Dock. I have mine on the bottom-left. Pinned to the left. When I logged in as another user, it was also on the pinned to the left. That must also be global. You can't have a perfect Multi-user system if each user can't make it his/her own.

If we could get Apple to crqack and put Easy Theming into the OS. I mean include tons of cool themes and even include a Theme creator in the OS! Them we'd be on our way to having the perfect OS. PERFECT. Look at Winblows. Those lucky PC users get to change their OS's look easily to whatever ugly theme they want. We're stuck with Aqua, or if we're resourceful like you guys, they'll make it look close to what they want.

If I could get a Theme creator, I'd go crazy designing Themes. Mac OS X Themes sites would pop up all over. Sites like Skinz.org and DeviantArt wold start carrying more Mac stuff. The world would be soo much better with OS X Themes.

I know what Steve's afraid of. He wants OS X to be immediately recognizable. He also doesn't want people just making the OS look like Crap. Now, I haven't seen any Crappy looks yet and I'm sorta tiring of Aqua. Some days I long for Platinum. Some I just want a different look. I just want to be able to make the look reflect how I feel that day. Does he really think the Mac isn't already immediately recognizable? Hmm... Menu bar at top. Hard drives on desktop. Hmmm.. looks like a Mac to me. I mean there is NO WAY you could make the Mac OS NOT look like a Mac OS. Not as long as the Menu's bolted to the top, anyway. That alone gives it away.

You'd think after all these years of OS 8/9 then now people with X that he'd realize people WANT to customize the GUI. Instead they just send out their lawyers to shut down people who try to change his vision.

[And since this seems to be turning into a sermon]

Brothers and Sisters. The time has come. We must RISE UP and FIGHT Apple to Put Themes Back where they belong! Can I get an Amen?!
 
I don't want the freedom of Windows users... its like UdSSR freedom: you can choose the color as long as it is red, no blue,... I mean on a Windows machine, you can change color of the window but not the appearance. Kaleidoscope was much better, X-Windows on UNIX is much better. We want the same freedom on the Mac.

For me the Mac is not Aqua, it is not Platinum, it is not Titanium, it is the freedom to be (or think) different ! The current iBook has nothing to do with the first iBook, and it is still an iBook.

I am not afraid of freedom, and if someone wants to create and use an ugly interface, let him use it. I would like to surf the Internet, and shop for artwork to cutomize my desktop. One day it will look Dali, one day it will look Canaletto, one day it will look... something else... nothing that Steve planed it to be... it will just be my Mac. And work flawlessly... as usual.
 
Amen brother!
...btw, I think that Apples new Applescript app which is yet to be released(but promised in Novemeber) will be able to create themes. Because it is to be used in building apps and their appearance, this leads me to believe themes will be creatable with this cool deal.
My fingers are crossed.

How about a few more amens my fellows!!
 
Originally posted by chevy
I don't want the freedom of Windows users... its like UdSSR freedom: you can choose the color as long as it is red, no blue,... I mean on a Windows machine, you can change color of the window but not the appearance. Kaleidoscope was much better, X-Windows on UNIX is much better. We want the same freedom on the Mac.

For me the Mac is not Aqua, it is not Platinum, it is not Titanium, it is the freedom to be (or think) different ! The current iBook has nothing to do with the first iBook, and it is still an iBook.

I am not afraid of freedom, and if someone wants to create and use an ugly interface, let him use it. I would like to surf the Internet, and shop for artwork to cutomize my desktop. One day it will look Dali, one day it will look Canaletto, one day it will look... something else... nothing that Steve planed it to be... it will just be my Mac. And work flawlessly... as usual.
Click to expand...

you bring a tear to my eye with your poetic musings...
lovely :)
 
Maybe someone should create a Windows XP theme for Metamorph X. I think the new look of XP is very nice and i would love to use it on X.1 instead of Aqua.
 
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