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Desktop Newbie to Customizing OS X

tgi

tgi

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Aug 29, 2012
1,331
330
I'm going to try customizing my rMBP. I have been trying to research various programs and methods.

From my understanding people use Candybar to change icons? So when people post screenshots with custom icons, they most likely used Candybar? Also you download the icons from various websites such as deviantART etc. and just use Candybar to apply the icons?

And Geektools is used to customize the desktop where you display calendar, time, weather etc on the desktop. All customization comes from within Geektools? Or is there still 3rd party options for further customization?

Please correct any misunderstandings I may have. Also would you recommend I dive right into both programs or try learning one and then the other. Which program would be a good starter? Thanks in advance.
 
gnasher729

gnasher729

Suspended
Nov 25, 2005
17,980
5,565
tgi said:
Please correct any misunderstandings I may have.
Click to expand...

The biggest misunderstanding would be that the kind of "customizing" that you talk about would add anything of value.

Go to System Preferences. Set up things the way you like them, especially the "Trackpad" and "Mouse" preferences. Find yourself some nice desktop images. And that's about all the customization you need.
 
tgi

tgi

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Aug 29, 2012
1,331
330
gnasher729 said:
The biggest misunderstanding would be that the kind of "customizing" that you talk about would add anything of value.

Go to System Preferences. Set up things the way you like them, especially the "Trackpad" and "Mouse" preferences. Find yourself some nice desktop images. And that's about all the customization you need.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply but I'm well aware that these sort of customizations will add little or no functionality other than aesthetics. I'm ok with that. I know what you mean when you say trackpad/mouse settings and a nice wallpaper is all the customization you need. I have nothing against what you mentioned, but I would also like to go a little further.
 
leftywamumonkey

leftywamumonkey

macrumors 6502a
Jun 23, 2010
909
3
California
If you want to just change the icon of an application. You just copy the icon you want to use, go to the application, right click it and select "Get Info" and drag or paste the icon over the regular icon.
 
iPoopeh

iPoopeh

macrumors regular
Aug 7, 2010
242
5
Yes, I use Candybar to change my icons, it is a much faster, and a simpler way to do it than clicking on each individual folder/file and changing it through the "Get Info" tab. Deviantart is a great place to get these icons and also some random Google searching as well. :)
I use Geektool as well... And actually made a tutorial a year or so ago. Very easy to use once you understand the commands... However my weather image is no longer working... It may be due to Yahoo changing their weather icons on their website... =/

Play around with these tools... If you want to change your menubar black [which is what I'm planning to do with my rMBP], use Obsidan Menu Bar. I hope this helps you out! And have fun! :apple:
 
tgi

tgi

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Aug 29, 2012
1,331
330
iPoopeh said:
Yes, I use Candybar to change my icons, it is a much faster, and a simpler way to do it than clicking on each individual folder/file and changing it through the "Get Info" tab. Deviantart is a great place to get these icons and also some random Google searching as well. :)
I use Geektool as well... And actually made a tutorial a year or so ago. Very easy to use once you understand the commands... However my weather image is no longer working... It may be due to Yahoo changing their weather icons on their website... =/

Play around with these tools... If you want to change your menubar black [which is what I'm planning to do with my rMBP], use Obsidan Menu Bar. I hope this helps you out! And have fun! :apple:
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for posting the Geektool tutorial, it is very useful. How do you install Obsidian Menu Bar? Is applied using a 3rd party app? or is it a standalone install?
 
roadbloc

roadbloc

macrumors G3
Aug 24, 2009
8,784
215
UK
gnasher729 said:
The biggest misunderstanding would be that the kind of "customizing" that you talk about would add anything of value.
Click to expand...

Not one size fits all. Some people like to heavily customise their OSs, regardless of how much value you think it has.
 
iPoopeh

iPoopeh

macrumors regular
Aug 7, 2010
242
5
tgi said:
Thank you so much for posting the Geektool tutorial, it is very useful. How do you install Obsidian Menu Bar? Is applied using a 3rd party app? or is it a standalone install?
Click to expand...

No problem! I'm glad it was some use for you. :apple:
Like bhtwo said, it has it's own installer. :)
 
rizqdan

rizqdan

macrumors newbie
Aug 15, 2013
11
0
If you're using Mountain Lion, Candybar might have some issues. Use Flavours.

tgi said:
I'm going to try customizing my rMBP. I have been trying to research various programs and methods.

From my understanding people use Candybar to change icons? So when people post screenshots with custom icons, they most likely used Candybar? Also you download the icons from various websites such as deviantART etc. and just use Candybar to apply the icons?

And Geektools is used to customize the desktop where you display calendar, time, weather etc on the desktop. All customization comes from within Geektools? Or is there still 3rd party options for further customization?

Please correct any misunderstandings I may have. Also would you recommend I dive right into both programs or try learning one and then the other. Which program would be a good starter? Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
 
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