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Well, this article was on the back burner when I went on
vacation, so I'm getting back in the swing of things. I got the
idea for it while traveling, since I took
my trusty PowerBook 540c with me.
Of course, the PowerBook 540c I have isn't much of an
attention-getter in public anymore. Its smaller screen and the
overall "grayness" of the case isn't that fancy compared with the
newer PeeCee laptops (ugh!) or the new iBook or TiBook. Of course,
I could've painted the computer, but that would've been too much
work - and I kinda liked the "gunmetal gray" (as its called in the
home electronics industry), so I decided to change what was on the
screen to look more modern, mainly to satisfy my new Mac envy.
First of all, you can do this with any older PowerBook, but it
would be best if you were running Mac OS 7.6-8.1, because 8.5+ has
its own customizations, and that typically is run on newer
PowerBooks (I know it could run on my PPC-upgraded 540c, but
8.1 works for me). Here's the list of what you need:
An Internet connection
An older PowerBook (500s, Duos,
& 5300 are best, but the 100 series are fine, too)
ResEdit
Optional, but nice if you have it: a color screen
And last, but not least, a little creativity
First of all, replace all your desktop icons with better ones
that look more "Aquatic" or "Titaniumish." A good source for these
is the Icon Factory, and
one good set is the Titanium Folders set. I use a Pismo icon from
their SmoothIcon set for my hard drive. You can modify the icons
with ResEdit for use with your printers, iDisk aliases, and other
folders.
Secondly, get a better system font. Chicago and Charcoal are
okay, but you can do better. Ask a friend who has OS 8.5 or 9 to
copy Gadget, Sand, Techno, and Textile to a disk for you. Of
course, you need the Appearance extension and control panel if you
have an older OS, but it's free from Apple. Copy these fonts to
your Fonts folder and open the Appearance control panel. Click
Options and your new fonts should show up in the list of fonts.
Pick one and restart your Mac.
Next, make your computer look better when it boots up. Head over
to ResExcellence for
some Mac OS Startup Screens. The directions vary from screen to
screen, so check with the ReadMe file. There is also a section on
splash screens for applications (Internet Explorer, Netscape, AIM,
Photoshop, Illustration, and more).
Of course, you can change your background pattern and background
picture, too, and download iMacColor (check on Google) to change the color of
the Apple logo on the Apple Menu and the Trash can icon. I'm not
going to tell you what you can and cannot do, because it's your
Mac, and you can customize it the way you want it. ResExcellence has a lot more
than just startup screens, so you can get some more ideas from
there and completely make your Mac your own.
Just be sure to use backup copies of your System, Finder, and
anything else when working with ResEdit (unless you like playing
with fire).
Mac of the Day: iMac Core2, Sep. 2006 - Apple introduced the biggest screen ever in an iMac with a 24" Core2 Duo model at 2.16 GHz.
List of the Day: Old Mac MP covers 604-based multiprocessor Macs and clones.
September 6 in LEM history: 99: G4 vs. Pentium III - 00: Setting up a server - 02: Norton Utilities warning - 10 greatest computer annoyances - 06: iMac Core2 Duo - Mac mini Core Duo - The iMac Core2 value equation - 07: Apple seduction - Why I really want an iPod touch - iPod history, 2005 to present - Upgrading a Power Mac G - Apple intros iPod touch, classic, and video nano
Listen to Just the Music with the V-Moda Vibe Earbuds, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 09.05.
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Flash drives are great but have some shortcomings. Some thoughts on building better SSDs and notebooks to use them.
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Used 1 GHz, $779; 1.33 GHz, $799; 1.5 GHz, $859; 1.67 GHz, $910.
11 Mac Browsers Compared, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 09.03.
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Best eMac Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 09.03.
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Psystar Strikes Back, Countersues Apple, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz, 09.03.
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for it while traveling, since I took
my trusty 
