[AppleLaw]

I think this is interesting.

A few days ago, I took the plunge and messed around with my iBook 700, since it's not my primary computer. I only use it for notes and other things which I end up finalizing on my desktop anyway. Specifically, I installed the Duality theme switcher and the Milk 1.22 theme.

After playing around with the iBook a few days, I think I can say with all definiteness that it's somewhat faster with this theme. I can't speculate as to why, but I am 100% sure that the Finder and Microsoft Word perform better with the GUI from Milk than with Aqua.

To make sure I wasn't nuts (which is always up for discussion), I did the same procedure today on my desktop, a DP G4 1 GHz with 1.5 GB. Once again, I can say that this computer is a bit faster now with Milk than it was with Aqua. The feeling here is that the Finder is more responsive than before.

I won't go so far as to say that I recommend everyone here download Duality and Milk 1.22 now to speed up their systems; changing a theme is very dangerous in OS X; some people have completely hosed their Finders and put themselves in a position where they had to reinstall OS X completely. I'm just curious if anyone else using this combination can confirm what I suspect, i.e., that these themes aren't as bloated as Aqua and hence result in a faster system.

Any experiences would be appreciated.

[Nobody]

If the themes use less ram/CPU/GPU power than Auqa to render their effects on screen, then YES it may appear to speed up the finder, since they are consuming less ram and system resources, thereby making more availble for other apps.........

s....p......e.... e.....d.. d.. d...d.............. images/icons/grin.gif

[iPenseur]

I too have Milk installed, and have noticed an increase in speed on my computer. images/icons/smile.gif Not only that, but Milk is so p-r-e-t-t-y... images/icons/grin.gif

[Nobody]

Hi AppleLaw,

Where do you find these downloads? Do you install one or both? Is it hard to do?

Thanks!
Peter

[Diego_V.]

Like Peter said, links please! Sounds interesting, but I tried searching google and versiontracker and I couldn't find anything!

Thanks! images/icons/smile.gif

[AppleLaw]

Hi, Peter and Diego,

Always glad to help you out. :-)

Here's what you need:

1) Download Duality from the following direct link: blank>http://conundrumsoft...tyInstaller.dmg

2) Download Milk 1.22 from this link: blank>http://planeta.terra...iva/themes.html

3) Install Duality

4) Find the /Themes folder that Duality creates (somewhere in your User folder... do a search in the finder for "Themes" and find it that way).

5) Copy the extracted Milk theme from wherever you downloaded it to the /Themes directory.

6) Once it's properly copied, Duality will recognize it. At that point, just run Duality to switch themes, and voila, your Finder will restart and your new theme will be applied.

7) If you're using Snow.E 2 (another recommendation) icons, you'll have to reinstall them after the theme is applied, since the theme installs its own icons.

Remember the warnings I mentioned above before you do anything, though.

:-)

[AppleLaw]

oops.

[ 10-23-2002: Message edited by: AppleLaw ]

[Nobody]

Hmmm...interesting. Thought I'd provide another link to MILK theme, and some others by the same author. Here's his site:

Max Themes

[AppleLaw]

Don't use that link, MacJam. It has Milk 1.2.1 on it. You need 1.2.2 for proper use with Jaguar 10.2.1.

[asdfblah]

The same thing happens with Window Blinds on XP. But skins are awfully buggy so for me I dont really think its worth the small speed increase.

[pyrogen]

AppleLaw,

Would it be difficult to uninstall Duality and the Milk theme if one desired?

Is it possible to update OSX with a theme installed?

(running 10.2.1)

[AppleLaw]

Yeah, the link above includes a theme called Aqua, which is a copy of Apple's default. You would keep that theme around and apply it whenever you wanted to go back to it. You could then uninstall Duality and be in the same position you were in before all of this.

As for the bug issue, this is not a skin. It's not a standalone piece of software. An OS X theme is simply a bunch of rsrc and graphics files that replace the files Apple uses in Aqua. Themes don't have bugs--programs that change themes do have bugs, but not the themes themselves.

[Nobody]

AppleLaw: Actually, themes can have corrupted or oversized graphics that can cause application crashes or login failures, as well as graphical glitches.

[AppleLaw]

Typhoon: Really? Never seen or heard of that. It's good to know, though. This Milk 1.22 theme seems fine, at least. I haven't tried any others.