14 DAY TRIAL // By default, Mac OS X has an interface that will always offer its users very high degrees of usability and eye candy. Although it is already a standard that users of other OSes still dream of, Mac users will always try to give it a little more bang.
If you do not think that the OS X GUI is one of the best-looking OS interface designs out there, just think about the high number of Windows and/or Linux users that will do anything in their power to make their OS look and act as closely as OS X.
If you are a Mac user that is not completely satisfied with how their Mac’s interface looks like and you want to achieve the full OS customization nirvana, you should know that, although you can also do this by hand (this is possible because OS X has an incredible high degree of ease personalization, if you know how to do it), you will need a set of tools to help you in your enterprise.
The tools of this trade are mostly free, with a couple of them still trying to get sold to people that still don’t trust free software or have not yet found the best free alternative. Such solutions will allow you to change almost anything you have ever dreamed of changing in OS X, and more.
They will make it possible for you to quickly and easily modify the way your system looks and behaves right to the bone. You will be able to change three main system areas: its overall theme, the way the OS X dock looks and behaves, and activate hidden system and application settings.
These three main customization areas are all covered by free and very easy to use applications. All you will have to do before beginning to customize your OS X system is to download them and drag them to your Mac’s Applications folder. After that, it will only be a matter of pointing your mouse and clicking on the features that you want to be enabled, disabled and/or modified.
1. Magnifique
The first application we are going to talk about is Magnifique. I don’t know how many of you know of it. The fact is that if you have ever used Shapeshifter or even heard of it and how it has been able to completely change the way Mac OS X Tiger looks, then you will surely understand what Magnifique is capable of.
Magnifique is Shapeshifter’s equivalent for OS X Leopard, and it will allow you to quickly change your system’s theme using a number of freely available ones on the developer’s website.
The application comes with an integrated download system for themes, but, if you are the type of user that also wants to know what other people that have used them think about them, you can also give them a quick look and choose one that matches your UI customization wishes if you go HERE.
Should you have installed a theme and you have gotten bored of it and want to uninstall it, you just have to click a single button. And, as the developer says on its website, “In case that fails, we have many other alternate solutions available on the forum, and even a built in command line restore script that will allow you to restore your system back to original in the case that you cannot boot. You have our help every step of the way.”
2. SuperDocker
This second application is the one you need to have in your toolset when you want to customize your Mac’s dock to the last bit. Thus, apart from allowing one to change it from 3D to 2D and back, customize the icons’ transparency, add separators and customize indicators, SuperDocker will also make it possible for its users to apply custom and free themes that can be downloaded from HERE.
Additionally, SuperDocker will permit you to customize your system even more by giving you quick and easy access to hidden behavior and graphic settings for Stacks, Dashboard, the Safari web browser, the system, and even applications like the Time Machine, iTunes and iChat.
To be fair, SuperDocker would be the dream come true of any Windows and/or Linux customization fan out there. But, unfortunately for them and fortunately for us, Mac users are the ones that have it at their disposal to make the best out of their OS X-powered machines.
As the developer adds on its website, “Did you know that you can put a Widget from Dashboard to your Desktop ? Did you know that you can activate the Data Detector Mode from iChat ? Did you know that it's possible to change the backup time interval from Time Machine ?”
3. TinkerTool
TinkerTool should be (and probably is) the Swiss army knife of every OS X customization fan. This is the application you need if you want to change virtually any of the hidden settings that Apple did not want you to know about.
TinkerTool will help you customize the way almost all system applications and components behave and will do it without you needing access to administrative privileges.
As it is mentioned on its TinkerTool’s homepage, “The program will never change any component of the operating system, so the integrity of your system is not put at risk, and there will be no negative effect on system updates. All preference settings changed by TinkerTool can be reset to Apple's defaults, or to the state that existed before using the tool. No dangerous background processes are used for TinkerTool's operation.”
These are the applications you will need to make your Mac OS X system look as closely to the OS of your dreams as possible. If you know of other apps that could complete this list, let all the other readers know about them in the comments.
