By default, Apple doesn’t provide many ways to fiddle with OS X. So if you want to customize the way your Mac runs and functions, you’ll need to run third-party software and use AppleScripts and Terminal tricks. We’ve rounded up a few of the best customization applications on the Mac, and we’ll show you what you can do with each of them. If you want to start tinkering with Terminal and AppleScript, you can find some terrific how-to articles, complete with copy-and-paste-able commands, on our website at bit.ly/ml_dock and bit.ly/ml_script and bit.ly/93LLQC.
koingosw.com/products/macpilot.php
$19.95
MacPilot is a handy tool that supplies a complete listing of all the Terminal commands that provide user interface and functionality customizations for OS X. The application gives you the ability to apply these hacks (everything from enabling hidden features to running maintenance scripts) without bothering with the Terminal application, which can be a relief for Terminal rookies.
On the left side of the General tab, MacPilot features a listing of installed applications that can be tweaked.
Clean up old prefs
MacPilot allows you to remove unused preference files from your Mac. These files are used by applications to remember your settings; however, they can take up valuable space on your Mac.
You can adjust the scan range to scan for files older than the default of 60 days.
Open MacPilot and navigate to Tools > Maintenance. Locate Erase Unused Preference Files and click Begin Scan. After a few seconds, a new dialog will pop up, showing the files that MacPilot found. Skim through, unchecking the boxes for any you want to keep (they’re all checked by default), and then click the Remove Checked button to trash the rest.
bresink.com/osx/TinkerTool.html
Free
TinkerTool is much like MacPilot, but it’s free and has fewer features. In addition to Terminal tricks, TinkerTool can also do things like set the default font in OS X or change the link functionality in iTunes to point to items in your library.
TinkerTool has a lot of functionality for free, but the user interface isn’t the best.
Restore the old iTunes title bar
With TinkerTool, you can change the look of iTunes back to the old unified look of a standard window with title bar and horizontal close, minimize, and maximize buttons. To do this, open TinkerTool and navigate to iTunes 10. Once there, click the checkbox labeled “Use standard window with title bar and horizontal buttons,” and then restart iTunes.
After enabling this feature, iTunes will change its look to match OS X’s standard UI.
maintain.se/cocktail
$14.95
Cocktail is designed around keeping your Mac in shape. While it does have features for modifying your Mac, its primary purpose is to provide maintenance scripts and important system information.
Cocktail features a very nice user interface with functions laid out well.
Scripts on your schedule
Maintenance scripts that are built into the Mac keep your system healthy, but many are set to run only on a weekly or monthly basis. With Cocktail, you can run these scripts on your schedule. To chart your own course, open Cocktail and navigate to System > Scripts. Select one of the scripts from the drop-down menu. You will get a description of what each script does in the information section. When you’re ready to run the script, click Run.
Running the daily script will clear out junk files and old system announcements.
projects.tynsoe.org/en/geektool
Free
GeekTool is one of the ultimate tools for customizing your Mac’s Desktop. This System Preference pane allows you to write (or paste in) Unix scripts that will be run at periodic instances and output to your Desktop in the form of a formatted box. For much more on using GeekTool to make truly dramatic changes to your Desktop, visit bit.ly/ml_geektool.
GeekTool is a powerful tool that has a simple user interface located in System Preferences > GeekTool.
Put a clock on your Desktop
One of the handiest things you can do with GeekTool is to display the date and time with a Unix output command. To begin, open GeekTool and drag a Shell Geeklet onto your Desktop. Next, in the Properties window, click the ellipses next to the Command text box. This will open the Command window where you’ll type the following command:
date '+%I: %M %p'
date '+%A, %B %d'
Next, close the Edit Script window, and you’ll be prompted to save the script. Click Yes and return to the Properties window. Change the refresh rate to every 10 seconds and adjust the text properties (under the Style heading in the Properties window) to your liking.
keakaj.com/visage.htm
$9.95
Visage is a pref pane that allows you to customize your Mac’s appearance, letting you tweak your Desktop background in impressive ways, set personal system alerts, and fiddle with your login screen.
From the main Visage pane, you can also set a screen saver as your Desktop background.
Personalize your login
One thing that Apple doesn’t allow you to change on the Mac is the background presented at the login screen. However, Visage will let you do this with ease. Open System Preferences > Visage > Login Background. Once there, click the Import button and select the image you would like to use as the background. After selecting the file name from the drop-down menu, the image will be set as the login background.
To delete an image you have added to Visage, click the Delete button after you select the image in the drop-down menu.
paulh67
September 02, 2011 at 9:18am
okay so we found the wallpaper yay for jay hows about the icons? any ideas?
jaythemacguy
September 12, 2011 at 8:17pm
It's part of the Sticker System icon set from Iconfactory. I think there's 3 sets total that you can use.
paulh67
August 26, 2011 at 4:19am
Its a shame that the original author of this article does not seem to monitor the comments section, you would think he would if just to bathe in the golden light of all the positive feedback such an in depth article should draw.... I can only assume that he is to modest to peruse the forums or to shy to bask in the glory of all this praise... or surely he would have answered all the calls for a link to the distorted colour chart wallpaper shown on the imac featured at the start of this article.......
Rahm Kota
August 25, 2011 at 7:24am
I'll add to the crescendo requesting a link to the wallpaper featured on the iMac. Pretty please???
paulh67
August 25, 2011 at 6:18am
as requested by the other who have commented here can you let us have a link to the desktop pattern shown on the Imac at the start of this feature please?
talktothetoe
August 24, 2011 at 9:06pm
what about deeper by titanium?
it will change tons of hidden preferences.
Reneeeeee
August 24, 2011 at 5:49pm
I would really like a link to the wallpaper featured on the iMac at the top of the article.
jaythemacguy
August 24, 2011 at 3:33pm
Where can I find the desktop wallpaper used at the beginning of the article?
Avenged110
August 24, 2011 at 2:45pm
If you want to change the login screen wallpaper, you don't need another program. All you have to do is navigate to System > Library > Core Services and replace the "DefaultDesktop.jpg" file with whatever you want (with the same name of course).
