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Notafanboyyet

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 20, 2013
31
1
Bexley, London, England
I'm currently running Mavericks but I'd love to upgrade to El Capitan, I love the newer features and the stabilisation, but my problem is I just don't like the aesthetics, I much prefer the look of Mavericks, the glass dock, the 3D icons, the solid menus, everything really. So my question is; can I upgrade to Mavericks but make the aesthetics look like the Marvericks/Mountain Lion era? I'm open to downloading apps and programs, so anything you can offer me is brilliant.
 

fisherking

macrumors G4
Jul 16, 2010
11,252
5,563
ny somewhere
realistically...just as you adapted to mavericks, you'll adapt to el capitan...and whatever comes next. we move forward, things change. you either go with it, or hold back.

just seems futile to make a newer OS look like an older OS. at least, try 10.11, live with it a while. you may wake up one morning realizing it's perfectly fine.

just my thoughts of course...
 

Riwam

macrumors 65816
Jan 7, 2014
1,095
244
Basel, Switzerland
You can try cDock and Classic Folders.
Good luck!
******
Allow me just to ask if you or somebody known to you used those 2 tools without any problem appearing to his system resulting from them.
Thank you very much in advance :)
Ed
[doublepost=1455620446][/doublepost]
I'm currently running Mavericks but I'd love to upgrade to El Capitan, I love the newer features and the stabilisation, but my problem is I just don't like the aesthetics, I much prefer the look of Mavericks, the glass dock, the 3D icons, the solid menus, everything really. So my question is; can I upgrade to Mavericks but make the aesthetics look like the Marvericks/Mountain Lion era? I'm open to downloading apps and programs, so anything you can offer me is brilliant.
*******
Although fisherking says true things, regarding taste there is no absolute truth valid for everybody.
I share your taste, but honestly are simply afraid of using the 2 tools mentioned by ulenspiegel because the changes involved might be quite deep inside the system.
:rolleyes:
Probably it would be wise to do it in a clone of your system.
Upgrade the clone and perform the changes of cdock and classic folders on the clone.
If everything works for a while OK, then use it on your main system.

I have learned in the hard way :eek: how useful clones are regarding any experiment, allowing to restore easely to a previous working condition if the change causes problems.
One can never be too cautious with computer systems. :)
Ed
 
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MacGizmo

macrumors 68040
Apr 27, 2003
3,214
2,514
Arizona
******
Allow me just to ask if you or somebody known to you used those 2 tools without any problem appearing to his system resulting from them.
Thank you very much in advance :)
Ed
*******
Although fisherking says true things, regarding taste there is no absolute truth valid for everybody.
I share your taste, but honestly are simply afraid of using the 2 tools mentioned by ulenspiegel because the changes involved might be quite deep inside the system.

I use cDock every day with El Capitan. Works fine, but won't do much in the way of making the system look like Mavericks.
 

jbarley

macrumors 601
Jul 1, 2006
4,023
1,895
Vancouver Island
******
Allow me just to ask if you or somebody known to you used those 2 tools without any problem appearing to his system resulting from them.
I've used those very two "tools" as you put it, from the very day I first started using El-Cap, and that goes right back to the Beta versions.
Other then having to dick around with El-Caps stupid extra security "SIP" in the early days to get Cdock working these mods having never been an issue.
 

KALLT

macrumors 603
Sep 23, 2008
5,380
3,415
In addition to cDock and and folders, you can also swap the Dock icons and change the system typeface. There used to be a program called Flavours that allowed you do change the overall theme (windows, menubar), but El Capitan will not be supported (I don't know whether it works with SIP turned off). Ultimately though, this will just not be the same. I have never been satisfied with such visual tweaks.

Perhaps in reverse: what are you looking forward to in El Capitan? Perhaps you can use some tweaks to incorporate those features into Mavericks? As for stability, or whatever that means, El Capitan has its fair share of problems. Is there a particular issue you are having problems with?

I share your taste, but honestly are simply afraid of using the 2 tools mentioned by ulenspiegel because the changes involved might be quite deep inside the system.
[...]
One can never be too cautious with computer systems. :)

Some people even advocate using hacked versions of Disk Utility. Crazy, right?
 
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Dr@gonXP

macrumors newbie
Jun 18, 2015
9
4
bildschirmfoto2016-02ynk2q.png


I have used original icons from Mavericks for this. It is a bit of work, but I like it :)
 

BradHatter

macrumors regular
Oct 7, 2014
191
13
I used cDock to change the dock and then I copied the folder icons from my Mavericks partition (which I'm on now) to the El Capitan partition. I had to do this with rootless disabled. I absolutely cannot stand those butt-ugly, obnoxious turquoise folder icons that come with El Capitan and Yosemite. I then modified the contrast.

What I've ended up with is tolerable, but not likable. I remember someone on the App Store posted a comment calling the appearance of Yosemite "Kindergarten looks" and I couldn't agree more. El Capitan is better looking than Yosemite because of font changes and re-introduction of some very subtle 3-D effects, but it still suffers from the "Kindergarten looks" as far as I'm concerned. I also think the excessive translucency is idiotic.

If I were you I'd split my partition and use Mavericks or earlier for most work and go to El Capitan or Yosemite when you need the newer features.
 

Riwam

macrumors 65816
Jan 7, 2014
1,095
244
Basel, Switzerland
In addition to cDock and and folders, you can also swap the Dock icons and change the system typeface. There used to be a program called Flavours that allowed you do change the overall theme (windows, menubar)

Sode people even advocate using hacked versions of Disk Utility. Crazy, right?
*****
The DU for Yosemite and adapted for OSX 10.11 easely found in the web works perfectly in El Capitan.:)
In the meantime it has been downloaded by thousands of satisfied users running El Capitan with ZERO ISSUES! ;)
People calling others "crazy" (like this KALLT guy likes to do) although by himself indicating all kind of tools making different "changes" in his post, happen very often to be crazy themselves.:eek:
The point is that no crazy person realizes he is crazy.:D
Usually this is the only and best proof of such a state o_O
Ed
[doublepost=1455741467][/doublepost]
bildschirmfoto2016-02ynk2q.png


I have used original icons from Mavericks for this. It is a bit of work, but I like it :)
*********
Very nice.
Why don't you elaborate on the procedure so others can follow in your steps?
Ed
 

BradHatter

macrumors regular
Oct 7, 2014
191
13
bradhatter, you can 'reduce transparency' in the accessibility preference pane...

I'm fully aware of that, but it's more like an on-off switch. You either get full translucency or it's completely eliminated. I wouldn't mind a small amount, but as is too often I see tiny thin fonts on a darker background rendering it nearly unreadable. Totally unacceptable and poorly thought out, IMHO.
 

Dr@gonXP

macrumors newbie
Jun 18, 2015
9
4
*****

Very nice.
Why don't you elaborate on the procedure so others can follow in your steps?
Ed

Thank you Ed :)

To be honest, basically the procedure is simple...
I made a Mavericks installation and copied many icons (unfortunately I missed some...).
After that I installed El Capitan, disabled the csrutil and replaced the icons manually.
Finally, I have downloaded "DockMod" (https://www.spyresoft.com/dockmod/) for getting the 3D Dock back.

That's it.

Grüsse aus Deutschland :)
Mike
 

Riwam

macrumors 65816
Jan 7, 2014
1,095
244
Basel, Switzerland
I have been working to make El Capitan resemble Snow Leopard but the same methods could easily be applied to produce a Mavericks theme if you are so inclined. :3

View attachment 617328

If you don't mind getting your hands dirty, I would be happy to supply the work-in-progress resources for you to tinker with.
*****************
Hello Troy2000
I certainly don't mind, as you say "to get my hands dirty" only I mind performing tasks beyond my modest knowledge...
So please go on with your info and thanks in advance :D:p:p:p:D;-))
Ed
[doublepost=1455989150][/doublepost]
Thank you Ed :)

To be honest, basically the procedure is simple...
I made a Mavericks installation and copied many icons (unfortunately I missed some...).
After that I installed El Capitan, disabled the csrutil and replaced the icons manually.
Finally, I have downloaded "DockMod" (https://www.spyresoft.com/dockmod/) for getting the 3D Dock back.

That's it.

Grüsse aus Deutschland :)
Mike
******************************
Thank you for your link to "dockmod", unknown to me:p :D;-))
Freundliche Grüsse und einen schönen Sonntag!
Ed
 
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BradHatter

macrumors regular
Oct 7, 2014
191
13
I have been working to make El Capitan resemble Snow Leopard but the same methods could easily be applied to produce a Mavericks theme if you are so inclined. :3

View attachment 617328

If you don't mind getting your hands dirty, I would be happy to supply the work-in-progress resources for you to tinker with.

How do you get the 3D window controls back. I'd kill to have that. The current "design" in El Capitan and Yosemite looks like a three year old filled in some circles with colored pencils. It looks so Mickey Mouse in appearance.

If El Capitan didn't look so silly I'd probably be using it more than I do. Right now I'm swapping mostly between Mavericks and Mountain Lion.
 

bidwellian

macrumors member
Jan 2, 2010
32
7
Did you guys just replace icons in the core services folder (inside the system)?

Have you tried xtra finder?

I might have to take the plunge into ugly OS soon because a couple of my software requirements no longer support mavericks...
 

madhusudan31

macrumors newbie
Apr 1, 2018
2
0
I have been working to make El Capitan resemble Snow Leopard but the same methods could easily be applied to produce a Mavericks theme if you are so inclined. :3

View attachment 617328

If you don't mind getting your hands dirty, I would be happy to supply the work-in-progress resources for you to tinker with.

Hi, I would be very much happy if you can supply your work-in-progress resources. Can you please send me the files and steps you followed to make this happen, please?
 

MBiehn

macrumors newbie
Oct 13, 2018
1
0
realistically...just as you adapted to mavericks, you'll adapt to el capitan...and whatever comes next. we move forward, things change. you either go with it, or hold back.

just seems futile to make a newer OS look like an older OS. at least, try 10.11, live with it a while. you may wake up one morning realizing it's perfectly fine.

just my thoughts of course...

Sorry, because of people like you, the world today looks the way it looks. It's getting ugly, flat, pale, booooring, repetitive, uniform.... I will never adapt to new look. I just can't stand it. I'd rather stick with old features and old look rather than go new and rather useless. Just like Windows 10, iOS 7 and up. Since I accidentally upgraded my iPhone to iOS7 (the first new-look interface) I was seeking desperately for an older model with correct, lovely look. After all, the phone is used to make phonecalls. If I want to take a picture, I have a damn good camera. Back in the old days we had option to use skins and themes, if we were not satisfied enough with factory settings.
Wake up people, you're just like a bunch of sheep, going where you're told to, not having much of a choice, not even thinking there's another place to go....
[doublepost=1539458144][/doublepost]
bildschirmfoto2016-02ynk2q.png


I have used original icons from Mavericks for this. It is a bit of work, but I like it :)

Could you share a secret on the way you did it? Please?
 

StellarVixen

macrumors 68040
Mar 1, 2018
3,254
5,779
Somewhere between 0 and 1
Wake up people, you're just like a bunch of sheep

Just saying, going around forum and calling people names is gonna ultimately get you banned. You cannot call people sheep just because they like or not like something. We are all individuals and prefer different things. Same is vice versa, no one shall call anyone idiot for not liking the post 10.9 look.

I also want to know where to get that dock. Reflections are wonderful, and truly represent original ones from 10.5 to 10.9.5 cDock ones are mediocre, and nothing like original.

For those who want to change traffic light buttons, check out “UI Customization” subforum.

Also, for those who want to make menu bar more 3D like the old one, you can try MenuBar Tint. It doesn’t work since Mojave, btw, app doesn’t even start. On High Sierra and earlier, it works flawlessly.
 
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