Aluminum Alloy - December 29, 2003
Author: Max Themes
Version: 1.1.1
Reviewed by: Phillip Ryu
User Rating: 
69%
Aluminum Alloy may simply be Max's most creative, unique, and beautiful creation. Unlike his many ports, (even EYLO was loosely based on an in-game interface) A.A. is original and fresh. The poisonously bright gels and the sterile metal work surprisingly well together, and combined with top notch extras, A.A. is a theme to covet.
Aesthetics
As stated by name, Aluminum Alloy's main surface is, well, some sort of aluminum alloy. While similar to the skins of the new powerbooks, the surface is dotted with highly colorful and shiny droplets of liquid glass. Further complimenting this industrial look is a series of small rivets, locking each element to its place. Menu items are bolted in as sections, and the menus themselves are slightly rounded, giving it an illusion of physical weight as a 3D object. And in what seems to be a trend in Max's newest works, the progress bars and wheels are a dream. Just try to imagine rippling waves of molten glass traveling through clear plastic plumbing. It makes those long downloads go faster. The overall effect is that the interface looks like it was composed from futuristic physical objects; something one might find in Apple's secret research labs (though probably not in Dell's).
Even better, those rare spots of color found on the otherwise sterile interface come in four noxious flavors: Toxic (green), Cryogenic (blue), Volcano (orange/red), and Smog (grey/graphite). Toxic is default, but each of the colors has its own charms; there is no weak color. Users may pick toxic or volcano for their unique tints, cryogenic for its friendly and familiar aqua hue, or graphite for its subtlety.
Usability
Aluminum Alloy is surprisingly usable. Though it seemed extremely bright on first application, its use of rivets, bevels, gradients, shadows, and highly contrasting widgets results in a much more usable theme than say, Milk. However, dark backgrounds are still recommended. You may be blinded on your first try, but I heartily recommend sticking it out for a few more minutes. That is, unless you are the type of reader who tends to hole up with his G5 and avoid sunlight. That having been said, there are no real usability issues with Aluminum Alloy. The colorful widgets and bright backgrounds should be no sweat for Aqua veterans.
Extras
The extras are beautiful. The Safari toolbar replacement set is great of course (in addition, A.A.'s take on the spinning wheels looks fantastic in Safari tabs), but the strongest point for extras is undoubtedly the collection of desktops Max provides in his package. There are three basic types of wallpaper included for each color variant: a dark version, a light version, and a weird safety symbol industrial press set in gently undulating glass version. (Max calls this third version the "WallMod".) There are generally four versions of each type, each with its own symbol and/or color scheme based on the theme variation it is based on, and each and every one is beautiful. Simple, consistent, and interesting, they are the perfect desktops for this theme. Unfortunately, there is no "WallMod" desktop for the Smog variant. Another possible shortcoming is the lack of a system icon replacement set, but the TiSystem iContainer at the IconFactory is an excellent alternative.
In conclusion, go download Aluminum Alloy. Go download it for the desktops, or for the progress widgets, for the novel experience of using a bright green tinted theme, or for the excellent workmanship. You will not regret it. The author's only suggestion for future versions is a Smog "WallMod" desktop, and perhaps modded airport, volume, and battery widgets. Are you listening Max? Blinking, dynamic molten glass menu widgets could only be great, if the coolness of your progress widgets is any indication!
Comments
Posted by smeger at December 29, 2003 11:12 PM | Edit | Delete
Good review, yo!
Posted by Max Rudberg at December 30, 2003 11:21 AM | Edit | Delete
Nice review :)
I'm glad you seem to enjoy it as much as I do. I prefer the Volcanic variation a lot more than the others, although the theme started out with just the Toxic variant. I will see to it that I add the Smog WallMod to the next release. Customized menu extras feels a bit heavy, good idea for a new theme though.
Posted by Ernest Liu at January 1, 2004 02:38 AM | Edit | Delete
ALUMINUM ALLOW ROCKS! As a matter of fact, I'm using it right now! I think i'm using Volcanic... the orange one? I brightness and aquaness of it is nice. I tried making a theme, and it was okay, but too dark. Max, help us out and make some tutorials =) (if you haven't done so already...)
Posted by rorschach at January 1, 2004 03:16 AM | Edit | Delete
I'm using Milk right now - but, yes, Aluminum ROCKS! Excellent theme, very well done (as are all of Max's). My favorite variation is Toxic, but of course, that's just me.
Posted by BigSMan at January 1, 2004 10:49 AM | Edit | Delete
This is the best theme out of them all, i love this site! keep up the good work :) ...
Posted by Jiminy at January 1, 2004 04:06 PM | Edit | Delete
The light blue hue of this whole theme doesn't work for me, especially with the grey variant.
Posted by Joseph Villagomez at January 1, 2004 09:23 PM | Edit | Delete
This is my favorite theme for OS X. It's original and stylish!
Posted by Einqui at January 2, 2004 05:28 AM | Edit | Delete
I loved this Theme and downloaded it while I was using Jaguar. But when I switched down the machine, it was impossible to start again the system. The starting screen only showed an OS9-like folder icon with a question mark. Impossible to reach any command line to try to restore the system, and od course AquaFix was unefficient. I had to reinstall from the original CD of Jaguar.
I hope this issue has been adressed.
Sincerely
Einqui
Posted by Phoenix1701 at January 2, 2004 10:51 AM | Edit | Delete
That, my friend, is what ShapeShifter's for.
Posted by Carbon at January 2, 2004 02:27 PM | Edit | Delete
Yes, this is an extremely beautiful theme Max. Keep on pushing the pixels!
Btw, awesome site Phillip!
Later
//Carbon
Posted by danielgrenell at January 4, 2004 01:35 AM | Edit | Delete
i personally rate it a 10, but i guess that leaves no room for improvement...
Posted by JJ at January 5, 2004 10:16 AM | Edit | Delete
It may just be me, and I don't mean any offence, but I personally think this is one of Max's lesser themes and he is capable of pushing the mac user interface in a much better direction.
Don't get me wrong, Apple's Aqua is a joke compared to what he's done.
Apple should be thanking all these Theme guys for what they've acheived, especially for influencing the bright spark at Apple who went and used the Brushed effect for Panther...
Posted by Tomnibus at February 4, 2004 11:43 AM | Edit | Delete
This is an excellent theme, I would like to see a red variant though.
Posted by Dave at February 25, 2004 01:17 AM | Edit | Delete
Outstanding theme - top notch. My rating would be 9.5 out of ten. There's always room to improve and refine, right?
My favorite variant is "volcanic." Oddly enough, at first glance I thought that volcanic would be my least favorite, but it simply looks better than the others.
This is an awesome theme. I especially like the scroll bars - they look great! Aside from an occasional switch to Smooth Stripes, this is my default theme. It works great, no matter what application I use.
GREAT JOB, MAX!!
Posted by Zo at April 2, 2004 09:23 PM | Edit | Delete
The strange thing is that Aluminum Alloy "Toxic" should be so *beautiful.*
Never mind that it reveals just how eye-assaulting hideous Mac's metallic is. Like we didn't already know. I have serious doubts I could have gone on with OS X, without Max. . .
Posted by iNeusch at April 24, 2004 09:01 AM | Edit | Delete
Still my favorite :) :)
Posted by devboy at April 24, 2004 02:37 PM | Edit | Delete
This is the best theme ever.
Posted by at April 27, 2004 09:48 AM | Edit | Delete
I had no interest in ShapeShifter until I saw this Theme several weeks ago. When I did install it, I was initially blown away, but then found it too bright/light. Have since gone back to standard Aqua, tho have "brushed" the Mail app.
Skinning is a necessity in Windows, but Aluminum Alloy is still the only theme tho that, IMHO, does the Mac justice.
Posted by Doom at May 7, 2004 07:02 PM | Edit | Delete
This theme ROCKS! I'm using the Cyrogenic variation of it, because I just love the color blue. This theme is what got me into using ShapeShifter. I hope that this theme continues to progress!
Posted by Isabelle Laffy at May 17, 2004 04:56 AM | Edit | Delete
everything is nice, very nice, but I'm working with label's colors wich is not nice !
Posted by Robert Zimmerman at June 2, 2004 11:18 AM | Edit | Delete
All colour choices are quite daring but they all work.
The volcanic version of the is theme truly rocks. 10 out of 10, if you ask me.
I am using it with a neutral grey desktop and Max's orange/poppy coloured icons, "Poppy" from the "Rhapsodized" theme. A deadly combination that :-)
Keep up the good work, Max.
- R. Z.
Posted by Miric at June 3, 2004 02:40 AM | Edit | Delete
Can anyone drop a line on how to insall this cool theme for mac, please? It asks me to choose an applic. for installaion but have no clue what it requires:(
Thanks so much in advance.
Posted by Autymn at October 2, 2004 08:53 PM | Edit | Delete
Only the daft would insult Aqua's Metal and advocate any theme based on /another/ metal! However, AA doesn't look like metal unless it's been painted over. AA, like many other themes, suffers from weight pollution: already having deep, industrial elements from hardware, I certainly don't want more of it in the software which has nothing to do with clunky parts and fobs. The glass is good because it looks like Aqua.
Posted by gooogoli at October 20, 2004 10:33 PM | Edit | Delete
salam
Posted by outsider at February 4, 2006 12:32 PM | Edit | Delete
Posted by outsider at February 4, 2006 12:33 PM | Edit | Delete
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Posted by outsider at February 4, 2006 12:33 PM | Edit | Delete
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Posted by carolee at April 12, 2006 08:06 PM | Edit | Delete
Great. Thanks!
Posted by pennie at April 13, 2006 06:51 PM | Edit | Delete
I am here to say hello and you have a great site!