FatalE - December 30, 2003
Author: Carbon's Themes
Version: 1.1
Reviewed by: Phillip Ryu
User Rating: 
67%
Though FatalE's flat, angular design might reek of Windows rather than the gooey terrain of Aqua, Carbon's port marries the look successfully to OS X. Yes, FatalE is actually a port of a theme for Windows, originally created by KoL. However, Carbon's theme goes beyond a simple port, and comes out looking better than the original theme.
Aesthetics
FatalE is a design without a single curve; it is sharp, angular, and crisp. The overall effect is that of a flat, retro computer interface, rather than the grabable 3D widgets and windows you get with Aqua and most other themes. In fact, it is highly recommended for users to try WindowShadeX's option to kill window shadows, completing the flatness that is the essence of this theme.
Furthermore, FatalE is devoid of a single color, save for various shades of grey. This, along with its flatness, helps the theme become what for some would be the perfect user interface... one that is so subtle, that it fades away without even an attempt at distraction. There is no doubt that each of FatalE's elements were created with an attention to detail and neat ideas (look at the selected 'Apple Menu' for a teasing hint of depth, or the widgets for an interesting diversion from the classic x - +). However, graphic professionals and minimalists will love how the interface just disappears. My eyes traveled straight to the document being typed, or the web page presented, rather than the pretty window widgets or icons. This is a classic example of utility over glitter, yet FatalE remains aesthetically pleasing.
Usability
Do I even need to elaborate? FatalE is one of the most usable themes out there, due to its lack of color, bumps, and gloss. Text remains completely legible on light grey backgrounds, and custom controls (such as in the Finder toolbar buttons) are clean and logical interpretations of the original Aqua versions, rendered in FatalE's style. You won't find yourself lost in FatalE, finding your bearings. Rather, FatalE greets you like an old friend. Nothing is confusing, and everything is utterly usable.
As with any current theme, the System Preferences pane and other preference windows contain Aqua icons that clash with FatalE's style... however, because of the light grey window backgrounds, there is no glaring visual unpleasantness.
Extras
Unfortunately, FatalE's extras are a mixed bag. Though the Safari toolbar replacement set is well done, the two included desktops are uninspired at best. Though Carbon's inclusion of 3 sizes for common resolutions is appreciated, the actual desktops are, well, boring. The silver version is a grey fill with FatalE rendered on the bottom right, while the black version the same with a darker fill. Even the font styling of FatalE seems out of place... I think that a more modern style font would have been more effective.
Which brings me to FatalE's nicest little extra: there's a darker version, which is great when the medium grey on light grey might seem low contrast. Basically, FatalE Black is FatalE Silver with darker widgets and buttons. Like Silver, the Black color variation remains very usable, clean, and well executed. Though this may go against all that FatalE stands for, what about some other color variations in the future as a suggestion?
Overall, FatalE is another one of those themes that should be in anyone's collection. It is one of very few flat styled themes for OS X, most of the others being Carbon's creations in fact, and is quite refreshing for anyone (probably professionals) who wishes Aqua was less kiddish, and more Platinum. Hopefully Carbon's next iteration will be loaded with much needed additional desktops and perhaps color variations.
Comments
Posted by Eugenia at January 1, 2004 09:30 PM | Edit | Delete
Philip,
I think it is imperative to add one more part in your review rating, along with aesthetics, usability, extras etc. That should be "Accessibiility". For example, on this review here you give it a usability of 10.0 without taking into account the accessbility. People with eye sight problems would have a helluva time with that theme, because the buttons on
the toolbars and *especially* the buttons on the window manager are very close to the color of their background, making it very difficult to
recognize what is what there. Even for people with strong eyesight this can not be considered a good usability.
Posted by danielgrenell at January 4, 2004 01:43 AM | Edit | Delete
i find this theme to be very attractive
Posted by rorschach at January 5, 2004 04:04 PM | Edit | Delete
This theme is...okay. It's not easy to differentiate between widgets and the background, but the concept is cool.
Posted by langstraad at January 9, 2004 06:19 PM | Edit | Delete
I love this theme! I hope 1.10b gets updated for better Panther compatibility, though. My only criticism is that the new stoplight button (x,-,+) replacement area could be a little more elegant.
Posted by Angel at March 23, 2004 09:24 PM | Edit | Delete
I really like this theme.
Posted by peppers at March 31, 2004 10:02 PM | Edit | Delete
...nifty...
Posted by dmora at April 2, 2004 03:14 AM | Edit | Delete
This theme is by far the best - clean, linear, and pleasing to work on all day. It even speads my system up.
Posted by Ernest Liu at April 24, 2004 10:18 PM | Edit | Delete
Its too blocky for my taste, but for a blocky theme, it rocks.
Posted by Stephanie at April 25, 2004 01:39 PM | Edit | Delete
I personally [i]love[/i] the brushed windows for this theme. The slight roundedness of it is beautiful and clean. Keeps me coming back. I also love the apple menu. I usually prefer having an actual apple there, but with this theme, it actually feels like it's doing something.
Posted by zebek at May 31, 2004 09:18 PM | Edit | Delete
Anyone else having trouble with this theme on 10.3.4? Everything seems to work except the "Traffic light" buttons in iTunes. Very weird.
Posted by outsider at February 4, 2006 08:09 AM | Edit | Delete
mieszkania Warszawa, ogłoszenia nieruchomości, projektowanie stron, tworzenie stron, agencja reklamowa, reklama w internecie
Posted by git at February 4, 2006 11:44 AM | Edit | Delete
zdrowa żywność, psycholog, nauka angielskiego, soczewki kontaktowe, psyche sf, jk, ns, projektowanie wnętrz, hydraulik, opcat, domy opieki, freetimes, jidds, fabrykapoe, sfworks, polskepoeje, pb, pp, jk, wypadki, opony, agroturystyka, klimatyzacja, apteka, dentysta, fs, kray, eway, angs, gits, akupunktura, sw, sf, puz