Mac OS XP - January 28, 2004
Author: Max Rudberg
Version: 2.5
Reviewed by: Phillip Ryu
User Rating: 
63%
Even Max calls this extensive project something he did "for fun". Even if with a little embarrassment and guilt, give it a try, because Max's port is a complete, accurate depiction of what's on the other side. Recommended for switchers, the curious, and perhaps even reluctant Mac fans.
Aesthetics
In a way, I suppose, this is a review of the actual Luna, Homestead, and Silver Windows XP interfaces, as Max's interpretation is complete and very close to the real thing. That having been said, let me note right off the bat that Mac OS XP port is just about everything you could expect from a Max Themes endeavor. Elements are replicated faithfully from Windows XP, and modified to match and mold well to Aqua's limitations and features. The aesthetics on Max's own part is a job well done.
On the other hand, if Luna, Homestead, and Silver were original Max themes... the aesthetics may be questionable. As the interfaces no doubt had dozens of artists and quality control teams behind them, there is a level of consistency and quality throughout the elements and graphics. However, Luna especially feels like an experiment gone wrong. Though the Mac OS X interface was also originally garish in many respects, and perhaps too candy colored and bright to the eyes, Luna takes this to the extremities. In an effort to separate themselves from previous antiquated and clunky interfaces, Microsoft went all out for a fresh, friendly look. What they produced was a rather strange and disconcerting mix of bright blues, greens, beige, and whites. The overall effect is pretty awing in its garishness, and probably the loudest of a creative batch of OS X skins. Nevertheless, going past the bright blues and, as I now realize, one thick blob of green on the menu bar, the rest of the interface is actually very muted and subtle. Buttons and most elements are of a gray shade with blue accents. Scrollbars are a pleasant pastel shade of blue. The overall style, save for the window title bars and menu bar, is slightly rounded yet rectangular. These sane, subtle elements are most likely the results of stress tests deep in the bowels of Microsoft headquarters.
Max being Max has also included two other variations, the Homestead and Silver versions of Luna. The silver version is pretty straight forward; imagine brushed metal with a brighter, shinier material and minus the brush. The Homestead variation, however, is one that makes me smack my head and think, "what were they thinking??". It's basically Luna, except instead of bright blue, think a greenish tinted gold. The closest real life material I can think of to this color are the new gold mini iPods, except perhaps rusted a bit. Homestead is actually quite usable once you get over the initial aesthetic equivalent of a deer in headlights, so be sure to try it out. As I use it, a mini iPod theme seems to be a very natural theme concept.
Usability
As I have already explained, Mac OS XP is a strange mix of incredibly garish deep blues, and a more subtle set of controls and elements shaded in pastels and grays. However, the overall effect is actually pretty useful, no small thanks to Max's attention to consistency and details. The consistent text colors that one can find throughout the variations, due to ShapeShifter, helps the theme succeed immensely, with white text in the title bars. Furthermore, the blue is actually darker than Aqua's whites and grays, probably resulting in a more usable theme for some. There are also no contrast problems throughout the theme. Once you get down to it, Mac OS XP and its variations are very usable with their high contrast and many muted yet sharp elements.
Extras
This is where Mac OS XP shines. What other theme comes with 22 desktops, a system icon set, 3 variations, dock sets and 3 Safari skins? The extras for Mac OS XP are nearly perfect, mostly thanks to Microsoft's own hard work, and it is greatly appreciated that Max has ported the XP interface so completely. With Luna, an XP desktop, and the system icon replacement set, my iBook felt scarily close to an XP machine. Max has even included different variations of the window widgets, selectable through System Preferences, which is a nice touch. Playing with Unsanity's FruitMenu made the experience even more complete.
In terms of what Max could do to improve the extras, there's nothing much. (Hey, even iTunes looks like what it's supposed to look like in Windows!) Unfortunately, Safari's rigid icon configuration made a true port of Internet Explorer 6's toolbar set impossible. Another complaint I have is that the system icon set is not totally complete; Icons for your documents, applications, and the developer folder are sorely needed, though these icons are probably unavailable on Windows XP for quick ports. Overall though, the extras really make a huge difference for Mac OS XP, and help turn OS X into a frighteningly similar representation of Microsoft's Windows XP, which of course is rumored to be based on Aqua. Props to Max for creating such an immersive experience.
Comments
Posted by Johan Sahlen at January 28, 2004 05:57 PM | Edit | Delete
Back when I used Windows, I always liked the titlebar widgets, aswell as the buttons and such (the beige parts, I guess), but I couldn't understand what they were thinking when they did the titlebars and the start menu bit. Still feel that way today...
The port is very well made though, kudos to Max.
Posted by Daniel Grenell at January 28, 2004 06:23 PM | Edit | Delete
i think max has done an outstanding job... again!
Posted by Adam Betts at January 28, 2004 08:24 PM | Edit | Delete
Mac OS XP is extremely well-done theme. In fact, I think this version of Luna theme is easily 10x better than the version by Windows XP because of attention to details and improvement in some areas. Mac OS XP's version of Brushed Metal Window is very beautiful and the contrast between background color and text is very good. The only one thing that I do not like is the popup button because it's not very noticeable in large white space with texts such as websites in Safari. It's not Max's fault though :)
The extras that came with Mac OS XP is very satisfying
Max get 5 stars from me for his excellent attention to details on this port. There are no glaring inconsistencies.
Posted by Chris McElligott at January 28, 2004 09:08 PM | Edit | Delete
I'm not a fan of windows and certainly not XP but Max did a terrific job in porting this and updating it for Panther. I like the way the finder looks now, thanks again Max!
Posted by Steve Streza at January 28, 2004 09:23 PM | Edit | Delete
Another great piece of work by Mr. Rudberg. Looks really nice and does a beautiful emulation of an otherwise lackluster set of GUIs.
Posted by at January 28, 2004 11:10 PM | Edit | Delete
I love Luna, not as much as Aqua but more than the Windows Classic skin. I also love the XP icons which were made by Iconfactory. Windows isn't great, but XP is quite an improvement and its got its pluses and minuses. So get over it, grow up and move on. Great theme Max, I'm glad I was able to help you improve it with suggestions and dock skins.
Posted by Dace at January 28, 2004 11:13 PM | Edit | Delete
Forgot to post my name on the above comment, now you know who to scream at :P
Posted by NetworkShadow at January 29, 2004 11:35 AM | Edit | Delete
Max did a good job, but I hate XP's interface. Silver is almost good looking, but everything else is bla.
Posted by Phillip Ryu at January 29, 2004 08:03 PM | Edit | Delete
One thing I forgot to mention is the lack of a Mighty Mouse Windows cursor set. Anyone have any recommendations?
Posted by Dave at January 30, 2004 10:19 AM | Edit | Delete
Max did an excellent job with the porting of this them to OS X, and then updating it for panther. While I must agree with those that don't care for it when compared to OS X (though I use SmoothStripes, one of Max's other themes) I must also acknowledge the improvements he made to it. Max's version of 'Luna' is much better than what Windows users have to deal with.
I like it enough that I might start using it. Great job Max!
Posted by Keith at January 31, 2004 05:39 PM | Edit | Delete
Aaaah! I want to switch to mac because I love its GUI and the guikits for it (esp. Max's other guikits). And OSX users are trying to emulate Windows' Luna? Eww...
Posted by Joseph Villagomez at January 31, 2004 09:22 PM | Edit | Delete
This is a great looking theme. I'm actually using it because his port of it is that great!
Posted by Lyric OS 13.0 at February 8, 2004 09:11 PM | Edit | Delete
With each addition to this theme, Max does even better. I have been using this theme since it became available last year. I have been extremely happy with the bridge that he came up with to make this theme as close to an XP machine as possible. This version continues to do this series of themes justice.
Thanks to Max for making my life (using both a Mac at home and an XP machine at work a lot more bearable.)
Posted by keyser at February 21, 2004 02:43 PM | Edit | Delete
YUCK! Luna is horrid. While Max does a good job of porting it I have to ask, why bother? An ugly theme is still ugly no matter the platform. Even Mac OS X and Quartz couldn't make Luna look better. Please Max don't waste your talent on this tripe.
Posted by Anon Koward at February 24, 2004 09:17 PM | Edit | Delete
The "incredibly garish deep blues" cited by the author of this review is embarrassingly similar in hue to the background of this very website.
Posted by Eric at March 18, 2004 05:08 AM | Edit | Delete
Sometimes I think to Apple "What were they thinking?" when it comes to Aqua. I think OS 9 and even Windows XP is more stylish in some ways then Mac OS X, thankfully OS X is a better operating system though and we have themes to make it look better too.
Posted by CockneyGeezer at March 28, 2004 04:38 PM | Edit | Delete
MacOS XP is as we know, a port of the Windows XP themes for MacOS X.
When Max first introduce the theme, it was fantastic, spot on in my opinion, but unfortunately, Apple in their infinite wisdom change Aqua to incorparate the crap 'brush' metal effect on virtually everything.
So what can Max do, leave it or 'XP' it? He XP-ed it. Now, Luna, which was my personal favourite looks terrible, just too blue. Olive is now the best, as the green finder is tolorated. The Homestead is just boring.
Max has done a good job under the circumstances, but until Apple change the Aqua GUI, we have to live with it.
MacOS XP looks it's best in Jaguar, it's just a shame that I use Panther...
Rating: 2/5
Posted by Gendo Ikari at April 20, 2004 10:18 AM | Edit | Delete
Why would you make such a thing? This... this... abomination! It's an outrage, having a windows desktop on a mac just doesn't seem right, doesn't seem natural.
Posted by Jeremy at April 20, 2004 10:19 AM | Edit | Delete
But it's okay when Mac ports iTunes to PC, though, right?
Posted by Gendo Ikari at April 20, 2004 10:20 AM | Edit | Delete
Of course! :)
Posted by Ernest Liu at April 24, 2004 10:25 PM | Edit | Delete
I'd MUCH rather use aqua than Luna, but this Luna thing looks better on a Mac than a PC. I wonder why...
Posted by Bonner at May 26, 2004 06:17 PM | Edit | Delete
why why why...its so sad, i cant believe someone VIOLATED a macintosh like that, so sad.......
Posted by Bonner at May 26, 2004 06:19 PM | Edit | Delete
Nice Job Though, Id like to learn how to do that!
Posted by juanantonio molero rueda at June 27, 2004 02:03 PM | Edit | Delete
si pues que me parese mui buena estas pajinas pero creo que no le vendria nada mal una pequeña alludita para por ejemplo llo que no entiendo ni jota el ingles u otros idiomas.
Posted by cam123 at July 17, 2004 05:42 PM | Edit | Delete
Jesus Christ. Who would even THINK about making the already beautiful Mac OS X look like Windoze? Just the thought of it is completely mind-boggling. Good Riddance.
Posted by cam123 at July 17, 2004 05:45 PM | Edit | Delete
WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING!!!???
Posted by GFono at October 17, 2004 05:08 PM | Edit | Delete
Very nice job, but i do wonder: whats the point?