haxies
Latest
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me nix the window shadows in Lion
Dear Aunt TUAW, I recently added a second external monitor to my 13" MacBook Pro. My problem comes with the OS X Lion features that give windows a 3D depth-look, specifically, the shadow effect. As a window on the external monitor approaches the virtual border of the built-in LCD of the MBP, the shadow extends between monitors, creating a shadow/shade over the windows on the LCD (that is to say, if you park a window to close to the edge, the shadow extends the other display). Anyway to turn off the shadowed window effect? Your loving nephew, Seth Dear Seth, Auntie turned to TUAW's braintrust, who quickly pointed her to Unsanity's Shadowkiller haxie. Released in 2006 and "Not compatible with Mac OS X 10.6 Leopard," Auntie can confirm that the haxie works just fine with Lion. Download the dmg, copy the app to your Applications folder and then launch to kill the window shadows. Launch again to bring them back. Hugs and a big thanks to everyone who helped find Seth the answer, Auntie T. Particular thanks to @shabooty, @basraayman, @oboewan, @jtregunna, and @capii
Unsanity updates ShapeShifter and Mighty Mouse
I know there are some serious haxie haters out there, but for those who heart haxies, you'll be happy to know that Unsanity recently updated 2 of their most popular apps, ShapeShifter and Mighty Mouse. Both are now Universal Binary and sport a few bug fixes and new features.ShapeShifter is a very cool "GUI tweaker" that enables you to change virtually everything about the appearance of OS X with various themes (of which there are a great many to choose from). Version 2.4 adds support for windows with a "Unified" toolbar, and includes several bug fixes and speed improvements. ShapeShifter now requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later.Mighty Mouse is for customizing your cursor - all your cursors - on the fly and with ease. The interface is drag & drop and copy & paste. Doesn't get much easier than that. You can add animations, change cursor sizes and even create your own custom cursors. Version 1.3 requires Mac OS X 10.3 or later and includes a more streamlined interface and a handful of bug fixes.More detailed info about each can be found on Unsanity's blog.
Unsanity's ClearDock and Menu Master go Universal
Hot on the heels of brining Universal status to their Application Enhancer, Unsanity has released UB versions of ClearDock (free) and Menu Master ($10). ClearDock, as you might glean from the name, is a one-trick pony that can strip the dock of its transparent background or allow you to adjust the background and the application triangle color to your liking. Menu Master is a slick utility for assigning, removing and rearranging shortcuts for menu items in any Mac OS X application. It also has a Menu Accelerator feature which allows you to "access menu items by name without using the mouse". Both applications have received feature additions and improvements, as well as bug fixes along with their UB updates.ClearDock again is free, while Menu Master has a demo available, and a license will run you $10. Both require the previously mentioned Application Enhancer in order to work their magic on your Mac.
Application Enhancer v2.0 goes Universal, with other enhancements
Unsanity has released a Universal Binary version of Application Enhancer, their software preference pane (and set of frameworks) that enables their various handy system hacks and UI additions. Along with Intel Mac compatibility, this update also includes enhancements like: Redesigned the preference pane to be simpler and more accessible. Now follows the precedent set by other Mac OS X services and disables itself if the shift key is held down while booting. While Application Enhancer and some of their products are Intel-friendly, you should check their full compatibility list for details on exactly which apps have made the leap, as some are in a public beta testing phase.Application Enhancer is free and available from Unsanity's website.
