Mac OS Desktops

By Chad
in Tips, Tweaks & Customization

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Apprentice

saabcaptain

Posted
Posted
My desktop atm with a fresh install of Leopard :) I'm glad the transparent menu bar was taken out.

I think it may be because you are running on a Powerbook, numerous other screenshots on the shipping version show it clearly still there. Maybe you need a certain level of GPU to run the effect?

Grand Master

Quillz

Posted
Posted
I think it may be because you are running on a Powerbook, numerous other screenshots on the shipping version show it clearly still there. Maybe you need a certain level of GPU to run the effect?

That's what I was thinking. But it's interesting to see that Leopard uses a hardware based GPU much like Vista, so it will only display eye candy that your hardware can handle.

Enthusiast

Furrybeagle

Posted
Posted
That's what I was thinking. But it's interesting to see that Leopard uses a hardware based GPU much like Vista, so it will only display eye candy that your hardware can handle.

Mac OS X has actually done this since 10.2, when they introduced Quartz Extreme. Earlier versions would use the CPU to render effects. When 10.2 came out Quartz Extreme capable Macs would use the GPU to accelerate rendering through OpenGL (incapable Macs used the less efficient CPU). Core Image extends Quartz for newer (Shader Model 2?) graphics cards.

Well, I don't know why other transparency in the OS works. Menus, dock, quick look, stacks, etc... Transparency all works there. I don't see why the menubar transparency would have a different GPU requirement than the other transparency used in the system.

The menubar applies not only transparency, but also a blurring effect to the image underneath; the blurring effect probably requires a Core Image capable GPU. A quick way to find out whether you have one is to add a dashboard widget; if you get the ripple effect, you have Core Image capability (at least in Tiger).

Leopard also blurs the image underneath transparent "slide out" sheets, and I think under menus and pull-downs.

Enthusiast

Furrybeagle

Posted
Posted
Yes, my laptop supports Core Image. I can get the ripple effects and everything. I'm kinda glad though, I really didn't like that transparent menubar.

That's weird? well, whatever works.:):)

I guess I'll see what happens when I get my copy of Leopard.

Grand Master

instant.human

Posted
Posted

sorry i have to repeat what thousands said before me:

i really appreciate the new desktop, it really, and here you see it very, very well, makes your backround picture look even better.

due to the 3d dock you really get the feeling of looking through a window. the semi transparent menu bar succesfully frames it, in a way... man... amazing. =)

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