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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Software Issues and Discussion => Topic started by: rossi46 on October 18, 2007, 11:15:12 PM

Title: OS3.9 appearance
Post by: rossi46 on October 18, 2007, 11:15:12 PM
Hi all

I've just taken delivery of a custom-built A1200 in a Tower with various enhancements added. After a shaky start, I'm kind of getting my head around my new machine, but I'm still a bit unsure of stuff. One thing is that the appearance of my OS3.9 desktop (did I say desktop? I meant workbench screen  :-P ) looks nothing like the bells and whistles pictures I see in the lovely galleries posted on here. In fact it looks just like my old A500 workbench did in 1992. How can I configure it to look like this?:
(http://www.amiga.org/gallery/images/2959/1_3359.jpg)

My spec is:
EZ Tower Z4
DKB 1240 68030 / 128MB Fast Memory
80GB Hard Disk Drive
CD Drive
Z4 busboard
Z4 video slot adapter
Amiga Logo Face Plate
4-Device Buffered IDE Interface
Cybervision 64/3D graphics card

Can it be done?
Title: Re: OS3.9 appearance
Post by: AndrewBell on October 18, 2007, 11:55:35 PM
If you want your Workbench to look like the picture, you'll need:

MagicWB
MUI
OS3.5 or 3.9
some Glowicons
CyberGraphX or Picasso96,
wallpaper of your choice

I'm not sure which mod player or clock that is, but use Aminet search while your getting the other stuff and you should find something suitable.

I think you'll get better results if you look at the Amikit homepage and follow some of the links from there, particularly Lorraine Designs. Google for Ken Lester and Martin 'Mason' Merz too.
________
Easyvape vaporizer (http://vaporizer.org/reviews/easy-vape)
Title: Re: OS3.9 appearance
Post by: Hugo78 on October 19, 2007, 12:59:32 AM
With your setup I'd recommend you don't go for Magic WB. I'm using it now, and you quickly get tired of the color-scheme. I'd rather see you trying AmiStart (wich adds a windows-like bar at the bottom of the screen), Powericons (supports 24-bit icons) and VisualPrefs (the greatest way to configure your GUI).

Hugo
Title: Re: OS3.9 appearance
Post by: Vincent on October 19, 2007, 01:33:39 AM
I used to have that clock.

SimpleClock?  WBClock?  Can't remember at all.

When AF was doing the WB screenshots on their CD someone had it on theirs.  He had an Egyptian theme going on and there was an extra txt file "an ode to my pooter" (or something similar) that was a proper ode about having a rodent rammed up his scsi :-D

That was the first time I'd seen the clock.  I found out the name of it then went hunting on Aminet and found it.
Title: Re: OS3.9 appearance
Post by: AndrewBell on October 19, 2007, 01:33:41 AM
Quote

Hugo78 wrote:
With your setup I'd recommend you don't go for Magic WB. I'm using it now, and you quickly get tired of the color-scheme. I'd rather see you trying AmiStart (wich adds a windows-like bar at the bottom of the screen), Powericons (supports 24-bit icons) and VisualPrefs (the greatest way to configure your GUI).

Hugo


Just because you tire of MWB doesn't mean he will. I used it for many years before I got OS3.5.

NiceBar, MCP, Opus Magellan, Magic Menu, ReqChange and ReqTools can be set up to add some pleasant eye candy too.

Like I said earlier, look what is included with AmiKit, but don't try to include everything.
________
MAC GAMES (http://macgame.org)
Title: Re: OS3.9 appearance
Post by: marcfrick2112 on October 19, 2007, 05:17:12 AM
Rossi46: AndrewBell has some good ideas, I myself use MCP, ReqAttack, and Magic Menu. Although in my experience, MCP was tricky to get working on my system, make sure you get the latest version.

VisualPrefs was mentioned, but I had much trouble with it under OS3.9. You might also want to try Birdie. Also, there are several programs to display a random WB/window pattern on boot.

As for MWB, seems like people either love it or hate it.... check Aminet for different palettes, backdrops, etc. and just make up your own mind....
Title: Re: OS3.9 appearance
Post by: guru-666 on October 19, 2007, 06:46:46 AM
"Although in my experience, MCP was tricky to get working on my system, make sure you get the latest version."

My experience with MCP is to make sure you DON'T get the latest version.   It is very buggy started going downhill at some point.
Title: Re: OS3.9 appearance
Post by: pVC on October 19, 2007, 09:06:38 AM
That's EaglePlayer with Empy GUI. Eagle can be found from Aminet and there's free public keyfile for it too. Plays modules and mp3 etc.

Clock might be TolleUhr... at least it can be configured transparent etc.

Meter thing is probably TinyMeter.
Title: Re: OS3.9 appearance
Post by: motorollin on October 19, 2007, 09:13:07 AM
PowerIcons, VisualPrefs and AmiStart have been mentioned, and while they are all great enhancements (except AmiStart - I hate start menus) they are not what you want to get the look in the image you posted.

To clarify, the screenshot posted appears to be using a combination of GlowIcons, which you will already be using if you have OS3.5/3.9 and MagicWB, which consists of the grey drawer icons and the volume icons you can see peeking out out from the left hand side of the "Sound" drawer. I believe the background used in the drawers is also from MagicWB.

The clock I think is the one provided with OS3.9.

With your spec you will be able to run OS3.9 with the above enhancements at a very reasonable speed.

--
moto
Title: Re: OS3.9 appearance
Post by: TNovosel on October 19, 2007, 09:13:53 AM
On this page you can see some of my WB grabs and software installed on my OS3.9 system.

http://www.voodoo-amiga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=344

All you need is some time to setup all this.  :-)
Title: Re: OS3.9 appearance
Post by: pVC on October 19, 2007, 09:34:26 AM
Actually that shown shot doesn't look like OS3.9 at all. It looks like many setups (mine too) from mid 90's with OS3.0/1.
Title: Re: OS3.9 appearance
Post by: Protek on October 19, 2007, 09:35:13 AM
How much more eye candy does a standard OS3.9 offer over standard OS3.1?
Title: Re: OS3.9 appearance
Post by: rossi46 on October 19, 2007, 04:24:33 PM
What i meant in my original post is - how can i make my desktop environment look less like workbench and more like the photo? I didn't mean exactly like in the photo.

Can it boot straight into looking like that?
Title: Re: OS3.9 appearance
Post by: Flashlab on October 19, 2007, 05:39:53 PM
People already gave you some utils to try and yes when you install them correctly your WB will look different from boot. You don't need to manually turn them on each time you boot if I understand your question correctly.
Title: Re: OS3.9 appearance
Post by: rossi46 on October 19, 2007, 08:07:53 PM
Cool thanks :-)