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Software Update by Scott Chitwood
 Woohoo! I feel better than I have in over week, not only did that nasty cold have me hacking like crazy, it also sapped my energy and turned me into Mister Cranky™.
Extract-icns: The Icon Utility You May Not Know About
Extract-icns is a small little app by ExitToShell() Software that will extract a custom icon from a file or folder. Extract-icns is free to use and operates via drag and drop. Generated folder icons get placed inside the folder and file icons get placed in the same folder as the file, or within the top level of the app's package contents.
DragThing Teaser Pics
James Thomson's very cool utility DragThing is ramping up for an update with some great new features, see if you can them in his teaser pics.
Ram Disk Creator 1.0 Beta
Donelesschi Software's Ram Disk Creator is a tool used to create Ram Disks, a feature was available in Mac OS 9 and below, but since Apple released Mac OS X this capability disappeared from our Macs. Ram Disk Creator brings them back! You can access files on a RAM disk as you would access files on a real disk. RAM disks, however, are approximately a thousand times faster than hard disk drives. They are particularly useful, therefore, for applications that require frequent disk accesses. Using a Ram Disk instead of the hard disk with Powerbooks and iBooks requires less power consumption, which has the possibility to dramatically increase battery life of portable Macs. More information can be found on the Ram Disk Creator homepage.
Panic & The Iconfactory Release Pixadex 1.5.1
Panic and The Iconfactory have updated the popular icon storage and organization software for Mac OS X, Pixadex, to version 1.5.1. This release includes several improvements and bug fixes including support for recognizing and importing older iControl icon packs as well as better support for Apple's iChat buddy icons. For a complete list of what is new as well as to download the software, head on over to the Pixadex homepage today. This release is a free upgrade to registered users and is available from The Iconfactory for $18.95 USD.
Speed Download 2.3.3
Yazsoft's latest release of their flagship utility, Speed Download, has removed the MacShareware feature set, optimizing it for use/compatibility with all software download sites, can now handle files that are 1GB or more in size plus more. Visit the Speed Download page for more info.
Send us your press releases!
Icon & Desktop News: by Dan
 Icons - Desktops: Yeah! We've got another selection of great icons and desktops to satisfy your hunger for desktop decoration. Starting off with [6] New Desktops, [2] New Icon Sets, and of course, updated "News From Around the Web". Take your time going, and hurry back!
We love promoting your work! So, grab those pixel pencils, and send us your best creations! In an ongoing effort to make it easier for you to send us your Icons and Desktops, we've designed a new Browser Based Upload Page for the task. Just follow the easy to use instructions, and you'll find submitting your artwork is a piece of cake. In case your haven't done so already, don't forget to read our submission guidelines before you start!
- Amazing!!! FauxS-XP(Onyx)Vol.2 by Paul Bowyer is the second part of an extensive collection of icons designed for The FauxS-X Project. This volume includes forty four more system level icons created with amazing skill and style. Keep your eyes open for the next volumes in the coming weeks.
- Now here's a novel idea. Recessed Icons by Steven Ansell features eleven different icons that appear to be cut into the background, and change appearance with different colored backdrops.
- The folks over at Digikitten keep on sending us loads of luscious desktops to share with ResExcellence readers. Housing some of the most fantastic digital artists on the globe, you are invited to come by and join them, play some Photoshop Tennis or many of the other digital pixel games they have. Hollywood I'm Coming by Coltongrund is the next great desktop from this ongoing display, and is available in 1600x resolution.
- Nicely done! Apple by MACing is a really slick looking desktop available in three different resolutions.
- Frank Buro sends us a collection of four different Desktops to hang on your monitor. All of these are available in 1024x resolutions.
- You know you want one! Rick Qi Zhang sends us a cool looking 12 inch Powerbook Desktop, available in 1024x640 resolution.
- Steve Wilson submits a custom Wallpaper for Webzign Graphics upcoming Matri-X Theme. This one comes in several resolutions.
- Random Desktops by Jason Towne is a seven picture set put together with images from Final Fantasy 7, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Zero from MegamanX. The icons used originate from the "Alien" series. These all are available in 1024x resolution.
News From Around the Web: Panic and The Iconfactory have updated the popular icon storage and organization software for Mac OS X, Pixadex, to version 1.5.1. Pixadex is to icons, what Apple's iPhoto is to images. Pixadex lets users collect, organize, sort and search thousands of icons quickly and easily. Mandolux has issued a new giant dual monitor desktop titled PANCHO (as in Pancho Villa) and it is a vector-based giant dual monitor desktop in grunge style. Even though the previews for this desktop may look like a crappy wallpaper, you have to download it to really see how wonderful this new addition is. This is a must-download! MacMonkies marks the end of a drab work week with 3 New Icon Sets for a ton o' GUI fun! New Iconist Black Widow introduces this week's Friday Icon Edition, followed by works from Miloszwl.com and Steve Smith. The best mix of new GOO, News, and Fun can be found this Friday at MacMonkies.com! The Iconfactory is pleased to present yet another volume of Smoothness. The ninth collection in Corey Marion's popular Smoothicons series adds Adobe Creative Suite app icons plus several other frequently requested items. In honor of the renewed popularity of poker that seems to be sweeping the country, Corey has added a few fun items to help transform your desktop into Las Vegas, without all the neon. We invite you to swing by The Iconfactory today and grab these latest freeware icons from theShowroom. Members of Adobe Exchange will almost certainly know Snapper McGauhey and his infamous Styles therein. After many hour slaving away in front of his computer Snapper has finally completed his large collection of Style CD's for Photoshop. Each
CD contains many styles for your graphic hunger. A broad variety of subjects are featured including wood, metal, carnival and nature styles and are all reasonably priced and up for sale at www.cafeshop.com/visualarts Timeoutofmind.com updates with three new Desktop Backgrounds of the Torrey Pines Gliderport area; each is in three resolutions.
So what's up WWW? Icons? Desktop Pictures? News? Inform us! We'll post it!
*The desktop and icon archive is updated three times a week. The work is actually done on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings for publishing the following day. If you want a news item posted the same day, try and get it to me before 6 pm on any one of those evenings. THANKS!
Tools of the Trade by Scott Chitwood
I wanted to get much more into this report but wound up fighting my Terminal for well over an hour after somehow botching it up so it would only use "dumb terminal" mode. Tossing the prefs fixed it but I spun my wheels way too long before doing the simple thing. Doh!
 Mods For Mac OS Classic
While we haven't featured any new mods/hacks for Mac OS Classic in recent memory we do understand that there are many of you out there who haven't upgraded your computer or operating system to allow you to experience Mac OS X. I'd like to invite anyone who has designed a new mod, or updated an exisitng hack, for Mac OS Classic to share it with us so we can in turn share it with other users. Just package it up, along with uncompressed screenshots, as you would any other submission and we'll add it the archive. And as a side note our Classic Mods archive is an important part of the site - I consider the archive to be a major slice of Mac gui history.
Mac OSX Themes Ported To SonyEricsson Mobile Phones
Paul-Henri Schyns has ported some of the best Mac OSX themes to the SonyEricsson T610 / T616 / T630 / T618 / Z600 mobile phones platform including William Bart's BBX Mercury and BBX Mercury X as well as the complete Aluminum Alloy suite by Max Rudberg. Paul-Henri, self-admitted Mac freak, loves to have his mobile phone theme matching his the theme on his Mac. He also has a desktops section featuring some of his best photography. Here are the links: Themes, desktops.
Links List Updated
We've added seven new and three updated links.
 After binging on new theme releases these last two weeks we get a break in the action with just one updated guiKit. | | |
User Contributions by Scott Chitwood It's easier than ever to contribute using our Browser Based Upload Page! If you contribute a file to any section of ResExcellence, you could win a PowerMax gift certificate worth FIFTY DOLLARS! It's easy and fun to win, look here to see how it's done! Our PowerMax Gift Certificate Winner for February 2004 is Kevin Husted of Swizcore Studios for his Studio Pro v1.0.1 theme, congratulations Kevin!
Yoko & John by Félix brings a message of peace to your Boot Panel.
Max Larsen's Photoshop CS Spalsh screen sports an iSight camera and brushed metal look.
I'm looking for the author of a dual Mighty Mouse cursor contribution; "Pyramid" and "UCLA Beamin". Your read me file is in .wbn format (whatever that is) and I can't open it to see your info. Please contact me so we can give you proper credit!
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Icon & Desktop News: by Dan
Icons - Desktops: Yeah! We've got another selection of great icons and desktops to satisfy your hunger for desktop decoration. Starting off with [6] New Desktops, [2] New Icon Sets, and of course, updated "News From Around the Web". Take your time going, and hurry back!
We love promoting your work! So, grab those pixel pencils, and send us your best creations! In an ongoing effort to make it easier for you to send us your Icons and Desktops, we've designed a new Browser Based Upload Page for the task. Just follow the easy to use instructions, and you'll find submitting your artwork is a piece of cake. In case your haven't done so already, don't forget to read our submission guidelines before you start!
- Outstanding!!! FauxS-XP(Onyx)Vol.1 by Paul Bowyer is the first part of an extensive collection of icons designed for The FauxS-X Project. The volume includes forty four system level icons created with amazing skill and style. Keep your eyes open for the next several volumes in the coming weeks.
- FireBallz Icons by Steve Wilson features 142 fiery Spheres for various Applications, as well as a folder icon.
- Nice! Sail by Alexander Doche is pretty little piece that calmly floats across your desktop. This one comes in 1024x resolution.
- MACing takes Apple's iPod ad theme to new heights with a great looking desktop available in three different resolutions.
- Angry Heart by M. was created to express some intense personal feelings. Comes in 1600x resolution.
- Mac Girls by Cameranerd is no joke or clever spoof. The model featured in this backdrop really does own a Powerbook. This one comes in 1280x resolution.
- Tubes by Dr. Palmer is actually a screen shot of ATI's frame rate movie used to demo your ATI 64MB video card. The screen resolution size is a bit unusual (927X), but should work fine for 1024x resolution display.
- Mr Natural submits a modern themed desktop titled Catalan Mosaic. Natural recommends it be used with it Daisuke Yamashita's NEOS 1.1 theme. Created in Photoshop CS, this one comes in 1024x resolution.
News From Around the Web: The Iconfactory is pleased to present yet another volume of Smoothness. The ninth collection in Corey Marion's popular Smoothicons series adds Adobe Creative Suite app icons plus several other frequently requested items. In honor of the renewed popularity of poker that seems to be sweeping the country, Corey has added a few fun items to help transform your desktop into Las Vegas, without all the neon. We invite you to swing by The Iconfactory today and grab these latest freeware icons from theShowroom. Members of Adobe Exchange will almost certainly know Snapper McGauhey and his infamous Styles therein. After many hour slaving away in front of his computer Snapper has finally completed his large collection of Style CD's for Photoshop. Each
CD contains many styles for your graphic hunger. A broad variety of subjects are featured including wood, metal, carnival and nature styles and are all reasonably priced and up for sale at www.cafeshop.com/visualarts MacMonkies makes the most of your Wednesday with 5 New Desktops added to the Galleries! Great new desktop works for your Wednesday Desktop Edition come compliments of Miloszwl.com, Victor Emert, Jameson Sasser, Bob Wiley, and FR4NK. News, Humor, and New GOO...All this Wednesday at MacMonkies.com! Mandolux has issued a new desktop titled Daisy in Pink and it's my Spring desktop. This is a close-up view of a pink Gerbera Daisy (Gerbera jamesonii) set against a black background and since it is a dual giant desktop - you get left and right views. Timeoutofmind.com updates with three new Desktop Backgrounds of the Torrey Pines Gliderport area; each is in three resolutions. Bombia Design presents new icons, desktops and an update of Aqua Developer Icon Kit Vol. 1, available at Iconkits.com (http://www.iconkits.com).
So what's up WWW? Icons? Desktop Pictures? News? Inform us! We'll post it!
*The desktop and icon archive is updated three times a week. The work is actually done on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings for publishing the following day. If you want a news item posted the same day, try and get it to me before 6 pm on any one of those evenings. THANKS!
REALbasic: No New Updates Today by Seth Willits  | Hooray for Midterms!
Hey guys and gals! There won't be a new update today since I've got quite a number of midterms this week. Check back on Saturday for the latest and greatest. -- Seth |
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How To Install Sodipodi Under X11 Using Fink
by Mark Evans I was attempting to install Sodipodi under X11 using Fink for a long time but kept getting errors, here's how I got it to finally work. Open the FinkCommander Preferences and select "Use unstable packages".
Then when you start to compile Sodipodi it will give an error such as... > ld: warning prebinding disabled because dependent library:
> /usr/lib/system/libmathCommon.A.dylib can't be searched
> make[2]: *** [test1] Error 1
> make[1]: *** [all-recursive] Error 1
> make: *** [all] Error 2
> ### execution of make failed, exit code 2
> Failed: compiling popt-1.7-1 failed To fix this type sudo ranlib /sw/lib/libintl.a in a Terminal window,
then compile the package again using either FinkCommander or the Terminal. Command --> Fink Install Sodipodi <-- Command When done (Should only take about 5 - 7 minutes) open X11 and type /sw/bin/sodipodi or put source /sw/bin/init.sh; sodipodi in the customizable applications menu.
Hit preview to view large image
I hope this helps your readers. Also sodipodi is a great open source vector graphics illustration alternative. Combined with Gimp you can do some great stuff for FREE!
Tools of the Trade by Scott Chitwood
And the Winners Are...
Econ Technologies has announced the winning entries from last week's Camtastic Caption Contest. Big props to all our readers who played along and had a good time with this one and congrats to the lucky five who get to hand pick two cool software offerings from Econ Technologies!
TriLateral Systems Introduces ThinkTank
ThinkTank is a news and research site devoted to bringing together disparate interests covering many aspects of the current state of technology. In their drive to do so, TriLateral Systems issued their first public research goal; to provide a comprehensive test of many different open-source web-based software packages such as bug tracking, content management, customer relation management, forum and collaboration systems. Two new projects have arisen as a direct result of these interactions. They are the BetaGroup project and the MacDevListing project. Project: BetaGroup is an attempt to bring together, depending upon
interest in the project, developers who are seeking beta testers. Project: MacDevListing is an attempt to create a new Macintosh Developer Listing; dynamic in nature and encouraging open communication between users and developers. Both projects are aimed at individual developers or small companies.A poll covering the MacDevListing project is available from March 18, 2004 More information can be found on the ThinkTank homepage.
My goodness! The theme community has been working overtime these past few days :) |  Max Rudberg's EYLO 1.0.2
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| | |  Don Schaper's Boxi
Hit preview to view large image
| | | | | | |  GrapeTunes by Caesar2099
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User Contributions by Scott Chitwood It's easier than ever to contribute using our Browser Based Upload Page! If you contribute a file to any section of ResExcellence, you could win a PowerMax gift certificate worth FIFTY DOLLARS! It's easy and fun to win, look here to see how it's done! Our PowerMax Gift Certificate Winner for February 2004 is Kevin Husted of Swizcore Studios for his Studio Pro v1.0.1 theme, congratulations Kevin!
S2k's Cubic03 Boot Panels opens up this round of user contributions..
Kevin Murphy's TigerLaunch Menubar Replacement Icon sports an Aqua blue sphere.
Max Larsen's Illustrator CS Splash Screen welcomes spring with a big purple flower.
It's been awhile since we've had a new Dock Poof in the archive, NDS' RipplePoof is nice little effect and it has three install options that should work great no matter what color your desktop picture is.
I'm looking for the author of a dual Mighty Mouse cursor contribution; "Pyramid" and "UCLA Beamin". Your read me file is in .wbn format (whatever that is) and I can't open it to see your info. Please contact me so we can give you proper credit!
Internet Cleanup
Software Update by Scott Chitwood
 ThemePark 1.3
If you've ever had a hankering to tinker around with building themes, ThemePark is the app you'll want to use. Version 1.3 adds the following enhancements... - Added Send to Photoshop® and Retrieve from Photoshop® commands. These support transparency and make editing a theme much easier. Photoshop 7 requires a free scripting update to work properly.
- Added support for application skins.
- Fixed text color issues within ThemePark's resource editors.
- ThemePark now provides a warning when attempting to export to a file format that does not support some of your theme's features.
- Image editors in ThemePark now accept dragged image files, not just dragged images.
- Minor speed increases in generating previews and maneuvering between elements.
- Much more!
MacThemes Mockup Contest Reminder
The deadline for MacThemes Theme Mockup Constest is March 28th, prizes include over a thousand dollars worth of software/cash, and the chance to have your mockup made into a real theme!
Design Your iPod Giveaway Launched at the iPodlounge
Show the world what you think the next iPod will look like and you could win a 15gb custom painted iPod or other cool prizes! See the iPodlounge for more info.
Send us your press releases!
Polling Place by Scott Chitwood  The question was; Do you use Sherlock?
Okay, I'll acknowledge that there should have been an option in the poll for those of you who use Watson over Sherlock. The only thing I can say in my defense is that I was thinking about the question from the angle of an Apple software product that just doesn't seem to get launched very often, or is completely ignored by some users.
I've found that my appetite for collecting fonts far exceeds the amount I'll ever wind up using but having a variety of typefaces at my fingertips is a wonderful thing. Managing them is another story. In OS 9 I used Font Reserve to organize my fonts. I haven't upgraded to a Mac OS X compatible version just yet and am still not sure if I should. For my home use, Panther's FontBook app has been fairly dependable, I'm just not sure how well it would perform in a real production environment. The question is; Do you use a font management app?
Do you have an idea for poll question that you'd like to see us ask? Send it my way!
Icon & Desktop News: by Dan
Icons - Desktops: Yeah! We've got another selection of great icons and desktops to satisfy your hunger for desktop decoration. Starting off with [6] New Desktops, [3] New Icon Sets, and of course, updated "News From Around the Web". Take your time going, and hurry back!
We love promoting your work! So, grab those pixel pencils, and send us your best creations! In an ongoing effort to make it easier for you to send us your Icons and Desktops, we've designed a new Browser Based Upload Page for the task. Just follow the easy to use instructions, and you'll find submitting your artwork is a piece of cake. In case your haven't done so already, don't forget to read our submission guidelines before you start!
- That fat cat Garfield and his silly friends appear in this icon set made by Two Nerds and a Jock. Created using Adobe Photoshop 7.0 and Iconographer, these images are copyrighted by Jim Davis, Paws and Uclick.
- Serious photography buffs will want to download this set of eight ContaxG2 range finder and lenses made by John.
- Joe decided that a new icon for Azureus BitTorrent Client was in order, and choose a colorful rainforest frog for the task.
- A-H sends us a couple of cool desktops to dress up your desktop. The ultra sexy Laura Croft appears in the first, and the cult comic hero Wolverine appeas in the second. Both of these are available in 1024x resolution.
- New York City by Mica would make a handsome poster or postcard for the city that never sleeps. This stylish desktop is available in 1024x resolution.
- Kickin Ass and taking names, this great looking G5 Metal desktop by Applemacpunk is formatted for Apple's widescreen (20" and 23") Cinema Displays.
- Happy Spring! Bee Work by Kerry Lannert is a great close up shot of a greedy little bumblebee slacking it's thirst on a pastel flower. This one comes in 1024x resolution.
- Make sure to take a closer look at this three picture set of desktops by François Jean titled Desktops RE. The use of texture and lighting is excellent. All of these are available in 1024x resolution.
- Tio Graves by Pat Mills is the final image in his series of Alkaline Trio desktops. Inspired by the song "Hell Yes", this one comes in 1024x resolution.
News From Around the Web: Mandolux has issued a new desktop titled Daisy in Pink and it's my Spring desktop. This is a close-up view of a pink Gerbera Daisy (Gerbera jamesonii) set against a black background and since it is a dual giant desktop - you get left and right views. MacMonkies gives your desktop a big GUI KISS with 3 New Icon Sets for this week's Friday Icon Edition! Making your desktop happy are works from latest iconist Steve Smith, as well as wonders from grnluvbug and Steven Ansell. Pucker up with the Pixels, News, and Bananas too, this
Friday at MacMonkies.com! Timeoutofmind.com updates with three new Desktop Backgrounds of the Torrey Pines Gliderport area; each is in three resolutions. Bombia Design presents new icons, desktops and an update of Aqua Developer Icon Kit Vol. 1, available at Iconkits.com (http://www.iconkits.com). The Iconfactory is pleased to announce Snappy Hour!, this week's freeware icon collection, based on licensed artwork from artist Derek Yaniger. Snappy Hour! is a fun and playful collection of retro style illustrations that will help turn your boring desktop into a swinging party full of beautiful babes, hip beatniks and rat-pack crooners. If you enjoy this freeware icon set, be sure to check out the Snappy Hour! Clip Art collection from Mister Retro that inspired them. Enjoy!
So what's up WWW? Icons? Desktop Pictures? News? Inform us! We'll post it!
*The desktop and icon archive is updated three times a week. The work is actually done on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings for publishing the following day. If you want a news item posted the same day, try and get it to me before 6 pm on any one of those evenings. THANKS!
StuffIt - The Complete Compression Solution
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