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The Habits of A Leopard: Prepare for OS X 10.5 in Tiger

Since Apple has taken the time to make some changes in OS X Leopard that reflect our workflow habits, I have prepared some smart tips for anyone using Tiger so the transition will be smoother. Leopard is coming out in October and while some Mac users have already preordered Apple, Inc.’s next release of OS X through Amazon.com, others will be skeptical after watching Microsoft users disappointed with Windows Vista.

Even if there are a few bugs when OS X Leopard 10.5 is launched, Apple Inc. will take care of them rapidly with Security Fixes and Updates via Software Update. Will your old Applications work? There should be a seamless transition for the most part. Apple hasn’t reinvented the wheel with this release, just added features that will make your workflow easier and your files well organized.

The idea is to cut down on our Desktop Clutter by moving files that are usually place the Desktop to Folders in the Dock, make the Menu Bar transparent so digital photos can show through, organize open Applications in different Desktops, and set up automatic backups of files using Automator.

The Look and Feel of Leopard

For years, Apple has been changing the look of Application windows. In Panther, there was the blinds look; Tiger had the brushed metal look; and recently iTunes and iLife were given a new and softer appearance. In Leopard, all the windows will be uniform. What what can we do in Tiger to achieve this look? UNO to the rescue. “UNO is a theme that brings the sunken unified toolbar/titlebar look&feel to every single window on your system (cocoa or carbon, metal or aqua and already unified windows as well).”

Find out more about UNO from the official website.

Place Downloads in the Dock

It is easy to redirect Downloads to a folder in the Dock. Just follow these simple steps for Safari:

Select Safari: Preferences in the Menu Bar. Click the General Tab in the window that appears. In the Save downloaded files to: field select Other… In the next window, Navigate to Documents and Click New Folder. Name this new folder Downloads and Click Select.

For other Applications like Firefox or iChat, just follow a similar procedure for finding the Downloads location in each Application’s Preferences. Remember, the keyboard shortcut to get into an Application’s Preferences is Apple + ,.

Navigate to the Downloads Folder in the Finder. Drag the Folder to the right side of the Dock, just to the right of the small vertical crease. An alias of the Downloads folder will appear in the Dock. Ctrl + Click the new Dock folder and a listing of the files inside the Downloads Folder will appear.

Make the Menu Bar Transparent

An Application called MenuShade will make the Menu Bar semitransparent until I hover my mouse cursor over it and then it becomes opaque. This Application allows me have digital photos that seamlessly integrate with the Menu Bar.

Download MenuShade from VersionTracker here.

After I install MenuShade, I can adjust the transparency in MenuShade’s Preferences.

I can automatically load MenuShade when I login if I place MenuShade in the Dock and Ctrl+Click the Menu Shade Dock icon. Select Open at Login from the options. Now Menu Shade will load automatically at Login.

Use Multiple Desktops with VirtueDesktops

The motto of Leopard is “Conquer Time and Spaces”. We can certainly accomplish this with Tiger. I don’t have to be constrained to just one Desktop in OS X 10.4 Tiger. VirtueDesktops allows me to create alternate Desktops in a grid fashion. I switch between these spaces using the Menu Bar or the Shift + Control + Arrow Keyboard Shortcut.

Download and Install VirtueDesktops

There are several effects I can apply to the transition of each Desktop. I can even assign certain Applications to specific Desktops. I can set up Templates for the organization of all the Desktops too.

Backup Files Automatically

If I really want to get the most out of Backup, it is best to go out and purchase an external hard drive larger than the one I am backing up. Go out and buy a Lacie that has both Firewire and USB 2.0. If I have a G5 or a Mac Pro, I can even install a second internal hard drive that will make backups happen even faster. For Professionals, get an external hard drive that can connect via eSATA and purchase the appropriate eSATA add on cards for the computer are using.

Leopard uses Time Machine to make automatic backups, but there are several solutions that do the same thing in OS X 10.4 Tiger. The two solutions below are both free. The first option allows me to set up scheduled backups of individual folders using an Automator Action and iCal. It takes a few minutes to set up, but is well worth it if I only want to back up crucial files to a small hard drive. The second option requires downloaded a freeware Application called SuperDuper! that will allow me to backup a copy of my entire System to an external hard drive.

I have written step by step instructions for setting up automatic backups of folders with Automator.

If you are looking for a simpler and free method of backing up an entire Hard Drive, I’d recommend an Application called SuperDuper!