Labels are still garish-color entire titles, text.

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Level 3

686 points

Labels are still garish-color entire titles, text.

Hi. I thought by now Apple would have modified or provided options for coloring only an icon or folder, and not the entire line of text.

I have used unsanity software's Labels X for just that reason. Sadly, they have not updated to work in Lion.

So, to my surprise and disappointment, after upgrading to Lion all my previously subtle and unobtrusive colored icons have become a wall of garish blocks of color. In folders where I may have several files or other folders labeled using Labels X, which only colored the icon not the text, I now see distracting rows of one color or another making my open windows and folders look like children's party decorations.

Does anyone know of an alternative, either within Lion or via a third party app (as Labels X was)?

Thanks

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7)

Posted on Jan 27, 2013 9:54 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Jan 27, 2013 2:26 PM in response to Noodle-head

There isn't anything. Apple's hellbent on reducing user customizations as it drives to making computers obsolete, since most consumers apparently prefer noncomputing iOS devices (toys) to computers. That's their way of protecting we from ourselves: Gatekeeper, sandboxing, Java controls, and crappy graphics like coloring labels instead of icons.😟

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Answer 2

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Jan 27, 2013 8:16 PM in response to baltwo

For those who might not understand what this is all about, Apple in earlier OSs designed the Finder to display either colored labels or colored icons in list view, among others. With the advent of Leopard, the new designers, hellbent on moving to drab, ugly, monochromatic stuff, went for dismissing the colored icons option and foisted this on everyone. The original Apple design team had the right stuff, the new one, ugly garishness for its own sake; This screenshot depicts what Labels X restored, but which Apple crippled in Lion/ML so Unsanity couldn't move that haxie beyond Snow Leopard. One reason that I continue to do most of my work in SL.

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Answer 3

Noodle-head Author

Level 3

686 points

Jan 28, 2013 12:28 PM in response to baltwo

Baltwo-thanks for the shared sentiment - you wrote it nicely. Still, I am surprised no other 3rd party has come up with a fix. Unsanity says their haxie is not expected any time soon. I too held out and kept SL on my Macs, but gave in underpressure to a) help family and friends who recently switched from Windows and now are in Mt Lion; and b) much as I hate the whole Cloud concept, it's what's left for syncing machines easily and my venerable Mac Pro is out of reach (2006 and can only load Lion). Updated my MacBook Pro, and...reluctantly bought a new iMac (shipping in 6-8 weeks??). I think this is classic love-hate.

Thanks again and if you hear of a Labels fix, please post.

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Answer 4

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Jan 28, 2013 5:45 PM in response to Noodle-head

I sync nothing, since I only have the computers and they're not networked. My iMac runs SL, Lion, and ML from bootable volumes internally. Also, don't do windoze. As for Labels X and Windowshade, I think they finally gave when Apple started their move to the closed iOSified system, sandboxing, and moving towards only having the App Store deliver stuff. IMO, a bad move.👿

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Answer 5

Noodle-head Author

Level 3

686 points

Jan 28, 2013 8:46 PM in response to baltwo

A freshening voice! Perhaps I've lived in the woods too long but when I talk like that I suspect I am being a curmedgeon. Which I'm not. And happen to agree with you. I began mentioning to whomever would listen, that Apple was losing its grip, catering to a young, mobile, share evrything and anything audience, without regard for cause or effect. While Windooze-products TV commercials were producing compelling and just-like-apple ads, oh so hip, so much so you would mistake tham for Apple. And stock dropped. But more importantly, evrybody is talking-texting and nobody is listening.

But I digress. Ever hear of Rodriguez? (documentary: "searching for sugar man.")

You wrote that you run diff OS' from bootable volumes, on your iMac. I have a MacPro filled up with four internal drives. I thought to do the same but Apple made it so it will not accept Mt. Lion, only Lion. It was top of the line Mac Pro in 2007 and now cannot have the latest OS installed on it. Did you just partition the iMac into so many volumes?

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Answer 6

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Jan 29, 2013 1:31 AM in response to Noodle-head

Since I'm in my eighth decade, I'm a credentialed curmudgeon. Not familiar with Rodriguez. The cutoff for machines was the same lamebrained thing they did for G4s and Leopard. At least there was a hack that got my 450 MKz one to run it. Note that Apple's latest ads have nothing to do with computing, but only socializing and social networking. The solution, IMO, is to lock the engineers alone in rooms with only books, paper, pencils, and lights. Trap door for wholesome meals, bathroom facilities, and see how long it takes them to get into withdrawal or go mad having a connection to only themselves.👿

Did you just partition the iMac into so many volumes?

Yes, I have eleven, the three OSs and their clones, two containing bootable OS installers, two for data, and one for growth. This is backed up to two FWHDs using Carbon Copy Cloner.

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