Passenger is a color scheme for use with Kaleidoscope 1.5.x. I created it with the intent of making the interface as unusual as possible within the limits of Kaleidoscope without writing WDEFs (because I don't know how!) While I wanted to make the interface unusual looking, I wanted to be sure that the elements were still clearly understood. Also, I wanted it to be as useful as possible in all color depths. Passenger will work perfectly in all color depths - in fact, it really doesn't loose any quality going from 8-bit to 4-bit.
Features
• A flat, fluid interface. All the necessary elements are there, but they don't demand your attention. This may be attractive to graphic designers who need a neutral interface that doesn't interfere with their work.
• No black dividers or outlines. The only black outline is the one around the active windows. Buttons, check boxes, scroll bars, pull-down menus, you name it - none have black outlines. This adds to the fluidity.
• Repetition of the "knobby things". Everywhere there are those "knobby things" that long ago only appeared in utility windoids. Even the scroll bar arrows are like enlarged knobs.
• Progress bar, buttons: When Aaron first came out, I thought it was the best thing I'd ever seen. I was so sick of the Mac's 2-D buttons. Well, now I'm sick of the bubbliness of the buttons and progress bars that's become commonplace. My buttons and progress bars are flat, yet 3-dimensional.
• Fully functional in all color depths. Looks as good in 4-bit mode as it does in 8-bit or higher!
Note:
I never noticed this before with the rounded progress bars, but it became obvious when I made flat progress bars. When the mac starts up, that progress bar is 12 pixels high. All other progress bars are 11. The resource for the bar is 12. Because of this, a bar made to look good for 12 pixels looses its top line, and thus, its highlight, when it is drawn 11 pixels high. This just won't do, so I made the bar look good for 11 pixels since you only see the 12 pixel height at startup. What you end up with there is a bar with a double thick highlight. I'm not explaining this very well...
Version History
1.5.0: First release for the MacUser Kaleidoscope contest.
So, what's "Passenger"?
"Passenger" is a great song from the Grateful Dead's Terrapin Station album. I don't know how the name relates to this scheme. Dark Star, Ripple, Terrapin Station, and A Touch of Gray all made sense, but this... I don't know, I just like the song, OK?
As always, this scheme is freeware. Take it, use it, love it. Send me many messages of praise - I like that. Of course, if you want to help me pay off my Performa 636 and buy a Mac with a PowerPC processor, I wouldn't refuse a donation! And, if you want to include this as a part of a CD-ROM collection or something like that, I would be honored. Just give me a copy of the collection.
