Manage updates with the Download AppCNET Editors' review
Lion and Mountain Lion got rid of the sidebar icons and replaced them with a more sophisticated monochrome version. To easily bring the old icons back you can use SideEffects for Mac.
Although it is great that OS X's design is polished with each new release, some people might be missing the classic sidebar icons introduced in the old days of 10.3 Panther. Initially, bringing the colors back using SideEffects for Mac gave us a strange feeling, but after a couple of moments we got used to the colors and also recognized the convenience of easily detecting folders; when you associate a color with a folder, you will need less time to find the desired one. The shared "PC" icon might be something of an eyesore, but overall, it is an improvement to get the familiar colors back. The program is very simple but it does what it promises, and it does it well. In case you change your mind after trying this software, you can easily get rid of it using the uninstaller.
SideEffects for Mac is perfect for longtime users who miss the old icons and find the new ones too dull. It's simple software you can try out and get rid of easily if it's not to your liking.
Publisher's Description
From iSimon:
SideEffects is a once-off installer-based desktop enhancement which enables color icons in the MacOS X 10.7 Lion or 10.8 Mountain Lion Finder Sidebar. SideEffects installs components from two developers and runs scripts to ensure the process is clean. An uninstaller is provided. Combined with the new large icons in Lion / Mountain Lion, customize and let your Sidebar thrive in living color.
What's new in this version: New install script ensures color works after restarting the Mac.
(The issue that a small percentage of users experienced in previous version was due to EasySIMBL's incorrect setting in the com.apple.launchd.peruser.501. This version fixes that.)
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All versions:
3.9 starsout of 7 votes
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Current version:
5.0 starsout of 1 votes
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My rating:
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"Return of the Mac..."
Version: SideEffects 1.8.7
Pros
1.8.7 was a much needed upgrade.
Adds much needed graphics to sidebar.Cons
Future upgrades should include the ability to use customized icons.
The uninstall feature should include a dialog box.Summary
Allows one to fall in love with their Mac again. Apple should consult with creative people such as the SideEffects author about dealing with the human side of personal computing since it has always been about people. I'm not sure why such a company would sustain such a cold and bleak perspective towards those of us who originally fell in love with the idea of thinking differently.
One might have to relaunch to affect the change.
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