X-bytes: A better spinning cursor


Do you find Jaguar's wait cursor ugly, annoying or just plain inappropriate? I actually like it but I like being able to replace it even better. Blobber is a haxie that allows you to replace the wait cursor in X.2. Blobber is the result of a great chat in the MacNN forums. People have been trying to replace the cursor in Jaguar ever since the "Aqua Blob" was replaced by the "Rainbow Pinwheel." Alpha geeks have of course discovered how to replace the cursor, but it requires the terminal which is a part of MacOS X with which few are comfortable. Blobber lets you apply a cursor replacement in a much more user friendly manner.

If you've updated to X.2, then you definitely should try iChat if for no other reason than the super-easy file transfer function. For example, I transferred an "updater" to a client, about 12MB, and it went across without a flaw in 29 minutes via DSL connections on both ends (512/64, 340/40 in reality).

If you're .Mac registered user iChat is a snap, though AIM users will find the interface easy as well. Simply type in your .Mac info and that of the person (add a buddy from the buddy menu item) you want to transfer a file to and then drag the file (literally any file) you want to transfer onto that person's icon and you're off and running. It's as easy as it sounds and it's just as easy as it looked when Steven P. did it in New York and, most recently, Paris. Drag and drop, it just works.

This week's MacUpdate Top 10

You download 'em and we count 'em down every Friday here on the Mac news and opinion leader, Insanely-Great Mac!

#01 Drive 10 Updater 1.1.2
#02 StuffIt Expander X 7.0
#03 Apple iTunes X 3.0.1
#04 iSwipe X 1.2b9
#05 LimeWire X 2.6.3
#06 MUMenu X 1.1
#07 Sigma Chess Lite 6.0.2
#08 Apple Mac OS X Updater 10.2.1
#09 TechTool Pro Updater 3.0.7
#10 Gimp-Print X 4.2.2

Check in every week for our latest picks and what other users are downloading via the MacUpdate Top 10.