They say the holiday — with their fellowship get - togethers and office celebrations — often convey about feelings of nostalgia . manifestly that holds true in technology , as well , because I ’ve been feel a bit nostalgic about the “ classic ” Mac atomic number 8 as of late . ( grant , in response to reader asking . ) A couple weeks ago , I wrote about ways to bring back Mac OS 9 ’s software Menu , and today I ’m write about the return of Mac OS 9 ’s pop Control Strip .
For those who do n’t retrieve , the classic Mac operating system had , from System 7.5.5 until its death , a modular Control Strip that provided quick access to a number of system setting . The Control Strip floated above other program program but could be break down to a small nubble at the edge of the screen . It could also be extended via third - partymodulesthat offered additional functionality .
If you miss Control Strip — or if you ’re an OS X - only Mac user who thinks this functionality sounds useful — check out MacPowerUser Software ’s $ 25MenuStrip 3.0.5 ( ) . MenuStrip render many of the same features of OS 9 ’s Control Strip , including a wad - in architecture that lets you expand its functionality . And it also includes some useful feature of its own , the most obvious being its power to be placed either at any placement along the odd or right edges of your screen ( like Control Strip ) or embedded in your bill of fare cake ( assuming you ’ve buzz off enough infinite ) . The Control - Strip - like alternative is better for those with modest screens , as in menu mode , MenuStrip ’s item will be enshroud to make elbow room for app ’ menus .
When put on your CRT screen — out of the fare bar — MenuStrip even include a little core at the end to crumple it , just like the old Control Strip .
Wherever you place it , MenuStrip offer a turn of built - in modules :
you’re able to activate as many of each MenuStrip item as you involve — for example , you’re able to have multiple Indian file / folder menus — and each is configure using the preferences dialogue . Separators are also useable to organize your MenuStrip show .
In summation to the built - in items , MenuStrip corroborate spark plug - ins , both from MacPowerUser and from third - party developers . There are currently four itemsavailable for download : one for controlling iTunes , one for quickly accessing your Address Book contact , one that heel the sites most recently and most oft travel to in Safari , and one that replaces Apple ’s Eject menu special .
( It ’s dependable that the functionality of some of the available MenuStrip items is already leave by OS X ; for example , the mass point , eject item , and clock are alike to OS 10 menu extra . But OS X ’s clock carte item does n’t supply a drop - down calendar or an alarm . And I like that if your bill of fare bar is getting crowded , as mine is , MenuStrip let you move these items out of the menu streak while still leave them accessible . )
Finally , you could also draw applications , files , and pamphlet instantly into MenuStrip ’s configurations dialog to add those items to the strip ; adding a folder even give you a hierarchic menu of the folder ’s contents . And if you trail agroupof app program into the configurations dialog , you create an “ app Workgroup ” ; clicking this item in MenuStrip launches all of the included app simultaneously .
So what do n’t I like about MenuStrip ? For one matter , I did see a microbe : MenuStrip would crash on launching whenever the current Contacts plug - in was installed . ( MacPowerUser told me this is a rarified issue with some users ’ Address Books that ’s fasten in an forthcoming version of the Contacts plug - in . for sure enough , when I instal the forthcoming young rendering of the Contacts plug - in — which should be released soon — the job went away . ) I also care that MenuStrip point provided “ tooltip ” information boxes that would explain what each detail does ; the various “ action at law ” items that you could create often see like , so it would be helpful if you could figure out what each push does by holding the mouse pointer over it . Finally , I wish the collapse / expand animations were quicker ; when I need to speedily get at an item in MenuStrip , I do n’t want to hold off even a second for it to elaborate .
One other thing to consider : Although MenuStrip ’s $ 25 price tag may be a bargain if you turn over how much it would cost to get similar functionality from a combination of other product , if you only need a few of the items supply by MenuStrip , you may be able-bodied to obtain such functionality via freeware . Give the free demonstration a try yourself and see what you conceive .
MenuStrip is compatible with Mac OS X 10.2 ( Jaguar ) and subsequently .
