No matter how unstable or questionably useful these types of packs were, I really miss this era of Windows customization and can’t help but feel like we really lost something as things became more locked down and standardized. We’re really fortunate that Linux DEs/WMs still exist.
Stardock still has a bunch of software to customize the look & feel of Windows, including Windows 10. You can have skins (allowing for deeper modifications than shown here actually, like placing the buttons on the left side of the titlebar), dock, get the old Start Menu back, add animation effects to your windows, add shadows, create new color modes aside from dark and light modes, have animated desktop backgrounds, group your windows/instances of apps in tabs, and a few other cool stuff. What I kinda miss is ObjectBar. It allowed to have an actual OSX-like top-bar that would actually replace the window-per-window menubar (it would hack into the windows to remove the menubar and instead show the menu in the top bar just like OSX does). The old time of Windows silly customization is not dead. But it's a little on the pricey side.
I did a very similar customization to my KDE plasma desktop so it looks like Mas os X cheetah. You have a choice to put the title bar buttons on the left or right sides
I used to be obsessed with theming during Windows XP days, and I remember being so excited for things like this. I tried so many times to get my PC to look like a Mac lol. Blast from the past.
I discovered Linux at age 13, when I got a Chromebook for christmas. Yes, my first experience with Linux was through Crouton. I did have a Windows 10 laptop for a year after that, but my fascination with Linux stuck, and I started playing around with various distros in virtual machines, fast forward a year, and I now run Manjaro KDE as my main OS.
I remember doing this on my XP SP3 lappy years ago. God, the amount of paranoia that I had doing all of these, thinking that I would lose my OS if I make a single mistake on the steps and installations. Good ol' days.
Wow, this takes me back. I remember installing this program when I was about 8 or 9 years old! I think I got sick of it after a month or two and reverted back to the classic Luna theme 😁
Will always remember trying to make my windows XP look like OS X with the Flyakite :D this is a nice throwback and reminds me of the good times I had doing that haha
Takes me back to FlyAKite! Back in the day, I had slipstreamed XPSP3 with updates and the FlyAKite modifications into an install CD, so that my fresh install of WinXP booted straight into OSX. Great memories!
A : Dude, I have install mac on my PC! B : OMG that is so cool, I wanted to do some video editing, can I borrow your PC? A: Um, no B : Why not? A: It does not have I-Movie B: What? Which Mac OS version do you have? A : *_WinOSX_*
I think there was also an application that you could run to attempt to replicate the MacOS menu bar, I distinctly remember using it at least once. Install a Mac transformation pack like WinOSX, run that application, place the taskbar at the top of the screen, also optionally run Leftsider to place the window buttons on the lefthand side, and bam, can't even tell the difference between that and a Mac.
Fun fact: Microsoft liked the idea of Stardock's Window Blinds software and tried to purchase the company to get the technology. Stardock refused but instead allowed Microsoft to license the technology. It's what Microsoft used to skin Windows XP. In return for the license Stardock got permission to create skinning and modding utilities for Windows which created a flurry of new software like Cursor FX, Window FX, and more. Microsoft went back on the license agreement for Windows 7 by creating their own skinning routines based on what they learnt from Stardock's. Stardock is still going strong and even offer some of their software on Steam these days. I personally have a subscription to their Object Desktop suite which includes all their skinning/modding software plus free updates during the subscription.
Another "bug" with this mod is that on some of the windows, the minimize/maximize/close buttons DO appear on the left. However, they appear to the RIGHT on the rest of them. Apparently they couldn't get past Windows' defaults on all of them.
There is another transformation pack but is a Spanish one if I remember, IssoPack 7 which transforms Windows XP to different OS: Windows 7, Vista and MacOS X Leopard if I am not wrong
Ah, so much nostalgia! Never used that one, but I did spend hours to make a custom OSX lookalike style, although going to the length of making the most cloned look was never my intention.
Can you cover Windows shell replacements/alternatives? I used to love customizing my own Windows shell replacement until it looked nothing like Windows.
I remember the good old days I was using such transformation packs on WIN XP. Now I don't really need such huge transformations. I just need to do some small customizations just to improve my workflow.
I think I used one of these programs on an XP VM years ago. It was basically the same thing, but I wasn't able to install it lol EDIT: I think it was this one actually
Nce! I had this theme back in the day and am still using the theme cursors till this day. edit: just that it was from leopardOSx, not flykiteOSx, very similar themes
I remember back in the day, I think I had a transformation pack called Vistamizer and it actually worked really well, allowed me to get Windows XP to have the Vista style I loved so much without actually running a buggy pos operating system like Vista.
Flyakyte OSX, Vista Transformation Pack. I also missed Royale Remix and a theme pack called Windows XPerience, that brought some sounds from Vista and themes from Whisler and Longhorn
Wasn't it "Windows Messenger" what was installed with Windows XP which was a version with less features? MSN Messenger was to be downloaded separately.
I did this same thing in my windows xp vm in virtual box but when it rebooted after I downloaded it i had went into display properties and I applied the winosx theme it did not fix the classic start menu
I Just tried to install this on Windows 10 and the dialogue box says "Your Operating system is not Windows XP. Due to some limitations of windows, WinOSX can be installed only on Windows XP. The installation will now quit."
Interesting that they can't actually get the menubar to work. I remember a theme pack for either Windows 3.1 or Windows 98 that would actually remove the menubar from apps and display it on top. And it also moved the window buttons to the left. Unfortunately, it also wound up hosing my dialup internet connection.
![Megan Thee Stallion - Bigger In Texas [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QxTkZTLWdo4/mqdefault.jpg)
No matter how unstable or questionably useful these types of packs were, I really miss this era of Windows customization and can’t help but feel like we really lost something as things became more locked down and standardized. We’re really fortunate that Linux DEs/WMs still exist.
Stardock still has a bunch of software to customize the look & feel of Windows, including Windows 10. You can have skins (allowing for deeper modifications than shown here actually, like placing the buttons on the left side of the titlebar), dock, get the old Start Menu back, add animation effects to your windows, add shadows, create new color modes aside from dark and light modes, have animated desktop backgrounds, group your windows/instances of apps in tabs, and a few other cool stuff.
What I kinda miss is ObjectBar. It allowed to have an actual OSX-like top-bar that would actually replace the window-per-window menubar (it would hack into the windows to remove the menubar and instead show the menu in the top bar just like OSX does).
The old time of Windows silly customization is not dead. But it's a little on the pricey side.
Get debian os ... Get Tails os
I did a very similar customization to my KDE plasma desktop so it looks like Mas os X cheetah. You have a choice to put the title bar buttons on the left or right sides
Windowsblinds still does this
@@jasonenns5076 Debian and Tails for desktop usage
*FACEPALM
I used to be obsessed with theming during Windows XP days, and I remember being so excited for things like this. I tried so many times to get my PC to look like a Mac lol. Blast from the past.
I wouldn’t have discovered Linux at the age of 10 without searching for transformation packs
Yes!
I discovered Linux at age 9 with Kano
@@Lim95 Yes
I learned about Linux as a fetus
I discovered Linux at age 13, when I got a Chromebook for christmas.
Yes, my first experience with Linux was through Crouton.
I did have a Windows 10 laptop for a year after that, but my fascination
with Linux stuck, and I started playing around with various distros in
virtual machines, fast forward a year, and I now run Manjaro KDE as my main OS.
7:44 You know you messed up something on your computer when Windows falls back to the Windows Classic style,
*flashbacks* yeahhh
That how I used to run my PC at the time. The performance was much faster than the other themes.
PTSD
Ok
Clever placement of a link to a secret video! 😎
Time stamp? (I'm bad at spotting things)
@@Everytwo_ 3:07 - look at registered organization
@@tennickjestzajety69 thank you
It just brings me up to a unavailable video (edit: mistaken the 8 for a 9, its a shame its not a rickroll lol)
italian rick roll, very funny michael
I’d love to see some scam-baiters bait with this theme, claiming to be randomly using a PC or a Mac, just to throw them off either way.
Have you tried that one guy who always does those things?
@@rcmero lmfao nice meme
@@rcmero who?
@@nezzled Probably Kitboga. He does OS transformation stuff sometimes
I remember doing this on my XP SP3 lappy years ago. God, the amount of paranoia that I had doing all of these, thinking that I would lose my OS if I make a single mistake on the steps and installations. Good ol' days.
Can someone provide a valid reason as to why they didn't call it OSXP? Because that's making me a bit upset.
They surrendered before they finished typing the name.
@@orokro_stuff lmao
Wow, this takes me back. I remember installing this program when I was about 8 or 9 years old! I think I got sick of it after a month or two and reverted back to the classic Luna theme 😁
Will always remember trying to make my windows XP look like OS X with the Flyakite :D this is a nice throwback and reminds me of the good times I had doing that haha
how do you have the checkmark but only 1k subs?
Sheeesh, Michael i've been watching quite a while now, You are amazing keep up these videos, im always never bored while watching your videos
Man, this is making me nostalgic for XP. I really wanna play some old PC games like the WildTangent and After Dark series.
I remember the wild tangent games! Polar bowling lol...
I actually throught that this was a video from months ago. I'm happy that these types of videos is back
Thanks Michael, you are amazing!
I remember doing this in the early 2000s. Was a blast getting windows to look almost identical to OS X!
its what make windows XP amazing. all the software support even today some new programs is coming out on winXP
A Michael MJD video? What a treat!
ikr
You rickrolled me in italian!
You found a way to rickroll me in my native language. This is amazing
Holy crap I remember using this... what a blast from the past!!
Finally a new awesome video!
Thank you!
Man, I had something similar to this back in the late 2000s that made Windows Vista look like Snow Leopard!
Takes me back to FlyAKite! Back in the day, I had slipstreamed XPSP3 with updates and the FlyAKite modifications into an install CD, so that my fresh install of WinXP booted straight into OSX. Great memories!
Taking windows skins to the next level by making it look like a Mac I love it
dood, that oldschool iTunes logo just hit me HARD. o_o
Imagine using apple products and recognizing their logos🤢
@@metaphysicalgraffiti bestie why are you here answer quick
@@metaphysicalgraffiti then why are you watching a video about changing winxp to look like a macos
Great video! You should do a retrospective of Nero 8 sometime :)
Finally another amazing mjd video
New demonstration video Yes!
I remember installing packs like these on my unpowered Dell netbook to the point where it was almost unusable, ah good times :')
Nice! So glad I suggested this!
The reason why it modfiies so many files is to allow a closer look to OSX instead of just a "theme".
Been all week waiting but he's back
A : Dude, I have install mac on my PC!
B : OMG that is so cool, I wanted to do some video editing, can I borrow your PC?
A: Um, no
B : Why not?
A: It does not have I-Movie
B: What? Which Mac OS version do you have?
A : *_WinOSX_*
What a blast from the past! I used this theme on my XP laptop until 2011.
Awesome video, Michael!
Thank you!
I think there was also an application that you could run to attempt to replicate the MacOS menu bar, I distinctly remember using it at least once. Install a Mac transformation pack like WinOSX, run that application, place the taskbar at the top of the screen, also optionally run Leftsider to place the window buttons on the lefthand side, and bam, can't even tell the difference between that and a Mac.
objectbar?
No, that's a dock, I think.
like, its cool right, but like... *what market is this for,* i cant imagine how long this took to make for like, who to use?
Your were so preoccupied with whether or not you could, they didn’t stop to think if you should.
I used to do this back in the day. Theming XP was my life for a while.
Fun fact: Microsoft liked the idea of Stardock's Window Blinds software and tried to purchase the company to get the technology. Stardock refused but instead allowed Microsoft to license the technology. It's what Microsoft used to skin Windows XP. In return for the license Stardock got permission to create skinning and modding utilities for Windows which created a flurry of new software like Cursor FX, Window FX, and more. Microsoft went back on the license agreement for Windows 7 by creating their own skinning routines based on what they learnt from Stardock's.
Stardock is still going strong and even offer some of their software on Steam these days. I personally have a subscription to their Object Desktop suite which includes all their skinning/modding software plus free updates during the subscription.
Another "bug" with this mod is that on some of the windows, the minimize/maximize/close buttons DO appear on the left. However, they appear to the RIGHT on the rest of them. Apparently they couldn't get past Windows' defaults on all of them.
I just time travelled haha! these themes for xp brings back so many memories!
Miss this kind of transformation pack, especially Vista transformation pack for XP.
The program always making problem sometime.
Yes, they brought really nice look and feel
HOLY FUCK. I remember using Transformation packs back in like 2007 man. what a fucking deep memory.
I can't believe Michael didn't rickroll us at 16:03. Just seems to open up a random song.
If you watch at 15:45 and open the link... He rickrolled us with an Italian song (the base is the rickroll one but the vocals are in Italian) haahah
Love the video Michael, I have installed this on Windows 10 21H1 x64 bit, it is an interesting turn out please do this on video!
I find that exceptionally hard to believe
@@Cyba_IT Wdym?
@@landlps it's 7 months late. But how?
With skunpack?
When I was young this is all I did on Windows XP
IF YOU dont know what is mypal is a browser made only for windows xp and vista but it works on newer versions of windows
the website no longer exists :(
if you try to load it will just give you an error
The outcome when MacOS and Windows has a baby: *WinOSX*
7:42
Windows XP and mac os X bars combined?
You're welcome Michael MJD!
WinOS X = Windows XP + MacOS X
Crystal XP = Windows XP + Linux _(Appearance)/_ Windows Longhorn/Vista/7 Theme.
There is another transformation pack but is a Spanish one if I remember, IssoPack 7 which transforms Windows XP to different OS: Windows 7, Vista and MacOS X Leopard if I am not wrong
Cool! Will definitely try it!
Ah, so much nostalgia!
Never used that one, but I did spend hours to make a custom OSX lookalike style, although going to the length of making the most cloned look was never my intention.
Crystal OS iS better right?
Memories! I hated Windows so much I was willing to butcher it to make it vaguely resemble OS X lol.
I did something very similar on my Windows XP back in 2007 :D The memories
Can you cover Windows shell replacements/alternatives? I used to love customizing my own Windows shell replacement until it looked nothing like Windows.
I remember the good old days I was using such transformation packs on WIN XP. Now I don't really need such huge transformations. I just need to do some small customizations just to improve my workflow.
Pretty awesome Transformation Pack
I think I used one of these programs on an XP VM years ago.
It was basically the same thing, but I wasn't able to install it lol
EDIT: I think it was this one actually
Missed opportunity to call it WinOSXP
Michael MJD, how about covering the Candy theme which was in the leaked Windows XP source code?
Nce! I had this theme back in the day and am still using the theme cursors till this day.
edit: just that it was from leopardOSx, not flykiteOSx, very similar themes
A hackintosh without hackintosh
Wow I remember using FlyaKiteOSX back in the day!
Insane macintosh window
you know what would be better with this customization pack? official safari port by apple (that one windows version of safari)
15:43 I just got rickrolled in Italian
Wow! This is great :) Windows skinned to MacOSX, pretty interesting stuff.
HEY MJD REMEMBER YOURAN WINXP ON AN IPOD WITH MOJO PAC.I FIGURED HOW TO RUN WINDOWS 10 OF IT
"If you use internet explorer for......some reason" beautiful line, bravo
Great, now i can use Supermium on Tiger😂
Speaking of windows XP, how do you get the internet to work on a windows XP virtual machine? I can’t figure out how to get it to work.
I’m asking for help so that I can fully experience windows XP software and stuff like packs in this video
Download Firefox ESR 52 or Mypal in host machine. Copy it to VM. Install. Should work!
That's so cool!! :D
I remember back in the day, I think I had a transformation pack called Vistamizer and it actually worked really well, allowed me to get Windows XP to have the Vista style I loved so much without actually running a buggy pos operating system like Vista.
Vista was never bad, its only was ahead for its time
@@alpinelake true
I wonder if this pack would work on a post reset Longhorn beta build...
I love windows xp transformation packs and Mac OS X
Aah yes, I remember doing this back in the day
i can't believe i just watched a theme video for windows xp... anyways, good video! i wonder if there is an equivalent for windows 10?
Boot the operating system from an IPod so you can use it anywhere
so many memories. nostalgia
Flyakyte OSX, Vista Transformation Pack. I also missed Royale Remix and a theme pack called Windows XPerience, that brought some sounds from Vista and themes from Whisler and Longhorn
Next: World Transformation Pack War III
Michael MJD! yey!
Wasn't it "Windows Messenger" what was installed with Windows XP which was a version with less features? MSN Messenger was to be downloaded separately.
Is there a pack that can make windows 10 look like XP? Or at least close? Was just curious how that would look.
Can we get a version of this but for Windows 10?
I used to use the Win 7 pack back in the day.
I'd like this for Windows 10.
Why would you do that?
Me: Mom can we get a Mac?
Mom: We've got a Mac computer at home
Mac computer at home: ...
I did this same thing in my windows xp vm in virtual box but when it rebooted after I downloaded it i had went into display properties and I applied the winosx theme it did not fix the classic start menu
Vistamizer blew my mind back in the day
I Just tried to install this on Windows 10 and the dialogue box says "Your Operating system is not Windows XP. Due to some limitations of windows, WinOSX can be installed only on Windows XP. The installation will now quit."
I loved those XP theme customizations and hated them at the same time. They looked wonderful but 99% of them had horrible support for RTL languages.
I remember years ago when I asked my mom I if could install a Windows Vista XP theme pack in her computer
Everyones Favorit opareting system
I would've loved using this as a kid if I knew about it at the time
Apple and Microsoft: Oh my god! LOL!
Flyakite was my fav
Interesting that they can't actually get the menubar to work. I remember a theme pack for either Windows 3.1 or Windows 98 that would actually remove the menubar from apps and display it on top. And it also moved the window buttons to the left.
Unfortunately, it also wound up hosing my dialup internet connection.