Skip to Content
Skip to Table of Contents

← Previous Article Next Article →

ATPM 5.12
December 1999

Columns

How To

Extras

Reviews

Download ATPM 5.12

Choose a format:

Desktop Pictures

Clouds

This month’s desktop picture series takes us from the earth to the skies. I find clouds very fascinating—watching them wander at high speeds through the air, changing patterns, imagining what shapes lie hidden inside them. Whether you like watching clouds or not, I think we can see them as nature’s contribution to abstract art. These pictures were taken in North America, Switzerland, and from the high cruising altitude of a Boeing 747. Go to the download page! If you haven’t seen the older parts of the series, they can be found here:

Placing Desktop Pictures

Mac OS 8.5 and Newer Go to the “Appearance” control panel. Click on the “Desktop” tab at the top of the window. Press the “Place Picture...” button in the bottom right corner, then select the desired image. By default, it will show you the images in the “Desktop Pictures” subfolder of your “Appearance” folder in the System Folder, however you can select images from anywhere on your hard disk.

After you select the desired image file and press “Choose,” a preview will appear in the Appearance window. The “Position Automatically” selection is usually fine. You can play with the settings to see if you like the others better. You will see the result in the little preview screen.

If you are satisfied with the selection, click on “Set Desktop” in the lower right corner of the window. That’s it! Should you ever want to get rid of it, just go to the desktop settings again and press “Remove Picture.”

Mac OS 8.0 and 8.1 Go to the “Desktop Patterns” control panel. Click on “Desktop Pictures” in the list on the left of the window, and follow steps similar to the ones above.

Random Desktop Pictures If you drag a folder of pictures onto the miniature desktop in the Appearance or Desktop Pictures control panel, your Mac will choose one from the folder at random when it starts up.

DeskPicture An alternative to Mac OS’s Appearance control panel is Pierce Software’s DeskPicture, available here. You can also find a review of DeskPicture on this page.

 

apple

Also in This Series

Reader Comments (1)

Amanda S. · November 5, 2001 - 21:10 EST #1
I love the pictures of the clouds. They helped me a lot with a project I have due in three days! You should have things like funnel clouds or different captions such as that. Otherwise, you're lookin' good!

Add A Comment





 E-mail me new comments on this article