Dock Library - a Free Utility to Change the Mac OSX Dock

Mac OS X has long been known for two things (these aren't the only two things it's known for, but these aspects do get brought up again and again). First is that OS X has a fantastic user interface. Everyone from Windows to Linux users have tried, with varying degrees of success, to emulate it. The second is that, especially compared to Linux, but also to Windows, Mac OS X is just not very customizable.

If you like the way OS X looks, then great, everything is fine. If not, however, and you don't want to spring for a program such as Shapeshifter, you're pretty much out of luck in the customization area. Sure, you can change the color of highlighted text, but that's about it.

And OS X Leopard, Apple's newest version of OS X, is not any different. So it's pretty fantastic, in my mind, that applications such as Dock Library exist.

Dock Library is a completely free utility that allows Mac OS X Leopard users to change the look of the new Dock. The Dock, long a point of contention between Mac users who feel it's all flash and no substance, and those who feel it does the job, got a makeover for Leopard. Gone was the flat, transparent look, replaced with a snazzy 3D look.

Of course, you can't change that look, even if you want to, and if you want to return to the look of previous versions of the Dock, you can't, except with a 3rd party application.

Dock Library is that application.

Dock Library is incredibly easy to use, and allows Mac users, with only a click or two of the mouse, to use any of the new Dock themes found at LeopardDocks.com or LeopardDocks.net!

To use Dock Library, simply start it up. It will scan your Dock, saving (I assume), the original artwork, so that you can revert to the standard version later, if you choose.

Dock Library doesn't come with any Dock themes, but a trip to one of the sites mentioned above can change all that. Simply browse through their collections of Dock themes and download one. You don't even have to unzip what you download! Simply use the Import Dock button in the toolbar to find one of those downloaded files, and Dock Library imports it into its library. From here, changing the look of your dock is as simple as highlighting on the Dock theme you like and then clicking the Set Dock button.

You'll be asked to input your administrative password, since using Dock Library does involve some risk, as you're changing system-level files, but in my experience it worked perfectly. Once you input your password, the Dock will restart, to allow it to show the changes. And that's it, a brand new (looking) Dock!

There are tons of different Dock themes out there, from slight tweaks of Apple's standard Dock ( like one that darkens the Dock a bit, but doesn't change much else), to fanciful Dock themes of yellow graph paper, grass, rocks and more. All available to download and install, thanks to Dock Library.

So, if you're looking to add a little pep to your Dock, or simply want to add a little variety to your life, check out Dock Library. A great, free utility.