If Your Mac Has an Old Video Card, the Leopard Menu Bar Isn’t Translucent

Apple KnowledgeBase:

Some graphics cards, such as an NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200, may not have the necessary OpenGL capabilities to display a translucent menu bar even though they are compatible with Core Image. Those cards should render most effects, but not the translucent menu bar.

So the irony is that you get a better-looking menu bar with a crappier video card.

It’d be the tip of the year if there were a hidden defaults preference to use the no-translucency menu bar no matter what.

★ Wednesday, 7 November 2007