Author Topic: Desktop Pictures - why did Apple remove the old ones?  (Read 1399 times)

Offline kimmer

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Desktop Pictures - why did Apple remove the old ones?
« on: March 20, 2021, 11:47:45 AM »
Today I decided that, after 7+ months, I was sick of looking at the same ol' desktop photo on my laptop. My memory was that Apple had provided some nice artistic pictures, plus nature, patterns, and other things, so I launched "Desktops and Screen Savers" and was stunned to find a really trimmed down version of desktops. Most of what I remember as being there is gone. There used to be sub-folders, and those are gone. I'm guessing this happened when I upgraded to Catalina, but why? Couldn't Apple have left them? I want them all back!  :Hurt:

I have iPhone photos, but those are (imo) ugly unless they are viewed on the iPhone or iPad. I don't have access (yet) to my old iMac, and loads of my photos aren't in the cloud, so I don't have that option either. I'm praying my iMac still works as someone packed my backup drives and I haven't yet found them.

I guess I'm going to have to search for some good photos. What Apple is offering me is B. O. R. I. N. G. ;)
« Last Edit: March 20, 2021, 07:28:16 PM by kimmer »

Offline jchuzi

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Re: Desktop Pictures - where'd they go?
« Reply #1 on: March 20, 2021, 12:08:44 PM »
Do you have a Time Machine backup? You could restore them from there.
Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365

Offline kimmer

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Re: Desktop Pictures - where'd they go?
« Reply #2 on: March 20, 2021, 12:34:09 PM »
Do you have a Time Machine backup? You could restore them from there.
Not for my laptop, but I do for my iMac. That drive will, hopefully, be in the box with the other drives.  :dntknw:   :fool:  It's my fault. I'd set the drives aside in my open suitcase, and someone saw them and thought they should be in a box -- so in a box they are--I hope. :fool:

Offline Xairbusdriver

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Re: Desktop Pictures - where'd they go?
« Reply #3 on: March 20, 2021, 05:04:42 PM »
In Catalina, all mine are in HD/Library. However, they are cleverly hidden in a directory/folder titled "Desktop Pictures". :doh: You can create your own folder, add, remove, edit the images all you want. :clap: You will likely need to "authenticate" with your computer password; Apple doesn't like mere users messin' with System files. You'll likely also have to Restart to force the System to update the changes you made. I'm bettin' that any good search engine (Find Any File?) or even the mostly useless Spotlight can open the folder where they lurk. :Thinking:

Happy presentations of your favorite images! :thumbup:
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF COUNTRIES
Those that use metric = #1 Measurement system
And the United States = The Banana system
CAUTION! Childhood vaccinations cause adults! :yes:

Offline kimmer

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Re: Desktop Pictures - where'd they go?
« Reply #4 on: March 20, 2021, 07:27:50 PM »
In Catalina, all mine are in HD/Library.
Sorry, bad choice of wording for the title. I know where the folder is, but I was asking why Apple had removed all the former desktop photos. The nice ones. The abstract ones. The textured ones. The nature ones. Etc.

I did find a site that has lots of them available, and I downloaded several. I'm just puzzled, and stunned, that with an upgrade all those nice photos are POOF gone. I don't understand why Apple simply removes things that way.

Offline Xairbusdriver

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Re: Desktop Pictures - why did Apple remove the old ones?
« Reply #5 on: March 21, 2021, 09:34:27 AM »
No, no, MY bad. I misread your question which was why did Apple change/move/replace what you already had. The answer is: "Just because they could"! Seriously, I seem to remember this happening in some of the other "upgrades". I also think there should be a list in each User account, especially since Apple is moving further into the "Our stuff" is way more important than "Your stuff" mode. I have tended to edit the available DP's as I seem to always have Mail and Safari always covering 99% of my screen.
Quote
I don't understand why Apple simply removes things that way.
It's a feature! :doh: :wallbash: :blink:
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF COUNTRIES
Those that use metric = #1 Measurement system
And the United States = The Banana system
CAUTION! Childhood vaccinations cause adults! :yes:

Offline kimmer

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Re: Desktop Pictures - why did Apple remove the old ones?
« Reply #6 on: March 21, 2021, 05:59:02 PM »
Quote
I don't understand why Apple simply removes things that way.
It's a feature! :doh: :wallbash: :blink:
It's a feature I don't like. They even removed all the nice photos you'd sent me over the years, plus the orchid series that Sneakers took. I'm really praying my iMac starts and I can pull those off of it.  :blink:

Offline Xairbusdriver

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Re: Desktop Pictures - why did Apple remove the old ones?
« Reply #7 on: March 21, 2021, 06:45:14 PM »
I looked in my main, non-backup external drive and found a folder called "My Desktop Images". Guess what was inside? Many going back to 2014 and some 2013 images! Most of them are well below this iMacs screen resolution, of course... :)

That's probably another reason Apple installs 'new' Desktop Pictures or at least higher resolution ones. I doubt any of the DP's I had on my 128K Mac would render well now. Did we even have Desktop Images on that machine? It was only black and white!! :laughhard:
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF COUNTRIES
Those that use metric = #1 Measurement system
And the United States = The Banana system
CAUTION! Childhood vaccinations cause adults! :yes:

Offline Paddy

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Re: Desktop Pictures - why did Apple remove the old ones?
« Reply #8 on: March 22, 2021, 01:45:21 PM »
Hehe...ask and ye shall receive...

Every Mac wallpaper here: https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNNQyeVrqxBdNmBkq9ILswizuj-RYJFNt5GlxJZ90Y6hx0okrVSLKSnmFFbX7j5Mg?key=RV8tSXVJVGdfS1RIQUI0Q3RZZVhlTmw0WmhFZ2V3

Info that led me there: https://www.cultofmac.com/565233/heres-almost-every-wallpaper-apple-has-ever-made-for-mac-and-ios/

And, if that isn't enough and you want even more variety - THOUSANDS of fabulous FREE photos at https://unsplash.com
"If computers get too powerful, we can organize them into committees. That'll do them in." ~Author unknown •iMac 5K, 27" 3.6Ghz i9 (2019) • 16" M1 MBP(2021) • 9.7" iPad Pro • iPhone 13

Offline kimmer

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Re: Desktop Pictures - why did Apple remove the old ones?
« Reply #9 on: March 22, 2021, 04:38:58 PM »
Many thanks, Paddy!

Offline Paddy

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Re: Desktop Pictures - why did Apple remove the old ones?
« Reply #10 on: March 22, 2021, 08:55:40 PM »
Those System 7 ones certainly are a trip down memory lane!  :toothgrin:

Don't think they'd look too good on my 5k 27" iMac, somehow. :p

Now all we need is the Oscar the Grouch trash can mod. Anyone remember that? We took it off our IIsi - too afraid that our firstborn, who figured out how to turn it on at the age of 10 months, was going to figure out that throwing things away was FUN! (It did happen to other parents of small children)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE7EWDKVM1Y&ab_channel=Jes%C3%BAsA.%C3%81lvarez
"If computers get too powerful, we can organize them into committees. That'll do them in." ~Author unknown •iMac 5K, 27" 3.6Ghz i9 (2019) • 16" M1 MBP(2021) • 9.7" iPad Pro • iPhone 13

Offline kimmer

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Re: Desktop Pictures - why did Apple remove the old ones?
« Reply #11 on: March 23, 2021, 09:48:50 AM »
Love the old Teddy Bear one.  :clap:

Oscar the Grouch trash can .... oh my goodness. I'm laughing so hard I'm coughing.  :laughhard:  So many modifications that are now gone. I set a mod that made my trash can at the church office sing "Hallelujah!" every time I emptied it. Made both pastors laugh. Great on a rough day. ;)