I've received multiple PMs and such, about how I've made my desktop the way it is. I figured I'd make a thread about it. If anyone has anything to add, they can feel free.
Links are in bold
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Stardock
I'd advise everyone to look into programs offered by Stardock.
WindowBlinds - Allows you to customize all aspects of the Windows GUI.
ObjectDock - Allows you to use a dock, similar to an Apple computer. You can place whatever programs you want here, and it can completely replace your task bar if you want.
** If for some reason, you don't want Object Dock, there is also MobyDock, Rocket Dock, Aqua Dock and RK Launcher.
Cursor XP - If you want to change your cursor, this is probably the safest bet.
Desktop X - Integrates with Windows, giving several new features.
Icon Packager - Allows you to change your icons the easiest way possible.
** There are many more, but these are some main ones, I figured need mentioning. I use Object Dock, and Icon Packager myself.
** Most Stardock products cost money. Some, including Cursor XP and Object Dock, do not though.

Softpedia
There are tonnes of sites that can find freeware, and softpedia is one of them. It has a large list, and you can try looking through for anything you want.

Yahoo! Widgets
Personally, I use this for a mouse ball game, and my clock. Yahoo! Widgets has a lot of choices, and works very well.

Unsigned themes
You could buy StyleXP, or you could get the uxtheme.dll patcher, which happens to be free. From there, you can visit deviantART for themes.
** Yadda mentioned more about unsigned themes. You can find some at skinbase, and you can download the uxtheme.dll patcher easier, by follow these instructions -

Yadda wrote:1. Be sure you are using Windows XP, service pack 1, service pack 2 or Windows Server 2003, service pack 1.
2. Download and run UXTheme Multi-Patcher (Neowin Edition) 4.0.
3. You will get a message that warns you that you will get a “Windows File Protection” message and to not insert your Windows XP setup CD. Click on “OK”.
4. On the “Windows File Protection” message, click on “Cancel” and do NOT insert your Windows XP setup CD.
5. “Windows File Protection” will then ask, “Are you sure you want to keep these unrecognized files versions?” Click on “Yes”.
6. The installation process will begin or will ask to begin. It will say your computer needs to be restarted. Click on “OK”. Your computer will be restarted.

** You can create your own skins with Stardock skin studio, ResHacker, and various other programs.

Desktop backgrounds
You can choose themes of backgrounds, and you can browse all other the net! I generally check deviantART though, because of it's high quality works. I have a random assortment, of cartoony backgrounds, as well as a few others. You can download my collection here (none of the works are mine) - Click

Windows Live Messenger
Notice the layout for MSN is a little annoying? You can remove certain features with Apatch, including the pause in between nudges, and the advertisements.
If you want to skin your MSN, visit this site, and get a skin from here.
And, if you want MSN plus! that has a host of useful features, go here.

Microsoft Powertoys
There are several small programs by Microsoft, that you can add. They provide with small features you could enjoy, including the ClearType Tuner, Tweak UI, and Power Calculator.

Icons
If you can't get IconPackager, there are free icons all over the internet. You can try [url=www.google.com[/url]google[/url], or you can just try the provided link.

** There is also the tango icon package found here.

WinCustomize
A large amount of add-ons and themes, etc are on WinCustomize. If you want to customize a stardock application, this is your place.

Transparency
Link goes to Bolt's transparency review. It can make your windows physically appealing. You can even make your start bar slightly transparent if you want!

Google Desktop
SuperSupra mentioned this. It an Object Bar, provided with google. It provides search options, weather, time, media control, and more!

Appearance tab settings
Mentioned by Xemozu. Through right clicking your desktop, and selecting properties, you can then go to the appearance tab. Choices, like colours, text, and size of scrollbars, buttons, etc... are available there.

Avedesk
AveDesk is a tool that enables desklets on your desktop: desklets are small graphically pleasing mini-applications that are useful and fun to use. A desklet can be anything, a small sticky note, a weather foresight, a calculator, etc. It all depends on the imagination of the desklet creator.

Rainlendar
Rainlendar is a feature rich calendar application that is easy to use and doesn't take much space on your desktop. The application is platform independent so you can run it both on Windows and on Linux. The appearance can be customized with skins and you can even mix different skins together.

Weather Watcher
Weather Watcher is your personal Windows desktop weather station. Automatically retrieve the current conditions, hourly forecast, daily forecast, detailed forecast, severe weather alerts from weather maps for over 77,000 cities world-wide. The current conditions can be quickly viewed by holding your mouse pointer over the Weather Watcher system tray icon.

Samurize
Samurize is an advanced system monitoring and desktop enhancement engine for Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista. IT professionals, overclockers, gamers and desktop modders alike use Samurize for system information, weather reports, news headlines and much much more.

Panorama Scroller
Panorama Scroller is the simple program for scrolling panoramic images.
After installation you can see these panoramic images as desktop wallpaper.

Tclock2
Tclock2 is a taskbar clock for Windows. It is an extremely simple program and takes up practically no memory. It can be used to

• Change the clock's text, appearance, etc.
• Change the the taskbar (make it flat,transparent, etc)
• Change the Start button / menu
• Change the appearance of the desktop icons (somewhat glitchy)
• Synchronize your clock
• Set alarms

Kapsules
Kapsules is desktop widget engine for Microsoft Windows. You can get some widgets for it here

FlyakiteOSX
Literally make your XP system look like a mac.

BricoPack Vista Inspirat Ultimate
Make your XP system look like Vista.

Menu Inventor
Replace your start bar, and use a well organized menu with tonnes of capabilities.
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My desktop looks like this - http://www.filepact.com/files/Screen.PNG
Questions? Feel free to ask.

Impressive. Very nice list you have here, I'm sure it will help a lot of people.

I'll stick with windows classic though.

Thanks Crep. I updated it with a few more things this morning.

pretty good list, but you forgot go-faster stripes

Why would I include racing stripes....
And any chance I can get some more comments / a possible sticky?

As far as I'm concerned WindowsBlind is a speed killer(personal experience) So if you don't have a good computer you'll probably notice that your computer is slowed down because of WindowsBlind.

Nice guide btw?

Great job. This is a well-thought out and well-organized list. I've always been one to want my computer looking its best, but still having great performance, so, this really appealed to me. I've already got a new icon pack and downloaded Apatch for msn messenger.
Good work Nev.

I definately think this should be stickied and gradually added on to, it's a great list of resources.

+1 to Nev's useful topics... <_<

You should add Google Desktop.

Good tute, I will contribute adding this, not sure if many people know about it, it doesnt change a lot but w/e : go to the desktop and then properties and then go here:


in that menu you can change the color of the taskbar, and some other things to an olive green (it sucks believe me) and to a silver color wich in my opinion seems way better than the default blue.

I mentioned both of your suggestions Supra / Xemozu. Thank you, and thank you Jynx for the sticky.

I used to really be into this kind of stuff. Stuff like WindowsBlinds wasn't enough. I actually made a custom desktop theme once, and it was a lot of work. I didn't just change the graphics, I used a shell program to totally re-arrange the navigation system and stuff. It was pretty cool.

Then I realized that nobody cares about what your desktop looks like, and it just slows it down <_< This is cool for people who like aesthetics, but if you're like me and try to run pretty work-heavy apps on a laptop, you need all the power you can get :P

oh shiz I forgot other thing.. sorry for not posting this along with my last post.

you can go here (again):


and then click on advanced options:



There you can customize another load of things, I must go out soon so i cannot translate all these things, but for example the one that is selected changes the color of the selected objects, this image is the result of changing it to a yellow color (the one that im using currently)

I have a purchased copy of windowsblinds, I don't mind releasing the E-mail so all of DD can have it free.

Pistolman wrote:I have a purchased copy of windowsblinds, I don't mind releasing the E-mail so all of DD can have it free.

This is sort of illegal I think... so you shouldn't be mentioning it...

And Xemozu.. the spanish is confusing me, but I did mention that there are a lot of modifiable features.