Desktop Customization
Posted: 12 Dec 2010 12:28
Okay I'm not sure on the reception I'm going to get from this post but I'll put it out there anyway and see what happens.
I've rebuilt my main computer and reinstalled a vanilla windows xp os on it. I hate the stupid green hill and generic start bar so I want to customize it so its all sexy and cool. Each time I got to try and do it I get bogged down on some little detail or it doesn't look right so I'm looking for you wonderful guys - my dlt friends as it were - to help me out on this and perhaps along the way we all might learn something new from each other in regards to this little art form. So here's what I'm looking for:
) I have a dual-monitor system with screen res of 1440 x 900 on each machine
) I'm looking for a space-like theme - I've tried a fire & ice type theme in the past (ice on one side and flames on the other) and thought maybe combine the two - perhaps a red giant star in one screen and a blue dwarf in the other??
) I have played around with object dock and rainmeter in previous versions with limited success but can download them and work with them if you can teach me.
) I want to get away from the generic start button on the start bar but not sure if this is possible pre-win7 ?
) I would like a calendar on the background I heard rainendar is best for this? - will it sync with a google calendar?
) I have a large number of network drives I need to keep an eye on for size and it would be nice to have them down one of the sides.
) A weather app would be nice too but not essential
) I've been mucking about with start bar toolbars and use them quite a lot so the design will have to have some of these for icons and desktop/mydocs access.
) iTunes (yeah I know it sucks) controller would be nice too?
Some examples I like:
http://images.4chan.org/wg/src/1292106448018.jpg
Like this one as its very minimalist - doesn't try to be overbearing - love the clock in the centre and the music controller in the bottom left.
http://images.4chan.org/wg/src/1292088304836.jpg
love the calendar in the bottom right corner of this one - pretty smart and the "msn chat / firefox internet..." launcher.
http://images.4chan.org/wg/src/1292094046685.png
I quite like this one although it looks a bit too busy for what I'm after. Nice calendar on the right. I'm after this sort of startbar if its possible to achieve with winxp if not then I suppose I could auto-hide it and rely on using toolbars and an icon dock.
Other notable mentions:
http://images.4chan.org/wg/src/1292098843600.jpg
http://images.4chan.org/wg/src/1292098926806.jpg
http://images.4chan.org/wg/src/1291850244950.png
What I'm hoping is that perhaps you guys can point me to the right sites to get the background from, the right programs to use to create the various details and how to customize it and put it altogether and ideally we'll have a nice little thread on how to customize your desktop using mine as a kind of tutorial???
ps Please can I start using customise instead of customize as my fingers keep putting s's and I keep having to correct them!
I've rebuilt my main computer and reinstalled a vanilla windows xp os on it. I hate the stupid green hill and generic start bar so I want to customize it so its all sexy and cool. Each time I got to try and do it I get bogged down on some little detail or it doesn't look right so I'm looking for you wonderful guys - my dlt friends as it were - to help me out on this and perhaps along the way we all might learn something new from each other in regards to this little art form. So here's what I'm looking for:
) I have a dual-monitor system with screen res of 1440 x 900 on each machine
) I'm looking for a space-like theme - I've tried a fire & ice type theme in the past (ice on one side and flames on the other) and thought maybe combine the two - perhaps a red giant star in one screen and a blue dwarf in the other??
) I have played around with object dock and rainmeter in previous versions with limited success but can download them and work with them if you can teach me.
) I want to get away from the generic start button on the start bar but not sure if this is possible pre-win7 ?
) I would like a calendar on the background I heard rainendar is best for this? - will it sync with a google calendar?
) I have a large number of network drives I need to keep an eye on for size and it would be nice to have them down one of the sides.
) A weather app would be nice too but not essential
) I've been mucking about with start bar toolbars and use them quite a lot so the design will have to have some of these for icons and desktop/mydocs access.
) iTunes (yeah I know it sucks) controller would be nice too?
Some examples I like:
http://images.4chan.org/wg/src/1292106448018.jpg
Like this one as its very minimalist - doesn't try to be overbearing - love the clock in the centre and the music controller in the bottom left.
http://images.4chan.org/wg/src/1292088304836.jpg
love the calendar in the bottom right corner of this one - pretty smart and the "msn chat / firefox internet..." launcher.
http://images.4chan.org/wg/src/1292094046685.png
I quite like this one although it looks a bit too busy for what I'm after. Nice calendar on the right. I'm after this sort of startbar if its possible to achieve with winxp if not then I suppose I could auto-hide it and rely on using toolbars and an icon dock.
Other notable mentions:
http://images.4chan.org/wg/src/1292098843600.jpg
http://images.4chan.org/wg/src/1292098926806.jpg
http://images.4chan.org/wg/src/1291850244950.png
What I'm hoping is that perhaps you guys can point me to the right sites to get the background from, the right programs to use to create the various details and how to customize it and put it altogether and ideally we'll have a nice little thread on how to customize your desktop using mine as a kind of tutorial???
ps Please can I start using customise instead of customize as my fingers keep putting s's and I keep having to correct them!