Customizing Windows

Windows Display Properties

Do you know how to change the background (wallpaper) in Windows? How about the appearance and color of the Titlebar? All of these items, and more, can be changed from the 'Display' properties in the 'Control Panel' in Windows. To quickly access the 'Display' properties, right-click on an open spot of the wallpaper, and select 'Properties' from the menu that appears.
Note: Be careful in making changes to the 'Settings' properties. If you exceed the capabilities of your monitor, you can damage it, or make your display unreadable! If this does happen, read how to correct this using Safe Mode.

Put Your Desktop On The Start Menu

Have your desktop on always available on the Start Menu.
Right click on the desktop. Select New, Shortcut. Type in explorer.exe /root,
Note: there is a space between .exe and the /, and the comma is not a typo.
Click 'Next'. Type in Desktop as the name, then click 'Finish'. Now drag the 'Desktop' icon to the Start button and release it. When you click on the new shortcut, your desktop items will appear in a window.

Expand Your SendTo Options

When you right-click on any icon, a menu appears offering a number of actions to perform on it. One of the most versatile is the 'SendTo' list. Microsoft set up the 'SendTo' folder in your 'Windows' folder with a few locations. You can add items (shortcuts) to this folder, and then quickly launch a program and open the icon file. To add, open 'My Computer', 'C:\', 'Windows', and then the 'SendTo' folder. Right-click in this window, and select 'New', 'Shortcut'. The first shortcut I added was to Notepad, then to my Windows folder. and my favorite graphics viewer. There must be a program you use everyday, that deserves a place in this folder, then access is just a right-click away.

WindowBlinds

This is my favorite add-in to Windows. WindowBlinds is part of ObjectDesk from Stardock. This add-in offers hundreds of new borders for your windows. Besides changing the look, it can also change the way you work with your computer. Instead of minimizing a window, you can roll it up into it's Titlebar, then unroll it. The newer versions offer quick launch buttons for popular programs and a 'QuickMenu'. If you only try one add-in, this is the one it should be. Stardock offers a complete system called 'ObjectDesk' which is designed to improve the way your computer looks and how you work with it.

Alternate Shells

A 'Shell' is the environment in which you work to do all the different tasks with your computer. Windows uses the 'Explorer' shell. The main components of most shells are the 'Start' button, the 'Taskbar' and the 'System Tray'.

Note: Changing the shell is not something you should try without having a very good understanding of the Windows environment!

With that said, here are some of the more popular replacement shells sites I have tried:

Skinz | Rating: * * * * *

This is THE place to find everything that is happening in the Windows customization world. This site contains information on wallpapers, replacement shells, and Windows add-ins available for download.

Cloud9ine | Rating: * * *

This a small fast shell replacement. It works with a small screen footprint, so you have a large area available for the program window.

DesktopX | Rating: * * * * *

A versatile, powerful, and easily modified shell replacement. Of all the shell replacemnets available, this one is the easiest to setup and use. It's simplicity is also it's power. As a first look at a replacement shell, this is the one to try. You may end up not looking any further!

Evolution | Rating: * * * * *

An easy to use, complete replacement shell. It comes with great wallpapers and icons to choose as your desktop.

GeoShell | Rating: * *

A menu driven shell replacement.

HoverDesk | Rating: * * * * *

Not really a replacement shell. This program runs in the Windows environment, and work with the Explorer shell, to give you some very powerful and unique looks to your desktop. The excellent graphics, in the available themes, make this program worth a look.

IceSphere | Rating: * *

Another small footprint shell.

LiteStep | Rating: * * * *

LiteStep has been around for a few years and has a very good selection of desktop themes to choose. The main drawback to this open source shell, is the fact that a theme is created to work with a particular version of the program and add-ins. You usually need to have seperate folders with each theme AND the LiteStep program AND all of the add-ins. This duplication ensures the theme will work, but it means you also will have to rename folders to switch themes. It is a very powerful and fast shell, but it is not easy to change from one theme to another.

WinStep | Rating: * * *

A right-click menu driven shell replacement.

Neon | Rating: * *

A small, fast, menuing replacement shell.

Talisman | Rating: * * * * *

If you are lookng for a completely new look to your environment, this may be the shell you are looking for. It has many unique themes available and a very intuitive process for customizing it to your system.