Techy Desktop addons/programs.

I like my desktop looking amazing, the Vista sidebar gadget on my laptop allows me to have some pretty interesting programs floating around my screen. However for XP there is no windows sidebar.

I've tried the Yahoo sidebar, and it was good, but just can't compare. However what i am looking for here isn't necessarily a side bar.

Any generally nerdy or fun programs that sit on your desktop, and either make it look nicer, or give viable information would be greatly appreciated.

I run the CPU/RAM usage prog/time&date and the weather.

I think Yahoo! Widgets are the best you'll get on XP, and frankly they're not much different from the Gadgets you'll see on Vista. Vista just looks better because it has Aero backing up the Gadgets for aesthetics.

You can take a look at Stardock... I use to use them back in my XP days (pre-gaming) they specialize in XP theme customization.

You might want to take a look at the Stardock website for their Object Desktop subscription (several programs for one price, updates for a year) . It's not perfect (mainly poor documentation, more rarely a bug or clashing program) but it allows you to change your desktop appearance. Depending on your personal "best desktop" preferences some of their other programs might also be worth purchasing (ObjectDock Plus is a possibility).

Add things like Rainlender, SysMetrix, replacement media players etc to get things just the way you want them. Personally I'm so used to my customized desktop that I'm always underwhelmed by XP when I am forced to use it for some reason.

Take a look here: www.stardock.com. They're the folks that are supporting www.wincustomize.com (one of the major desktop art/object repositories on the web). www.deviantart.com also has desktop stuff but they've branched out to be a bit more art/graphic media focused.

Edit: I don't happen to have Rainlender or SysMetrix website links handy at the moment, but I learned of both through the wincustomize site so their will be something their. There is a wiki also, but last I looked it needed more articles.

Oh and that whole Mac and Aero glass thing has been totally imitated via WindowBlinds for XP. WindowBlinds can be purchased separately or comes as part of the Object Desktop subscription. Price wise the subscription is more cost effective - less money for more programs. You might not use them all, but they're available to you for the year in case your needs change.

Another thing you might wanna try is Emerge Desktop, it replaces Explorer.exe (there is no normal start menu, it is in the right click) andyways, uses lot less ram and looks awesome too.

You can search my posts in the "show off your desktop" thread....I would, but on dialup it would take hour or so to load.

A friend of mine got sidebar to work in XP. I didn't ask how he did it, but he said he read a guide on the internet.

You can have for free their superb ObjectDock, which is a form of gadget bar:
http://www.stardock.com/products/ObjectDock/
Default docklets work brilliantly (I like the one to have your "Start menu" in the bar), but the more interesting ones required SysStats which is sometimes buggy (see http://www.wincustomize.com/skins.as...9&cat=Docklets for full list)

I heard DockEx was also good.

http://www.astonshell.com/
I have been running this for a while. Nice to be able to switch themes on a whim. They also have various sidebars and dock options. Hope this helps.

Best sidebar/widgets thing I've found for XP is called "Desktop Sidebar", I haven't been able to replace it due to the fact that I dock it on the right side of my secondary monitor and it displays all my online msn contacts, to open a convo I just click a name.

indeed chvck and this is the link to desktop sidebar clicky

I have been running the stardock object desktop package for a long time now. Definatly the best in terms of customisability.

I never mess with anything aside from a desktop wallpaper and theme. What's the point of having flashy extras, when you're almost always in a browser or game window?

If, like me, you run dual monitors and play games in a window . My sidebar allows me to see who of my mates are online, my rss feeds, system performance counters etc... whilst I'm in game

I try not to be a fanboy and I cannot respond without sounding like one here.

Basically the problem is one of thought processes and visual appeal. No two users, despite being identical twins (for instance), will think about and interact with a computer in the exact same manner. So what works for one person might not work as effectively for another. Nor do users have the same appreciation for visual style. Let alone physical abilities or limitations. So, ultimately, you come down to no two people are exactly alike.

This applies to their computer systems as well as their own person. What makes logical sense to you and is easily performed might not be as clear to me. Operating System customization, whether just eye-candy or real changes to how it functions, might make it possible for me to use my computer more effectively. Which is the whole point of having a computer, really.

Besides, Stardock has actually impacted every single person on the planet who has used the last couple of major Windows versions released. Stardock, who frequently works with Microsoft as a GUI consultant, has probably had as much to do with the appearance and functionality of Window's GUI as the Apple OS. Many of Stardock's insights are gleaned from customer comments and feedback to their own products - which enhances and extends the original OS functionality. Some of the material on Stardock, and it's skinning site Wincustomize, are meant to be big, splashy, eye-catching events. But the majority of the material provided is functional and streamlined.

And for what it's worth, I personally cannot stand Window's Explorer. When I need to perform disk operations and file management, 99.9% of that work is done through PowerDesk Pro. I've owned it for years. One window - multiple panes. Drag and drop. File viewer. Much more.

and to add, desktop x allows you to change the size and position of your "full screen" functionality. This allows those with large monitors to have the tools permanantly displayed on screen alongside your browser etc.

A tech desktop,

This is a major lol.
Question : do you want performance or it to look tech?

My answer: At work I want performance as the equipment is old, I run with no wallpaper and the most stripped down profile as I can.
At home I have an organized desktop, designed to confuse the Bejeebus out of anyone but me. I also use stardock/wincustomize products,to completely reskin the Windows OS. Voice recognition programs and sound packages customized to mimic AI. Also I find great joy in using free/open source software, basically all the things people pay for I find almost the exact same thing for free, most of the time.


Some techy links:
http://tinyurl.com/
http://www.pchell.com/