Pimp My Desktop!
So you’ve browsed through my wallpaper section and have wondered “how does moy make his desktop look pretty?” Well my dear readers, this short tutorial is here to explain the odds and ends in how to make pretty looking desktops like mine. Let me say that at the core, and this holds true of any type of customization, it really comes to down to personal aesthetics. What this tutorial tries to explain is how I come about customizing my desktops to my liking, which is that of a anime fan (otaku).
For the majority of the tutorial, links will be directed to anime-related sites to help others like myself make their desktop cool. The general tutorial itself can be applied to anyone trying to update their plain looking Windows desktop, but expect more specifics towards the anime going crowd. I also must warn that some of the customizations may or may not work for your Windows 2000/XP machine. I in no way guarantee that the following tutorial will work 100% of the time on every system out there. Please take the tutorial as a general guideline and search google for more specifics if at anytime you feel my steps are too risky for you; there are plenty of other guides that can help you customize your desktop better and easier.
The tutorial is broken down into four lessons where I’ll try to explain the general points of said lesson. Any links, screenshots, downloads, steps, etc may be added or/and deleted as time goes by as I get feedback from you the readers. Please do check back here ocassionally as I may add a new lesson or program that may be worth for others to know about. Anyway, the lessons are as followed:
- Lesson One – Wallpapers
- Where to Download – anime specific
- Wallpaper Changers
- Lesson Two – Boot/Login Screens
- How to – Using LogonUI Boot Randomizer
- Where to Download – general screens
- Lesson Three – Visual Style / Theme
- How to – Manual
- Where to Download – general
- Lesson Four – Misc
- Calendars / To Do
- Widgets / Docklets / Docks
- Icons / Cursors
- Sounds
Each page is one lesson so proceed as necessary.
Great tutorial, Alex. Five Stars(or was it 2 thumbs xx;) Anyway, thankies for finally making the tutorial.
Wow this is wonderful, thanks for making this!
To answer this question, no the visual style/themes do not change your cursor. However, some VS do come with cursors to match the windows skin. Just double check the VS files to see if any cursors were included. Same can be said with icons for the theme too.
As for Aqua looking themes, I don’t use them. There are like a ton of OSX looking ones in deviantART so browse around and try them out.
I can recommend some VS that are my personal favs though. Anything by b0se is always good. Other than that, agroove, areao4, exeed, roguesi, and shaded are all great VS to check out.
Yeah, thanks a bunch for sharing this.
I have another suggestion for your desktop addons/widgets programs. I have in the past tried out a program called Konfabulator which used to be just for Mac. But a few months ago they released a Windows version.
I just looked at Konfabulator’s site and it appears that it is the same as the Yahoo! widgets that you linked to.
Nice bit of information you have. Just wanted to add a nice site for icons that I use.
oh, the HTML didn’t work. Sorry for the 2 posts. But the site is http://www.pixelgirlpresents.com
wow….I was trying to figure out how to do this myself after looking at your screens, but this helps alot. =) thanks for all your previous help and for this resource =)
I use WindowsBlinds because it has nicer skins, but its not free.
Also, i use “Wallpaper Changer” which is a free mircosoft powertool downloadable from here somewhere. You set a directory, and it changes your wallpaper every 15 or xx minutes to the next image in the folder. its wonderful
Hey moy, what theme is that you’re using in the screenshots for the Visual Styles section? I have area04 by =heylove over at DeviantArt, but it looks slightly different (and incomplete), I like your version much better. Where did you get it?
It’s actually Nano by the same people, I think.
Ah, thankies. Quick google search sent me to http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/8833258/
by ~whistl3r
For themeXP and getskinned, which one is the boot and which one is the login screens?
Shimi, boot screen is the initial screen you see (i.e. WinXP is loading). Login screen is the one you see aftewards, that might prompt you for a user password to get into Windows.
If you’re asking about which is which, I suggest you don’t fool around with them much. While not an advance customize, both are definitely not for novices; esp. if something goes wrong.
Moyism, thanks for this tutorial. Very very helpful! Very simple too, considering im a skinning newbie.
NB:Nano font is so tiny!! XD I like it.
Just wondering.. how u remove the recycle bin?
If you’re running WinXP, d/l the newest version of TweakUI. It’ll allow you to easily remove the Recycle Bin from the desktop.
mayu i know where i can d/L that?
This is the only blog I’ve added to my links after reading only two pages of it. You’re da man, but I just can’t find the Nano msstyles.
whoops, got it, nvm.
Thanks a lot for this tutorial.. it really helped me, who was always checkin’ your COOL desktops, and wonderin’ how’d i make them myself…
I think my desktop’s now a hella lot better…
Does this thing work with Windows Media Center, too?
I honestly would not know. I suggest googling to find out.
can u tell me where you got that wallpaper for your swordsman love post? or better yet, send it to me? i cant seem to find it on 4chan.org
oh, and nice tutorial btw. I read through it because i was bored, but i use an aternative desktop. so it was all pointless for me to read through it. strange? i thought so.
Fuck this, your tutorial says to do exactly what Ive tried and they just wont show up in my desktop preferences anywhere.
oh… i still not found where to download these wallpaper… -_-!