5 Desktop Enhancers
Not everyone was cut out to follow in the footsteps of others. Some desktop users march to the beat of their own drums, and for these rebels we recommend looking into desktop customization software. These programs allow to you configure and organize your docks and home screens in ways that best suit your workflow. Here are the top five on the market:
Fences—Developed by Stardock, this Windows software creates translucent boundaries on your desktop that helps you to organize your icons. It offers the ability to customize your desktop. The user can double-click on the screen in order to hide the selected icons. A Pro edition allows you to create categories for the fences and there is also a free version available. Fences has over 3 million downloads.
ObjectDock—Another Stardock product, this dock also comes in free and Pro editions and was offered for the last several Windows released. ObjectDock creates shortcuts for users in their docks and simulates Mac OS X in functionality. It is utilized as a program launcher or as a taskbar replacement and can be optimized by plugins for a variety of additional functions. A recent version supports Vista, a resources search engine, and improved features all around.
RocketDock—PolyVector and Skunkie of Punk Labs released this application launcher under a creative commons license. Borrowing from ObjectDock’s Docket API, the animated, alpha-blended software can also be used to show updates of live windows. It is compatible with multiple skins, easily customizable and features multiple monitor support, unicode compliance, bilingual users, and positioning and layering options.
Winstep Nexus Dock—A hot desktop customization utility, Winstep prides itself on its versatility, offering icons for a variety of functions, including CPU and RAM meters, time and date, and a Screen Capture Tool. There are also many options for tabs, the highlights of which are Position and Behavior, Appearance, Effects, and others. The newest version is enhanced by a weather module, new ‘launch’ and ‘attention’ features, a Flip3D command, and new language files. Winstep has garnered over 800,000 downloads and is considered a rising star.
VistaGlazz—Simple but essential for Windows Vista users,VistaGlazz allows you to alter your Vista setup in whatever way you choose. With a basic, no frills interface and no skins to confuse you, this app will help you to configure your desktop so that it’s optimal to your workflow. The last download count had VistaGlazz inching closer to 2 million.
These are the top picks for desktop utility software. They are by no means the only options, but for customizing your Windows desktop these five pieces of software can be extremely useful.