Windows Vista

* Sidebar- The Sidebar is one of the most significant graphical differences between Windows XP and Windows Vista. The sidebar is a dock that sits on the right side of the desktop that can have ‘widgets’ added to it that have extremely varied functionality. By default, Vista comes with a clock, calendar, as well as other basic computer functions, but there are many custom functions that can be downloaded from the internet. If your sidebar is turned off, go to start, all programs, accessories, and then click Windows Sidebar. If you want the sidebar to be visible above other applications, you can change the default setting from the appearance and personalization tab from the control panel.

* Better Security- Security was a key part of Microsoft’s plan when upgrading from Windows XP to Vista, but why do you never hear much about it? You do hear about it, but it’s not positive feedback most of the time. While Microsoft did indeed make the OS much safer by adding in their UAC (User Account Control) Settings, they also made it much more annoying. If you’re annoyed by the UAC settings in Vista, they can be removed by: going to control panel then User Account and Family Settings, Add or Remove User Accounts, Go to Main User Account page, Change Security settings, and then uncheck UAC. The UAC can be turned back on in a similar fashion, but more than likely you’ll just want to get an anti-virus program instead.

* Improved Search Options- One of the best changes that Microsoft made in the transition from XP to Vista was their improvements in the searching system. Locating files and folders in XP was often a clunky and painful experience, but no more in Vista. All you need to do is open your start menu in the bottom left and search for the file name, and your file will be found quickly and easily. Search speed was also increased and the searches parameters can be changed dynamically, or while you’re searching.

These are three options or services that Microsoft has provided to you that many people don’t know about. All three are widely documented on the internet if you require further information, but this article should have given you a good gist on some of the most crucial changes when updating your OS.

Photo Credits: Stijn Vogels

Originally posted 2009-11-05 03:20:07.

Rocketdock.

So you have a Windows computer and wish it was as flashy and cool as a Mac? Don’t worry, there are many ways you can spruce up your desktop quickly and easily that will give you the look you desire. This article will outline five awesome pieces of software that can give you an extremely customized experience.

* RocketDock- RocketDock is described on its website as an “application launcher” and gives a great feel of a Mac and essentially can eliminate the need for a taskbar and desktop icons. It can be used to launch any program by ‘docking’ them into your dock and can also put them into organized groups making for quick and easy use. Even windows can be minimized to the dock in any custom fashion. With a great modding community and completely free of charge, RocketDock is one of the best ways to liven up your desktop.

* Windows Sidebar- Windows Sidebar is a new addition to the Windows OS that appears in Vista and Windows 7. By default Windows Sidebar comes with a clock, calendar, and a few other ‘widgets’ that can be docked onto the side of your desktop. The power behind Windows Sidebar is that it has a huge community of widget creators that have made anything from digital clocks to widgets that can increase your computers fan speed. Windows Sidebar is free to use as long as you have a Windows Vista or 7.

* Rainy’s- Rainmeter is a customizable meter that can list many of the performance and specifications of your computer. You can set Rainmeter to display the current amount of memory left on your hard drive, or the load that is currently being put onto your CPU. The data can be posted numerically or graphically in a histogram or bar graph. Rainy’s is completely free of charge and can be further customized by the user.

* ObjectDock- A competitor of RocketDock, what could ObjectDock possibly change to make it worth your while? ObjectDock follows a similar example of using docks to organize programs and weather like widgets onto a dock. It’s praised for its high customization and great support by its company Stardock. ObjectDock is completely free, but limited unless you pay the $20 to upgrade to ObjectDock Plus. It’s well worth it, however, because ObjectDock is a very attractive program.

Keep in mind that many of these programs aren’t mutually exclusive and can be used in conjunction with each other to create a very powerful desktop. Be careful when combining too many to make sure you’re not eating up too much of your computers ram. Surely one of these programs can help you get a feel you desire

Photo Credits: worthe

Originally posted 2009-11-11 03:28:46.