CNET | DOWNLOAD DISPATCH (PC Edition)
April 2, 2002
Vol. 7, No. 14

Just say no to desktop domination

I'm not keen on the look of Windows XP. I installed it recently
and, horrified by rubbery window edges and a guitar icon that I
think was supposed to represent me, I quickly found the option to
make it look like my old version of Windows.

Customization is the saving grace of Windows. Still, the desktop
customization offered by Windows is limited. On the Linux
platform, the interface is separate from the operating system,
which means you can slap on completely new desktops at the drop
of a hat; but Windows is still constrained by the Microsoft
paradigm. Fortunately, Windows users have other options. Aston,
NextStart, ObjectBar, and Talisman Desktop are desktop
replacements that offer succor from Microsoft's Taskbar tyranny.
With the multitude of themes available for these applications, I
can make my desktop look like Mac OS X, IRIX, KDE, or whatever
paradigm currently suits my style.

Wayne Cunningham
Features Editor, CNET Download.com