Customize Help

Welcome to Customize Help! Here you’ll find all the info you need to customize your computer. Please note that you can find additional category-specific help pages from a particular category’s browse page (e.g. Icons).

Quick Guide to Customizing

Change the standard Windows theme for a shiny new one! Check out our XP Themes section (see How to Use XP Themes)
Find a new desktop background from our huge selection of Wallpapers (see How to Use Wallpapers)
Get some new Icons for your programs and documents (see How to Use Icons)

Need More Control?

Try using a alternate shell. It replaces your default shell (Explorer) and gives you more options, features, and customization over it. To start out you might want to try some thing easy like <a href=“http://www.bb4win.org/news.php”>bb4win</a> or <a href=“http://bb4win.sourceforge.net/bblean/”>bbLean</a>. They allow specifically more control over your taskbar, and a right click menu on your desktop for your programs. And remember always read the ReadMe files, or check the help to learn how to run things properly. Or just if you need an answer to your question, and this applies to more than just alternate shells.

Linux Customization

As linux is such a modular operating system, and largely supported by open-source apps, there are countless ways to accomplish the same goals. Nevertheless, there are still a few very common programs used to alter the look and feel of the desktop. If you see something missing, feel free to add it!

Metacity: The standard window manager for Gnome, Metacity is a simple, usable window manager. It lacks many of the more advanced features some of the newer Window Managers support, but typically makes up for it with it’s increased speed.
GTK: The standard gnome widget manager, GTK essentially is responsible for the modification of the aspects of your desktop not controlled by a window manager. This includes buttons, scroll bars, and window interiors.

Have a More Specific Question?

Feel free to post general questions in the custo group, or browse the groups to find an appropriate place to post.

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