csconstantine.com

A lot of people don't realize how customizable their computers are. Most people understand how to change the desktop wallpaper, put in a new screensaver, or change the default font on a computer, but few understand that basically every aspect of the way your computer desktop looks can be changed. You can change the mouse icons, the wallpaper, the color scheme, the event sounds, the background, and several other settings. If you do it all just right, you can really create a distinct feel for your computer.

The easiest way to do this is with free desktop themes. A free desktop theme is basically a collection of icons, graphics, and sounds that you can use to set up your desktop to have a particular look to it. The first one I ever used was a Scooby Doo theme. It had a mouse icon that looks like the mystery machine for one pages were loading, and a pointer that look like Scooby. It had free desktop wallpaper with a picture of the Scooby Doo gang surrounded by ghosts, and a bunch of different entertaining sounds. I could choose to use the different elements in any way that I wanted, and when I set them up all together, it made my whole computer into a tribute to Scooby Doo.

Not all free desktop themes are quite that silly. You can basically set a desktop up in any way he wants. You can even make your own free desktop theme if you want. I have a friend who is a big lover of the woods of the Pacific Northwest. She decided to make her own free desktop theme. She collected the sounds of different animals from the region. Then she uploaded a few pictures from one of her hikes onto her computer desktop. She even made her own mouse icons like tree frogs, wolves, and other animals. When she was done, she had created one of the best nature free desktop themes I had ever seen.

Many people think that doing something like this is beyond them, but you'd be surprised how easy it is. As a matter of fact, most free desktop themes are made by people just like you! You can find sound files all over the Internet, and use them to customize your desktop. The same thing goes with images. You can even program your own icons in a graphics editing program. It might take you a few hours to figure out and a few more to do the work, but when you are done you will be glad you put in the time. If you have to sit at your computer all day, it really helps to give it a personal touch.

Labels: Desktop, Making, Themes