I lead GUIStyles for almost two years but never got a chance to write a customize guide, I was to lazy…..Well now i have a chance to write this simple guide with new page start (TopStyles) and i try to explain what is what in customizing Windows and Linux OS.

In first place i want to show you how good desktop can look. This are GUIStyles winners of the best screenshots competition for last three months.

March Best Screenshot:

More details: deviantART

April Best Screenshot:

More details: deviantART

May Best Screenshot:

More details: deviantART

Another great Screenshot:

More details: deviantART

So if you want to have a nice looking desktop like our winners read along my guide… I split this text into some classes.

Wallpapers - Desktop pictures

In Windows and Linux all (99,9 %) users know how to change wallpapers so i forgive myself explanation that.

So there is not much to talk about desktop wallpapers but if you want to find nice wallpapers i recommend this services :

* GUIStyles Wallpapers
* Pixelgirl
* WallpaperStock
* Vladstudio
* Interfacelift

Icons - ico, png

Windows

In Windows for icons i use IconPackager software. It changes all the explorer icons by replace the defualt ones with new icons packs. You can downlod these themes from the internet. IconPackager is a commercial software and you must pay for it.

For icon packs check out this pages :

* GUIStyles Icon Packs
* deviantART

IconPacks are simple to install. Once you download the icon package, simply click on it and the program (IconPackager) will start and load your new icon set. Click apply and wait for your icons to change.

You can also maually switch individual icons. This takes more time, but for the “REAL GUI GEEKS” this method is best.

Check out this websites for nice icons :

* GUIStyles Icons
* Fast Icon

Linux

It is alot easier to change the icons in Linux. In Gnome you put the downloaded free packages to the .icons folder in your user profile directory. You can then choose them in theme/styles configuration window in Gnome.

For KDE you can install new icons by using the KDE configuration panel.

In the Gnome Desktop you can also change the size of every icon. So you can make some icons bigger and some smaller (very nice supplement).

Places to download icons for Linux :

Gnome - GNOME-Look.org
KDE - KDE-Look.org

Themes, Styles

Windows

If you want to change Windows XP default look you must first install this patch:
Neowin UXTheme Multi-Patcher v4.0

It patches the UXTheme.dll for Windows XP/SP1/SP2 Beta/RTM and 2003 and allows you to use un-signed custom visual styles.

If you want to know more read this FAQ: Using msstyles for Windows XP

After that you can download msstyles (visual styles) and apply them normall (click on stylename.msstyles) with your Windows.

Linux

Linux themes are diffrent for KDE and Gnome. In Gnome we have two parts: gtk and metacity themes. Gtk are master elements that show colors of window, bar styles…. Metacity is the window borders, buttons. This are only my descriptions.

To better understand what is what try to use GNOME Art FAQ.

The following are more professional descriptions :

Gtk:

Installing an Application theme can be done in two ways. You must download the theme package first. Then, from the panel menu, navigate to Desktop Preferences->Theme. Click on the “Theme Details” button, then click on the “Install Theme”. Select the theme package you downloaded using the “Browse” button. Then click okay. Some themes may offer a Window border theme included inside the Application theme. That just saves you one extra step.
The other way of installing a theme is to manually do it. Open a terminal (Panel menu->System Tools->Terminal), change directory into ~/.themes and use tar to unpack the theme. For example, a theme called America, you would type: cd ~/.themes && tar xzf /America.tar.gz. Be sure to replace the “/America.tar.gz” with the actual path of the file you downloaded.
There is one final way of installing themes, which is similar to the terminal method. You may use the Archive Manager to open the theme package by double-clicking on it. Then use the “Extract” button, and extract it to your theme folder (accessible by clicking “Go to Theme Folder” in the Theme Details window.

Metacity:

Installing a Window Border theme is done using the exact same process as installing Application themes, just make sure to click on the “Window Border” tab in the Theme Details window.

It all comes to download themes/styles and put them to .themes folder in user home path directory.

If you want to upload themes for KDE use KDE configuration panel.

Here are websites that have many themes :

* GUIStyles Linux Styles
* gnomethemes
* GNOME-Look.org
* GNOME Art
* KDE-Look.org

Software

Windows

Styler - one of the best customize software for Windows (from sometime also free to use for all). You can download it from this link : http://ta2027.plala.jp/Styler/

What we can do with Styler ? We can manage our styles collection, hide IE or explorer toolbars, add your own icons to window toolbars instead of default ones. Also configure wallpapers, add window shadows, cursor shadows, icon manage and much more. One minus is that program slows the Windows startup process.

Multi-Plugin 2.3 for iTunes 6 - you can use themes for iTunes with this plugin, skins can be download here: iTunes Skin.

Other great software :

YzShadow | AveDesk | Axialis | Kapsules | WindowBlinds | Objectbar | Miranda | LogonLoader | CursorXP

Dock

Windows

There are many dock applications for Windows. In my opinion Y’z Dock has been the most reliable dock for me. Apple protested that Y’z Dock was too similar to the OS X Dock, as a result of this the development of this great application has stopped.

But you can still download the last available version here: www.majorgeeks.com

Other great docks include: ObjectDock MobyDock and RKLauncher.

Linux

Best dock for Linux is engage, very well implement with Gnome. You can find it on this page: edevelop.org. But installation is not so easy at all.

Gadgets

Windows

Gadgets for your desktop (like those in Mac OS X). You can check this program :

Yahoo! Widgets

Misc

Linux

In Gnome you can setup window buttons to show on the left side (like in Mac OSX).
First run gconf-editor and go to apps -> metacity -> general -> button_layout

Tip for KDE users: Adding a shadow to desktop icons
Open your ~/.kde/share/config/kdesktoprc
Find [FMSettings] section and add:
ShadowParameters=0, 1, 16.0, 192.0, 2, 4, 0
And login-logout to see changes or
CTRL+ALT+ESC click on desktop wallpaper, to kill kdesktop and then run it again to see changes immediately.

Onother tip for kde users I forgot to add(and gnome users could use it), KDE has an cool app integrated in system, called khotnewstuff you can get varius stuff from it, wallpapers superkaramba themes, KStars data, quanta scripts, Amarok scripts…

Thanks goes to C Reid for helping me with spelling / grammar mistakes.

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