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Best Windows themes, "extends" and daily usage programs.

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WetCouch

I know - title can be a little confusing. I mean, i'm searching for a themes and programs, whose will extend Windows in daily usage.

I am not searching for anything specific, and I just want to look what are you all using from that type of programs/themes/other things.
I also know Rocket Dock (nice, but still need to be updated, it's impossible to use only this, without standard windows taskbar).

Rainmeter could be nice, but i didn't find there anything useful - you know, 99% of Rainmeter skins are clocks and temperature meters (in computer, and outside of home).
I find that Launchy is very useful. And at last, I know that OSX Yosemite skinpack, but it looks worse than older ones.

So what are your suggestions? What programs/skins are you using? Or mby you found nice skins/plugins for mentioned by me things?

9 years ago*

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32 Comments
boxanata

Instead of RocketDock, try ObjectDock. Much better, in my opinion.

I use:
ObjectDock
DIM Mouse Scheme
Howard Email Notifier
Raptr Desktop App

Anything else I find just clutters up my desktop, which I hate.

9 years ago
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WetCouch

Hm, can you explain what's better in ObjectDock than RocketDock?
That cursor seems nice, i will try it, the same with Howard.
But i don't really get what's so nice in programs like Raptr. What more they can offer than, for example, Steam?

9 years ago
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boxanata

I'm not too sure what features OD has over RD as It's been quite a while since I switched from RD to OD. I guess you'd have to give it a trial & see which one you prefer. I can say that I've noticed OD seems to have better performance & less crashes compared to RD. Also, RD had been abandoned for quite a while now.
Winstep Nexus is another good dock application which is still being updated regularly. I have yet to use it so I'm not familiar with it.

The DIM mouse scheme is great. The animations are smooth & are of good quality. I've only been using it for 3-4 days, but I can defiantly say that there is no way in hell I'm going back to the boring Windows default scheme.

Raptr, for me, doesn't really offer much. I just use it to track my game time across all platforms.

9 years ago
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WetCouch

Ok, i'll check those Docks. The only bad thing about that cursor what i see atm, is that it doesn't change when it's above a link, or in the text box. And you should also check Launchy. It's great.

9 years ago
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boxanata

If you've installed it using the installer, then it will have put the correct animations to the correct pointers. It'll flash a noticeable blue when you hover over a link, which is easily recognizable from the normal pointer & It also flashes when hovering over a text box, it's just that it might be hard to notice at first. You get use to it.

9 years ago
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WetCouch

Lel, i didn't noticed it :P Thanks.

9 years ago
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ozo2003

WINDOWS SUCKS! USE LINUX!

9 years ago
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shibabul

okay.

9 years ago
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WetCouch

I think that you forgot about one small thing - games.

9 years ago
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ozo2003

I have around 400 Linux compatible games on steam, around the same amount on desura, and if your hands grow in right place, you can make windows-only games to run on Linux

9 years ago
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WetCouch

But if i think properly, you are collecting games ONLY for linux. When someone want to get to Linux from Windows, he would propably lost ~50% (sometimes a lot/bit more/less) of bought games. And there isn't really much AAA games. Emulators? With bugs, low performance.

9 years ago
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Kiina

400 of 1800+. i have 310 linux games of 1500 total. most of them are indie games. thats not much. and wine isnt a good option. many games have a poor linux port (witcher 2) or it takes years until they get ported (borderlands 2). so linux for gaming isnt a real option

9 years ago
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WetCouch

+1

9 years ago
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ozo2003

wine is good option if you know how to correctly use it. but think positivly, steamos is bringing gaming to Linux as well.

9 years ago
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WetCouch

Yes, it is. But how long it will take until serious game producents will make Linux ports of their games. Atm it's only going from Valve.

9 years ago
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bugzkilla

I really like Rocketdock. Here's one of my desktop screenshots if you wanted to see how I got it set up on my laptop.

9 years ago
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WetCouch

Seems nice, but as i said, it's quite annyoing when i need to use Taskbar while using RocketDock. Bacause of this problem, using RocketDock is without sense. Btw. those other "things" are from Rainmeter?

9 years ago
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bugzkilla

yes they are. and true, I know what you mean. I mostly use Rocketdock for what my desktop icons used to be not to get rid of the task-bar.

9 years ago
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WetCouch

So i'd suggest to you Launchy, for me it's a lot better than desktop icons, and more advanced than RocketDock.
Here you can read about its functions.

9 years ago
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shibabul

I didn't use any docks or anything. I just changed my Windows theme and that's about it. I used Placebo Black Market theme for Windows 7.

9 years ago
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WetCouch

Looks good - but i'm using Win 8 :S

9 years ago
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boxanata

I so wish that was available for Windows 8.1 as I'm in need of a nice dark theme.

9 years ago
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WetCouch

Well, i found this.

9 years ago
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boxanata

That Alienware theme would be good if it weren't for that light blue writing.

9 years ago
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WetCouch

True, Alienware Red seems better. When you will find something interesting, can you post it? :P

9 years ago
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boxanata

Sure. Will do.

9 years ago
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warhawkturbo

3RVX - Volume control program.
I have a really, really old keyboard which contains only standard keys and I'm too lazy to reach to the volume knob on my speakers. Plus I'd rather turn the volume up on the speakers and then control it through Windows. I find that Alt + mouse wheel up/down works very well.

9 years ago
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WetCouch

Well, visually it looks nice, but it wouldn't be easier with programs like AutoHotkey?

9 years ago
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warhawkturbo

Don't know, I've never heard of that program.

9 years ago
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midnightshooter

qBittorrent, Dropbox, Dashlane, Boxcryptor, Postbox, CCleaner, Speecy, AutoHotKey, WPS Office , 7zip, SumatraPDF, VLC, Firefox, YNAB, Avast, Malwarebytes,Steam, CSGO, DOTOTWO, Clonezilla, Fences. Thats all I got.

9 years ago
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Skylight

Currently I'm only using Fences for better icon organization and Rainlendar as a desktop calender/reminder.

9 years ago
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XenoLair

All bloatware. Use 6 monitors, firefox open on all of them and the desired app/website in each. Also: 64GB ram you will need cause FF is hungry.

9 years ago
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