opinios

Learning to Love an Ugly Child

Wow, thanks to this article on reskinning Windows to look like a Mac, I have a new-found love for navigating my way around my PC.

I never used to think that changing the look and feel of Windows was worth bothering with until I started using OS X on the Macs at uni. As a result I've become very disillusioned when using our Windows laptop; it has been such a letdown after class when I move from what is clearly a superior interface on the Macs to the old Microsoft clunky experience at home.

But not anymore! With a few freeware and shareware apps, I now feel like I have a new computer! [screenshot]. And the overhaul extends to more than just the background image and the skinning of individual windows - I now have a dock at the bottom that floats like the real thing, as well as an Apple-like menu bar at the top. The attention to detail even extends to beautifully rendered progress bars and a Mac-like login screen.

Of course it's not quite the same as using a Mac; things do run somewhat slower with the extra graphics load and I have discovered a couple of glitches that might grate on me after a while. But there's no question that the user interface is nicer, and when you enjoy using your computer it stops being a hurdle and starts being fun. And until I have some cash together (ever?) it is definitely just what I needed to curb my impulse of buying a new Mac G5. Must. Save. House. Deposit.