Everyone knows Microsoft but a good bit of work into developing vista even after the 2 year rewrite of its codebase. And in the end we got DWM (the new desktop window manager that handles all the pretty aero graphics via the video card), Glass Windows and 3d effects. Unfortunately alot of the suttle effects got dropped either for lack of time or because they just weren’t seen as beneficial in the long run. But the fact is alot of people miss some of the suttle sexyness that is missing from the RTM of Vista that was shown in early betas (4xxx builds for instance) well thanks to windows being as pluggable and tuneable as it is developers from all over are hacking away to bring more and more sexyness to Microsofts new OS.
Stardock is still a bit off from their release of products for Vista, but they’re promising that this version for vista will be spectacular. In the mean time here are some of the 3rd party tweaks and apps from around the net.
- Tweak vista Screensavers
- Enable the hidden non-blank vista bootscreen
- Start++ adds macroing to Vistas Search Box (very useful)
- Preconfigure vista image before install with vLite
- Deskscapes and Dreammaker from Stardock (enhanced DreamScene content vista Ultimate only)
- 3d Cube Virtual Desktop (AMAZING MUST HAVE) it’s like beryl for Vista
- Switcher (Expose’ for Vista :))
- Vista Boot Logo Generator (no more black boot screens) also check MyVistaBoot.com for free bootlogos or this example
- CustomizeOS provides GlassToasts (popup notifs in the glass like 4074 not the XP way that vista shows now) as well as the 4xxx 3d user photo in the start menu
