Despite the fact that Windows 7 is the newest Windows operating system on the block, ever since Windows 95, it has never changed that much. You still have a button to access the start menu, the same toolbar at the bottom, the same taskbar, the same basic interface as the previous Windows operating system. It’s not as amazing as many people make it out to be. And compared to the choices that Linux has, Windows quite literally pales to compare, as under Linux, there is OpenBox/BlackBox, there is GNOME, there is KDE, there is XFCE, LXDE, FVWM’s Crystal Theme, and so much more. So why, as Windows users, are we stuck using the same old same old?
The truth of the matter, is the fact that we’ve never tried anything because most of us have never thought of using anything different and that most of us have never heard of any different way of working with Windows. And while I am a Linux user, I also do a lot of tech support to friends and family that have installed those “cursor” add-ons. I’m sure the majority of the readers will know the kind of which I refer, the ones with the malware built in. These are the people that would love to make their computers look different but just don’t have the knowledge how to do it safely.
If you’ve never used a theme pack, and if you’ve never tried to use an alternative shell, I’m sure hearing about both for the first time is rather daunting. While generally speaking, I never recommend a theme pack, here are two alternative shells you might want to considering trying out, as they cost nothing at all to try.
SharpEnviro
This is one alternative shell that I personally love. It’s lighter on the system then the default shell, being made up of several components. These are two instances of SharpBar, SharpCore, SharpDesk, and SharpShellService. Together, these use just slightly under 10 mb of ram (about 9.2 mbs) and flicker between one and three percent of the CPU being used (on a 1.66 Ghz laptop). It is considered a beta piece of software and has crashed for me once in a blue moon, but I have found it rather stable, truth be told. Once customized from the default, I find it a fully featured shell that I just can’t live without. For those looking at GNOME and wishing they could use it under Windows, perhaps SharpEnviro will be the next best thing for them.
– Screenshots of SharpEnviro –
– SharpEnviro download –
BBLean
This was one that one of my friends introduced me to, called BBLean. In it’s own right, it is a great shell alternative to the default Microsoft Windows interface, but it’s also very lightweight and clean. A right click anywhere on the desktop will launch the equivalent of the Start Menu, and is fully configurable though text files. It is extremely light, taking up only 1.5 mbs of ram and not even a blip on the CPU. It was originally designed for Windows 98, but works right up until Windows 7.
– Screenshots of BBLean – (warning, not all images are Safe for Work)
– BBLean Download –
So there you go. Two malware-free ways to change how your Windows operating system operates. Keep in mind, you alone take responsibly in using them. They shouldn’t crash your system, but they do modify how your system operates. One final note is if you don’t like them, then make sure that your computer is set to open Explorer as the default shell (both have a SetShell.exe/BSetShell.exe that you can change back to Explorer at any time), otherwise, you could face data corruption.