About a week ago, a friend of mine pointed me to this review of WindowBlinds.  In short, WindowBlinds allows you to apply themes to your Windows, changing the look and colors of your desktop, Start Menu, window borders, buttons, and so forth.  I was intrigued and headed off to the WindowBlinds web site to download the 60-day trial.  Little did I know I was going to become consumed with downloading and trying out themes available at WinCustomize.  There are literally thousands of themes available encompassing just about anything you can imagine, including other operating systems.

My favorite so far is the Arrow theme by MikeB314.  This theme makes Windows XP look similar to the upcoming Windows Vista, including semi-transparent window borders, semi-transparent task bar, and a custom Start Menu.

I think there must be something inherently in geeks to want to tweak their machines.  Of course, I guess that holds true for just about anyone serious about their hobby or profession.  Harley-Davidson owners are well-known for customizing their bikes, guitarists can't quit collecting guitars, and Jeep owners have their slogan: "It's a Jeep thing. You wouldn't understand." 

The full version will set you back $19.95, and enables features that make some themes look even better.  It's a silly way to spend money, but for the price of a few StarBuck's you can "trick out" (what the kids are calling "customize" these days) your Windows to your heart's content.