It is often said that there are two kinds of people in the world, those who like change and those who don't. If you count yourself amongst those who don't like change, then read no further. If however, you like to try new and different looks and aren't afraid of changing the look of your computer, then have I got a deal for you.

This month I had the real pleasure of trying out Object Desktop which is not actually a program, but instead is a suite of programs created by Stardock Software, Inc. Object Desktop as you might guess, changes the look of not only your desktop, but also can alter your folders, taskbar, Web browser, icons, themes, and even create your own special skins for all of the above.

The suite of programs available as a bundle in the Object Desktop package include Window Blinds, Icon Packager, Control Center, Windows FX, Skin Studio, Object Bar, Win Styles, Web Blinds, and Desktop X. Each program has its own special function.

Window Blinds is a program which allows you full control over all skins (visual styles) in the Windows environment. This means you can change the look of all menus, texts, bars, borders, and other peripherals in any Windows program such as Word or Excel.

Icon Packager allows you to change any icon in the Windows environment, either to your own creation or any available for download on the Web.

Windows FX is a program to add many special effects to Windows XP or 2000, such as shadows, animations, and transitions.

Object Bar allows the user to customize the look of the Start bar to their own liking. 

Web Blinds provides for a fully skinnable web browser such as Explorer or Navigator.

Desktop X allows the user to build his own desktop theme using the above components, or choose one from many available for download on the Web. 

Control Center is a desktop manager and monitoring device for all Windows resources.

Finally tying them all together is the Component Manager which allows the user to download and install only those components they wish to use, or install all of them together for the full creative effect. It also keeps the user up to date on all new versions and updates to the individual components of Object Desktop, so that they may be downloaded as they become available.

One may purchase Object Desktop as a direct Web download from the secure Stardock Website, or order the actual CD for shipment to your home or place of business. What the consumer is actually purchasing is a license to download and install the suite of programs on his or her desktop for a period of one year. This entitles you to free upgrades as previously mentioned, as they become available. At the end of the year period, you may renew your license in order to continue receiving new upgrades or totally new components, or simply terminate the license. If you choose to terminate the license, the software already downloaded or purchased and installed is yours to keep without penalty.

The cost for the CD or the full download is the same at 49.95 plus shipping if the CD is ordered. 

Object Desktop may be installed with full support on Windows 98/ME/2000 or XP and may also run on Windows 95 and NT but without full guarantees of functionality or support. There are no specific minimal requirements noted but in order to get the full functionality one should probably have at least a PIII running at 350MHz and 64MB of RAM and around 200MB of hard drive real estate. No mention is made of any video card accelerator. Having said this, the program installed flawlessly on my computer which is a P4 2.26GHz with 512 MB RAM. The program then opens up a set of components which may be downloaded after Stardock e-mails you with your product serial number to unlock the features.

After you have downloaded the components you wish, you may then get busy changing all the features in your Windows graphical environment. A sample of available icons, themes, wallpapers, bars, and skins are included in the download, but the number of available objects is virtually limitless.

New objects are added daily to the Web, all of which are freely available for download. You may even add your own creations by uploading to the web site. Support is just superb at the Stardock Web site and you may download evaluation copies of each individual component, or the entire suite. Each component is also available for purchase separately should you choose not to use the entire suite.

There are other programs available at the Stardock site which are not officially part of Object Suite, such as Cursor XP, but enhance the suite by continuing the style of programs used. Some of the themes, icons, effects, wallpapers, texts, and such are truly spectacular and there are many desktops available to even mimic other operating system environments such as BeOS or Apple. All in all, Object Desktop is a fun set of desktop enhancements which are easy to install and allow you to play Picasso with the desktop as your canvas. Have fun, go wild!