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Stardock's Objectdock: This is my current dock. It comes with a number of skins, easily changeable appearance, and is just plain handy to use. It's the only dock I've used, so I can't compare, but I've never had a hassle with it. Adding programs was a bit of a hassle the first time or two I added one, but it comes with a good amount of quick-adds, and once you get the hang of it it's no problem. Also, you can download skins for it without much hassle, I -think- rocketdock and objectdock skins are exchangeable, but I'm not sure, so don't trust me.

Rocketdock: I've never used rocketdock, but I definitely hear it talked about more. I got objectdock because Evan told me it was better. If anyone has it and wants to comment that'd be awesome. But it's more popular than Objectdock, and that makes customizing it past default options infinitely easier, by logic. Probably decent and nice, might be a bit more loose and easier to do weird stuff with.

Desktop Accessories
Applications that simulate an object normally found on an office desktop,
such as a calculator, notepad and appointment calendar.

Google Desktop: This comes default with Vista and can be downloaded for XP. It comes with nearly 1500 apps, more added all the time. Just press add and it's on your desktop. They range from weather, time and date, and CPU/Memory usage to games and frogs and moon phases and sandwiches of the day. It's awesome for a bit of fun or just making your desktop more handy. It comes with an automatic google search engine. Apps can be put anywhere the hell you want on your desktop, but you can't change how they look past how the app lets you. Other handy google app things are gmail, news for anything you might need news for, converters, countdowns, alarms, sketch pad, maps, weather, and tons of website specific apps. Also christmas trees you can decorate and other adorable things

Rainmeter: I'm still a little new to Rainmeter, but I've officially replaced google desktop with it. They have a clock, system usage, weather, news, and an all in one bar option. Comes with a kinda ugly default skin, and it's pretty easy to skin online. I'll link how-to and skin websites. I'm only using the Gaia 08 clock app/skin and I think having too much rainmeter is pointless, but it's pretty. Requires minimal coding ability for any customization, but keep in mind this is mostly just hex and basic size, and only if you want to customize. I changed the font color of my skin.

Icon Sets

Icon Sets can be used for docks or desktop icons or whatever the hell you have that need icons. Deviant has tons and there are lots of websites that update constantly with lots of computer appearance-modding stuff that have icon sets. They usually come with all the common icons, and some ones you can use for misc.

Simple Text Dock Icons: This is what I'm using right now. It doesn't come with very many, but it comes with the PSD file to edit. The font used isn't one you can get without torrenting/paying for it, but most computers come with something basically the same, I can't tell the difference. They're sleek and pretty, and it's very easy to make new ones.

Black Glass Icons: A minimalistic black icon set. Simple icons, simple pictures, simple colors. Super sleek.

Delicious Food Windows Icons: THESE. ARE. ADORABLE. They're pastel, bright, happy, and food. Perfect for a bright happy desktop. If you want an adorable icon set, this is it. Unless you don't want food. Sucks to be you then, until I post more adorable ones or you find them for yourself.

Yoritsuki Icons: 35 Icons associated with hot springs in Japan. They're colorful and elegant, simplistic but super, super detailed. They're VERY well done, and are a great touch. Very beautiful, and they seem very versatile.

Christmas Icons!: Pretty! 25 of them, super super cute, with 4 size options. If you want holiday options, HERE. biggrin

Themes

Unless the theme you DL comes with good instructions, or you know how to do it, hold off til you learn how or I update this section on how to. Themes/skins for windows are...like you know how you can change between the different colors in XP for start bar and windows and appearance in general? Green/blue/silver? It's downloadable those. They usually come with a matching wallpaper or two, and I THINK some come with iconsets, but I don't know for certain.

Everything I'm going to post is going to be for Vista, anyone who knows about skinning XP can say s**t about that. And vista to XP workarounds are somewhere on the internet for some themes.

]On-yoan Meka: A theme for 32 bit Vista only. I haven't tried this one out, but it's so pretty. Soft colors, cute designs, sleek text. Simplistic, but not boring. Perfect lighter, brighter theme.

Product RED: It's not really completely red. More like Red-Inspired. But it's good for a color change, and comes with 6 wallpapers, a screensaver, 5 gadgets (clock, calender, logo/url, notes, weather), and a resource video. If you don't want a huge change, but want something more matchy than what you have, and you want red, here you are.

Innocence: Now THIS is one I have. I'm not using it right now, but when I'm in a steampunk mood, hell the ******** yes. Excellent for steampunk, oldschool, any kind of desktop style like that you want. It's impeccably detailed and very well done. Comes with 2 wallpapers, a custom dock skin (which is so pretty I use it even when I don't use the theme). It's not super masculine or super feminine, but it has awesome touches. Definitely recommended if you like the style.

Didn't want to be rude. ninja

I'll delete this post if you still need more spots. 4laugh

I don't know how easy it is to make dock skins but probably not a huge b***h since I think it's probably similar to icons in that you just browse for the image and apply.
And icons are insanely easy to change. I have a text icon set with the PSD file to edit that I've been using for the past 2 months.

Ezzy's desktop looks like this!

heir ist mein

here is my current one

My last wallpaper.

Desktop through the ages:

Back when I used a start bar

This and this are from when I first got my puter. Background is a maple monthly wallpaper calender thingy. XD

Then I started using google apps, and kinda whored it out. Just kinda.

A random screenie in Tales of Pirates where you can see basically what it looks like. This is in October because I had an orange wall. And here it's still halloween.

The next portion in time has no screenies because I was learning about docks and stuff. I didn't screenie steampunk!desktop, I'll go do that next time I use it, which will probably be in January when I'm done having christmas/winter walls.

And then I found text icons. And did this.
Everyone thinks it's creepy, but to date it's my favorite desktop I've ever had. Ever. I love it.


Here is one from less than a week ago. That's the dock skin from the Innocence theme. Usually my dock is invisible though.

I think I'm going to do a huge change soon and make everything super different and high tech, but I'm not there yet. I have about 430 wallpapers downloaded, 3 or 4 themes, and 5 or so icon sets.