Minimalist Windows Desktop

I wrote about this in the past. I don’t like cluttered Desktop. I don’t understand why windows users tuning their desktop are tyring to copy the Mac interface (way too cluttered for me).

The best way to have a clean Windows desktop (without files and icons everywhere) is to remove the possibility to get anything in it. That way, it stays simple all the time.

The best way to avoid a behavior (cluttering the desktop) is to design a desktop that cannot be cluttered. (see this blog post on this general topic: Willpower is overrated).

coming back to the main topic.

Here is my requirement:
- Minimal CPU and memory utilization. My PC needs to be lightning fast.
- Simple and clean environment (no distraction) and *impossible to clutter it*
- Possibility to let message or Post-it in the background

I found this very good blog post about windows explorer replacement: Five best destop customization tools

I was able to do this with those tiny and free applications:

1) Emerge Desktop - is a replacement windows "shell". It replaces the windows explorer. Part. Super lean, simple and flexible. You can remove everything from your desktop (task bars, icons, everything!).
2) Launchy – I need a way to launch quickly my applications. This is done with Launchy.
3) Vistaswitcher - Because I removed everything from my desktop, I need a way to switch between application more efficiently than with the normal Windows tools. Vistaswitcher is the best tool for this.
4) BGinfo – Possibility to add text on your backround image. 0 CPU utilization when it is done. Completely transparent. Just amazing.

Here is a screen capture (yes, there is nothing to see that is the main goal).

Design a new web site or a new application

 

I was looking for best practices to create a web site or in my specific case a facebook apps design.

This is for our MyNewResolutions Facebook applications. See this blog post for more information about it.

It seems that the most common way is to use Photoshop and then to create the XHTML/CSS from there. This is most common for graphic designer.

For HTML hackers, it is easier to start directly the mockup in XHTML/CSS.

If you are neither a photoshop guru (or an artist) nor a HTML hackers, you need to use a Fireframe software with a wysiwyg interface. The most common one seems to be from Adobe. Then, you still need to transform the resulting design to proper XHTML/CSS.

I was looking for a super simple and super quick Fireframe application. Facebook apps is usually not high in graphism anyway. Powerpoint is one solution but it seems to me cumbersome for web design.

And I found Balsamiq. I think this is the perfect match to quickly design a Facebook app. It is also possible to create automatically the XHMTL/CSS from the mockup with Napkee or BmmlExporter. I did not try those applications though.

The perfect Windows Desktop

[Update March 2011 - See my new windows desktop]

I think I found the Desktop experience Nirvana.

My requirement for the perfect desktop:
- Minimal CPU and memory utilization. My PC needs to be lightning fast.
- Simple and clean environment (no distraction)
- Possibility to let message or Post-it in the background

I was able to do this with those 2 amazingly tiny and free application:
1) BGinfo – Possibility to add text on your backround image. 0 CPU utilization when it is done. Completely transparent. Just amazing.

2) DesktopOK – Why this is not by default on Windows is just beyond me. Everytime I change my screen resolution, my icons are moved everywhere in my screens. With this tiny (30kB!) application, I can save and restore all my icons on my desktop. Just cool.

Here is a screen capture.