Better Faster PC

Though it may already be unofficially available on torrent trackers like Mininova (just click here) build 7100 (or the Release Candidate -  RC - release) will only officially be available for download by the general public on 5th May. You can read more about it at the Windows Team Blog here. If you want to check out some screenshots of Windows 7 RC (build 7100) then you can check out this page here giving 50 screenshots of the latest Windows 7 release. Some more good news regarding Windows 7 is that an XP compatibilty feature will be built in. According to Microsoft this feature should make Windows 7 completely (100%) backwards compatible with older Windows XP software. This is great news for users and businesses still using legacy software, forcing them to stick with Windows XP, whether they wanted to or not.

And finally, if you haven’t seen them, Windows 7 RC has included the most funky, cool wallpapers I have probably ever seen! Really worth checking out! The Flickr photo pool is here and you can download the entire wallpaper pack here.

If you are interested in running Ubuntu but are not sure how to partition your drive or are a bit worried about making a mistake and wiping all your important files or ruining Windows installation then Portable Ubuntu might just be exactly what you are looking for.
Portable Ubuntu is a great idea for anyone wanting to learn Linux without the difficulty a beginner might encounter, especially running a dual boot system.
Lifehacker has a great post telling you how to get into Portable Ubuntu, check it out HERE. Want to find out more about Ubuntu Linux then check out the Wikipedia entry HERE

1. Need to format a USB Flash Drive in the NTFS file system format - Learn How To - HERE

2. If you still use Windows XP or 2000 and need a Virtual Drive Program (to mount .ISO files as usable drives without burning them) I found this TINY program, from Microsoft itself. Simple to use and is only a 59KB download. Well worth the 10 seconds it will take to download it. Go HERE

Here is a nice list of some options available to you for docking on your desktop. If you are not sure what a docking application is or does then read the Wikipedia entry HERE. Basically it is a type of user interface that groups application icons for lauching and task switching. Below is a list of some docking options you might also want to check out along with Sliderdock.

• Sliderdock - You can get it HERE
• Circle Dock - Another circular docking option - is HERE
• RK Launcher - is HERE
• MobyDock -  is HERE
• RocketDock - A popular docking option is HERE
• Appetizer - is HERE
• ObjectDock - By Stardock, note there are two versions, one is FREE the other is NOT - get it HERE
• Y’z Dock - By Oxygen-X - is HERE
• Though not strictly a Dock, check out Fences as well, great for organising desktop icons - HERE

This is a great desktop customization featured recently on Lifehacker that I thought I would share with you. Check out the picture below.

If you want to get this desktop (or use it as inspiration for something similar) then here is what you are going to need:

• The deviantART page for this desktop is HERE and the Flickr page is HERE
• The original post on Lifehacker is HERE

Then you are going to have to download some programs as well to enable this level of customization:

• Rainmeter which is HERE
• Samurize which is HERE
• Launchy which is HERE
• ObjectDock which is HERE
• CD Art Display which is HERE

And there you go everything you need to have a really ‘pimped‘ desktop…

If you have always wanted to be able to rearrange the order of the open program buttons on the taskbar in Windows but didn’t know how, I am here to help. Here are two small programs that will do just that, allowing you to freely order the buttons of the programs in your taskbar to whatever order you would like.

• Taskix is a TINY program (only 60 KB) that allows you to rearrange your taskbar buttons, simple but effective. Check it out HERE
• Taskbar Shuffle is the more well known alternative and you can get it HERE
• Otherwise check out this page giving links to some other alternatives HERE

If you want to check out some beautiful icons that you could use on your system then check out this post, listing their Top 50 icon sets of 2008. Some really great icons there and worth looking at.

Check it out at Noupe right HERE.

Interested in getting your kids into the alternative operating system Linux at an early age? Then Qimo might be the answer, built on Ubuntu, Qimo is aimed squarely at the little ones, just be aware though that it is a LARGE download (698MB!).

•  The Official Site for Qimo is HERE
• There is a review of Qimo at Raiden’s Realm which you can read HERE
• And a short article CNET which you can read HERE

If you have Windows Vista and are not keen to install a Beta version of Windows 7 but would like a similar visual style to Windows 7 in Windows Vista then check out some of the options below:

• Windows Seven(7) Transformation Pack is HERE
• Windows Se7en (Vienna) Transformation Pack is HERE 
• Winmatrix lists 5 different options HERE
• Technoworld also lists their Top 5 HERE
• AskVG has a How To Guide for converting without the use of a transformation pack. The instructions are HERE

Well, if you still use Windows XP like a lot of other users out there you might be getting a bit bored of the standard themes. I have already posted about some themes for XP (which you can read HERE) but what about making XP look like Windows Vista without any hassle, using a ready made transformation pack. Here are some links to downloads that will do just that.

• BricoPack Vista Inspirat Ultimate 2 is from CrystalXP.net - Check it out HERE
• Vistamizer is from Thoosje.com - Check it out HERE
• Vistapack is another transformation pack by Damian666 - Check it out HERE
• Vista Transformation Pack 9 is another option - Check it out HERE