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I’m on a quest for a mythical object; an aesthetically pleasing desktop that is not too distracting and lets me keep track of my tasks. This is the result of my search so far.

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Starting from the top:

• I use Rocket Dock to get keep some frequently used apps handy. I’m using the built in WhiteCristal theme with opacity set to 50%. The icons are based on the Serenity Icon package. I had to rustle up some of my own icons. My files are here with PSD template included. Just copy and paste the layer styles.
• CD Art Display (formerly Winamp CD Case) is a free desktop program that shows the current song cover in a skinnable display. It has support for AlbumPlayer, Helium Music Manager, iTunes, Winamp, Windows Media Player, MediaMonkey and partially supports qmp, MP3Toys, musikCube and foobar2000 (Winamp API Emulator plugin). The skin I’m using is something I whipped up with some inspiration from the Heaven o.o desktop and the Pure Adium skin. You can get that here
• The clock, calendar and todo list are all done using Rainmeter. The todo list uses a font called Hand of Sean. Very nice. The stacks on the left are done using a combination of Rainmeter and StandAlone Stacks. My skin files are here
• I’m using the Windows 7 style by giannisgx89 and StartKiller to hide my start button. You might have to patch your system to allow you to use custom themes, though. I used VistaGlazz for that; make sure you read the instructions and are clear about what steps to take!
• Last but not least, is Launchy; very useful, especially for a keyboard junkie like me.
• Wallpaper from here

That’s it for this episode. My quest to find the Ultimate desktop continues next week on Linux. Also cominig soon: Shortcut Sorcery with AutoHotKey.