DESKTOP

I recently submitted my desktop layout to Lifehacker's Flickr Pool. They usually feature fancy desktops on their site that have been customized. Don't know that I will get picked up, but figured I would give it a shot.

Most of the desktops they choose have a lot of fancy and cool stuff done to them and they look really neat. And in my opinion, would be great if you never opened a program and just stared at the desktop all day. So where mine might be plain, it is set up for work since I will usually have photoshop, word or a browser open at all times.





Shot of basic desktop.
Nothing fancy here like a lot of tinkerers that like to use Geek Tools and the like to add clocks, calendars, etc. to their desktop.

My desktop is covered most of the time with either a browser or photoshop. Plus, I don't see the need when I have istat, calendar, gmail, weather, last.fm, etc. in the menu bar where it is out of the way and always able to be referenced.

Wallpaper is "Lit Blue" by Alan C. Davis from Deviant Art.

I located my taskbar on the left hand bottom and don't keep any programs in it. (The following image shows application view) I made the dock clear just by going to the actual folder for the dock and deleting the graphics associated with it, including indicators (since if an icon is there, then the program is open) The reason I keep them here are b/c it lets me make the browser window taller (definitely don't need it wider) and gives me more room in photoshop without a dock popping up because I go too low when I'm working.

Here is a tuturial I found that should walk you through it if you don't want to wait for some sort of "cleardock" program to come out:

localhostr.com/files/473ac0/Transparant+Dock+ 2D.zip

It's found by going to the HD, then System, then Library, then Core Services

Down to Dock icon and Control-Click to select: Show Package contents

Then open Contents and then Resources

But I would suggest downloading that tutorial, it will have a couple of files to replace, tell you which ones to take out and walk you through the process.

Also back up that dock folder so you can replace everything in case it gets messed up.

The icons themselves are "Transparent Buttons" downloaded from InterfaceLIFT that I started with, but I created all of the ones I use myself combining other icons with a clear transparent button I made as a master.

transparent master button (png file):

I use Adium as my main chat program (names are blurred to protect the innocent) and it pops up right above my task icons. I keep the contact window totally transparent so only the names show.

Same view as previous, but showing Application window open.

Have a similar folder below this one for work folders.

The Transparent buttons icon pack can be found on Interfacelift.com
But I created my own transparent button and used other icon packs to combine icons I liked with the button. In the end, I don't think I ended up using any of the icons that actually come in the Transparent button package.

Most all of the icons I used came from a variety of sites: DeviantArt, Interfacelift and Icon Factory. I used Candybar to convert them to PNG files and work on them in photoshop. Then used Candybar to replace the icons. (It's kind of a pain though when I update certain programs and have to replace the icons again because they revert to the old icon, but what can you do...)

Just a shot of my workspace. Or more like play-space since I have the internet, chat and music open.

But like I said, I felt like I needed the most space vertically in browsers and the taskbar at the bottom used to get in the way in photoshop the old way.

Well, that's the end of my desktop workspace. It's not as fancy as many of the ones I see on Lifehacker, but for me it's perfect.