The Engine Core Desktop

Flickr user PrattLegacy wanted something original and fun for his desktop and application launcher, and this circular layout, complete with a small launcher on the side and lots of useful information in the centre, is the result.

Want the same look for your Windows desktop? It’s not that difficult to make. You’ll need:

• The wallpaper from Imgur.
• The Rainmeter system monitoring and customisation tool for Windows.
• The Tech-A skin for Rainmeter (and, if you need it, this tutorial on how to install it) for the circle in the centre and its system tools — which actually rotates!
• The Radiance theme for Windows 7 to replace the taskbar and window glass.
• The RocketDock application launcher on the right side of the desktop.
• The Token icon set for RocketDock.

This one involves a little Rainmeter hackery to get started. If you’re not sure how to go about it, you can always check the tutorial in the video above, or visit PrattLegacy’s DeviantArt page, where he’s hosting a setup script that will walk you through the process.

Vortex [Flickr]