Desktop Customization: Aesthetic or Organization?

[enigma]

Why do you customize your desktop?

It seems everytime I try a custom desktop scheme, I'm always sacrificing organization and easy access. Do you experience the same plight?

For example: many people have a minimal (maybe 3) icons on their desktop as a part of their customization scheme. But for me, that sacrifices logic.

What are your priorities when customizing, and have you found a style that balances these two aspects?

[MulletMan]

Both for me. I don't use ANY icons on my desktop ever, because I don't like to minimize any currently running apps to open new ones.

I use my start menu pretty heavily, especially the quicklaunch. I tried the mac look, but that didn't do it for me, functionality-wise. Here's a screenshot of the way I keep things organized.

http://members.shaw.ca/alex_edlund/pics/functionality.jpg

Pretty self-explanatory, and didn't really take me any time to get used to this setup. It also allows me to have ZERO desktop shortcuts.

Heh, I guess you can tell that I haven't updated my shortcuts etc in a while. :D

[Pepi]

I just do it so its kinda asthtically pleasing, sorta like making your bed.

[Xelopheris]

I just finished an app count of apps I use in my KMenu. At 112, I like to have it organized in a menu system, rather than spread on my desktop.

Besides, the most people have on their desktops seems to be a shortcut to their documents folder, 1 game they still play, 12 games they don't play but are still using 20 gigs of disk space, and a recycle bin they haven't emptied in months.

[Pepi]

Lol, i should really uninstall some games.

[NMO]

I prefer to not have many icons on my desktop, nothing over 5 or 6. I mainly use quicklaunch and the start menu, I have a habit of using the keyboard instead of the mouse, so I'm usually going through it using arrow keys.

[Threeboy]

I have a nutty amount of icons on my desktop.

I also disable teh windows XP theme to save resources - it looks like i'm running windows 98 or 2000.

[rocket.]

I have three icons on my desktop and i run a classic start menu setup.

[Pepi]

I disabled it too, but i use a theme that looks nice but doesnt seem to use as much ram

[rocket.]

I disabled it too, but i use a theme that looks nice but doesnt seem to use as much ram

Word.

[Xelopheris]

Looks nice, but doesn't use RAM... What the hell are you guys smoking?

[Pepi]

Here's what it looks like (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/nVIDAC/Desktop.jpg)

[rocket.]

My computer is set up and uses just as many resources witha theme as it would with a normal windows theme, Style XP is never open, its just replacing the old theme, tell me how that uses ram?

[Jace101]

Cause themes are whores who hump the ram while no ones looking.

[Shamus]

Aesthetics. I like the sexiness an occasional hot modification brings. Organization? That's what folders and object dock are for.