Desktop themes

Beginning with "Plus" pack that was an optional add-on to Windows 95, Microsoft introduced concept of desktop themes. These are very cool in that they allow you to change your wallpaper, sounds, icons, cursors and a host of other things using a simple text file.

Themes are very easy to create, and they have become extremely popular. There are hundreds of sites totally dedicated to them, and there are tends of thousand of individual themes available on every conceivable subject.

Normally, themes are stored in following location:

C:Program FilesPlus!Themes

Note that location is stored in system registry file (if you don't know what that is, then you probably don't need to worry about it). This allows you to modify, if you are very daring, disk and directory where theme files are stashed.

Each theme consists of a single text file with a file type of ".theme", and a number of associated icon, graphic, cursor and sound files.

ICQ Skins

The most popular instant messaging platform is called ICQ (I-Seek-You). Someone very creative decided ICQ interface was very boring and created ICQ-plus. This add on allows you to change look and feel of ICQ interface. Virtually everything can change - buttons, colors, graphics, fonts and text. These changes are called skins.

ICQ skins are stashed here:

C:Program FilesICQPlusSkins

Each skin is self-contained in a zip file (which can be unpacked using Winzip if you so desire)

If worst happened and you lost everything, you could just restore all of your files back onto your computer. As this may take a while, some services will provide you with a CD containing everything you have backed up, though often there is an extra charge of about $20 for this.

The second option is to use a web-based backup service. You can do this from your browser window and, as with web-based e-mail, you have access to your files from any computer with an internet connection. This kind of service will generally provide you with 10-20 MB of file space and is most often free. You can't back up quite as much using this system, but if you just need to back up odd file or two, then this could be best option for you.

Top Tips For Backup:

- Know where your important files are located. - Keep your backup disks safe. - Keep several copies of important data. - Store disks in different locations. - Decide on a backup schedule and stick to it. - START TODAY. Remember, it's better to be safe than sorry! - Replace backup disks regularly.

The following are a number of different backup services. Have a look through list - you should find something that works well for you. Remember key is in having a simple system and putting it into practice.

Repeat out loud: Backup, backup, backup!!

Connected http://www.connected.com

FreeDrive http://www.freedrive.com

X Drive http://www.xdrive.com

Driveway http://www.driveway.com

Maxisafe http://www.maxisafe.com

Managed Storage http://www.sgii.com

E-store http://www.e-stor.net

@Backup http://www.backup.com

StoreActive http://www.storactive.net

BackUpNet http://www.backupnet.com

eVault.com http://www.evault.com

MySpace http://www.freediskspace.com