Make your Windows desktop look like a Mac (at first glance)

As a fan of the Mac "look-and-feel" I decided to make my Windows XP desktop look more like Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard). Here is how I set up my PC to make this screenshot:

1. Search the net for a Mac-inspired high-resolution wallpaper image using terms such as: mac leopard aurora wallpaper. Be sure to get a JPEG with a resolution at least as large as your monitor so that it doesn't have to be scaled up.
   


2. Get the free RocketDock -- a smoothly animated application launcher. You can right-click on it's trashcan icon to work with the Recycle Bin.
   


3. Install the 'Tweak UI' part of Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP then use it to hide the Recycle Bin from your desktop. You can hide the other icons from your desktop (like 'My Documents', 'My Computer' and 'Network Places', by using the 'Customize Desktop' dialog in your display properties.
   


4. Set your taskbar to "Auto-hide" (there are aggressive hacks that can get rid of it completely, but I like the comfort factor of being able to get back to it if necessary).
   


5. Change your Windows desktop display settings appearance to the color scheme "Silver" so that at least the remaining slice of your hidden taskbar isn't bright blue anymore.
   


6. Download the Mac OS X Leopard Skin for RocketDock by AnthoNYC. This provides the translucent slanted shelf of the dock. Install it into "C:\Program Files\RocketDock\Skins".
   


7. Download the iLeopard Icon Pack SE and install it into "C:\Program Files\RocketDock\Icons"
   
   
8. Install a Dashboard-like application for Windows XP such as Yahoo Widgets or Google Desktop Gadgets. Microsoft Vista users already have Windows Sidebar. Drag the application to your RocketDock and change the 'Icon Settings' to use the Dashboard icon from the icon pack. Set up a few widgets, such as a clock and local weather.
   


9. Download the Stacks Docklet, install it into "C:\Program Files\RocketDock\Docklets" and configure it to point at your preferred downloads folder. This gives you the 'fan effect' view of files & folders in that directory just like Leopard.
   


10. Download Safely Remove Hardware v2 and install it into "C:\Program Files\RocketDock\Docklets" since you'll want an easy way to disconnect your USB devices cleanly without fishing around for the taskbar status icon.
    


11. Add the "iCal" docklet (included) which shows the current date. You can configure it to launch your favourite Personal Information Manager (PIM) or calendar program (but I didn't).
    


12. Download iShut to have an easy dialog box for Restart, Sleep and Shutdown.
    


13. Go nuts with dragging shortcuts or programs onto your RocketDock and change each icon to match the Mac equivalent:
    
    
    
    • My Computer = Finder icon
    • Cygwin = Terminal icon
    • wupdmgr.exe (Windows Update) = Software Update icon
    • My Network Places = Network icon
    • Control Panel = System Preferences icon
    • Picasa 3 = iPhoto icon
    • PDF XChange viewer = Preview app icon
    
    

I could have gone even further and "skinned" the whole Windows theme using Stardock WindowBlinds but I decided not to go that far (yet).