Rainmeter is a free and open-source utility that facilitates a desktop interface for managing a library with preset and custom skins.
Whether the goal is to beautify the screen or pin day-to-day apps to the desktop (like Windows gadgets), this small instrument combines resourceful features, an intuitive interface and comprehensive documentation, making it accessible to all user levels, including beginners.
Thanks to its versatile nature, third-party developers can create their own skins to implement into Rainmeter. Some notable examples are Vista Rainbar and Rainmeter Skin Gallery.
The setup is pretty straightforward. There is an option to install the 64-bit version of Rainmeter (optimized for 64-bit Windows), as well as to launch it on each system startup until further notice. PC reboot is not necessary to finalize the installation.
What's worth mentioning is that, instead of a regular installer, Rainmeter can be used as a portable app. Apart from the fact that it can be saved to a mass storage device and run on any PC without prior installations, the Windows registry does not get updated with new entries.
However, there is a downside: most third-party developers create Rainmeter extensions that can only be used in installer Rainmeter.
Once run, the app creates an icon in the system tray, whose context menu provides access to all main features. Illustro is the built-in set of skins, containing a digital clock (time, day and date), two variants of disk usage monitoring tools (for the primary or all disks, respectively), Google search bar (brings up results in the default web browser), network traffic monitor (IP address, upload and download rate), recycle bin (total items and size), system monitor (CPU, RAM and SWAP usage), and a welcome screen with links directing users to online documentation.
All skins can be independently adjusted in terms of transparency, moved to any spot on the screen by dragging (or disable dragging), made click through, hidden from sight, as well as used with D2D rendering. Their frames can be positioned on a different monitor, topmost, normal, bottom or on the desktop, and so on.
Skin code can be edited in a plain text document. As far as skins management is concerned, Rainmeter shows the author, version, license and other information for each item, while making room for configuration in regard to the frame's coordinates, position, loading order, transparency level, on-hover action, and other options that were previously discussed.
Meanwhile, developers can create new skin packages (RMSKIN format) by importing skin and layout folders, plugins (32-bit and 64-bit DLL), as well as by writing the name, author and version (a guideline on how to create skins is available online). Only one layout is integrated into Illustro, while new ones can be easily designed in an INI file (e.g. save as empty layout, exclude unloaded skins, include current wallpaper).
Logging details pertaining to Rainmeter (errors, warnings, notices, debugging), skins and plugins are recorded. As far as program settings are concerned, it is possible to switch to a different UI language and text editor, disable dragging for all skins, hide the notification area icon, enable logging to file, and others.
The Good
Rainmeter is compatible with Windows XP until 8/8.1 (32 bit and 64 bit), supports multiple languages and contains comprehensive tutorials. It checks for updates by default, automatically remembers all settings on exit, and has two installation modes: regular setup and portable version. CPU and RAM usage is very low.
Hands-on experience is not required for using the program's built-in skins, or import those created by third-party developers.
Rainmeter is free, open-source, and does not contain ads.
The Bad
The app does not support any other platforms than Windows (e.g. Mac OS X, Linux) and does not have anything in plan for resolving this matter.
Creating and editing skin packages is difficult for casual users with no scripting skills.
The Truth
To sum it up, Rainmeter is a pretty versatile desktop customization application. Users are only limited by their imagination when it comes to creating and publishing skins.
14 DAY TRIAL // 
