What is a Desktop Theme?
You need Windows 98 or Microsoft Plus!
What to do if you don't have Microsoft Plus!

What is a Desktop Theme?

A Desktop Theme is a collection of cursors, animated cursors, sounds, backdrops, and even screensavers assembled to some theme. When you install a Desktop Theme, your whole desktop environment can change to fit a fun and unique theme.

You need Windows 98 or Microsoft Plus!

To use Desktop Themes, you will need either Windows 98 or Windows 95 with Microsoft Plus! Microsoft Plus! does not come freely with Windows 95. If you have it, you will know because it will say "Microsoft Plus!" on your start-up screen and there will be a Desktop Manager icon in your Control Panel. If you have Windows 98, you don't need Microsoft Plus!

If you don't have Microsoft Plus!, you can get the demo version for free from Microsoft. However, the demo won't actually let you use different desktop themes. It just shows you what the Desktop Theme Manager looks like and lets you try the demo theme that comes with it. You have to get the actual store-bought version of Microsoft Plus! to use new desktop themes.

The Desktop Themes collected here at Otaku World are self-extracting archives so you won't need any special archival software. (However, if you do want the archival software used here, it's PKWare's PKzip for Windows.)

What to do if you don't have Microsoft Plus!

If you don't have and don't want Microsoft Plus!, there are a couple of shareware and freeware programs you can use instead. Just follow some of the links below to find one that suits your needs. Of course, if you have Windows 98, you won't need Microsoft Plus! anyway.

	Left Side Software - Makers of the shareware program Desktop Themes which will allow you to use desktop themes without Plus!
	Impact Software - The makers of MicroAngelo also have a freeware program called Icon Color Level which will allow you to have icons use greater color depth. We have a copy of it here in the Utilities Area of Giniko-chan's Toy Chest.