WaterWall

The possibility of setting several images as your desktop background is provided only by Windows Vista and Windows 7. Obviously, this feature alone is not worth the effort and costs of switching to a new operating system. If you want to enjoy this sort of functionality on Windows XP or an older version, WaterWall can provide it. This simple application gives you the ability of selecting multiple images and display them as your desktop wallpaper.

The setup wizard will not slow you down with too many options. After clicking the final Next button, the installation procedure will begin and it will take about a second to finish. WaterWall works on most Windows and it does not use too many resources.

When launched for the first time, WaterWall will offer to scan your hard drive for images. If you decline, you can start the process later, with the available options. The application's controls are organized on different tabs. The first tab is where you can load your pictures and move them up or down in the list. If you look in the Edit menu, you will find a few options to sort the pictures by title, file name or path. In addition, WaterWall can remove duplicates and dead entries.

It is also possible to associate different sound files (in .wav format) with individual images. WaterWall will use the loaded images to play a slideshow on your desktop. The general settings menu, located on a different tab, contains options for setting a transition speed, adjusting the colors on your images, background, icons and much more. Alternatively, you may disable the slideshow and use hot keys to switch to the next or previous image.

The software can also display a calendar on your desktop. If activated, the calendar will overlap the images, but you can still click and drag or place icons over the calendar, without affecting it in any way. What's more, you can add events on any date and set up alarms. Other features include hiding your icons, launching the screensaver or scheduling an automatic shutdown for your computer.