Free Software Linux

Windows only: Rainbow Folders, a free interface-tweaking utility, is a great tool for de-cluttering a desktop, directory, or other work spaces where distinct colors and shapes help your mind sort out...

Linux only: The latest release of Ubuntu Tweak, a custom-configuring app we've posted about before, makes it even easier to quickly set up an Ubuntu system with the options, looks, and now software...

Windows only: Donationware application PlacesBar Editor customizes the default shortcut locations in the Windows and Microsoft Office Save As and Open dialog boxes to give you easy access to the...

If you're running Windows apps on your Mac with VMware Fusion in Unity mode but you're sick of blurry icons in your Dock and application switcher, the VMware Fusion blog has a simple solution:...

Go beyond simple place markers and draw directly onto a Google Map with Quikmaps, a free mashup service. The site offers tons of distinct icons you can drag and drop onto road or satellite maps,...

The Digital Inspiration blog shows how to create your own web page or embeddable widget that shows live feeds from your choice of web sites. Using Google Spreadsheets' publishing function, it takes...

There are tools available to allow anyone to create and distribute a completely customized Ubuntu Based distribution using the Gnome Desktop. read more

Windows Vista only: By default, Windows Vista doesn't allow you to install custom color and window decoration themes, unless they've been specifically reviewed by Microsoft. With a set of Uxtheme...

Next time you wipe your PC's hard drive clean and reinstall Windows with that old installation disc, you don't want to connect your fresh, unpatched and vulnerable system to the internet only to...

Windows only: Free customization utility XNeat adds a few unique functions to the rich library of tweaking utilities, and some might become must-installs for Windows power-users. The most notable are...

Lifehacker reader and TiddlyWiki enthusiast Fraser has written up a guide that takes the idea of cut-and-paste Outlook Today customizing to the next logical (or at least Lifehacker-friendly)...

Your plain vanilla "Outlook Today" screen could be doing a whole lot more for you, especially if you aren't afraid of a little HTML or can get handy with a free page creator. Even if hand-coding's...

Weblog Digital Inspiration dives into the Windows command line prompt, serving up several useful command line shortcuts and a few worthwhile tweaks for customizing the command line to your liking....

Windows/Mac/Linux (Firefox): With all the things you can throw into your Firefox Sidebar—including web sites, gTalk, and a to-do list, among others—wouldn't it be nice if you had a bit...