Thanks Brad Wardell for the email. WindowFX is a program that uses some of the new APIs in Windows and in newer video drivers to add a host of new special effects to desktop. It can add alpha blended shadows, provide animations for different system events, make windows transparent, and much much more.
Version 2 of WindowFX incorporates a breakthru in desktop effects -- Microsoft Direct3D features integrated seamlessly into the desktop. All those cool 3D effects that were once only possible in PC games are now possible to have right on your desktop. Because video cards are so optimized these days for making games fast, these special effects can be done without intefering with real work. This is important because let"s face it, normally this type of software is a just a neat toy to show people that you quickly turn off when it"s time to do something. With the hardware acceleration of Direct3D on the desktop, you get effects that don"t interfere with getting real work done. Effects that make what has been seen on some other operating systems look like child"s play.