Most of you should already known or at least heard about Windows Vista Sidebar, it is a pretty and useful utility that allows us to organize our desktop providing the ability to add gadgets (small applications) on a vertical bar located on any side of the screen. Some gadgets available are: a weather monitor, a clock, a CPU and Ram meter and digital Post-it.
Unfortunately Microsoft´s sidebar is exclusive for Windows Vista; therefore there is no way to get those functionalities if you are running Windows XP, well at least not from Microsoft.
Vista Rainbar is a free sidebar clone for Windows XP from gavatx that also works on Windows Vista, it latest version 4.3, consumes less ram than other similar sidebars for Windows and includes an installer to enhance the user experience but some users, including me, had issues make it run the first time.
It has all gadgets mentioned above plus some extras, most of its gadgets have different themes and an option to change their background; therefore you can make them look as you wish. Even the sidebar itself has a lot of themes to choose from! It also has a crystal gallery like Vista own sidebar!
Vista Rainbar still is a good sidebar clone, it just need to be more polished in order to replace Vista sidebar and provides the best alternative to it on Windows XP.
