Tweaking improves software or hardware performance. Hardware tweaking involves overclocking the CPU, while software tweaking can be done by the author or end user. Modders make aesthetic changes, while optimization software customizes Windows. TweakUI and Tweak XP simplify registry changes.
Tweaking is making changes to the performance of the software or hardware. In the case of hardware, tweaking can refer to changing the clock speed of the computer’s processing unit (CPU), a process known as “overclocking”. Software modifications can be made at the programmable code level by the author to improve the performance of a program, or they can be made by the end user by changing the default options to improve functionality.
For many computer geeks, the computer system is all about benchmarks. In the 1950s the thing to do might have been to soup up the hot rod, but today it’s all about soup up the system. Voltage regulation, random access memory (RAM) speed, and CPU clock cycles can get a few more performance points out of a setup. Add in a high-end graphics card and custom water cooling and the only thing missing is fuzzy dice.
Tweakers are often also “modders”. A change that is aesthetic rather than performance oriented is a “mod”, short for modification, rather than a tweak. Modders decorate the computer with LED lights flaunting chassis with windows and illuminated power supplies.
Optimization software is all about making it work better or according to your needs or wants. While Apple Macintosh systems don’t allow modifications, Windows operating systems can be modified with a little know-how. Some changes can be made using the configuration menus, but many options are not offered in the graphical user interface and must be done by editing the registry. Here you can make small changes to customize your Windows operating system or Internet Explorer to make certain aspects of the software look or behave differently.
Some common software changes include disabling tips, removing “undeletable” icons from the desktop, disabling Messenger, forcing hidden system files to appear in Desktop Explorer, and removing unnecessary devices and processes from Start Manager. Other tweaks can help prevent Internet Explorer from being “hijacked” as you browse the web or your bookmarks from being changed by malware.
Changing the software via menu options is safe enough, as the option can be reverted if the result is not desired. While the registry can also be restored, it’s not as easy as putting a check in a box or removing it, and might confuse the uninitiated. Before editing the registry it is always a good idea to create a “restore point” using the built-in system administration tools. If editing the registry creates problems, you can tell Windows to go back to the restore point.
In addition to manual tweaking, there are many popular programs that allow the user to tweak Windows from a handy set of menus. Two such programs are TweakUI, the “UI” for “user interface” and Tweak XP. These programs make it easy to apply dozens of changes that would otherwise involve registry changes or mining down to awkwardly placed menu options.
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