CNET Editors' review
Recent editions of Windows offer a lot more in the way of desktop customization and interface enhancement options than was once the case, but for some PC users, especially those used to relying on third-party apps to deliver what Microsoft doesn't, even Windows 7's much-touted improvements are behind the curve. For them, desktop slideshows are so Win95; they need more features and control in their computing experience.
Nimi Visuals offers both. It's a free, compact, standalone Windows effects and customization engine that bundles together more than 59 different customization effects like transparent windows, snow, jelly windows, window border skinning, and wallpapers, to name a few. It supports other third-party Windows customization software, NV plug-ins, and Windows themes, and it enables enhanced desktop organization and grouping options, including its proprietary Nimi Nici browsing component, which displays folders directly on the desktop in configurable transparent boxes. There's also a drag-and-drop, cut-and-paste quick notes feature that lets you save just about anything, including text, HTML, and images. It's controlled from the Nimi Visuals Center, a sleek interface that displays icons depicting each effect in action. It's designed to be extremely simple to operate, and assistance and updates aplenty are a click away and are automatic with free registration.
Nimi Visuals is a small download at 749K; it's accessible as soon as it's extracted from its ZIP file and doesn't use or modify the Windows Registry, which also makes it totally portable; you can install it on a USB drive and use it on multiple machines.
Publisher's Description
From Nimi Projects:
Nimi Visuals is windows SFX effect engine developed since 8th August 2008. Effects available in 20110607 build: Window effects on move or resize - Pixie dust - Windows when moved or resized leave trail of twinkling pixie dust. - Jelly windows - Make window deform, behave like being made from jelly - wobble it. - Kinesis - During move or resize windows interact with each other like being solid objects. - Kinetic windows - Windows keeps it's acceleration when being moved. - Fade windows - Fades windows when moved or resized. Window effects on activation - Fade inactive - Inactive windows fade. - Window shifting - On focus change, inactive windows shift move if intersecting active window. - Window jump - Window jumps on activation. - Focus screen - Screen area is darkened with highlighted active window staying in spotlight. Window effects on visibility change - Fade windows - Windows fade when their visibility change. - Aurora - Aurora lights pass through window while those fade.
What's new in this version: Version 2011.6.13.20 includes the following:
- complete revision-previous changelogs obsolete
- added localization support
- added Nimi Store, Nimi Sync support
- added x64 support - shared core
- added new core
- added effects on move or resize: jelly windows, pixie dust, fade windows, kinetic windows, kinesis.
- added effects on activation: focus screen, window jump, window shifting, fade inactive.
- added effects on visibility change: fade, auror... See all new features
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All versions:
1.8 starsout of 12 votes
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Current version:
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My rating:
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"DON'T DOWNLOAD"
Version: Nimi Visuals 10.5
Pros
THERE ARE NO PRO
Cons
Well first it makes you jump through all these hoops and then doesn't even work
Summary
DOESN'T WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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"Will now let you download"
Version: Nimi Visuals 10.5
Pros
none ..............
Cons
I cant give it zero stars
Summary
You've got to register with NIMI to download it, Yet they wont let you register so you can download it. When you try to register it gives you ether a "Email not valid" or "not verified" message and you never get a verification email. Also there is no way to contact Nimi to address the problem
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"beware beware beware beware"
Version: Nimi Visuals 10.5
Pros
nothing not one thing
Cons
where to start?
Summary
any site that makes you jump through this many hoops to even DOWNLOAD their stuff really doesnt want you to have it or has other motives. give them access to my yahoo mail account? well..... after thinking about it for a minute or so, i said ,like a fool,ok. figuring i would change it anyway. after all that unnecessary hoopla all i got was an error code. ok we'll try again. same thing.
i've been using and swearing by download.com for many years now and this is the first time i have been SHOCKED by their recommendation. had a couple i thought was a little generous but ..... their 4 1/2 star thumbs up truly shocks me. what were the editors thinking? between the combination of wanting way too much information
and shoddy "service" i truly wish i could give them a MINUS 5 star review. do yourself a favor and dont even waste your time trying to try this. i am not an IT tech by any means but i am also not a noob, by any means. in fact i'm the go-to guy in my apartment building/family and their friends when it comes to puter related stuff. i try out probably 5/6 new programs/applications every week and keep very few but i love to try new stuff, so i've seen my fair share of shoddy programs/vendors and this/them are way up on the list.
do yourself a favor and steer clear of this pile of ............. insert your own derogatory remark. -
"Won't download !! "Error" message... Weird host site"
Version: Nimi Visuals 10.5
Pros
Just the promise by CNET that this is a cool program...
Cons
Website is suspiciously bare with near-transparent text that's hard to read; had to register my e-mail account (now I will have to SPAM them); wouldn't download w/o "error" messages; and after the 2nd try... weirdness ensued...
Summary
I was directed to the site, which is very hard to read (as they use near-transparent text), signed up for an account, but after 2 tries of download "error" messages, was directed to another tab altogether, which was a blank page - but for a tiny little piece of text in the upper left-hand corner saying something like "time has run out"...???
Dumb and disappointing!!! :( -
"best ......one of the best soft ...."
Version: Nimi Visuals 10.5
Pros
every thing ..effect ......
Cons
lake of .exe file ................
Summary
5 .......................5 .........................5..............................5............**************************
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"Don`t bother - waste of time."
Version: Nimi Visuals 10.5
Pros
****None****
Cons
Most effects DO NOT WORK with Vista or 7.
Causes Fire Fox to lock up if you minimize a FF window.
Uses lots of ram.Summary
Only a few effects work, and those work very poorly. Causes erratic anomalies such as screen flicker, momentary system wide freeze ups, etc.
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"This file has become corrupted"
Version: Nimi Visuals 10.5
Pros
I downloaded the file Extract Nimi Visuals.exe and ran it. It gave the error " AN ERROR OCCURRED DURING EXTRACTION ". I downloaded this file twice and got the same error both times. This file has become corrupted on C/Net's download.com server.
Cons
I downloaded the file Extract Nimi Visuals.exe and ran it. It gave the error " AN ERROR OCCURRED DURING EXTRACTION ". I downloaded this file twice and got the same error both times. This file has become corrupted on C/Net's download.com server.
Summary
I downloaded the file Extract Nimi Visuals.exe and ran it. It gave the error " AN ERROR OCCURRED DURING EXTRACTION ". I downloaded this file twice and got the same error both times. This file has become corrupted on C/Net's download.com server.
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"Doesn't work"
Version: Nimi Visuals 10.5
Pros
No "installation" required. Just save the files somewhere and run them.
Cons
Almost none of the effects work on Windows 7. A few more work on Windows XP. There isn't any help. The few FAQ entries on the web site provide tutorials that don't work to settings that don't exist.
Summary
It doesn't work.
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"An interesting concept that produces no results."
Version: Nimi Visuals 10.5
Pros
Unfortunately, since nothing about Nimi Visuals 10.5 worked for me, I can't speak of any pros. In theory, it seems like it's trying to be Compiz-Fusion for Windows...
Cons
...but it doesn't quite live up to its potential - in fact it does absolutely nothing at all (and just to be sure, I tried it on two completely different systems).
Summary
If you have some time to kill, and don't mind adding more junk to your registry or files to your computer, only to remove them all an hour later when you realize that this download is a complete waste of your time.
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"All the Eye candy You may wish..."
Version: Nimi Visuals 10.5
Pros
Loads and loads of effects, never seen before in any other program
Cons
Too many effects in previous version, that you end up having conflicting effects, but the program has a buildt in mechanism to stop that, and you can switch on the effects you want.
Summary
This program deserves more fame than it gets. I recommend it to those who like to show off with their PCs. Loads of Effects....
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