Every now and again, the notion strikes the human being that a change is in order. Big or small, it hardly matters. What's important is that we not allow ourselves and the world around us to stagnate. If you're feeling that way about your computer, then the Royale theme for Windows XP may be just what you're looking for.

The Royale theme is a sleek, slick theme done in black. Beyond the color swap, it is very similar to the XP default theme. However, Royale comes with a legend attached. The word is that back in 2005, this theme was leaked, escaping from the labyrinthine confines of Microsoft's headquarters and making its way onto the Internet a short time later. Further rumors suggest that it was originally designed for Windows Media Player.

Users wishing to download Royale will find it to be a very small package, weighting in at only 2MB, give or take a byte or two. Once you've installed it, you'll still need to manually activate it, but that's a matter of a few clicks, nothing more. It is, however, worth noting that your screen may go black at some point in this process; don't worry, everything's fine. It's a normal part of the install/activation routine.

Snazzy or not, Royale does have both pros and cons, a summary of which you can read below.

Pros

The Royale theme is a very spiffy way to give Windows XP a facelift. It's very lightweight, and best of all, it won't cost you a cent.

Cons

This theme is obviously Windows-only. Its installation may or may not cause some taskbar icons to disappear, so be advised and plan accordingly.

If you're looking to make over XP, this theme might be just the ticket. Whatever you decide, this review should be all the help you need in deciding whether or not to take the plunge.