Application to darken non active windows

September 24, 2006 9:23 AM

Is there a windows application to darken the screen around your active window?

I have a 21" monitor and would like to be able to darken everything around my active window, be it a FireFox window or a PDF. This way I could shorten the line length of the text that I am reading and still not become distracted by other objects on the screen. I could set my wallpaper and hide all icons, taskbars, and widgets, but it seems like there should be an application to do this quickly.

posted by corpse to Computers & Internet (7 answers total)

Perhaps this is it?
posted by powpow at 9:33 AM on September 24, 2006

Scratch that, wrong post. Sorry
posted by powpow at 9:33 AM on September 24, 2006

Best answer: there are a bunch for Mac (Backdrop, Doodim, etc.) (probably since there is no real Maximize) but this is the only one I could find for Windows: Ghoster.
posted by misterbrandt at 9:44 AM on September 24, 2006 [2 favorites]

Seconding Ghoster. I use it occasionally and it's small, simple, and works just fine.
posted by drumcorpse at 5:03 PM on September 24, 2006 [1 favorite]

I just installed ghoster and I think I'm in love. I'd been looking for a way to be more productive, and I think this might just be the subtle approach I was looking for.

Thanks!
posted by ztdavis at 3:47 AM on September 25, 2006

Best answer: Would "Jedi Concentrate" work from the app-a-day software jedi?
posted by JonnyRotten at 11:21 AM on September 25, 2006

Lifehacker just had an article about it today.
posted by hatsix at 7:56 PM on September 25, 2006