Earlier this month, Redmond-based software giant Microsoft released a new offering for PCs users out there. The offering is called the Windows Experience Pack and is meant to help Windows 7 users “daydream and customize [their] PC and online experience” as explained by Brandon LeBlanc, Windows Communications Manager on the Windows Client Communications Team.

In layman’s terms, the Windows Experience Pack lets you customize the Windows 7 operating system and Windows Live Messenger – assuming you’re using Microsoft’s instant messaging application. For these customization options you do not have to pay a dime. It is all free of charge.

“With the Windows Experience Pack, you are able create an alter-ego of yourself in a specific destination – a beach, mountain, safari, or city. When you create your alter-ego, you create a fully customized avatar for that destination that becomes a part of a Windows Live Messenger and Windows 7 theme for your PC. You’ll also be able to download a .jpg image of your avatar to share, print, or use as your icon on social networks,” explained Brandon LeBlanc.

By alter-ego LeBlanc means you’ll create an avatar. That avatar will be displayed on top of a desktop of your choosing. There are 4 destinations to pick from (the beach, a safari, the city, the mountains) and there are 3desktop backgrounds available for each destination.

The Windows Experience Pack has been created with Microsoft’s latest operating system, Windows 7, in mind. It has been optimized to work best with Windows 7. But it will work with previous windows versions as well. You can download and use it on Windows XP and Windows Vista if you like. Just don’t expect it to run as smoothly as it does on Windows 7. As Brandon LeBlanc cautioned, “performance and features may vary.”

To get started with the Windows Experience Pack, please click here.