Absolutely Essential
I cannot say enough good things about this Admin template! Straight up the smartest free alternative to the default Joomla Admin template I've come across.
Not just merely a cosmetic job but a complete rethinking of the structure and the logic of the Joomla admin, from the menus on down. It might take long-time Joomla users a minute to adjust, but once you do you'll wonder how you lived without it. Plus, tons of configuration; even more if your willing to get poke around in the very clean code. Absolutely part of my core Joomla install.

Absolutely AWESOME!!!
I just installed this on one of my not-so-important sites to give it a whirl, and OMGoodness! It really makes the administrative side so much easier to use. It takes a bit of getting used to, but I'm so impressed. If I could give it a higher rating I would.
Pros: Quick Add dropdown menu that allows you to quickly add new users, sections, categories, articles, extensions without having to wade through several different drop-downs.
List of the components down the side of the page for easy access.
Color themes for those tired of the white of Khepri.
Tabs instead of drop-down menus along the top.
Cons:
Takes a few minutes to figure out where everything went to.

For its initial release, AdminPraise Lite was extremely well received on Twitter. Twitter's great for that type of instant feedback. Now that AP Lite is on the JED, reviews are worth their weight in gold so it's nice to see the wonderful reception. Being listed on the official Joomla! Extensions Directory is extremely important to the success of a free, GPL extension, since the JED is the first place Joomla! users check for extensions and the most trusted source for reviews and feedback.

[Download AdminPraise Lite for Free] - [Rate or Review AP Lite on the JED]