I hate icons on my desktop, I prefer to run everything from the start menu.

I agree with this philosophy 100%. My desktop is always cluttered with files I'm currently working with before they reach their final destination on the hard drive.

However, i find the start menu annoying. What I do is put the auto-launch icons right on my toolbar (drag and drop shortcut from desktop to toolbar).

This, combined with me putting my toolbar on the lefthand side, and auto-hiding it, is *my* optimal working environment. Opening anything is merely running my mouse to the left hand side of the screen and clicking an icon... no matter what is already open.

Have you tried Object Dock? Outstanding little Stardock program. It's in the free stuff area of SDC

However, i find the start menu annoying.

Most start menus that I've seen would drive me crazy.

Have you tried Object Dock? Outstanding little Stardock program. It's in the free stuff area of SDC

No, it would be just one more thing to install.

This is how my start menu and desktop look. I have everything I need and nothing I don't. I find it extremely simple to navigate.

one thing regarding IE 7 and FF2.0 i have both installed and doing a comparitive run, like FF much better (still, i've been using it since 0.9x) one significant thing i discovered was that IE7 with ONE tab open takes up nearly twice the memory that a FF windows with FOUR tabs open... now its not like i'm hurting for memory while i'm browsing, i've got a gig, but honestly, i don't think i want to give 77mg of memory to one freakin program that is definitely not a game

IE7 with ONE tab open takes up nearly twice the memory that a FF windows with FOUR tabs open...

What's a tab?

What's a tab?

It allows you to view multiple pages simultaneously within one window so you don't have to run multiple browser instances.

And mumble... I prefer things pretty minimal myself, but there is such a thing as going *too far*... I don't let things run that I don't know about either, but there's a difference between controlling your computer and letting it (or fear of losing performance) control you.

In FF and IE7 instead of opening a new window to browse multiple sites, you open a new tab. Kind of cool, but I'm back on IE6 after the FF crap.

I installed IE7 a couple of weeks ago, and I found the tabs annoying since I always wound up closing down the entire browser by accident instead of the specific page. So I'm ruling out Firefox if that's supposed to be a great feature.

Tabs seem to be an alternative to opening a page in a new window, with IE7 you have the original option of opening in new window, or in a tab.

I don't let things run that I don't know about either, but there's a difference between controlling your computer and letting it (or fear of losing performance) control you.

I avoided converting to Windows for the longest time possible (until DOS game software began disappearing), and only used it when a specific program required it. I've never been a fan of graphic user interface, because I felt it was taking some of the control of the machine away from me, since I first learned computing using command line syntax.

You can do either with FF as well. To tab or not to tab, is purely a personal preference in both IE7 and FF.

I always wound up closing down the entire browser by accident instead of the specific page. So I'm ruling out Firefox if that's supposed to be a great feature.

When you close the browser and have multiple tabs open in FF, it gives you a warning saying "are you sure you want to do this mang? cuz you gotz more than one tab open. Maybe you want to just close the tab"

This message defaults to on from your first run, but when you become accustomed to it, you can turn this feature off (inside the message as well... check box to say "always show me this message").

I prefer things pretty minimal myself, but there is such a thing as going *too far*...

Perhaps. But that's just the cross I have to bear. What you've seen is really just the tip of the iceberg. I disable all non-essential services. Even most essential services I change from automatic to manual. I have less than 20 processes running on my machine at any one time.

Every program that you install treats your PC as it's personal playground and thinks nothing of adding new services that can never be uninstalled and starting 3 or more processes on boot up regardless of whether or not you're actually ever going to use the program. The crap that accumulates in your registry over time can make it impossible to figure out whats going on, plus unistalling a program might clean up the start menu and the install directory, but never the registry. I usually end up hand editing the crap out of my registry.

BTW can anyone recommend a good registry cleaner?

It takes me quite a while to set up a new PC but once done, I've run for years with no issue until the inevitable day someone comes out with a new OS or DirectX 23 or whatever that makes what I have obsolete and I have to do the same thing all over again. I've done this at least 6 times since 1980, I probably have another 3 or 4 more times to go before I'm dead and no longer have to deal with it.

My new home PC isn't fully set up yet

Dang, Mumble, haven't you had that thing for a couple of weeks now?

Only kidding, I do understand. I've heard some good things about Advanced System Optimizer's registry fixing features; they offer a free trial here.

I'm using FF (v1.5.0.8) here at work now, and I have no trouble using these forums. Tabs rock, especially when my boss strolls into my office and I can surreptitiously Ctrl+tab back to my developer forum page. I understand Internet Exploder 7 has tabs, too, but I'll happily wait until I'm forced to go Vista before I bother with it.

And for the record, windows finally automatically upgraded me from IE6 to IE7. I gave it a try, and honestly don't care for the interface changes. Where's my menu at the top??!!!

Are you using the GalCiv2 desktop theme by chance?

If you are, the menu bar will be black, and the menu items will be a very dark gray.
But it is still there and usable. Just takes a bit of getting used to.

Are you using the GalCiv2 desktop theme by chance?

Actually no I'm not =\. I use the standard Windows theme for these types of reasons (even though it's kinda depressing).

I only use IE for *very* specific things that only use IE, or when I'm trying to see if something is caused by a browser failure in FF. To date, there was only one failure I got by an FF browser, and that was for a poker site that has since been made illegal for US users.

So maybe it was there and hidden. I found what I needed to use pitched away in the corner somewhere. You can probably get used to the new UI if you're a regular user, but ,as for me and occasional users, I'm not too thrilled by the change.

but I'll happily wait until I'm forced to go Vista before I bother with it.

Microsoft announced immediate FF support with Vista, and gave the base development team for FF M$ developers to help ensure its easy switch over.

Microsoft Open Source WHAT?