I have seven folders and six links to actual files in my start menu. Yet, I
have installed many dozens of extra programs and utilities. It's all about
how you customize your start folder. Remember, every program wants to
include itself in the root of the start folder because the company that
created said programs think that "their" program is the most important ever
written. I just don't happen to agree!
I have a "Utility" folder that has about 30 additional apps that I consider
essential to the operation/maintenance of my operating system. I have an
"Application" folder that has about 40 programs that I have purchased and
installed for various reasons and wants.
Create some additional folders and move the appropriate programs into them
to clean up the start menu!
Yeah, this is the key. After a while, if you are like most, you end up with
hundreds upon hundreds, maybe even thousands of applications. They all want
their place in the sun on your start-programs menu.
I've done the same, organizing '001 - Utilities - System' (keeps them at the
beginning and in the order I want even when alphabetizing), then the same with
descending numerical values for 'Audio', 'Video', 'CD', 'Camera', etc., etc.
If I didn't do this, I'd have umpteen columns whenever I hit the Windows
key-All programs. Who needs that.
I also use True Launch bar, which is a nice replacement for Quick Launch, and
that's where the real frequent app shortcuts live. I removed the start button
(incredible waste of taskbar space) and TL lives in the left corner of the
taskbar, with seven icons, each opening a popup of shortcuts, which themselves
can be made to cascade. I don't bother with the normal All Programs very much;
I just periodically do "housecleaning" on it. I do NOT miss the Start button
even one little bit. It was a marketing gimmick to make Windows 95 appeal as
"easy to use" to computer illiterates in the first place, and I never "start"
anything from there . . . except "Stop" (shutdown) <lol>. You can always bring
it up with either the Windows key, or Ctrl-Esc if you need it too, of course.
Without the silly start button, XP has a much sleeker look too, IMO.
I also keep the taskbar on top, since finger extension is much easier for me
than contraction. Once you have it on top for a while, you can't stand the
thought of having it on the bottom. The only reason MS ever put it on the
bottom in the first place was to avoid a lawsuit from Apple. Apple had it
right however, and more repetitive stress injury is caused from this MS
decision than from a lot of other mouse activity.
But I digress.
