Datasheet

PART I

■

INSTALLATION, CONFIGURATION, AND CUSTOMIZATION

One annoying feature of the Classic view is the Personalized Menus com-

mand. This feature changes the contents of the Programs window depend-

ing on how often you use the various programs. The rest are hidden, waiting

to be rediscovered behind a downward-facing arrow. Unless you like inter-

faces that hide themselves from you, you’re better off deselecting this

option.

Mucking about with menus

One of the big annoyances with Windows is that it quickly becomes cluttered

with programs, icons, shortcuts, and other debris. Start menu items are

found in the Documents and Settings folder and come from two primary

places: the All Users folder and the logged-on user’s folder. Windows looks

in both places to see which icons should be displayed and then creates a

Start menu from those items. When software is installed it may end up in one

or the other folder depending on how the software’s designers intended it to

be used.

Minimalist at work

As a writer I make my living writing books about software. I launch

and close applications, flip between windows, and in general put the

desktop through a solid workout every day. Anything that gets in the

way or slows down a train of thought is dispensed with. So nearly all of

the ooh-ahh things that Microsoft built into the operating system are

banished immediately.

I turn off all animations and video effects except dropped shadows

on the cursor and desktop icons (see the section “Windows, applica-

tions, and performance,” later in this chapter). Sound effects are turned

off (click Start, Control Panel, Sounds, Speech, and Audio Devices, and

then Change the sound scheme). Any applications I use on a regular

basis are placed on the Quick Start toolbar — no need to have them on

the desktop, too (see the section “Customize your toolbars,” later in this

chapter). I get rid of all “helper” applications in the notification area,

except for a few key ones like antivirus and firewall (see the section

“Improve startup with MSCONFIG,” later in this chapter).

The net result is a faster, cleaner desktop that doesn’t get in my way

or slow me down when I work.

07_763209 ch03.qxp 12/22/05 10:27 PM Page 78