Customize Start Menu Always prefered the Classic Start Menu. Not because its been there for ages, or for its looks, but because I found a way to make it my own.
I simply clear out all the shortcuts Windows, Office, and other random programs want to place above the All Programs list.
Create my own categorized folders like Programming, Multimedia, 3D/CAD, Games, System Tools, and a little shortcut for Windows Explorer. Then I place all my shortcuts where I want, easy to find, and completly ignore the All Programs list. Eliminating the ever expanding menu mess.
The Vista Menu simply doesnt allow for that sort of thing (that I have found). I use far to many programs to effectively use the Recent Programs List, so I just turn Program History off.
Creating menus on the right side would be fine if I could remove/hide the left panel that is useless without histories.
My solution would be to have a Simple Directory that you can place shortcuts and Expandable Folders that would Always show up on the Recent Programs List on top of whatever recent programs. Because often what I open is a specific file and not simply the program itself (Media Playlists would be an example, ScreenSaver would be another).
The best compromise for me would be to at least have an option to chose what you see first.
-->The Recent Programs List or the All Programs Menu.
Because always having to select All Programs to get anything you want after hitting the efficient WinKey is less than efficient.
But even then I dont want to just Strip the All Programs menu and create my folders because it is simply a neusance to constantly backup/remove all the darn shortcuts/folders created through every installation and have them mix with my menus. Also it ruins the lives of any other user on my computer
.
So an option to chose whether or not you see both User and All Users' All Programs list would be nice as well.
Now if there is a way to do any of this with the Vista Menu please share.
Currently just shrinking and hiding the Taskbar entirely.
Edit: I also disable all my indexing options (never do enough searching anyways, especially for programs).
So that search bar should be optional as well, since some might consider it tacky or just another bit of bloat (or is it just me?).