Windows XP Annoyances

Chapter 2. Basic Explorer Coping Skills

The part of Windows XP with which we interact most frequently is Windows Explorer, commonly referred to simply as "Explorer." The Explorer application (Explorer.exe) is known as the shell, since it's the pretty face that is used to conceal what lies under the hood of the operating system. Although Explorer is really only an application like any other, it is responsible for the desktop, the Start Menu, Recycle Bin, Control Panel, folder windows, and a million other things.

Given the amount of time you probably spend starting programs, copying files and folders, and looking for documents—not to mention actually writing all those documents—it makes sense to invest a little time to find better ways to accomplish these tasks. By following some of the solutions in this book, you can make your experience with Windows a lot more pleasurable, reducing stress and your recurring urges to toss your computer out a window seven stories off the ground.

The ideal user interface should adapt to you rather than the other way around. Indeed, one of the primary goals of this book is to show you how to change the way Windows looks, feels, and operates so that it is more closely in tune with the way you think and work. The problem is that there are some fundamental features of the interface that simply can't be changed, so some of the time you'll simply have to settle for best compromise between the ideal solution and what is actually possible.

A classic example is the Search tool in Windows XP. When you begin a search from an open Explorer window, the Search pane replaces the folder tree, forcing you either to open a new Explorer window or to turn the folder tree back on by going to View Explorer Bar Folders (which incidentally is the only entry in this menu without a keyboard shortcut). And let's not forget the little puppy dog with its incessant scratching noises. Although these problems can't be completely fixed without a third-party add-on, there are several workarounds discussed in Section 2.2.7, later in this chapter. A little knowledge of the alternative methods will save you tons of aggravation.

Many of the topics discussed throughout this book require knowledge of the Windows Registry, with the exception of this chapter—I figured you'd want to jump right in. In addition to the Explorer-related tips and tricks, many of the topics of this chapter document the subtle interface differences in Windows XP from previous releases, especially useful for those who have recently upgraded—it's all good stuff. Chapter 3 provides thorough coverage of the Registry, a working knowledge of which will be employed by material found later in this book.

Lastly, it should be pointed out that this chapter assumes that you have a basic working knowledge of Windows: files and folders, double-clicking, right-clicking, using menus, and so on, although those who are just getting started with Windows should be able to catch on without too much effort.