More Meat on the Bone of your XP Start Menu

Need to launch applications quickly and simply on your XP computer? Gadget certainly does. One way of getting instant access to applications is to have desktop icons, but Gadget likes an uncluttered view of his desktop picture (a nice meaty bone). Luckily he knows that in XP you can make room for more than the usual six short cuts in the "Start" menu favourites.

Right-click the Start menu, select Properties and click the customise button. In the programs section in the centre of the dialogue box, use the up arrow button to increase the number of icons that should be displayed and then click OK. Job done - Gadget has his favourites ready to go when he needs them.