I finally added Windows 7 to my roster after, what, eight years using XP. A new Asus top-of-the-line laptop for designing when I am traveling (oh, and do a little simmin' on it too!). So coming from XP there is a bit of a learning curve as to where things are located now and how to get from A-to-B, etc.It seams Win7 is really good once you have a program up as far as finding files, seeing pages open and the like. My question is first opening a program. I know... sound very elementary but what I mean is I see only two ways to open a program:1. From an icon on your desktop (not practical to have all my programs as icons)2. From the Start Menu under the All Programs roll-out which again seems not practical try to find a program.In XP I could create custom Toolbars with programs in groups I want or it had the "Quickstart"(?) area where I could drag the icons of my most used programs. Both of those options appear to be gone with Win7.So what are you guys using? Say yo want to have a group of your favorite flightsim programs?Clutch

As the only Win 7 machine in my house is my wife's new machine (which I am "allowed" to use now and then for FS related things)............ :( I did what I did on my XP system - simply made a folder on her Desktop called Opa's FS Stuff, and have all my FS related icons in it.Keeps her (and my) Desktop less clutterred and offers easy access to what I want to use.Win 7 is quite different as you say - and it is hard to teach an old dog like me, new tricks. Other than that, I am finding that Win 7 is really very well done.Hope these ideas are useful.

I finally added Windows 7 to my roster after, what, eight years using XP. A new Asus top-of-the-line laptop for designing when I am traveling (oh, and do a little simmin' on it too!). So coming from XP there is a bit of a learning curve as to where things are located now and how to get from A-to-B, etc.It seams Win7 is really good once you have a program up as far as finding files, seeing pages open and the like. My question is first opening a program. I know... sound very elementary but what I mean is I see only two ways to open a program:1. From an icon on your desktop (not practical to have all my programs as icons)2. From the Start Menu under the All Programs roll-out which again seems not practical try to find a program.In XP I could create custom Toolbars with programs in groups I want or it had the "Quickstart"(?) area where I could drag the icons of my most used programs. Both of those options appear to be gone with Win7.So what are you guys using? Say yo want to have a group of your favorite flightsim programs?Clutch

Clutch,Yes Windows 7 is quite different from Windows XP. Somewhat like Windows Vista which I never purchased. You mention "Quickstart". Windows 7 has what is called a "Jump list" and those are at the top of all program listings when clicking the Start button. Also can send programs to the desktop as a Shortcut by right clicking the program in the Start menu then select Send To, click Desktop (Create shortcut). Once the icon is on the Desktop you can drag it to the taskbar and select "Pin to Taskbar" where it will remain on the left side of the Taskbar. Not sure about creating a folder as a icon and then using pin to taskbar option, maybe that would work too??jrocky

I finally added Windows 7 to my roster after, what, eight years using XP. A new Asus top-of-the-line laptop for designing when I am traveling (oh, and do a little simmin' on it too!). So coming from XP there is a bit of a learning curve as to where things are located now and how to get from A-to-B, etc.It seams Win7 is really good once you have a program up as far as finding files, seeing pages open and the like. My question is first opening a program. I know... sound very elementary but what I mean is I see only two ways to open a program:1. From an icon on your desktop (not practical to have all my programs as icons)2. From the Start Menu under the All Programs roll-out which again seems not practical try to find a program.In XP I could create custom Toolbars with programs in groups I want or it had the "Quickstart"(?) area where I could drag the icons of my most used programs. Both of those options appear to be gone with Win7.So what are you guys using? Say yo want to have a group of your favorite flightsim programs?Clutch

Hi,I'm using Win7 Home premium 64 bit. I don't have any desktop icons! I want to keep my desktop clean. I only have a couple of icons pinned to the taskbar (for instance FireFox and Windows Media Player). I start most programs using the Windows key. This automatiscally opens the Start menu. I type in the first few letters of the program I want to start (for instance vrou for vroute program) in the dialogue box. Win7 automatically presents a list of the programs and files found with the letter combinations typed. In my example the program vroute is presented 2nd on the list. You can either use the keyboard (arrow keys and enter) or the mouse to start the program. Other programs which I use very often (for instance a text editor) I would pin it to the Start menu.Regards,Dave TchangAntwerp, Belgium

...or just drag the FS9 icon from the desktop onto the taskbar - then simming is just one click away...!When I got W7, I was a little sceptical of the statement that 'it looks like Vista but works like XP', but it looks to be true (so far!);)

ah.... these are all good ideas. I'll probably try each one and see what suits me best. Forgot about "pinning" programs to the bar. Maybe I'll create a group folder icon and pin that to the taskbar. :( Ok, so you guys were so good with that one let me throw another question at ya - but I will do it in a different thread.