The way the start menu never forgets it's programs no matter how much load the CPU is under is a good one too. I remember vista being like errrrr hang on loading start menu.... Still loading... OK go put the kettle on I admit I have no idea what you have installed...

i keep the default browser, media player and explorer quick launch icons because i use them so often it's quicker than win+d'ing or even using the start menu, and the right click features are pretty useful also, but yeah they use up way too much task bar real estate

EVERYONE USE IT LIKE MEEEEEEE

it's not even like that, you can objectively measure how easy/fast it is to use and if you have to click three times instead of once it's slower

sorry climbtree i wasn't referring to you

man ds i could change my desktop 2 try to be funny too

k ds k...u win

Why would I run aero? It sucks

It sucks? In what way? It's aesthetically a lot more pleasing than GREY.
Also if you're concerned about battery life then turn transparency in Aero off, which will not sacrifice battery and give you the additional Aero goodies and benefits (GPU rendering saves the CPU from rendering windows).

idk I actually like the old windows classic theme a lot more than aero, although it does look horrible in vista and 7.

yeah i feel the same way, though my free copy of windows 7 has expired and it's gone to this solid black which is alright (free copy is a non-genuine copy, i've got a legal copy ready to install i just haven't)

It sucks? In what way? It's aesthetically a lot more pleasing than GREY.

I appreciate your opinion but I don't think so.

windows classic theme is so ugly i don't understand how anyone can prefer it over aero

how is it ugly? it's plain boxes. it's like saying letters are ugly.
transparent windows make everything look messy.

I appreciate your opinion but I don't think so.

Well like I said beyond aesthetics there is utility to it.

I also think the windows classic theme works fine enough on older operating systems but looks terribly dated on modern operating systems. Aero is much more pleasing to my eye although I have mixed opinions about transparent (and blurred) windows.