Just found and installed a program that will eliminate the shortcut arrows in the icons on your Desktop. I think it is awesome. Every since TweakUi for Windows 95, I've always eliminated the arrows. I think it does a lot to enhance the look of the desktop.

Here is the link I used. It is a really small file and, once installed, you select what you want to do with your icons.

Let me know what you think of this.

http://vistarewired.com/2007/03/03/removin...-arrow-overlay/

This program, in my opinion, at the moment represents the best Vista tuning software available. Not free but has a long trial period. It removes the arrows among a mass of other functions.
http://www.xp-smoker.com/vistasmokerpro.html

While I haven't tried it, I've read where Microsoft's Tweakui for Windows XP -

you can find it h e r e along with the XP Powertoys (on the right side of the screen, an little way down) -

will work with Vista.

Who will be the first to step up and test it?

Edit - It appears you will have to set TweakUI to run as an administrator and set the mode to XP compatibility.

I make my own little program to remove the short-cut arrows.

Wow, I had never even noticed that there were arrows at all!!

Yes. Thats about the truth of it Evilmonkey - why bother to remove it?

Why remove them. Why-Because you can and it only took me a minute. The icons look so much better with the arrows gone. My question-Why not?

Ah, yes. My mistake. I do not use the destop for shortcuts at all, I prefer to "copy" the original *.exe. I mostly use my quick launch bar for such. I only have 7 program Icons on the desktop, but as a result of this query, I did put up a few shortcuts - they did look a bit out of place. But it raised a question in my mind. The shrtcuts did not seem to be any faster than the copying process (which I use) - what is the advantage , anyone??

I don't believe there is any benefit other than aesthetic. The icons just look much nicer. No functional reason!

Shortcuts allow you to manage your programs by keeping the executables all in one place (Program Files/Windows directory). Since a shortcut is so small, there's no noticeable lag with them.

The benefits come from what you like to do with the GUI. Since the GUI is there to make things easier for you, the shortcuts can do the same if you like.

For example, my wife likes a shortcut on her desktop for Windows Explorer, others I know don't mind digging through the Start menu to find it. Myself, I prefer to type it in "Start" and use it from there.

Ok. Understood butwith reserve. aesthetically there is no difference between a shortcut or a drag and drop *.exe file on the desktop. Speedwise? I don't think there could be any discernable difference. As for placing. I must say a 1kb shortcut on the desktop offers more advantages than, for example a 250kb *.exe file! But in defence I do the same as Usasma and have a clean desktop.