If you are a Windows user, but you don't like a lot of icons on your desktop and hate searching through the Programs menu to launch applications, consider setting up a keystroke combination.

To set up a keystroke combination, find the icon for the application you want in the Programs menu. Right-click on the icon and select Properties. Select the Shortcut tab, click once on Shortcut Key, press the key you want to use, then click Apply. If you chose a letter key, hold down the Ctrl and Alt keys, and press the letter. If you chose a function key (F1-F12), press that F key. The program will pop right up.

Try to set up a few shortcut keys for the programs you use the most. You might be surprised at how easy it is.