Since the taskbar is so much different than the old Program Manager, let’s cover some of the things you can adjust and change. Notice here that the Icons are very large, and a strip along the left side is being used to dislplay the Microsoft logo. As you add more and more programs, and items to your computer you may want to reclaim some of that space. You can do that by right-clicking on an empty space on the task bar ... Choose Properties, on the Taskbar Options tab, check the "Show small icons in start menu." With 95 - more and more people are taking advantage of the fact that you can put your programs, and documents right on your desk top. Tip: By highlighting a section of text in a large document (32-bit apps only) and right clicking on it you can even create a shortcut to THAT SECTION of a document. Because of this, and all of the options that are available to the users, organization becomes important in order to stay productive (or become more productive).

The previous section covered the "Properties" that different items had, and how to adjust them to your liking. This section will cover adjusting the properties of the taskbar.

By RIGHT-clicking on an open space of the task bar you will see a popup menu with properties as one of the options. Choose this properties option and you will once again see a tabbed dialog box that allows you to set a multitude of options.

(A couple of these being: the option to change the size of the little icons in your start menu - or clear the documents that appear when you highlight the documents folder of the Start button.)
 
 

   And choosing the ‘Properties’ option on the pop up menu, you will open the properties box of the Taskbar.

Task Bar Properties:
The Taskbar Properties program has 2 pages (or tabs) that offer the user options. The first page is called Taskbar Options (oddly enough), and offers 4 boxes that allow you to choose how your taskbar will look and act.

1.  Always on top is usually checked. If you uncheck it then your program window can cover the taskbar.

2.  The Auto hide is similar to the first, If you check it, then when you have a program open, and it is highlighted (the active program) then the taskbar will ‘slide’ down out of the way, until you move your mouse arrow down to the bottom of the screen - at which point it will slide back up.

3.  Show small icons options removes the Microsoft banner from the start button, and shrinks down the size of the folders, or icons in the start menu.

4.  The Show Clock, when checked it shows the clock down in the lower right tray of the taskbar.

The Start Menu Programs tab deals with the documents that you have opened you want Windows to remember, and the programs that went with them. If you click on a Clear button you will remove the "history’ of the files from windows memory. It is also another place you create startup items on the Start Button menu.
 
 

Arranging the Desktop Icons:

When you right-click on an open area of the desktop, and you will get a pop up menu. From here you can create a new shortcut on the desktop (covered later), set your Window’s properties, colors, fonts, screen saver, grids, etc. (Also covered later), and arrange how your icons are displayed.

 
 

Note: Each Window you open (not programs) will have this Arrange Icons option as well, under the View command. Each window acts independently of the other.

If you click on the Auto Arrange then Windows will take care of keeping your icons arranged so they don’t get moved around too much. (Starting at the top left of the screen and working down is the default arrangement).

If you click on Line up Icons, it will do the same thing as Auto Arrange would do, but only for that one time or click.

The other options will sort your icons according to the name, the file extension, the size of the file, and by the date.