Desktop/Launchers And Shortcuts
open source
Launchy
Launchy is a free windows utility designed to help you forget about your start menu, the icons on your desktop, and even your file manager. Launchy indexes the programs in your start menu and can launch your documents, project files, folders, and bookmarks with just a few keystrokes.
freeware
HotKeyz
HotKeyz is a shortcut utility with shortcut control for executing other files, launch them in a normal, minimized or maximized state. The Parameter option gives you parameter control when launching another application like Internet Explorer and surfing to a specific site as parameter. It also features launching your e-mail window when composing a new e-mail even if your e-mail program is not active or not focused.
freeware
Find and Run Robot
Find and Run Robot is a program for keyboard maniacs - it helps you rapidly find programs or documents from within the depths of the start menu (or other directories). One keypress launches the utility - then just start typing the first letters of the application you want to launch. As you type the best matches are shown - just hit the number to launch the associated program.
freeware
MuvEnum Address Bar
MuvEnum Address Bar saves you time by making it super easy to quickly open files, folders, programs, websites, bookmarks, browsing history, web searches, and more from your Windows taskbar.
When Microsoft removed the taskbar address bar from Windows XP SP3, we set out to recreate it. What we ended up creating was more than a replacement; we created the ultimate address bar for Windows XP, Vista, 7, 2000, 2003, and 2008 (x86 and x64) with support for hotkeys, additional browsers (Internet Explorer,...
freeware
Key Launch
Key Launch lets you forget your start menu and the icons on your desktop - launch programs and documents from your keyboard, with just a few keystrokes, by typing abbreviations. Just type a few letters of what you are looking for and Key Launch finds it - enter e.g. 'calc' to open the 'calculator'. You can add aliases, e.g. you can define that "w" means "Microsoft Word", and from now on, you can simply hit Ctrl+Q, then 'w' and enter to open MS Word, it's much faster than browsing through your start menu.
shareware ($20}
True Launch Bar
True Launch Bar is a superior replacement for the standard Quick Launch bar. All functions presented in Quick Launch are also in True Launch Bar. However, the True Launch Bar is fully compatible with Quick Launch because it uses the same folder for shortcuts. But there is one huge difference. True Launch Bar allows you to combine your shortcuts into groups. This feature looks like popup menus. This vastly improves the management of your shortcuts and save working space on your desktop. By using True...
freeware
Portable Start Menu
Portable Start Menu is a simple and free start menu application that can be installed on USB sticks or local PCs. Organize your programs in a simple menu system and launch them via a tray icon. If you close Portable Start Menu on an USB-Stick, running applications can be closed automatically, too.
freeware
Right-Click Extender
Right-Click Extender is a freeware utility which allows you to add some important items to the right click context menu.