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One of Power Downloader's pet personal computer peeves is the Safely Remove Hardware icon that pops up and nags him anytime he removes a device. External hard drive, thumb drive, a USB-powered fan--there's no escaping that pesky pop-up.
Except, of course, there is a solution. In fact, there are two easy solutions, says Power Downloader: One uses a small program, while the other involves tweaking the QuickLaunch bar's properties.
The tiny and free program called Icon Remover comes with two functions: a button to remove the Safely Remove Hardware icon, and a second button to restore it. That's all the app does, but it's certainly the simplest way to tame that unruly icon. Simple and effective, it's a reasonable way to solve the problem without having to remember various twists and turns in the QuickLaunch properties box.
The QuickLaunch bar properties give users control over pop-up icon behavior.
(Credit: CNET Networks)If that labyrinthine pathway to icon removal appeals to you, or if you prefer to not download a 500KB program for such a tiny issue, there is a way to access that icon's behavior from within Windows that doesn't involve hacking the Registry. Right-click on the QuickLaunch bar in the tiny space below the clock, and select Properties from the context menu that appears.
Under the Notification area, hit Customize and then scroll through the choices until you see Safely Remove Hardware. Change the default setting of Hide When Inactive to Always Hide--you've now taught that annoying pop-up to stay down, and you've prevented one of Power Downloader's pet peeves from becoming your own.
(Credit:
CNET Networks)
Power Downloader is a lifelong Windows PC user, but he has a lot of respect for those who use other operating systems. Power knows that it's not as important what kind of computer you use as it is the software you choose to run on it. He has even admitted to Kitty Kilobyte in the past that both Mac and Linux operating systems are as attractive as they are functional.
That's why Power Downloader was pleased with an e-mail he received from Kitty Kilobyte the other day with a special program for his Windows PC. Kitty explained she had found a utility that could bring a very Mac-like launcher to his Windows desktop. After a quick download and install, Power immediately liked what he saw.
Choose from several different skins to make RocketDock match your desktop.
(Credit: CNET Networks)RocketDock behaves much like the Mac OS X Dock. Its smoothly crafted icons sit in a skinnable Dock interface that can be "stuck" to any side of Power's desktop for instant launching of programs. He can minimize Web pages and documents to RocketDock, make the icons "bounce" as the program launches, and he can drag icons to reorder them, just like on Mac OS X. It even offers the zooming mouse-over effect for icons. Though it's not quite as smooth as its Mac OS X counterpart, RocketDock is easily the best in its class for functionality and customizablity on Windows. It comes with several skins and icon variations so Power can match RocketDock perfectly to his desktop and he can get more skins and icons at the developer's Web site. Perhaps best of all, RocketDock is absolutely free.
Power Downloader's main super power is finding the most efficient software for any situation. But Power knows sometimes software can be both useful and provide a pleasing interface. With RocketDock, Power gets the Mac-like functionality and intuitive interface for launching programs, which he can customize to fit any desktop style.
(Credit:
CNET Networks)
When Power Downloader is hot on the trail of an Internet criminal, time is of the essence. If he needs to find specific computer information about his target quickly, he doesn't always have time to navigate through the usual Windows Explorer folders. Power knows spending a bunch of time trying to find the right folder or Web site can be the difference between making a capture and losing the trail.... Read more
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