[breadandbubbles]

alright, i really want a sidebar to be available to me all the time in Windows. i run windows xp Pro.

i dont know about vistas, but what i want is Opera style, in that its sort of..minimized, just a bar with an arrow, and when you click it a bar pops out.

can i get anything like that for windows?

[Dels]

yes you can, but it can't be done by windows itself (just for sure) you need additional software or maybe office sidebar would fit your need? i use it too in win98se era (1998 - 2000)
and today there are several software that can do better than that like docking program, sidebar, etc. for me, i personally take an alternative shell/shell replacement with highly customizable option but didn't take a big memory resource on pc (i use both Talisman 2.97+ and AstonShell 1.9.1) it have lots customizable you can done with (Aston maybe faster and support a side panel that can auto hide just like taskbar auto hide option in windows) but talisman have option to create only desktop panel (this would fit what your need)
for try :
Talisman 2.97 : http://www.lighttek.com
Aston 1.9.1 : http://www.astonshell.com
both available as shareware
or maybe you want to try a free alternate shell, litestep?
http://www.litestep.net (dunno exactly the site so just googling it)

This post has been edited by Dels: 08 April 2006 - 05:23 AM

[m1ck]

another alternative is to use desktop sidebar
-=click me=-
also if u want to make xp look more like vista go here:-
-=click me too=-
and u might end up with something similar to this which was really easy to do.



good luck on your final choice.

edit: just reread your post u dont want viista look but desktop sidebar is fully comfigurable as u would expect with skins to d-load, maybe someone has already done an opera style skin.

This post has been edited by m1ck: 20 April 2006 - 01:58 PM