Your favourite Desktop experience enhancer

Zapho

Apologies if this has been done to the death already, but I'd like to ask boards users what applications you use that really make your life easier on any OS. This can be anything that helps you navigate around your desktop better, launch programs faster, taskbar replacements, object docs, sidebars and so on.
Be it open source, m$ or otherwise.

Personally, my absolute favourite is a handy little app called Launchy. Its basically a replacement for the run command and I activate it by pressing alt+F2 (same as the gnome run command). You can install it on linux as well.

Its great because you don't actually have to setup anything, it automatically keeps track of all your programs. It also remembers programs so you don't have to type in the full name. I can type a lot faster than I can navigate the start menu, so it saves loads of time. I've also got it set up so that I can type in the name of song and winamp plays it or typing a web address opens firefox.

hightower1

I use rocketdock with the stacks docklet add-on.
very handy for quick access to folders and apps but you can also customise it to your own style and taste.