Rating: 5 pick 

Version tested:  1.0

Description: Folder Guide provides fast access to your folders through the explorer context menu. A right mouse click is all you need to navigate to your favorite pre-defined folders (see screenshot).

I remember years ago I tried a shareware utility that did the same, so I’m really please to have found this freeware one. Here’s what you need to know about Folder Guide:

• In addition to allowing you to access your defined folders from the desktop, Folder Guide will also do this from and any Save As/Browse Windows dialog. This means that when you are saving or opening files from any application you can use Folder Guide through the context menu to jump to the folder you need
• New folders can be added to the Folder Guide list by right clicking on them, or from Folder Guide’s settings dialog.
• Folder Guide allows you to sort the folders in the context menu as you see fit. Read more »

Rating: 4 

Version tested:  1.04

Description: MenuApp is a program that enables you to create folder shortcuts that function like start-menu style launchers (see screenshot).

Four steps to get your shortcut launchers up and running:

1. First step is to unpack menuapp in the appropriate place (e.g. “c:\program files\menuapp\”); there’s no installer.
2. Create a shortcut for the main executable “menuapp.exe” and place it where you want to use it
3. Right click on shortcut, goto ‘properties’, then the shortcut tab and in the ’start in’ box type in the path for the target folder (see screenshot)
4. Rename the shortcut appropriately (changing the icon, like I did, is also a good idea, as the MenuApp icon is pretty drab). Read more »

Rating: 5 pick 

Version tested:  1.0

With Launchy you can search for installed apps rather than browse for them manually in your start menu.

Launchy is invoked/dismissed by a hotkey (alt+space by default). It is pre-set to index your start menu links, but can be customized to index any location on your hard drive for any type of file.

For example, I typically tend to put a lot of files that I am working on on the desktop. I therefore set launchy to index the desktop (and all sub-folders recursively) to the types of files that I want that I typically deal with (xls, csv, jpg, mp3, exe, zip, rar, etc.)

I used to use a very similar program called Find and Run Robot, but I find that this one (a) is more customizable and flexible, and (b) has a much better look and feel overall (it also has tons of skins).

Read more »

Rating: 5 

Version tested:  1.3

My new favorite launcher!

STabLauncher is a tabbed launcher that resides either on top or bottom of the screen. Mouse over the tabs and they pull down; create as many tabs as you like, in the color(s) of your choice.

I must confess I like this better than Rocketdock,  just because the tabs make a lot of sense in terms of organization. Read more »

Rating: 4

Version tested: 1.2.5 

I’m perfectly happy with my Windows machine. I don’t want a Mac. If I got a Mac as a gift I would probably return it and get a PC instead.

That being said, I am all ga-ga over this Mac OS X style launcher, probably the best of its kind. I’m using it on both my work and home laptops and am very pleased with how practical the thing is. It can be placed on top or on the side of the screen, and can disappear when not used yet be handily accessible through a hover of the mouse. It also features more different style options (skins) than anybody would know what to do with. Read more »