Any ideas how to keep all the of the minimized applications on the first page of the Task Bar and not have to scroll to another page of the Task Bar (without grouping like applications)?

Don't open so many apps at once? Increase the size of the taskbar?

If you pull on the top edge of the taskbar you can make it double height and then they will fit. You need to unlock the taskbar to do that.

Double? Actually you can make the task bar something like 19X - using up about half the monitor real estate. Now there's a useful feature! <g>

Actually, the OP may not have been referring to open programs. In WinXP I keep most of my icons for frequently used programs in the tray and not on the desktop. That way they are always on top, if you will. If they are not open there shouldn't be a resource usage. I just counted and I have 23 icons in the taskbar next to the start button. I keep very few on the desktop itself. Other comments are correct about the number of programs kept open. I didn't see the need to mention that again.

re: Actually, the OP may not have been referring to open programs. It's possible, but the words "minimized applications" and "without grouping like applications" typically refer to open applications, not QuickLaunch icons (which I too love, having 18 currently available). I don't know of a way to "group applications" in the QuickLauch bar other than putting them in a folder. Anyway, I wasn't pushing back; rather I was noting that I find it almost comical that users can use up half of their monitor real-esate by expanding the task bar to it's full height. Who would do that?

Thanks Derby Dad! That is exactly what I was looking for... I do not want to increase the height of my task bar, but I also do not want to have to scroll to a second page of applications on the task bar. The issue that I have, it based at work where I need to have about 18 applications open (so jam, opening less windows is not an option) and the 'orig' task bar will only hold 12 which then I have to click on an icon to get to the second page where often times instant messages have been sitting there unanswered because I have not paged forward for a while. Some how my coworker has this set unlimited so that he does NOT get a second page of icons... I was hoping that someone could help.. but that is okay!