Launchy

Launchy is described as a "open source keystroke launcher for Windows." Open source means it is free, and the keystroke launcher means rather than using a mouse you can simply press the alt+tab keys to open a box in which you can type the initial few letters of the program you want to launch (start).

It is one of my favorite new programs because of its simplicity and efficiency. Others agree as it has been nominated for three awards this year.

Take the time to check out Launchy. You'll spend less time with your mouse and less mouse/more keyboard always makes things faster.

Need a new keyboard? Since I'm spending hours in front of a computer these days, I recently purchased a Microsoft Natural Ergonomic keyboard and I couldn't be more pleased. If you have even the slightest problem with wrist pain or carpal tunnel, I'd recommend picking one of these up. The keyboard slopes downward and thus reduces pressure on the wrist.