*My desktops typically have a varying collection of work in progress and I have never had any problems.*

Whereas I very rarely keep files on the desktop, as I think that's not the correct place for them - and I know that when I backup "My Documents", they're all backed up, and I don't have to hunt around for ones stored in different places.

The times I've set up backup routines for people, who then wreck the routine by setting up folders straight to root (like my friend told me too), or storing files on their desktop (so that they're quickly available) - grrrr.

Each to their own.

I would have thought it quite easy to readily distinguish between file icons and shortcuts. My desktops typically have a varying collection of work in progress and I have never had any problems. I'm sure most people seperate their icons according tp type anyway - files in one corner, for example. The only group of users who are likely to have such problems would be partially-sighted or blind users, and the small arrows are not going to help them very much. And they ARE ugly and annoying, so I'll stand by my comment.

Well, you might say so, but the point of them as far as Microsoft is concerned is that they enable you to discern the difference between a shortcut to something and a file.

Many people save files to their desktops, and then there are no arrows.

TweakVI for Vista click here
This is NOT the Microsoft version.

Not a recommendation - haven't used it myself and some posters on another forum don't like it.