>>XP
>>9000 background applications
>>Clusterfuck of shortcuts
I'd say you need to format and start with a fresh Windows 7 install.

What's wrong with XP?
Anyway, I'm one of those perfectionists who attempts to try not to use the Start Menu that much. I ordered my icons like that, and I freak out when people rearrange them (I've got some mild case of OCPD). And for some reason, I like a small desktop space overrun by icons. But that's just me.

My current
@michaelleung:
I can't use the desktop for icons. I do sometimes for work, but once I'm finished with it, I'll remove them, so I pretty much ONLY use the start menu.

most of the time my desktop only has 10 icons on it but i've gotten a bit messy of late.
This is a former desktop of mine, it was a good pic but a bit too easy to lose stuff on

here you go
http://img338.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1234515800940tv9.jpg
and my current wall. i am so bant.

I was about to make a remark about you having a very clean desktop but then I looked at the picture again...

I have this urge to shoot you, yet I am inclined to uh, look at the picture again. And again. And again...

I'm afraid my desktop doesn't look nearly as spectacular than most of those posted here, but it works:
link

What's the mod you've got for your taskbar?

None, that's the standard Win7 layout, only moved to the left. I use RocketDock on the left for my XP setup, so it just felt natural that way.

Ahhh, I've not even looked at Win 7 so I assumed it was vista modded. Although I guess perhaps one could argue that's exactly what Win 7 is :).

And one would be absolutely right. As owner of two Vista licenses that are basically unusable, I'm still not sure what I'll do when it comes out.

My desk.

With Stardock's amazing Fences program