# What is it with software and TSRs/ System tray icons?? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 5, 2004, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-software-and-tsrs-system-tray-icons/263261 "2004-09-05T20:50:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2004, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-software-and-tsrs-system-tray-icons/263261/21 "2004-09-06T14:46:40Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > That still occurs, with large programs. Mozilla has the option to reside in memory, which gives a startup time comparable to IE (well, it does for me, but individual experiences vary). But then again, running Mozilla at full pelt grabs some 150-200Kb according to Task Manager. 100-200Kb? I want _that_ version!!! ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2004, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-software-and-tsrs-system-tray-icons/263261/22 "2004-09-06T18:31:12Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#): > > To people who already have the software. Yes. So when the new version comes out, all you’ve been seeing is “java” the last year. What will you buy? Go with Java… ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2004, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-software-and-tsrs-system-tray-icons/263261/23 "2004-09-06T19:18:11Z")
I have grown to appreciate the XP task bar. If you have XP, right-click on the task bar, click **Properties…** , and then click on the **Customize…** button. You can then choose exactly which icons are shown, which are hidden, and which appear only when they are relevant. I know that it doesn’t free up the machine any, but at least it reduces desktop clutter. I set mine so that only Zonealarm and the little speaker icon are visible. The rest are hidden from sight. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-software-and-tsrs-system-tray-icons/263261/24 "2004-09-07T19:20:29Z")
You can do what **minor7flat5** suggested, or you can just right click on the Taskbar, select Properties, and click the checkbox marked **Hide Inactive Icons**. That’ll hide a bunch of them. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Means\_Go](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cc9497/32.png) [@Green\_Means\_Go](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Means_Go)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-software-and-tsrs-system-tray-icons/263261/25 "2004-09-07T20:03:47Z")
Argh! I was gonna pit this today and I come in and its already here. :wally ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2004, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-software-and-tsrs-system-tray-icons/263261/26 "2004-09-08T00:37:12Z")
For an “always on” service it’s preferrable to have a little (hidden) icon in the systray than a slot taken up on the taskbar. Preloaders and Agents, OTOH, are annoying. It’s nice that Real Systems wants their media player to load 300ms faster, but I might have something else I want to do with the MB of memory their preloader is squatting on. “Ah! Our program will load faster, but every other program will load and run slower! HAHAHAHAHA” Also, the systray Customize doodad (sets when/how icons are displayed) is rather underfeatured and slightly buggy. I’d like the option of removing “Past Items” (Seriously, I don’t need to be able to customize the display of the systray icon of a program I removed 4 month ago) and it would also be nice if it could figure out that it doesn’t need to store a new object every time the text changes (E.G. Mail alerts “1 New Message!” “2 New Messages!” etc.; the whole logon sequence for every network connection I’ve ever used). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-software-and-tsrs-system-tray-icons/263261.md?page=1)