Hello, LeKanaw! To answer question #1, well, I'll just tell you of my experiences with programs of this nature. There are several out there, http://www.tvoncomputersoftware.com/ being an example. The link you posted is the usual speel, about getting the download free, but once you've installed the program, it wants you to pay for it, or you only get about 3 channels that are really crappy.
Bottom line is that if you notice the title of the pages you go to, they are all the same title, that being TV on PC Pro. That is because they all use the same exact engine, the same central coding that make the programing work. At the end of the day, they want you to pay anywhere from $39 to $59 to use the program.
As far as graphics quality goes, it's nothing to write home about. Most of the channels are grainy and choppy. It's also been my experience that over 20% of the provided channels do not work. I've tried probably every one of them to have come out, and I ended up deleting them all. If you wonder how I could have tried them all, have a look at one of the first threads I posted on this forum, located here: http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1731?replies=16#post-10748 .
So, at the end of the day, if you were to ask me if that sort of program is worth the money, I would tell you "No." I would instead urge you to try out one of the freeware versions, like MIRO, located at http://www.getmiro.com/ .
As far as question #2, BuBBy has answered it probably better than I could have. Besides, I'll admit that I do not even use desktop icons. I don't have one icon out on my desktop. I don't like the way they clutter up my wallpaper, and I don't like the way I used to have to go searching and looking for the icon I wanted. So, I simply do not use them, and haven't used them for a long, long time. What I do instead, is use a File Manager program that lets me include the icons within the program, in the form of a toolbar or pulldown menu. The toolbar or pulldown menu can then be subdivided into categories, such as Games, Audio, Graphics, etc... Then under those subheadings, I place the icons to my programs, and it's much easier and faster for me to run a program that way. If you are feeling bold, and want to try out a File Manager that can do something like that for you, why not give FreeCommander a try? You can go to http://www.freecommander.com to have a look-see, and find out if it's something you'd like to learn how to use.
When you get around to asking your other freeware advice, I would suggest just going to the Software Talks section of this forum, and ask away! I'm always more than happy to talk about freeware, and I think that holds true for most everyone else on this forum. You'll get plenty of answers to your questions, I'm sure!
Ok, well, talk with you later, M.
