Launchy

Launchy simplifies access to the various applications installed on your computer. Gone are the days when you needed a desktop full of icons to access your programs or had to open the start menu and all its sub-menus to find a particular program.

Launchy is a simple tool with which you can open any app just by typing its name. A drop-down list will remind you of the names of all the programs that begin with or contain the chain of text you type in.

Launchy allows you to start not just apps like Word or Media Player but also elements like the Control Panel, Power Options, and Display Settings. The program stays hidden until you call it forward using the keyboard shortcut Alt Space.

If you don’t like its look you can customize it with a dozen skins that it includes by default. From the developer’s website you can also download several more.