How do I add an app to the Windows Quick Launch bar?

I don't know if you're running Microsoft Windows XP or Windows Vista (or even a beta version of Windows 7!) but I'll answer for Vista, since it's pretty exemplary of how you can do things, even with its many security protections to try and help you not get your computer infected too quickly. :-)

As is true with many other things in Vista, it turns out that you can really just work with the menus, task bars and similar as if they are more traditional operating system elements or application windows.

For example, the easiest way to add an application icon to the Quick Launch bar is to just find the icon for the application -- or its shortcut -- and drag it directly onto the bar:

As you're doing it the visual is a bit confusing, but once you let go of the icon that you're dragging and let it "fall" onto the Quick Launch bar, it's set!

The other way you can do this is to right-click on the icon of the application you want to add and bring up the context menu:

The option you want is "Add to Quicklaunch".

Oh, and if you want to axe something from the Quicklaunch bar? Just drag it off:

It's really easy to work with, isn't it?