Soyabeaner, not sure how much improvement will be found
But noticed that more and more products are placing an icon in the tray. The new Comodo Vulnerability test wants to load a tray icon, where it could just sit on the desktop and run when clicked. The file hippo update checker used to do this but the new version now also wants to place an icon in the tray.
Its starting to be like when every program wanted to have its own tool bar.
Wonder what the most tool bars anyone had loaded in their browser and how small a screen they had to view

Or my favorite complaint how many programs that do
NOT need to,
insist they run at startup to check for updates

The programs I listed would not lose any functionality running from a link on the desktop.
I currently have only 7 tray icons Comodo Firewall, BoClean, Memory Firewall, Avira (free), SpywareTerminator, Qnext and Logitech (just installed the Wave wireless keyboard and mouse)
I have two folders on the desktop with links for other programs I use that had wanted to place an icon in the tray.
And at least for me works just as well.
and just uninstalled the Verification Engine to test a problem I had when using the back button on the mouse (not only this one but the last one also) including these forums or Qnext the page would go white
or when changing between pages on the Internet or sites especially when using the back key on the mouse, a Microsoft error would appear and a crash back to the desktop.
http://forums.comodo.com/verification_engine_allows_you_to_verify_what_you_see_on_the_internet/windows_error_report-t21709.0.htmlOne of the suggestions I read was to eliminate browser plugins.
I had deleted IE7 Pro last fall but in doing a deep registry search found 4-5 keys remaining deleted those and uninstalled the Verification Engine to see what happens for a few weeks.
Had a conflict with it and Gmail for many months with gmail crashing. Gmail wanted to put all the blame on the browser ad ons but too many of the programs were those that have been used for years.
I had a link that logged into the older version of gmail and reinstalled The Verification Engine with no problems.
Lets see if any more crashes occur in the next 2-3 weeks ?

UncleDoug