Resolved Program Shows on Task Bar and Notification Area

I think I have the task bar and notification area terminology right. Just in case I don't here is what I think they are: Task bar is the area that shows programs that are active (maximized) like mail and I.E. and the notification area is a part of the task bar, on the far right, that has icons showing running programs.

Here is my story:
I like to keep my email program open when my computer is on. I noticed there was an option to "pin this program to the task bar" and thought it meant the notification area... apparently it did as an icon appeared in the notification area. My beef is the program still shows on the task bar. What I was expecting was the program to show in the notification area (when minimized), not be shown on the task bar (when minimized) and if I wanted to "see" it I would click on the icon in the notification area.

It seems rather dumb to have the program showing in both places all the same time. So I figure that I must be missing something here. Is there a way to get my mail program (WLM) to minimize to the notification area versus always showing on the task bar regardless of if it is maximized or minimized.

Am I expecting a bit too much from Windows 7?

 

Hi Tony, thank you for repling to my post. I appreciate the links you provided. I learned some things I didn't know. I did not learn how to get the open program not to show on the task bar when minimized AND when it is showing in the notification area.

You know there are all kinds of programs that work that way. My antivirus, my backup programs, folding@home, roboform and so on. It would appear that some programs aren't handled that way. I've even see programs that offer that option with a check box. It would seem to me that this must be controlled by the registry. What do you think?

 

I have found a hack to do what I want.

Close WLM. Right click on the program icon and select properties, under the compatibility tab check the box to activate compatibility mode and then select Vista and OK out of properties. Start WLM and then right click the icon in the notification area and click on "hide window when minimized."

It worked for me