It can be a shock to the system getting used to the new Windows 7 task bar, which is a combination between the traditional Windows task bar, the Mac dock, and the Linux gnome panel.  One way to ease the pain is to ungroup the icons in the task bar. 

By default, Windows 7′s task bar has large icons that are pinned to it ala the traditional Windows Quick Launch toolbar.  It also condenses the traditional task bar buttons that represent running programs into an Icon for each program.  It can take a while to get used to this behavior, however, since at first glance it’s hard to determine what is a running program and what is an application shortcut (although there are ways to tell the difference at a glance).  It’s also difficult to tell how many program windows are open if you don’t know how.

To change things up a bit, right click an open area on the task bar and select properties.  In the Task bar icons drop down, select “Combine when task bar is full”.  This will give you the best of both worlds.  It will cause buttons to use the full area of the task bar before grouping them in the new Windows 7 style.  The result is the screenshot below.  Task bar buttons that look more like the traditional Windows task bar buttons, but with pinned icons still in there position, and grouping taking place when necessary.  This is a happy medium for all.