>Some programs are overly sensitive to cookies, which usually only help the website remember who you are. I personally keep cookies turned off, and just enable them on the sites I would benefit from. At some sites this can be a PITA because they keep trying to push cookies on you or won't move forward if they are disabled. Those are sites I never go to anymore. I also won't install Flash or other browsers plugins. I get a reduced experience, but my laptop has been running at OEM speed for 6+years witrhout a rebuild (and only 4 reboots).

6 years at the same speed and only 4 reboots? Wow. I'm generally pretty happy with Windows XP (in comparison to previous Windows versions), but I've never been that fortunate.