Taskbar and Start Menu Options

The bar at the bottom of your screen is called the Taskbar, there are various settings that you can adjust.
Right clicking an empty area of the taskbar will bring up the menu below.

Selecting Toolbars will give you various options, checking one of the toolbars will allow it to be displayed, you can also create your own toolbars.

Going to Properties gives you additional options as shown below, these are fairly self explainatory.

Clicking the Start Menu tab allows you to set the style of your start menu, there are also various customization options.

You can choose the size of your icons, the number of most frequently used programs to be listed etc..