>>1
Fairly basic: Kill Explorer.exe (or edit the registry to make it not load); whenever you want to run a program use Control+Shift+Esc, File+Run, then close the Task Manager window.
Best file manager ever and the only thing you want to use: FAR Manager. File management, command console, FTP client, SMB (Windows network) client, viewer, hex viewer, text editor, RAR/ZIP/7Z/ACE/etc. front-end, and more, all in one effective, fast, small, studry text-mode (semigraphic) manager. It has custom hierarchical and directory sensitive menus (F2) and bookmarks too, if you want to use it to replace Explorer.exe.