The Windows Sidebar is neither friend nor foe. It’s an option. And it can be disabled. For administrators, the big question might be “how can I disable it throughout my domain?” The two sets of Group Policy settings are the computer level and the user level. Either one works, but disabling the Sidebar at the computer level ensures that all users sitting at the system have the policy applied.

To change the Group Policy for Windows Sidebar, go to the Group Policy Object Editor (using gpedit.msc from the Run dialog box). Open either Computer Configuration or User Configuration settings, under Administrative Templates; then, under Windows Components, look for Windows Sidebar. You’ll see the following settings:

• Override the More Gadgets Link—By default, the Windows Sidebar directs users to the Microsoft-provided gadgets. If you would like your users directed elsewhere, you can establish that change here by enabling the setting and providing the alternative location. If you leave this unconfigured or disable it, users are simply directed to the default site.
• Turn Off Windows Sidebar—The Sidebar is turned on by default (unless your hardware cannot support it and then it will be disabled). You can force it to be turned off by configuring this setting in your policies.
• Disable Unpacking and Installation of Gadgets That Are Not Digitally Signed—Gadgets can be packaged up as compressed files being signed digitally or not. You can configure this policy setting to ensure that all compressed gadget files will not be unpackaged or installed unless they are digitally signed.
• Turn Off User Installed Windows Sidebar Gadgets—No doubt users will want to install gadgets of their own, and many gadgets are being created these days. If that doesn’t bother you, you can leave this setting alone. If you don’t like the idea of any user being able to add any gadget he chooses, configure this to disable user-installed gadgets.

To turn off the Sidebar for your own personal system, you can always select Control Panel, Appearance and Personalization, Windows Sidebar Properties and then deselect the Start Sidebar when Windows Starts option.