[selmnoo]

I don't think it's a small minority. I'd say every 2 or 3 of 5 heavy computers users I know do this.

I'm not one of them (I do it, just rarely), and I've gotta say it annoys the hell out of me too. Totally unnecessary distraction is what it is.

[Amadou]

It is a classic design failure mode - form over function. It may even be the most common category of design failure out there.