I only mention it becasue last year mine ran out and started getting ads before I found out what the problem was.

Guys we are getting off topic here. I am still wanting to know about the search box issue. It does not bother me about the text but it does irk me a little that system changes can be made and there is no clue as to what caused it. For now it is ugly text but next time it might be something even greater.

Thanks Tom

I guess I'll have to live with this. Still wish that Neil would let us know how or if we can get some control over the font settings here [e digicons]:'([/e]

FWIW, both my machines at work and at home have this text in the search box (and if you click in the box, the text disappears). The machine at work has 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium OEM. I wouldn't know if the text only showed up after an update on that machine, because they got the computer in June but I didn't start using it until September. It has never had Impulse, WB or any other Stardock product installed on it. This machine (home) has 64-bit Windows 7 Professional, build 7600 (retail box, not OEM) installed last week on a brand new build (new mobo, new hard drive, etc). The text has been in the search box from the initial install. Impulse is installed but nothing else from Stardock (yet). I purchased WB7 for it, and still have all the other apps from before, but thought I'd check the forums for Win7 issues before installing anything when I found this thread. To add another level to the question... in addition to the "Search files and programs" font (and the box itself) changing size between Venture and Anon, did anyone else notice that the magnifying glass also switched directions?

I have not updated anything on my PC in months (and I really mean nothing has been updated), and I didn't have the text. I just got my ODNT renewed, and updated Windowblinds and there it is. There is no doubt in my mind that WB is either adding it, or triggers it somehow.

Adding to the mystery is that I never had it on mine. Before, during or after I got SD products. It shows up on all the Aero skins including the ones made by Stardock Design. This is what led me to mention that non-OEM Windows are the ones affected and it turned out partially true. Certain OEM Windows have nothing at all and some do. It does have a connection of some kind involving Aero or some component common to all of them. But then again...not all are affected. When I had home Premium on my laptop it was only MS Aero affected and not the ones made by Stardock Design. Now that I have the pro version (non-OEM) its there. Go figure.

I give up, lol. There are people who say its a stardock thing and there are people who never had stardock on their computers including my laptop but yet it has the text. Its clearly unclear to me. There are those who swear its caused by stardock yet I have a brand new HP elite laptop that does not have anything stardock on it and never had but the text is in the searchbox.

 I have all updates, No txt... Apparently some do, some don´t.....A National/geographic issue maybe ? I guess MS updates are different in the US from Europe For example.. ?? Just a thought.   

I have Seven 64 bits and I have this text on Aero skins only, not on WB skins.