Patent ID: 6839836

Claim:
A method for operating a portable computer, the method comprising the following: (a) upon activating the portable computer, checking to see if a user has selected any one of a plurality of quick launch keys, each of the plurality of quick launch keys being associated with a separate application program; (b) if in (a) the user has selected one of the plurality of quick launch keys, performing the following: (b.1) activating a reduced operating system stored within a special memory area within the portable computer, the reduced operating system using less system resources than a full function operating system for the portable computer, and, (b.2) activating an application program associated with the selected one of the plurality of quick launch keys; and, (c) if in (a) the user has not selected any of the plurality of quick launch keys, performing the following: (c.1) activating the full function operating system within the portable computer.