Yes, I’m aware of QWallet. But this has to be the whole enchilada. And this needs to be integrated, and it needs to be a standard supported by the OS (not a product)
You trust Microsoft a lot further than I can throw them.
Microsoft has Microsoft Wallet built into the OS since Windows ME. But do you know anyone using it? Wallet has had many security concerns and comments on their disturbing Terms of Service.
Let me give you a real world example. On the Mac, a person downloads an SIT, which get automatically (because Apple finally built StuffIt into the Browser) recompressed, and the file fold gets stuck on your desktop. All you have to do is drag it into your Screen Effects dir, and you’re done.
I'm sorry you have had trouble reproducing this behavior in Windows. The OS is not involved, a few "OK/Cancel?" boxes have simply been set to "OK" for .hqx and .sit files matching the correct MIME type by the Stuffit installer. This is cake to recreate on Windows.
I'll set up your PC to do this tomorrow when I visit if you wish.
Everything you describe can be simulated in various ways in XP. The problem is, XP has taken all the keys away from the average user to be able to do what they want. They tried to do what you want, but went way beyond all reason and used all this automation to further their marketing and business cause.
If Microsoft had been split up into 3 companies and their OS division could not get directives or requests from their browser and office divisions, then they could not abuse the new functionality they are adding to their OSes.
Windows 2000 is wonderfully stable and nearly perfect (in my opinion). It has some promotional/automatic stuff, but it gets out of your way at one button press.
Windows XP, it is like trying to use my PC through glass with mittens on.