Desktop Lite is intended to be a cut-down version of Windows Explorer employing a simpler interface, and improved memory usage, while still providing access to everything you need.
Such as the system tray, short-cut links to My Documents, Recycle Bin, Desktop Icons, Start Menu etc, and also the usual taskbar buttons

Everything accessed through a custom start menu that combines the taskbar into the start menu. As such you cannot create or use icons on the desktop. This is the only downside to using desktop lite.

Average memory foot print on Explorer.exe on a fresh XP install is 10k. Explorer.exe is also a memory hog and consume way more than this.
Average memory usage of Desktop Lite is 2k and below. It also does bog down the CPU.

To install desktop lite just place it on your C drive and run it...
To uninstall desktop like, hit the windows key to bring up the start menu or double right click the desktop also brings up the start menu. the right click the title bar of the start menu and click uninstall.

Source:
https://web.archive.org/web/20070219202611/ht … toplite#comment