I only realized recently after switching to a new Mac just how much the default Finder sucks. If you switch that option on, switch off almost everything in the left hand pane except common folders and ~ / then it becomes bearable.
Other options are here, I wish I remembered all those I had changed because I still haven't gotten by Finder back to how I had it:
Other options are here, I wish I remembered all those I had changed because I still haven't gotten by Finder back to how I had it:
http://secrets.blacktree.com/?showapp=com.apple.finder