Basically I want to devote a flexible, visibly divided fraction of my screen to each type of icon visible on the Desktop (files, folders, shortcuts).
What will I (or someone much more skilled than I am) have to do to make this happen? Seems like something a custom skin would do, but I just want to do this one thing.
I think this might be what you are looking for: Stardock Fences. Its not free, but its pretty cheap. I know several people who swear by it...
From their website:
A one-of-a-kind tool
Create "fences" on your desktop to organize icons
Hide and show your desktop icons with a click
Mirror your folders' contents on the desktop
Have new desktop icons automatically sorted into an appropriate "fence"
