Windows 7 Green-Bar-of-slowness. (why do simple tasks like sorting a folder by size or name take so long?)

In older versions of windows you'd click on the filename column heading and wop - the files are sorted by name. Click on size, bif - they're sorted by size.

In windows 7 do the same thing and you get to watch a green bar slowly get bigger... slowly.

Did I mention that it's slow?

How can a simple task like visually sorting a folder take so long in Microsoft's newest most sophisticated OS?

I found the answer from the Windows Seven Forums thread Windows 7 - Explorer Slow to sort folders/files, although it still begs the question of how windows can be so slow sorting folders 'optimized' for video or pictures. The answer is as follows:

1. Right-click on the folder and select "Properties".
2. Click on "Customize" tab.
3. Under "What kind of folder do you want?" and under "Optimize this folder for:", select "General Items".
4. You are done!