Use Autohotkey. The scripting language is non standard and can be difficult to learn, but if all you're wanting to do is reliably launch programs, its simple. Plus you can base shortcuts off the Windows key! Use following sample script and modify it to your needs. (Lines starting with ; are comments.)
;win + alt + e ... unload ipod
#!E::
run d:\Downloads\Apps\deveject\eject ipod.bat
return
;win + w ... launch winamp
#w::
run c:\program files (x86)\winamp\winamp.exe
return
;win + a ... launch AS400
#a::
run C:\Program Files (x86)\IBM\Client Access\Emulator\Private\1.ws
return
;win + Shift a ... launch AS400 Printer
#+a::
run C:\Program Files (x86)\IBM\Client Access\Emulator\Private\3.ws
return
;win + ctrl + Shift a ... launch 2nd AS400
#^+a::
run C:\Program Files (x86)\IBM\Client Access\Emulator\Private\2.ws
return
Save this as a .ahk file on your desktop, install autohotkey and run it.
Every time you press any key combination, AutoHotkey will scan this script. If it matches any of the key combinations that preceed a ::, it will execute the next command. If the return statement is missing, the AHK will continue to scan the script for matches after executing your statement. The key combinations are described below.
# = Windows Key
+ = Shift
^ = Control
! = Alt
You can use these in any combination with the letters of your keyboard. One combination I find extremely useful is as follows.
; ALT Backtick ... ctrl f4
!`::
Loop, parse, RcvCtrlW, `,
{
IfWinActive %A_LoopField%
{
sendinput ^w
Return
}
}
sendinput ^{f4}
return
; win Backtick ... alt f4
#`::
sendinput !{f4}
return
This is Alt + ` and Win + `. When this script is running and I press alt + `, the script sends ctrl + F4. Win + ` becomes alt + F4.
Autohotkey is basically its own programming language. I have scripts set up that simulate "Rocker Gestures" system wide. I have GMail like shortcuts for my email. If you spend the time to learn some of its tricks, you can get nuts with it. Lifehacker has a whole bunch of useful scripts for Autohotkey. Have Fun!
If you are using Mac OS X you can alter the keyboard shortcut of any shortcut exposed in the menu bar. You need to take note of the exact name of the menu item you want to change, which in this example is, "Always Show Bookmarks Bar". Then go to the Shortcuts section of the Keyboard preferences in System Preferences. Click App Shortcuts, and add a new Google Chrome specific shortcut that changes the "Always Show Bookmarks Bar" shortcut to something else:
Return to Chrome and you will see the Always Show Bookmarks Bar shortcut has changed:
Best Answer
...with the help of Hotkey commander 2.1 I figured out that Ctrl+Shift+N was handled globally by ClipX (which is by the way a nice app for managing the clipboard) and it started Opera as a default browser for such an action. By disabling ClipX's global shortcuts everything is back on track.