Try "Tools", "Options". On the "View" TAB, uncheck "Startup task pane".
However, when you try to utilize one of the features of PowerPoint that uses
a task pane, it will open. Only way I know of removing it is to check all
of the "disable" features under "Tools", "Options", "Edit" TAB. This
restores the features of 2000 (dialog boxes instead of the task pane), but
you lose a lot of the animation features as well.
