how to set automatic start up a service or software

[bigtiger]

I searched and found nothing.

I basically want to start up some softwares automatically when the computer starts.

I know there are couple choices:

1, use the startup facility
2, use the task scheduler

But if I use the task scheduler, I found there will be command window. I would like start up a service quietly.

so I really would like to start a program as a service. Does anybody know how to do that? I know there are commercial softwares but I would like to know the ins and outs.