Abstract: A method for displaying status information during execution of an application task in a windowed application. The method provides two formats for displaying status information for an application task: (1) a detailed display format wherein status information is presented in a dialog box displayed over the application window, obscuring a portion of the application window, and which remains displayed until execution of the application task completes and obscuring a portion of said display screen; and (2) a concise display format wherein a brief summary of the status information is presented in a message displayed in a status bar along the bottom edge of the application window. The detailed display format wherein status information is presented in a dialog box is presented as the default display format. The concise display format is selected by dragging the title bar for the dialog box into the status bar, the concise display format thereafter being displayed in substitution for the detailed display format.