From TechRepublic:
To simplify access to the tools in Windows XP’s Control Panel, Microsoft created the Category View, in which the Control Panel’s tools are organized into categories. If you’re an old-school Windows user, you can still switch back to the Classic View, in which all of the Control Panel’s tools are available. If you admire the simplicity of the Category View but prefer the Classic View, you may want to create your own custom Control Panel that combines the best of both views. Here’s how: