Provided for run time ordering open tasks are a status bar; a plurality of task tabs presented in the status bar in sequential order, with a task tab for each open task within an open application; a content window for displaying task content associated with a current selected task tab; a linked list of tab elements, with a tab element associated with each task tab and task content; and a task tab order component responsive to user drag and drop of a given task tab for moving the given task tab from a drag position in the status bar to a drop position in the status bar.