OK last one I promise.

It would be great if you could place the rolodex and especially the slider beneath it onto a layout. I know there are many ways of re-creating the functionality of this area but none have done the slider with the full functionality that I have seen. Users seem to like this feature but it annoys me that so much screen real-estate is lost just for the slider.

Let me "uograde" your wish and combine it with a previous one: let us have access to system UI elements, INCLUDING slider control.

I would love the option of hiding/showing/toggling the status area on the "go to related record" using new window step. I know you can accomplish this with a script, but that could mean a ton more scripts for what seems like a simple step

Let me upgrade your request further. How about being able to completely customize the status area. Make it a layout part, like the header, body so on. Except the status would always be on the side. you could add menu, buttons, slider control or anything you could put on a layout.

I don't care much about the status area either way - but I would LOVE to have a sidebar layout part.

Yeah, I could make use of that too.