will there be an option to completely disable this 'feature' in the next public release? to clarify, i don't want anything in my menu unless i explicitly include it in my Menu.xml.

Can't you already do that?

Y>Configure>AutoMenus>Use CacheMenu

or something like that.

no, at least not in the WIP i was using last night (1205 or 1207)

Y->Configure->AutoMenu->AutoCfg Style

there are only 2 choices: App & Game style OR By Drive style
(i assume) this is what gives you a menu even when you don't have a Menu.xml or one specified in your mxm.xml. it is a great thing for noobs or people that don't want to bother with making a menu.xml, but i really wish AutoMenu was optional. i like the way menu.xml and entry_mxm.xml files function, but AutoMenu is like a mustache on a beautiful woman to me...but again, i understand why it's their...just wish it could be turned off if one so desired.

How about this.

no. if you set your settings like that and delete your menu.xml, you will still get an Applications and a Games menu... and in my case, i also get a Dashboards menu, even though we told it not to do that.

let me restate what i'd like to happen. if i delete my menu.xml and my cache_menu.xml, and reboot mxm, i want to have an absolutely empty menu. of course, BenJ prolly wouldn't want this to be the default behavior, but it would very nice as an option.

Interesting. I didn't know MXM did that.

I don't really understand why this bothers you so much, if it only takes effect if you don't have a menu.xml. Personally, if I accidently deleted my menu.xml, I'd be very glad if it did an automenu, so at least it could continue to work (my Xbox is not near my PC makeing ftp a hassle).