VICTORY! -- Making Windows Explorer do the right thing.
It took (yet another) a Google search for "Windows Explorer Annoyances" that lead to a page about Windows Explorer harf on Windows Me but, finally, I have what *I* want. The trick? Command-line switches that XP's help seems not to mention.
How about them apples? Windows XP is what you get when you infect the stability of Windows 2000 with the poor user interface choices of Windows Me.
Target: C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe /n,/e,C:\home\neubauer\
Now I have what I want rather than what some imbecile in Redmond believes I should have.