here is how to make the change ONCE and not to every page you create.
Step One:
work on unghosted Masterpage (copy)
search for:
1) <asp:ContentPlaceHolder id=”PlaceHolderLeftNavBar” runat=”server”> { this is all the code for the menu }
</asp:ContentPlaceHolder>
2) <asp:ContentPlaceHolder id=”PlaceHolderNavSpacer” runat=”server”> { this is all the code for the spacer image } </asp:ContentPlaceholder>
STEP TWO: Ok, now all have to do is to cut and paste (or drag) the closing tag before the code in { }, so you leave the code opened (outside of the ContentPlaceHolder) which means accordingly that it will be viewed in all of the new created pages that reads from the master page..
</asp:ContentPlaceHolder> { this is all the code for the menu }
B) <asp:ContentPlaceHolder id=”PlaceHolderNavSpacer” runat=”server”> </asp:ContentPlaceholder> { this is all the code for the spacer image }
Now you will see the Quick Launch on every page you create automagically. Oh of course in WSS3 since you can't inherit Masterpages from Site to Site you'll have to make this change on the sites and subsites. Or at least i can't figure out a way to make the change to the MP at the Top Level and have it trickle down!
Good Luck!
Also, you cannot just remove the above ContentPlaceHolders as they are required to render the page correctly!
I'll be posting this info on my company blog site as well.