DESKTOP AND TASKBAR

When you switch on the computer, Windows XP automatically starts loading from the Hard disk(provided it is your default operating system). While loading, it checks the memory and hardware components such as keyboard, disk drives etc. Once this is over, it starts loading files necessary for the GUI interface, after which it displays a screen. This opening screen of Windows XP is called the Desktop.

Desktop

The basic working platform in Windows XP is the Desktop. It contains several Icons like My Computer, My Documents etc. These are some of the standard icons. Apart from these, you can also create icons for the applications that you use frequently and place them on the desktop.

The desktop also contains a Taskbar, which is a narrow strip, normally displayed at the bottom of the screen. On the left, it has the Start button. When you click on the Start button, the Start menu appears on the left side of the screen. Using the Start menu, you can start any application that you have installed in your computer.

Next to the Start button is the Quick Launch Toolbar. This contains icons that allow you to select some commonly used internet-related applications. On the extreme right is the Systems Tray,that contains the Clock and icons for other utilities. The space between the Quick Launch Toolbar and the Systems Tray is used to display buttons for the applications currently being used.