Road Map to the Windows XP User Interface In Windows XP
Figure shows a few of the elements of a normal Windows XP desktop. The first thing you’ll observe, if you’re known with previous versions of Windows, is the distinct lack of mess.
Figure. A default Windows XP desktop includes these elements.
● A default configuration of Windows XP has only one desktop icon, Recycle Bin, but you are able to add too many as you like. If you upgraded from a previous version of Windows, your old desktop icons are still in place.
● The notice area (some people call it the system tray) shows only the icons you select. Windows hides the icons you rarely use (but that some programs insist on putting there), displaying only the ones that you’re actively using. The others are accessible with a single click.
● The taskbar doesn’t compress in a button for every open window. Otherwise, when sufficient windows are open to fill the taskbar, Windows combines buttons from the same application (for example, multiple Microsoft Word documents) into a single button that you can expand with a quick click.
● By default, the taskbar doesn’t contain the Quick Launch toolbar or any other toolbar.