Windows Basics:
Desktop & Taskbar

What You See: The Interface

When your computer completes its startup routine, called booting, you will find yourself looking at a screen displaying the Windows interface. This means what you see and interact with. The Desktop and the Taskbar are the two main parts of the interface. Let's inspect the parts on a simplified desktop.

A Simplified Desktop & Taskbar

All current versions of Windows include the parts used in this simplified illustration. Windows can be personalized in so many ways that your own desktop probably looks quite different. Most of the separate descriptions will only show one look.

Click on a part of the diagram below and an explanation will pop up in a new window. The same window will be used for all the explanations.

OR

You can view all the descriptions on one page in a new window.

Hmmm. You have to know a bit about getting around in Windows in order to read the lessons about getting around in Windows! How crazy is that!?

	Click on a choice at the left to switch to a different look for the simplified Desktop and Taskbar.
Classic look  WinXP default Vista default

~~  1 Cor. 10:31 ...whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.  ~~

Last updated: 22 Jan 2008