Windows XP [Electronic resources] : Visual Quickstart Guide, Second Edition

2. The Start Menu and Taskbar

After you log on, Windows displays the desktop and its components (Figure 2.1 ). The desktop sets the backdrop for your working environment and lets you organize the resources on your computer. The

Start menu is the central location that lists the most useful folders, programs, and commands. The taskbar tells you what programs are running on your computer and lets you activate or close them.