What is the Desktop?

The opening screen that you see on the computer monitor is called the desktop. This opening screen is similar to the surface of a desk where you place various tools and work.

The exact items and colors on your desktop will vary depending on your computer setup. The icons, or small pictures, represent different functions on your computer. To open these items, place the cursor on the icon or words beneath the icon, and click the left mouse button twice. This is called double-clicking.

For computers with the XP operating system, the one thing that is always on the desktop is the Recycle Bin. Think of it as a trashcan. You can take out items that you accidentally throw away, or you can empty it and permanently get rid of items in the trashcan.

Often after you load a new software program, an icon for that software program appears on the desktop. This icon is a shortcut or an easy way to start that software. The more software you load on your computer, the more such icons you will have on your desktop.