Windows shell
The Microsoft Windows shell provides users with access to a wide variety of objects necessary for running applications and managing the operating system. The most numerous and familiar of these objects are the folders and files that reside on computer disk drives. There are also a number of virtual objects that allow the user to perform tasks such as sending files to remote printers or accessing the Recycle Bin. The Shell organizes these objects into a hierarchical namespace and provides users and applications with a consistent and efficient way to access and manage objects.
Features
Desktop
Windows Desktop is a full-screen window rendered behind all other windows. It hosts the user's wallpaper and an array of computer icons representing:
Starting with Windows Vista and Windows 7 (and the corresponding versions of WIndows Server), Windows Desktop Gadgets may appear on the desktop. These gadgets are discontinued in newer versions of Windows and Windows Server, starting with Windows 8.