The desktop is more than just a backdrop for your work. It's a folder on your hard drive, and it's the basis for the graphical user interface (GUI) that makes up what you see and interact with whenever you use your computer.

All of the resources in your computer will fit in this container, and let you work with them. You can drag anything and everything to the desktop, and either a shortcut will be created, or the object itself will take up residence.

The desktop is always underneath any open windows. You can get to it immediately by using the shortcut key combination, Windows Logo key + D. I use the "Show Desktop" icon in the "Quick Launch Bar" (next to the Start menu). Or, right click on the Taskbar at the bottom of your screen and select Minimize All Windows.

Two types of icons make their home on the desktop. (This is important, so pay attention.) These are File Icons and Namespace Icons. They serve two different functions, which I'll explain immediately.

1. File Icons ... These are representations of files or folders that are actually found in your Desktop directory (also known as a folder) on your hard drive. Drag and drop these at will.

2. Namespace Icons ... These aren't file representations. Instead, they are actually specific resources built into Windows. My Computer, and the Recycle Bin are examples of Namespace Icons.

Use the desktop like you would a real desktop. Work on it (but no fooling around on it). It's a good place to put new downloads from the internet, email attachments, stuff from removable disks, and anything else you want immediate access to or that you're currently working on.

I always recommend computer users to download to the desktop. Where else would you want to do your work, if not on the desk? It just makes things so much easier than plunking the download into a folder somewhere else, then having to create a shortcut to it, or dragging it out whenever you want to use it. After downloading it, then you can place it wherever you want.

The desktop is an object, and has a property sheet attached to it. You can change its appearance - colors, backgrounds, wallpaper and more, by right clicking a blank portion, and selecting Properties. You can also double click the Display icon in the Control Panel.

My Computer is an icon on your desktop. This particular icon is different since it doesn't represent one file or even a group of files, but rather a resource. You'll find everything related to your computer in this spot.

You can't drag anything into "My Computer," but you can drag stuff out to create shortcuts. Use the right click and drag method. To access the System Properties dialog box, right click the "My Computer" icon and select Properties.

Recycle Bin ... Now here's a useful invention. It's a trashcan for your data, and just like the real thing, you have to empty it. You can configure it to empty itself if you want, but I never advise that.

You can use the Recycle Bin as a temporary storage area for files you aren't sure of, but I prefer creating a folder on the desktop and labeling it "Hold". Anything you place in the bin will just sit there until you empty the bin. The only advantage of using the bin for holding is that should you decide you really do need a certain file, you can restore the file by highlighting, right clicking and selecting Restore from the pop up menu. The downside is that you might unwittingly delete all items from the bin ... it's six one way and half a dozen the other way.

Can you store too many files in the bin? You can store as much as you'd like there, as long as you don't exceed the percentage of storage that's set up. The default is 10%. On a 100-gigabyte hard drive, I can store 10 gigabyte of data in the bin.

You can view the Recycle Bin properties to make changes to the percentage of storage space used for trash. Right click a blank area of the bin and select Properties. You'll see all the configuration variables right there.

To restore any file (or all the files), click them, and selecting Restore. They obviously have to be in the bin, or there's no need in restoring them. They are simply and effectively put back to their original state, and will be ready for use next time you need them.

You can drag and drop files into the bin; it doesn't have to be open first. Just drag an icon over the top of the Recycle Bin icon, and release the mouse button. Whatever setting you have applied with regard to the bin's properties, it will be applicable if you're using Windows Explorer to delete files, using the delete key, or dragging and dropping files onto the bin's icon.

If you have set up the bin's properties to delete files right away, then files will always be immediately deleted, no matter where you delete them from, or by what method you choose to delete them. If you've set the bin's properties to store files, then the same applies ... no matter what, when you delete a file or folder, it will be stored in the bin.

The bottom line is: files obey the Recycle Bin settings. Play with the bin settings; hands-on experimenting is the best way to learn anything on the computer. Like so much else in this monster that's taking up all your time, you really can spend forever learning about its mysteries.

Context menus help you do more in less time. When a right click yields a context menu, you're presented with options. These options will always be in the context of the object you clicked, and will relate to it. So, when you right click the Recycle Bin icon, you see a list of things that pertain to the bin.

Nearly all of the objects in Windows have their own context menus, accessible with a right click. This is powerful information, since there are often times when many options are available from a context menu that you won't find elsewhere in Windows. This applies to the programs you use as well. Try it; start right clicking on everything.

Display context menus with the keyboard combo Shift + F10. Regardless of where you are, if there's a context menu that's applicable, you'll see it. Try it now. You may wonder if context menus can be customized. Yes they can, but you'll have to get under the hood by going in through the Registry. Maybe we'll save that for another time.

The most frequently accessed item on any context menu is the Properties option. Once an object is the focus of your next move, you can press Alt + Enter to jump immediately to the Properties Dialog for that object.

Try it. Click once on the My Computer icon so it's highlighted. Then hold down the Alt key while pressing Enter (Alt + Enter). You'll see the System Properties dialog box spring to life, with information about your computer.

So what about your desktop? That's where all the action is.