A desktop computer has a GUI-based operating system, so whenever the computer is turned on, after the booting process is completed, the first GUI screen that opens in front of you is called the desktop. The desktop is always shown on the monitor, where the user can open all their programs, and all windows also open on the desktop. However, the desktop was not like this from the beginning. Around the 1980s, personal computers used a command line interface instead of a GUI-based operating system, so instead of a GUI-based desktop, a command-based desktop was shown to the user. After GUI-based Windows came into computers, the GUI desktop was created. Apple developed its own GUI-based operating system for its personal computers. Overall, today whenever we turn on our computer such as a desktop computer or laptop, after the booting process is completed, the desktop opens in front of us. Let us learn more about the desktop, so let us start today’s article on what is a desktop.
What is Desktop
The desktop is the primary user interface of the operating system or the main home screen of the computer. That is, the screen that appears in front of you after the computer boots is called the desktop. It is known as the computer’s home screen or home interface or main window. All other windows (programs) run on top of the desktop. How the desktop interface looks depends on the computer’s operating system. The desktop is displayed based on whichever operating system is installed on your computer.
On the desktop there are some main icons that you have saved, these icons include files, folders, photos. It also has a taskbar which is on the lower side of the desktop or can also be at the top depending on the OS. In the taskbar, the programs that are currently running on the computer and some default programs are shown. There is a start button that always remains on the taskbar. By clicking on the start button, a sidebar opens in which all the programs of the computer are provided through search.
The desktop is visible on both Windows and Macintosh computers until an application or window fills the entire screen. The desktop is always present, and items on the desktop can be accessed quickly, instead of needing to navigate through directories. Therefore, it is helpful to save those files on the desktop that you use most often on your computer.
Icons and items found by default on the desktop:
My Computer
Network
Folder
Recycle Bin
Control Panel
The desktop computer works with a GUI (Graphical User Interface), due to which icons and the taskbar are displayed in graphical form. The largest part of the desktop is the background. It always remains, and when an application is maximized, the desktop goes to the back. After shutting down the computer, the desktop stops being visible and by performing the booting process again, the desktop is displayed.
Both Windows and Macintosh operating systems allow you to customize the appearance of your desktop. In Windows 7, you can change the desktop background and select the default desktop icons within the "Personalization" control panel.
Elements of Desktop
Now let us learn about the desktop elements so that you can understand the desktop even better.
Taskbar
On the desktop screen, the taskbar is a fixed strip at the bottom, which has many functions on the desktop. We can divide the taskbar into two parts – a right side taskbar and a left side taskbar. On the right side of the taskbar, we see the start button and some default programs such as internet explorer, windows explorer, and apart from these, the programs that are currently running on the computer.
On the left side of the taskbar, you see many options such as changing the time and date on the computer, increasing or decreasing the sound, the option to connect to the internet, checking the battery, etc.
Desktop Icon
Icons on the desktop are in the form of programs with the help of which you perform many tasks on the computer. These can be any programs that have their own functions. You can set icons on the desktop according to your choice. Some icons are set by default on the desktop such as My Computer, Recycle Bin, Network, and Control Panel icons.
If your desktop icons are too small or too large and you are having difficulty seeing them, you can make them medium by right-clicking, moving your cursor to View, and clicking on Medium.
Desktop Background
The large portion of the desktop is the desktop background. Program icons and the taskbar are visible on top of it. By default, the Windows theme is set on the desktop. If you want to change the background on the computer desktop, you need to right-click anywhere on the desktop and click on "Personalize". From here you can change your desktop theme.