In the OS/2 operating system, the Desktop is a collection of objects (icons) and windows associated with those objects. The Desktop (which also is an object), the objects that appear on the Desktop, and the underlying code supporting these objects constitute the OS/2 Workplace Shell, the default OS/2 user interface.
The OS/2 Workplace Shell provides an object-oriented user interface. It provides a seamless environment, where all services are task-oriented and the user is shielded from the complexities of the operating system. The user can perform tasks faster and easier and with a shorter learning curve.
In the OS/2 Workplace Shell, applications from OS/2 operating system are replaced by objects and collections of objects, or folders. Users do not have to be aware of where an object is (which drive or network) or what it is called. They can place an object wherever they wish and call it by any name. They do not have to know about EXEs, DLLs, device drivers, or how to add a printer or use a network. If they want to print a report on the laser printer down the hall, they can simply drag the icon representing the report and drop it onto the icon representing the laser printer that is labeled "Laser printer down the hall".
Users act on all objects in a consistent manner. They can act on program files the same as program references. There is no difference in using programs on a network server or on a hard disk or on a CD drive. There is no difference in setting up or printing to a local or remote printer.
In the OS/2 Workplace Shell, users are not aware of the file system. They do not need to know anything about disk drives or directories. They need to know only about folders and the objects they put into them. They can put applications, files, and so forth, in a folder, as shown in the following figure. They can arrange things, regardless of where they physically reside, to suit themselves and their own needs. And they can label the folders by any name.
旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴�
� My NewsLetter Composition Folder �
쳐컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴�
� 旼컴커 旼컴커 �
� � � � � �
� 읕컴켸 읕컴켸 �
� My Text Editor My Graphics Editor �
� �
� �
� 旼컴커 旼컴커 � 旼컴커
� � � � � � � �
� 읕컴켸 읕컴켸 � 읕컴켸
� My Layout Program My Final Copy � My Printer
읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴�
Some of the objects that the OS/2 Workplace Shell provides are described in the following table. After installation, some of the objects appear directly on the Desktop. Some of them are contained in folders. Users can re-arrange and re-label objects to suit themselves.
旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴쩡컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� 쿚bject 쿏escription � 쳐컴컴컴컴컴컴컴탠컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� 쿎lock 쿞ets and views the current date, time, and � � 쿪larm. � 쳐컴컴컴컴컴컴컴탠컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� 쿎olor palette 쿞ets and views colors for visual elements of � � 퀅ser interface and applies color to a window.� 쳐컴컴컴컴컴컴컴탠컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� 쿎ountry 쿞ets and views international conventions for � � 퀂ystem elements (country, date, time, � � 쿻umbers). � 쳐컴컴컴컴컴컴컴탠컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� 쿑ont palette 쿞ets and views fonts for textual elements of � � 퀅ser interface and apply fonts to windows. � 쳐컴컴컴컴컴컴컴탠컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� 쿖eyboard 쿞ets and views keyboard configuration � � �(timing, mappings, special needs). � 쳐컴컴컴컴컴컴컴탠컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� 쿘ouse 쿞ets and views behavior of mouse device � � �(timing, setup, button mappings). � 쳐컴컴컴컴컴컴컴탠컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� 쿛rinter 쿞ets and views a print destination (a print � � 쿿ueue and its associated port). � 쳐컴컴컴컴컴컴컴탠컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� 쿞cheme palette 쿞ets and views window color and font � � 쿪ttributes. � 쳐컴컴컴컴컴컴컴탠컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� 쿞hredder 쿏estroys an object. � 쳐컴컴컴컴컴컴컴탠컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� 쿞ound 쿐nables/disables warning beep. � 쳐컴컴컴컴컴컴컴탠컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� 쿞pecial needs 쿐xplains implications of special needs mode � � 퀇hen activated. � 쳐컴컴컴컴컴컴컴탠컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� 쿞pooler 쿐nables/disables spooling. Sets and views � � 퀂pool path. � 쳐컴컴컴컴컴컴컴탠컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� 쿞ystem 쿞ets and views behavior of system elements � � �(confirmations, logo, windows). � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴좔컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴�