Desktop Icons: Access programs and features on your system by double-clicking an icon. Right-click an icon to access additional menus and options.You can add as many icons to your desktop as you want. By default, the desktop features two key icons: your personal Home folder, and a trash can for deleted items. Other icons representing devices on your computer, such as CD drives, might also be present on the desktop. If you double-click your Home folder, the Nautilus file manager starts and displays the contents of your home directory.

Bottom Panel: The desktop includes a panel across the bottom of the screen. The bottom panel contains the Computer menu (similar to the Start menu in Windows™) and the icons of all applications currently running. You can also add applications and applets to the panel for easy access.

Main Menu: Open the main menu by clicking Computer on the far left of the bottom panel. Commonly used applications appear in the main menu. A search field lets you quickly search for applications and files. Access additional applications, listed in categories, by clicking More Applications.

System Tray: The right side of the bottom panel holds some smaller icons, including the system clock which displays the date and time, the volume control, and icons for several other helper applications. Click to change your screen resolution and to display your network connections and options for disconnecting or changing network configurations. This icon changes depending on the type of network connection you have.

Taskbar: By default, all started applications are displayed in the taskbar (the area in the middle of the panel between the Computer button and the system tray). You can access any started application regardless of the currently active desktop. Click an application name to open it. Right-click an application name to see options for moving, restoring, or minimizing the window.

Desktop Menu: Right-clicking an empty spot on the desktop displays a menu with various options. Click Create Folder to create a new folder. Create a launcher icon for an application with Create Launcher. Provide the name of the application and the command for starting it, then select an icon to represent it. You can also change the desktop background and align desktop icons.