The desktop itself is behind all of the other components on the desktop. You can place objects on the desktop to access your files and directories quickly, or to start applications that you use often. See Section 2.2 ― The Desktop for more information.

The panels are the two bars that run along the top and bottom of the screen. By default, the top panel shows you the GNOME main menu bar, the date and time, and the launcher for the GNOME help system, and the bottom panel shows you the list of open windows and the workspace switcher.

Panels can be customized to contain a variety of tools, such as other menus and launchers, and small utility applications, called panel applets. For example, you can configure your panel to display the current weather for your location. For more information on panels, see Chapter 4 ― Using the Panels.

Most applications run inside of one or more windows. You can display multiple windows on your desktop at the same time. Windows can be resized and moved around to accommodate your workflow. Each window has a titlebar at the top with buttons which allow you to minimize, maximize, and close the window. For more information on working with windows, see Section 2.3 ― Windows.

You can subdivide your desktop into separate workspaces. Each workspace can contain several windows, allowing you to group related tasks together. For more information on working with workspaces, see Section 2.4 ― Workspaces.

The Nautilus file manager provides access to your files, folders, and applications. You can manage the contents of folders in the file manager and open the files in the appropriate applications. See Chapter 6 ― Working with Files for more information.

You can customize your computer using the Control Center. Each preference tool in the Control allows you to change a particular part of the behavior of your computer. The Control Center can be found in the System menu on the panel menubar. See Chapter 8 ― Configuring Your Desktop for more information on the Control Center.