The desktop

The desktop, proper, is the large area of the screen. Everything else you see on the screen is actually
resting on top of this virtual desktop. As mentioned, from the moment you start your computer, to the
moment you turn it off, the desktop is always there — when it’s completely covered by some large
program window.
The mouse pointer
The mouse pointer is the little indicator that moves when you move the mouse. As mentioned, to point
to something, you rest this mouse pointer on it. Sometimes the mouse pointer appears as a hollow
arrow. Other times, it has a different shape, depending on where it’s currently resting. When the
computer is busy doing something, the mouse pointer turns to a little hourglass symbol. That means
“Wait — the computer is doing something.” Wait until the mouse pointer changes back to a little arrow
(or some other symbol) before you try clicking anything else on-screen.