Click on the image to zoom
The last part of the taskbar is called the notification area, and contains mainly status notifications. The clock by default appears here, and applications can put icons in the notification area to indicate the status of an operation or to notify the user about an event. For example, an application might put a printer icon in the status area to show that a print job is under way, or a display driver application may provide quick access to various screen resolutions.
Other toolbars may be added to the taskbar, and it can also be placed on top or at the window sides.
In Windows, starting with Windows 95, the Start menu is a launching pad for applications. It is also used to turn the machine off. The default location of the Start menu button is the left side of the taskbar at the bottom of the screen.
The Start menu contains pointers (shortcuts) to the programs stored on the hard disk, because installation programs place an icon in the Start Menu's programs section. You can also drag icons of applications from the desktop or from any Explorer window onto the Start menu, and you can rearrange their position by dragging them up and down the menu.
