most obvious feature of Windows is a Window, or a container for other graphical objects. A Window in Microsoft Windows typically contains a status bar, title bar, minimize and maximize buttons, close button, and system menu. Another prominent feature since Windows 95 and NT 4.0 is the desktop, which holds various icons that the user can double click to open. The Start Button and Start Menu, attached to the taskbar and typically below the desktop, give users access to installed programs and many of the other features of the operating system. Due to these and other features, Windows makes it possible to perform most common tasks, some quite complex, with very little computer knowledge. Windows also comes with features to help the disabled through its accessibility options. Under Windows XP, these features include the Narrator, Magnifier and contrast display mode.

Internet Explorer, abbreviated IE or WIE, is a proprietary graphical web browser made by Microsoft and included as part of most members of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems. It has been the most widely used web browser since 1999. Though released in 1995 as part of the initial OEM release of Windows 95, Internet Explorer was not included in the first retail, or shrink-wrap, release of Windows 95. The last major upgrade to Internet Explorer, 6.0 SV1, is included in Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 only. Version 7 of Internet Explorer is currently under development; beta versions have been released on a regular basis.

Internet Explorer is derived primarily from Spyglass Mosaic, an early commercial web browser. In 1995, Spyglass Mosaic was licensed by Microsoft in an arrangement under which Spyglass would receive a quarterly fee plus a percentage of Microsoft's revenues for the software. Although bearing a name similar to NCSA Mosaic, which was the first widely used browser, Spyglass Mosaic was relatively unknown in its day and used the NCSA Mosaic source code only sparingly. Internet Explorer was not widely used until the release of version 3, which was the first version developed without Spyglass sources. Internet Explorer 4 was the first version integrated into Windows Explorer and other core parts of Windows. The integration with Windows, however, was subject to numerous criticisms; see United States vs. Microsoft.


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