The most revolutionary (and likely controversial) aspect of the 4.0 release is the Active Desktop, which integrates Internet Explorer with your operating system and transforms your desktop into a virtual Web page, complete with hyperlinks and support for ActiveX components. The Active Desktop also brings significant changes to the Windows Explorer, its drag 'n' drop capabilities (one area that still has room for improvement), the Windows traybar, all of the menu toolbars, and all of your desktop folders.
The Active Desktop also allows you to add your own ActiveX components to your desktop or download samples from the Microsoft Web site and third-party sites. Overall, the Active Desktop does make several impressive improvements to the Windows 98/NT operating system and to your desktop, but expect reactions to this feature to be extremely bipolar -- users will either love the changes or loathe them. Still, you can bet that this is one feature that won't be going away anytime soon (Windows 2000 anyone?)
