So, Bill and Lanette… what’s that thing at the bottom right hand corner of this blog? And the three icon things next to the Internet Explorer icon at the bottom left hand corner? I feel like I should know this (I’m pretty sure I’ve used a computer with these icons), but I totally don’t.

From left to right, ignoring the start menu, the Internet Explorer icon, and the clock (all three of which you know), the other icons are as follows:

1. Outlook
2. Minimize all windows (i.e., display the desktop)
3. View channels (This is a bit difficult to explain, but way back before everyone was constantly online thanks to the concept of not having your internet connection go through your phone line, the demand for content that could be viewed offline was high. To meet this, certain content providers—including notable television networks such as CeladonTV—created frequently updating web content that could be synced to a user’s computer and viewed at any time. These were called “channels” or “Active Channels,” and needless to say, they do not exist anymore.)
4. Productivity tools

It should be noted that all of these are merely aesthetic. My actual desktop does not look like this. I just happen to like this operating system’s retro chic.
—Bill

Bill’s horrifying taste in design. That’s what those are. —LH