I'm a trainer and I usually advise people to use Windows Explorer to
copy/move files and/or organize their hard drive. However, in practice I find
that most end users never heard of Win Explorer, but they are familiar with
My Computer.

Are there any functional differences between them or do they have identical
functionality?

Thanks,
Robert

They're both explorer.exe. Just different ways of starting it.

Brian

"Robert T" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
newsF5AB41D-8F1D-4A2E-AA44-(E-Mail Removed)...
> I'm a trainer and I usually advise people to use Windows Explorer to
> copy/move files and/or organize their hard drive. However, in
> practice I find
> that most end users never heard of Win Explorer, but they are
> familiar with
> My Computer.
>
> Are there any functional differences between them or do they have
> identical
> functionality?
>
> Thanks,
> Robert

"Robert T" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> I'm a trainer and I usually advise people to use Windows Explorer to
> copy/move files and/or organize their hard drive. However, in practice
> I find that most end users never heard of Win Explorer, but they are
> familiar with My Computer.
>
> Are there any functional differences between them or do they have
> identical functionality?

As a trainer you should know that the "My Computer" window is provided
by Explorer.exe (Windows Explorer) and therefore, there is no different
functionality. You can easily check the "My Computer" PID with

"Roadkil's Window Message"
http://www.roadkil.net/winmsg.html

--
d-d

Detlev wrote:

[As a trainer you should know that the "My Computer" window is provided
by Explorer.exe (Windows Explorer) and therefore, there is no different
functionality.]

First, I'm not a Windows XP trainer, that isn't my specialized area.

Second, I learned a long time ago that what appears to be obvious isn't
always the case. Therefore, even though they seem identical, I had to wonder
why MS put a My Computer icon on the desktop instead of a Windows Explorer
icon. Was I missing something? I wondered if My Computer did something, or
failed to do something that Win Explorer did.

Once again, if they're identical, why did MS give them 2 different names?

Thanks,
Robert

Basically one and the same, but what is displayed when you double click on
the My Computer icon or starting Windows Explorer when using the Start menu
is different.

However if you right click on the My Computer icon and then select
'Properties', 'Manage' or the other options in the list this is where the
difference is.

JS

"Robert T" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
newsF5AB41D-8F1D-4A2E-AA44-(E-Mail Removed)...
> I'm a trainer and I usually advise people to use Windows Explorer to
> copy/move files and/or organize their hard drive. However, in practice I
> find
> that most end users never heard of Win Explorer, but they are familiar
> with
> My Computer.
>
> Are there any functional differences between them or do they have
> identical
> functionality?
>
> Thanks,
> Robert

On Jan 9, 3:06*pm, Robert T <Robe...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> Detlev wrote:
>
> [As a trainer you should know that the "My Computer" window is provided
> by Explorer.exe (Windows Explorer) and therefore, there is no different
> functionality.]
>
> First, I'm not a Windows XP trainer, that isn't my specialized area.
>
> Second, I learned a long time ago that what appears to be obvious isn't
> always the case. Therefore, even though they seem identical, I had to wonder
> why MS put a My Computer icon on the desktop instead of a Windows Explorer
> icon. Was I missing something? I wondered if My Computer did something, or
> failed to do something that Win Explorer did.
>
> Once again, if they're identical, why did MS give them 2 different names?
>
> Thanks,
> Robert

They are not two different applications. Windows Explorer and My
Computer both use the same application but it is the "visual"
displaying that is different.

"Robert T" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> First, I'm not a Windows XP trainer, that isn't my specialized area.
>
> Second, I learned a long time ago that what appears to be obvious isn't
> always the case. Therefore, even though they seem identical, I had to
> wonder why MS put a My Computer icon on the desktop instead of a Windows
> Explorer icon.

In contrast to an Explorer icon which can be created on the desktop by a
simple "right click > New" shortcut, the "My Computer" symbol is a shell
*namespace* rather than a simple icon. Usually, namespaces have different
options when applying a right click.

> Was I missing something? I wondered if My Computer did something, or
> failed to do something that Win Explorer did.

See above.

> Once again, if they're identical, why did MS give them 2 different
> names?

2 different names only? "Explorer.exe" is the Windows *shell* rather than
a simple file manager and therefore, it provides other functions as well
eg. the network places, the recycle bin, the Windows search and more.

--
d-d

>Therefore, even though they seem identical, I had to wonder
> why MS put a My Computer icon on the desktop instead of a Windows Explorer
> icon. Was I missing something?

I share your bemusement, explorer is "must" for mine, yet seems hidden away
after a fresh install.
For years I have used, in the main, ACDSee as my defacto windows explorer
it offers a great batch "rename" ability with wildcards, and when you "move"
or "copy"
ACDSee highlights the destination, explorer does not offer any of these
simple
improvements, and it has been known to move or copy files to an errant
destination.

On Wed, 9 Jan 2008 11:26:06 -0800, Robert T
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> I'm a trainer and I usually advise people to use Windows Explorer to
> copy/move files and/or organize their hard drive. However, in practice I find
> that most end users never heard of Win Explorer, but they are familiar with
> My Computer.
>
> Are there any functional differences between them or do they have identical
> functionality?


Not only is there no difference, they are not even two different
things. "My Computer" is nothing but a name for a particular view of
Windows Explorer.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

"Ken Blake, MVP" wrote:

> Not only is there no difference, they are not even two different
> things. "My Computer" is nothing but a name for a particular view of
> Windows Explorer.

Thanks Ken, that clears it up and summaraizes the gist of this thread in one
sentence. However, I still believe MS shouldn't use 2 names for the same
application. Imagine if they did that with Word, Access, and Excel. Everyone
would be confused.

Robert