A program or application for Windows XP is software you purchase which is usually on media (such as a floppy disk or CD). These would be programs that were not included with a default install of Windows XP. Some OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) like Dell, Gateway, and Sony, may have pre-installed software already bundled into the computer. Some examples of programs are Adobe Photoshop ä, Microsoft Wordä, Google Earth Proä, MSN Messengerä, and Spybot Search and Destroyä.

To install, uninstall, and manage programs in Windows XP, you will use the Add or Remove Programs feature in the Control Panel (which is described later in this lesson).