Exceptions to the Rule

While most programs fall neatly under the application or utility category, exceptions that are harder to categorize do exist. For example, what kind of program is Windows Explorer? In many ways, it's like an application. It has fairly extensive functionality, much more than most utilities. With the exception of the bright yellow folder icons, it has a low-key appearance, using subdued colors. It supports many advanced user interfaces, such as drag-and-drop operation, direct manipulation, and context menus. Interestingly, it doesn't support any keyboard shortcuts beyond the standard Cut, Copy, Paste, Undo, and Select All.

However, given the way Windows Explorer is used, it is clearly a utility. Using Windows Explorer isn't an end in itself. Users don't run it to create files as they do with applications; rather, they run it to find and maintain files. Also, users employ Windows Explorer for brief periods of time to accomplish small tasks quickly; because they use it so often, users keep it running instead of closing it when done. Since it is often used in conjunction with other programs, it's usually not maximized but is run instead in a somewhat-less-than-full screen window as a drag-and-drop source or target.

Windows Explorer differs from other utilities simply in that it is used so much that its users quickly become advanced users. Features that are suitable for advanced users work effectively in Windows Explorer. In fact, its target user is intermediate-to-advanced, although one could argue that Windows Explorer targets beginning users with the View As Web Page mode. Interestingly, this significant time-of-use difference makes Windows Explorer a bad design model for most utilities.

Are there other exceptions? I believe that the other major programs that are part of Windows, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, Microsoft Outlook Express, or any other system program used several times a day, straddle the definition of utility and application the same way that Windows Explorer does.