To make it useful. On the taskbar in win XP or 7, right click, show the desktop toolbar, either leave that (as an icon) there, to use in expanding menus, or drag it to a floating toolbar at the top or side of the screen and you can even "dock" it. Walllllla, all your desktop icons, IN A MENU, ALL available IN CASCADING MENUS with ONE CLICK!
No need to minimize windows to see your desktop shortcuts! I thought everyone knew that trick?