Patent ID: 7716685

Claim:
At least one computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions, which when executed on at least one computer system perform steps, comprising: receiving window-related instructions and client area change instructions at a redirection component of a substrate of an operating system, wherein the client area change instructions modify content of one or more applications that is to be displayed in a client area of one or more windows whereas the window-related instructions modify non-client areas of the one or more windows; separating the window-related instructions for providing to a policy component and client area change instructions for providing to a composition component, wherein the composition component is part of the substrate whereas the policy component is pluggable such that the display of the non-client areas of the one or more windows is modifiable by plugging in a different policy component without having to modify underlying code of the substrate; and processing the window-related instructions at the policy component to construct and maintain a scene graph; wherein the window-related instructions correspond to changes to the structure of the modify non-client areas of the one or more windows, and wherein processing the window-related instructions at the policy component to construct and maintain a scene graph comprises changing the structure of the scene graph; and wherein the substrate handles program content changes to the client area within the one or more windows, and wherein the substrate includes a desktop window manager having access to the client areas, the desktop window manager causing a copy of at least one client area to be rendered on a display.