An interesting new feature is the ability to make shadow copies of existing objects which can be placed in different folders or locations. These shadow copies are linked to the original so that no matter which copy is changed, all copies are automatically updated. Links between shadow objects are automatically maintained by the Workplace Shell. These links are sometimes referred to as reference links.
The user may create a shadow copy from the icon's context menu or by holding down the Ctrl and Shift keys while dragging the icon to the required destination. If a shadow is created in this way, the system draws a line between the original and the shadow until the icon is released, so that the user knows that a shadow copy, rather than a "normal" copy, is being created.
Program files should not be "shadowed" to a folder on the desktop. Instead, a new reference for that program should be created within that folder. This is done by opening the Templates folder and dragging a program object to the folder you wish to run the application from. This is described in the online reference documentation.
Using a program reference to the executable (.EXE) file means that, when the user direct edits (Alt-mouse button 1) the icon description, he will not change the name of the executable file. Changing the filename could significantly confuse the Workplace Shell. This is also described in Shadow Copies of Programs.