The IBM Workplace Shell for Windows is, despite it's name, not an actual product created by IBM, nor is it supported by IBM. Instead it is freeware written by some IBM employees for people running Windows 3.1 that would like to either learn the Workplace Shell without buying and installing a copy of OS/2, or for people that were using both and wanted the Workplace Shell since it is far superior to Windows 3.1's Program Manager.

This is the Workplace Shell desktop. The color scheme has been changed to match that of OS/2 Warp 3. There are icons on the desktop as well, something that Windows 3.1 did not have.

The windowing controls are also 3D like in OS/2. Windows 3.1 still used the old flat 2D controls for everything but buttons and checkboxes and those type things.

Folders can be browsed in icon or details view, like OS/2. The Workplace Shell also inherits archaisms from OS/2 Warp in that dragging is done with the right mouse button, and that most functionality is done through a non-obvious right-click menu. This would take some getting used to for a Windows user.

Speaking of menus, the right-click desktop menu is pretty much the same as the one in OS/2.

Programs in the Workplace Shell do not inherit the new 3D controls and OS/2 behaviors, instead they keep functioning as they would in a Win-OS/2 environment as traditional Windows applications.