What action causes dir icons to change to shortcut icons?

I've been reading around on this topic & find most content relevant t
IE or desktop icons in response to requests for how to change/delet
these icons

Few others are about installations gone bad that change all icons t
execute one thing or another

What I'd like to know is, on what action(s) does Vista decide to chang
a directory icon to a shortcut icon & why

Got a laptop with Vista Business (x32) pre-installed & I use it a
little as possible because it's rediculously unintuitive

Even doing a search on this icon behavior has taken more time readin
than the knowledge is worth. I do not want to be an IT expert when
grow up. I shouldn't have to study as if I did just understand the dail
events of my OS. ('nuf sniveling

Any insight into what Vista is actually doing that makes director
icons change to shortcut icons so I can stop/reverse that action, woul
be gratefully received. It is not lost on me the enormity of knowlege o
this forum & the vast amounts of time it took to acquire it

Thank you kindly for your time & consideration
Hopp