Container. Applications that support the creation of compound documents are called OLE containers. They provide a "container" for storing and displaying information.
Object. OLE applications that create objects and provide the embedding or linking information to the container application are called OLE objects.
Some applications such as Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word for the Microsoft Windows® operating system are both OLE objects and OLE containers. You can display both an embedded picture created in Microsoft Paintbrush paint program on a Microsoft Excel worksheet and embed or link portions of a Microsoft Excel worksheet into Microsoft Word for Windows.
Microsoft Access 2.0 functions only as an OLE container.
When you install a Microsoft Windows-based application, it registers itself if it is an OLE object, OLE container, or both. The registration database is maintained by Microsoft Windows in the file REG.DAT. When you wish to create new OLE objects, you may choose from any object that is registered in your system.