In ConfigMgr these names sound very clear, objects, settings, right....Let's look at the description of these two.
"Use the Objects tab of the Configuration Manager 2007 configuration item properties dialog box to view, add, edit, and delete objects that you want to include in this configuration item. Examples of configuration item objects are files, folders, and registry keys."
"Use the Settings tab of the Configuration Manager 2007 configuration item properties dialog box to view, add, edit, and delete settings and their validation criteria that you want to include in this configuration item. Examples of configuration item settings are those obtained from Active Directory Domain Services, the registry, and scripts."
Can you spot the difference? In Settings there is a little extra text, "and their validation criteria " and "those obtained from Active Directory Domain Services, the registry, and scripts"
All and all this isn't that confusing, but when you actually go to create a Configuration Item, it might begin to get confusing. Here is an example I was documenting. I want to monitor the Automatic Updates settings, specifically I want to make sure that my clients do not change the setting to download updates each night. Which is located in this registry key "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\Auto Update\AUOptions"
In DCM you have to first create the Configuration Item (CI) then create a Configuration Baseline to include any number of CI's, and finally assign those baselines to clients for monitoring and reporting, and eventually automated fixing.
If you right-click on the CI node and select New -> Operating System CI it will open a window where you can enter the desired name, description, and add or remove any categories you like. Then you click Next, it then wants to know what OS this is going to apply to, either by description or by specifying the build number and service pack number see the corresponding image on the right.
When you click Next you are presented with the Objects window where you can create a new object such as a registry key like above, or an assembly or a file/folder. If you choose registry key you are presented with this window.
Now if you fill in the Key field with the above key it is all good, you can use that Values along with the operator to change it to 4, or 3, so on, what ever your setting is for AU's. 4 will have them download updates each night and reboot after they are done. You click OK, it returns you back to the Objects window, you click next and you move along to Settings. And this is where I got confused. If you click the New button and select Registry in the Settings window you get this dialog.
Now these two boxes are not identical, there is a distinct likeness however. And now that I know much more about DCM, CI's, objects, and settings I understand these options much better. But this is my complaint, when going though setting up this CI I am presented with that task sequence like window, with tabs (?) on the left, and the summary page, progress, yada yada yada...but if I enter that key in the the first window it does not check the value, only the existence of the object, if I enter it into the second one and enter the value into the validation tab as seen below...look familiar? See above! Well I can see where this can be 
confusing...I got some insight from Jeff Gilbert on the ConfigMgr doc team and in sitting back for a few more minutes without trying to use the Help, ConfigMgr technical docs, and some PowerPoint slides I was able to make it clear in my mind. But I still hate the task sequence process and believe that if I was able to just right-click the CI node, select New, Operating System Configuration Item and then Object or Setting like this...
So hopefully this will help you when you go to work with DCM, remember objects are things that you check for their existence and settings are just that, you check the settings of an item (not necessarily an object). At least that is how I understand it today, and if tomorrow is like today, that could very well change. But my dislike for the Task Sequence model will not likely change any time soon, I don't care how many clicks it supposedly saves me.
Regards,
Anthony
Anthony Clendenen | Solutions Engineer | 1E
http://configmgr.com
© 2007 Anthony Clendenen