What is the Use of "Prefrences" in Group policy (AD) ?

Group Policy preferences provide the means to simplify deployment and standardize configurations. They add to Group Policy a centralized system for deploying preferences (that is, settings that users can change later). You can also use Group Policy preferences to configure applications that are not Group Policy-aware. By using Group Policy preferences, you can change or delete almost any registry setting, file or folder shortcut and can manage local users and groups for any computer in the domain, and more. You are not limited by the contents of Administrative Template files. The Group Policy Management Editor (GPME) includes Group Policy preferences.

• Using GP Preferences IT productivity will be increased by adding over20 new extensions to GPs, directly from GPP administrator can completely manage user and computer.
• From GPP the use of logon scripts been reduced.
• You can only apply GP preferences to Active Directory policies.
• GP Preference also help you to manage files, folders and shortcuts. Administrator can use GP preferences to create shortcuts and shared folders on computers. Administrator can use GP preferences to copy files from a source location to a specified filepath on computers.

and lot more can be done using GP preferences.