"File types and programs" vs "Preferred Apps"

I'm a bit confused about "File types and programs" and "Preferred Apps" 
under Preferences, as the functionality of the config tools seems to 
overlap a lot. While they don't set exactly the same preferences, the 
distinction between e.g. between "Default Web Browser" and "http 
protocol handler" (or should I say the "unknown" one - I think you get 
my point in any case) is not clear to me, at least.

What exactly is the idea behind each of these tools? Should there 
perhaps have been *one* preference utility for these settings?

- Toralf