Description
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Audience: For those who need to know how Windows Vista works
Format: Paperback,
20 Chapters
Approach: Not a how to - goes inside the OS to show how all pieces work
Competitiors: Wiley, Microsoft Press, MGraw Hill
Features and Benefits
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Everything you need to know about how Windows Vista works is illustrated in this book
* There is NO OTHER COMPETITOR to this title. While there are a plethora of Windows Vista books jamming the shelves, not one competitor drills as deeply into the inner workings of Windows, showing users how each works behind the scenes
* The series sports a rich, four-color, 8X10 layout, illustrated by Michael Troller, who has created the artwork for several of Que's How it Works titles
Table of Contents
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Introduction
xi
Part I: What Windows Vista Is-and What It Does
2
Chapter 1
Understanding Windows and Other Operating Systems
6
Chapter 2
How Windows Vista Differs from Windows XP
14
Chapter 3
What Windows Vista Does
26
Part II: Basic Operations
32
Chapter 4
Powering On and Powering Off
36
Chapter 5
Managing System Resources
48
Chapter 6
Managing System Information
62
Chapter 7
Managing Users
70
Chapter 8
Managing Data
76
Chapter 9
Managing Applications
92
Part III: Windows Vista Graphics
100
Chapter 10
Understanding Vista Graphics
104
Chapter 11
The Vista Interface
112
Chapter 12
The Vista Desktop
122
Part IV: Digital Media
130
Chapter 13
Windows Media Center
134
Chapter 14
Digital Music
150
Chapter 15
Digital Images
166
Chapter 16
Digital Video and Movies
174
Part V: Networking and the Internet
182
Chapter 17
Windows Vista and the Internet
186
Chapter 18
Windows Vista Networks
204
Part VI: Security and Maintenance
220
Chapter 19
Windows Vista Security Features
224
Chapter 20
Routine Maintenance
238
Glossary
252
Index
266
Preface
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Introduction
Five years in the making, and here it is-another new version of Microsoft Windows.
Windows Vista is the latest in a long line of Windows operating systems, carrying the tradition first started in 1985 with the appropriately named Windows 1.0. That first version of Windows is only vaguely familiar to today's users, as Microsoft has made a lot of improvements since those humble beginnings. Of course, a lot besides Windows has changed in the past twenty years; the one constant is that a Microsoft operating system remains the face of personal computing.
It's that face users will first notice when they power on a PC running Windows Vista. Put simply, Vista looks different from previous versions of Windows. Oh, there are the expected windows and icons and taskbars and the ever-present Start menu, but they're a lot fancier in Vista than they were in Windows XP or prior operating systems. That's because Vista uses a totally new graphics engine-one that harnesses the massive graphics processing power of today's PCs to create a three-dimensional desktop with glass-like windows and sophisticated animation effects. It still looks like Windows, but it's more lifelike, if such a thing can be said.
The improvements in Vista don't stop with the interface. There are a lot of new or improved utilities to be found on the Start menu, including some fairly major changes in Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player. And then there are all the changes behind-the-scenes, where Vista has been beefed up, made faster and more dependable, and given increased security against viruses, spyware, and other forms of computer attack. You won't notice a lot of changes, except in the form of fewer crashes and less worry about malicious intrusions.
As is the case anytime Microsoft releases a new version of its core operating system, there is a lot of interest about the new features in Windows Vista-what they are and how they work. That is where this book comes in. How Windows Vista Works is a descriptive title for a book that both shows you what's new and improved in Vista and gets 'under the hood' to illustrate what does what and how.
And I do mean 'shows you.' What's unique about this book is that it doesn't offer the typical text-based descriptions of the topics at hand; instead, it shows you what you want to know, via a series of detailed four-color illustrations. Want to know what the Aero interface looks like? Curious about how Internet Explorer protects against phishing scams? Well, this book answers all those questions and more, visually. It's the kind of sophisticated visual approach that is required to explain a sophisticated visual operating system.
To make it easier to find what you're interested in, this book is divided into 20 separate chapters, organized into 6 major sections. It's easy to go directly to any given topic; you can skip around as you like or read the book from front to back-whichever works best for you.
Part I, 'What Vista Is-and What It Does,' explains just what it is that an operating system does, as well as how Windows Vista is similar to-and differs from-previous versions of Windows and other operating systems. Turn here to discover all the new features of Windows Vista.
Part II, 'Basic Operations,' gets down to the nitty-gritty of how Windows Vista controls your computer hardware and software. You'll learn how Vista manages system resources, system settings, user accounts, data, and applications.
Part III, 'Windows Vista Graphics,' turns a sharp eye to what makes Vista look as good as it does. You'll learn all about the Vista Aero interface, Windows Flip3D task switching, the Sidebar and Sidebar gadgets, as well as how to personalize the Vista desktop.
Part IV, 'Digital Media,' is all about music, movies, and photos. As a bonus, you'll learn about Windows Media Center, the so-called 'ten-foot interface' that's now built into Windows Vista.
Part V, 'Networking and the Internet,' shows you how Vista goes online and connects with other computers. A lot of new Internet-related features are included in Vista, and they're all covered here- including tabbed browsing in Internet Explorer, a new pop-up blocker and anti-phishing filter, an integrated RSS feed reader, browser-based search, and new Windows Mail and Windows Calendar applications.
Finally, Part VI, 'Security and Maintenance,' covers what makes Windows Vista more secure-and more reliable. You'll learn about Windows Service Hardening, the Windows Firewall, the new Windows Defender anti-spyware utility, and a lot more. And you'll rediscover the Windows Backup utility, back for all to use with a lot of useful new features.
By the time you're done reading this book, you'll be acquainted with all the new features of Windows Vista and have a much better understanding about how they all work. If you're already a Vista user, you'll have a greater appreciation of how the operating system does what it does. And if you're not yet a Vista user, I guarantee that you will be soon-there's a lot to like about Windows Vista, as you'll see in the pages of this book!
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