The Basic Structure of This Book

This book is divided into six parts, each centered around a certain theme. The book builds on the skills you need, starting with the basics and then moving to more complex topics such as networking. You can read the book straight through, look up topics when you have a question, or browse through the contents, reading information that intrigues you.

This section provides a quick breakdown of the parts.

Part I, "The Basics," explains all the key tasks for using your computer. If you read only this section, you will have enough skill knowledge to perform most basic computer tasks. This part covers understanding the Windows desktop and starting programs (Chapter 1), saving and print your work (Chapter 2), managing files (Chapter 3), and troubleshooting (Chapter 4).

Part II, "Communications," includes six chapters, each devoted to a particular Windows communication feature, including getting set up for communication (Chapter 5), using a wireless connection (Chapter 6), sending and receiving email (Chapter 7), browsing and searching the Internet (Chapters 8 and 9), and faxing (Chapter 10).

Part III, "Entertainment," focuses on the various ways you can use Windows as an entertainment medium, including playing music and videos and working with photographs and movies.

Part IV, "Your Own Personal Windows," explores the many changes you can make to how Windows operates. As you become more proficient, you'll find that you may want to change certain Windows elements, such as adding a desktop image (which is covered in Chapter 13 with other desktop customizing options), adding new programs (Chapter 14), and customizing email and Internet settings (Chapter 15).

Although you don't need to know the ins and outs of computer maintenance (the topic of Part V) as a beginner, you'll find that you do need a reference and guide for various maintenance tasks. Even though you won't perform these daily, you should be familiar with how to find files (Chapter 16), use security measures (Chapter 17), improve your disk performance (Chapter 18), upgrade hardware (Chapter 19), and upgrade Windows (Chapter 20).

Part VI, "Windows XP for Special Situations," covers special features for special situations. This part includes chapters on the many Windows accessory programs (Chapter 21), multiple user accounts (Chapter 22), accessibility options for those with special needs (Chapter 23), and home networking (Chapter 24).

Enjoy your learning journey!