This pocket reference is intended to provide the information Windows Vista users need most often in a quick and concise format. This tiny volume is small enough to fit in your pocket or laptop case, yet it is packed with hundreds of tips, shortcuts, and other tidbits of information that will make Windows Vista easier to use. Less-experienced Windows Vista users should turn to the brief crash course in Chapter 1 of the book. If you're a hands-on learner, you should be able to pick up any of the concepts discussed there in no time at all. Chapter 2 lists dozens of keyboard and mouse shortcuts available for every aspect of Windows Vista, and Chapter 3 provides a listing of the most useful components, features, and settings that make up Windows Vistaan encyclopedia of everything you can do with Windows out of the box. Chapter 4 highlights how to use the Registry, along with several Registry hacks, while Chapter 5 documents the most important command-line prompts and how to use them. Anyone wishing to learn more will benefit from the additional background and details provided by full-size books such as my recently published book, Windows Vista in a Nutshell, also available from O'Reilly. Conventions Used in This BookThe following typographical conventions are used in this book:
Rather than using procedural steps to tell you how to reach a given Windows Vista user interface element or application, I use a shorthand path notation. For example:
means "Open the Start menu (on the Desktop), then choose Programs, then choose Accessories, and then click Calculator." The path is always relative to a well-known location, such as the following:
Note that the elements of the Control Panel may or may not be divided into categories, depending on context and a setting on your computer. So, rather than a cumbersome explanation of this unfortunate design every time the Control Panel comes up, the following notation is used:
where the category (in this case, Performance and Maintenance) is shown in square brackets, implying that you may or may not encounter this step. We'd Like to Hear from YouPlease address comments and questions concerning this book to the publisher:
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