Chapter 3. Running Programs and Gadgets

3. Running Programs and Gadgets

In this section:

• Working with Documents

• Copying Your Screen Content

• Inserting Special Characters

• Crunching Numbers

• Writing Your Text

• Typing on Your Screen

• Writing and Drawing Quick Notes

• Annotating a Document

• Sharing Your Journal Notes

• Controlling Your Gadgets

• Controlling the Sidebar

• Running Commands

• Running Older Programs

Getting to know the programs that come with Windows Vista is a bit like moving into new living quarters. Just as your new abode has the basicsstove, refrigerator, and (dare we say it?) windowsthe Windows Vista operating system comes with many basic accessories and tools. Just as you'll add all the accoutrements that transform empty rooms into a cozy home, you'll add programs to Windows Vista to utilize its full potential.

But let's cover the basics first. We'll do some everyday tasks in WordPad: composing, saving, and printing a document; creating and editing text; copying items between documents that were created in different programs; and inserting characters such as © and é that don't exist on your keyboard. We'll look at the Calculator, which is handy for scientific calculations as well as basic arithmetic. We'll explore the Tablet PC tools, including the Input Panel for entering text, either with handwriting or the On-Screen Keyboard; onscreen Sticky Notes for jotting down quick notes; the Snipping Tool for copying just about anything on your computer; and the Journal, where you can write and annotate to your heart's content. We'll show you the little Gadget programs that you can run on the Sidebar or on your Desktop. And, for all you MS-DOS fans, we'll discuss working at the command prompt and running MS-DOS programs.