Introduction

Microsoft has been working on Windows Vista for over five years . It provides several enhancements over its direct predecessor, Windows XP, Service Pack 2. As soon as you start up your computer and log into Windows, you will notice a difference. A new Start menu, new desktop backgrounds, and even the new Sidebar that docks on the right side of your screen will tell you that you are experiencing something new. Then go ahead and click the new Start menu button (it no longer says "Start") and navigate the menus to launch a program. No longer does your screen fill with multiple layers of menus that reach to the edge of your screen and back. Instead, each time you drill down in a menu, it overlays the previous menu to make it easier to find the program you want and not lose track of where you are.

Other new features include new programs (such as Windows Calendar, Windows Photo Gallery, Windows Media Center, and Windows Fax and Scan), handy networking tools (the Network and Sharing Center, for example), a redesigned Control Panel, and many more advancements. You even get a few new games to help pass the time of day.

Who Is This Book For?

This book is primarily intended for general users of Windows Vista Ultimate, the full edition of Windows Vista. If you have another version, such as Windows Vista Basic or Windows Vista Business, this book is for you too. Some of the features that are available in Windows Vista Ultimate are not available in those other versions, but Windows Vista Ultimate includes all features of those editions so you can find information about those features in this book. You might have a lot of experience with other computer systems, or Windows Vista may be your first exposure to computing.

Your computer might be the only one in your home or office, or it may be one of many on a local area network. You probably have a modem or network card, although Windows works perfectly well without either. Chances are, your computer is connected to the Internet, or will be soon.

If your computer is connected to a large network, we don't expect you to be the network administrator, but if you're in a small office with two or three computers, we tell you how to set up a small, usable Windows network. If you have a modem, we discuss in detail what's involved in getting connected to the Internet, because Windows Vista includes all the software you need to use the Internet.