Sams Teach Yourself Microsoft Windows XP in 24 Hours

By Greg Perry

• Table of Contents
  • Copyright
  • About the Author
  • Acknowledgments
  • Tell Us What You Think!
  • Introduction
  • Part I: Wake Up with Windows XP
  • Hour 1. Taking a Bird's-Eye Look at Windows XP
  • Hour 2. Getting Started with Windows XP
  • Hour 3. Managing the Windows XP Interface
  • Part II: Morning Windows Desktop Exploration
  • Hour 4. Working with the My Computer Window
  • Hour 5. Navigating Files with Windows Explorer
  • Hour 6. Calling for Help
  • Hour 7. Improving Your Windows Desktop Experience
  • Part III: Early Afternoon Windows Exploration
  • Hour 8. Installing Programs with Windows XP
  • Hour 9. Finding Files, Folders, and Friends
  • Hour 10. Using the Desktop Accessories
  • Part IV: Late Afternoon Internet Integration
  • Hour 11. Surfing the Web with Internet Explorer
  • Hour 12. Tying Windows into the Web
    • To Do: Listening to Internet Audio
    • Customizing the Explorer Bar
    • Instant Messaging with MSN Messenger
    • Using Messenger
    • MSN Messenger Is Flexible
    • Introducing the Internet Connection Firewall
    • Summary
    • Q&A
    • Workshop
  • Hour 13. Networking with Windows XP
  • Hour 14. Managing E-mail and Newsgroups with Outlook Express
  • Part V: An Evening with Advanced Windows
  • Hour 15. Exploring Your Hardware Interface
  • Hour 16. Understanding Printing and Fonts
  • Hour 17. Using Windows on the Road
  • Hour 18. Giving Windows XP a Tune-Up
  • Hour 19. Managing Your Hard Drives
  • Hour 20. Tinkering with the Advanced System Tools
  • Part VI: Having Fun at Nighttime
  • Hour 21. Using Media Player
  • Hour 22. Picturing Windows XP Graphics
  • Hour 23. Making Movies with Windows XP
  • Hour 24. Advanced Windows XP Tips
  • Part VII: Appendixes
  • Appendix A. Differences Between the Windows Home and Professional Edition
  • Appendix B. Glossary
  • Appendix C. Answers to Quizzes

Instant Messaging with MSN Messenger

One extremely popular aspect of the Internet that is growing in popularity all the time is instant messaging. Instant messaging is the ability for you to communicate with other instant messaging users. Windows XP supports MSN Messenger, Microsoft's version of instant messaging software. Microsoft is developing a complete Internet-based programming and user environment called .NET. Windows Messenger will be critical to using .NET when .NET is eventually released. Even if you don't plan to program computers, Microsoft tells the computer community that .NET will be integral to the way users use computers soon. Although the veil of .NET has not fully been lifted, you should get ready to use Messenger now so you'll have it when you need it.

You can access MSN Messenger from within Internet Explorer. As long as you and someone else are both signed up for a Microsoft Passport, a holder of contact information you supply so that Microsoft-based Web sites and services will know who you are, you can communicate with anybody in the world by typing messages back and forth. You just both have to be online at the same time. Even better than typing, you can actually talk to them as long as you have the proper hardware and a fast enough Internet connection speed.

The following To Do item explains how to sign up for a Microsoft Passport account.

To Do: Signing Up for a Microsoft Passport

1. Click the taskbar's Notification Area labeled Windows Messenger to open the Messenger window.
2. Click the option labeled Click here to sign in. A window opens asking for your Microsoft Passport Sign-in name and password.
3. Click the option labeled Get a .NET Passport to open the .NET Passport Wizard window shown in Figure 12.2, where you can enter information for your own Microsoft Passport.
   

   Figure 12.2 Sign up for a Microsoft Passport to use Messenger.

4. Follow the wizard's prompts to enter all the information you want to supply and click Sign Up. Please remember your Hotmail Sign-In Name field's value because you will use this as both your Hotmail e-mail address and your Passport sign-in name. You might not use Hotmail if you already have an e-mail service, but you still need the account to generate a Microsoft Passport account that will also give you access to MSN Messenger.

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