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
    • Windows XP Simply Works Better
    • Windows XP Comes in Several Flavors
    • Do You Have the Necessary Hardware?
    • Getting a Feel for Windows XP
    • Mouse Around
    • Windows XP Knows Multimedia
    • Make Sure You Understand Windows Controls
    • Taking the Taskbar to Task
    • The Start Menu: Your Windows Cockpit
    • Summary
    • Q&A
    • Workshop
  • 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
  • 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

Windows XP Simply Works Better

Microsoft redesigned the entire Windows interface to produce Windows XP. Windows XP is more colorful than previous editions. Windows XP's user interface is improved to allow you easier access to your programs and data. The icons (small pictures that represent options) and menus and windows have a more modern look to them. You'll enjoy working with Windows XP but if you really like the former Windows Me look, Windows XP enables you to easily change to the more traditional Classic view inside most windows.

As you become accustomed to Windows XP, you'll see that the entire operating system not only is more visual than previous Windows but XP has a similar feel to working on Web pages. With each version of Windows, Microsoft has attempted to tie the Internet more into the operating system's interface. The Internet will continue to play an important role in all computing and the Windows XP's graphical interface provides a Web-like feel.

As Figure 1.1 shows, when you point to a selection on the screen, Windows XP underlines the item not unlike a Web-page hyperlink; click once on the link and Windows XP takes you there.

Figure 1.1 Windows XP screens work as though they are pages on the Internet.

More important than the interface, however, is Microsoft's completely redesigned operating system. If you're already using Windows 9x (including Windows 95 and Windows 98) or Windows Me, you know that, although those are decent operating systems, you still must reboot more often than you'd like. Things don't always act according to plan. This is because Microsoft designed these operating systems to take advantage of much older hardware than that which appears today, sacrificing some stability for maximum compatibility.

Windows XP's entire foundation is rewritten and based on the Windows 2000 technology that provides a more stable and robust operating environment. Windows XP simply won't let those misbehaving programs get away with all they do inside other Windows versions. This means that not all your older applications (called legacy applications if they were written with an earlier Windows operating system in mind, generally pre-Windows 98) will work under Windows XP. XP offers a special compatibility mode that tricks XP into running many of those legacy applications that would not run under straight Windows XP. You'll learn more about the compatibility mode in Hour 8, "Installing Programs with Windows XP."

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