Exploring the Windows Interface
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Figure 1.10 shows the basic elements that
you'll find on the Windows Vista desktop.
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Figure 1.10 Basic elements of the Windows Vista desktop. The desktop lets you move items and manage your tasks
vaguely the same way that you would on a physical desktop.
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Microsoft modeled Windows on a real-world
office environment: You have a desktop, on
which you work and use tools, and folders,
in which you organize files.
Desktop. After you log on to Windows, the
desktop-a work area that uses menus,
icons, and windows to simulate the top of a
desk-appears automatically.
Start menu. The Start menu is the central
menu that lets you access the most useful
folders, programs, and commands on your
computer. Chapter 2 covers the Start menu.
Taskbar. The taskbar lets you switch among
open programs and documents. It also lets
you launch programs and alerts you to certain
events, such as appointment reminders
or incoming email. Chapter 2 covers the
taskbar.
Sidebar. The sidebar, new in Vista, is a long
vertical bar on the edge of the desktop. It
holds mini-programs, called gadgets, that
show live information (time, weather, headlines,
and so on) and provide access to frequently
used tools (calendar, contacts,
notes). Chapter 2 covers the sidebar.
Mouse pointer. Use your mouse, stylus,
trackball, touchpad, or similar input device
to move the mouse pointer to select items,
drag icons, or choose commands onscreen.
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Menus. A menu is a list of related commands.
Most programs use menus to provide
an easy-to-learn, easy-to-use alternative to
memorizing instructions.
Toolbars. A toolbar is a row, column, or
block of buttons or icons. When you click
one of these buttons or icons, the program
carries out a command or task.
Icons. An icon is a small image that represents
an item to be opened, such as a file,
folder, disk, program, or the Recycle Bin.
An icon's picture is a visual cue designed to
help you recall what the icon represents.
Windows. A window is a rectangular portion
of your screen where a program runs.
You can open many windows at the same
time. Each window can be independently
resized, moved, or closed; maximized to
occupy the entire screen; or minimized to
a button on the taskbar.
Dialog boxes. A special type of window
called a dialog box contains text boxes, buttons,
tabs, scrolling lists, or drop-down lists
that let you set preferences or run commands.
Some dialog boxes-such as Open, Save As,
and Print-are similar in every Windows
program. Others, such as the Properties dialog
box shown in Figure 1.10, depend on the
program or context.
The User Interface
You work with Windows through its
graphical user interface (GUI, pronounced
gooey), which offers pictures along with
words to help you perform tasks. To
make learning easier, Windows displays
visual clues about how things work. Often,
these clues are analogous to those you
see in the real world. If a door has a flat
plate rather than a handle to grasp, it's a
clue to push that door, not pull it. The threedimensional
(3D) look of buttons on your
screen implies that you're supposed to
push them (click them). You'll recognize
similar hints throughout the user interface.
This chapter and the next introduce
Windows' standard GUI elements.
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