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Created and sold by a company called Microsoft, Windows isn't like your usual software that lets you write term papers or send angry e-mails to mail-order companies. No, Windows is an operating system, meaning that it controls the way you work with your computer. It's been around for more than 20 years, and the latest whiz-bang version is called Windows Vista.
 | Windows gets its name from all the cute little windows it places on your monitor. Each window shows information, such as a picture, a program that you're running, or a baffling technical reprimand. You can put several windows on-screen at the same time and jump from window to window, visiting different programs. You can also enlarge a window to fill the entire screen. |
Like the mother with the whistle in the lunch court, Windows controls every window and each part of your computer. When you turn on your computer, Windows jumps onto the screen and supervises any running programs. Throughout all this action, Windows keeps things running smoothly, even if the programs start throwing food at each other.
In addition to controlling your computer and bossing around your programs, Windows Vista comes with a bunch of free programs. Although your computer can run without these programs, they're nice to have. These programs let you do different things, like write and print letters, browse the Internet, play music, and even whittle down your camcorder's vacation footage into a three-minute short — automatically.
Some people crave Vista's new interface; others feel like they're looking at a rental car's unfamiliar dashboard. Follow these steps to make Vista look almost like Windows XP:
1. Change the Start menu: Right-click the Start button, choose Properties, select Classic Start Menu, and click the OK button.
2. Bring back the desktop: Right-click a blank part of the desktop and choose Personalize. Choose Theme and then choose Windows Classic from the Theme pull-down menu. Click the OK button.
3. Put the menus back on top of each folder: Open your Documents folder from the Start menu. Then click the Organize button, choose Folder and Search Options, and choose Use Windows Classic Folders. Click the OK button.
These steps not only bring back the look of previous Windows versions, but they also speed up an older PC that's struggling to keep up with Vista's fancy layers of graphics.
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