Windows Vista in a Nutshell

Starting Up Applications

Windows Vista has more ways to launch a program than just about any other operating system:

• Double-click on a program icon in Explorer, on the Desktop.

• Double-click on a file associated with an application to launch that application and open the file.

• Pick the name of a program from the Start menu. (See "Start Menu,” in Chapter 3, for details.)

• Click on a program’s icon in the Quick Launch Toolbar to start it. This toolbar can include icons for any programs, although by default, it often has icons only for Internet Explorer, the Desktop (click it to go to the Desktop), Switch Between Windows, and Windows Mail after you set up Windows Mail the first time.

  Tip

  The default icons that appear on the Quick Launch Toolbar often vary from system to system. Computer manufacturers may change what icons appear there or whether Quick Launch even appears at all.

• Right-click on a file, executable, or application icon and choose Open.

• Select (highlight) an icon and press the Enter key.

• Type the filename of a program in the Address Bar, which is displayed above the toolbar in any folder window, in Explorer, in Internet Explorer, or even as part of the Taskbar. You may also have to include the path (the folder and drive names) for some items.

• Type in the filename of a program from the Start Search box and press Enter. You may also have to include the path (the folder and drive names) for some items.

• Type in the first few letters or the entire name of a program (not necessarily the ...