Chapter 13. Using Windows XP MCE for Computer Tasks

Let’s be upfront about something. A Media Center PC is designed to be an entertainment device, not a workplace tool. Although a Media Center PC can theoretically do anything that a regular desktop PC can do, the fact that you’re operating the thing from at least 10 feet away with a handheld remote control means that many operations just aren’t practical. For example, sitting on your couch and composing a novel within the Media Center environment would be difficult, if not impossible. The same thing with crunching numbers in a spreadsheet, or even surfing the Web.

As you’ve learned in the previous chapters, what a Media Center PC does best is play back movies and music. But that doesn’t mean ...

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