Chapter i. Introduction

Windows Vista, the successor to Windows XP, is the latest Microsoft operating system for PC users at home, work, and school. In creating Vista, Microsoft put special effort into:

The user interface. The slick new UI, called Aero, lets you find and launch your stuff instantly, no matter how your files and folders are organized (or disorganized). The Start menu, the taskbar, Windows Explorer, and other redesigned controls retain enough of their old personalities to let you jump in.

Security. Vista protects you against malicious websites, viruses, spyware, and other online threats. You also can control what your children or guests view and play. Vista’s reduced-privilege mode (turned on by default) defends even administrators ...

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