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Preface
Windows XP is the latest product in a long line of operating systems
from Microsoft. Although it's superficially similar
to earlier versions of Windows, there's quite a bit
new under the hood, and on the surface as well. A consumer-friendly,
almost cartoonish interface sits on top of the most complex Windows
version yet.
A graphical user interface, like the one in Windows XP, is not a
substitute for good, thorough documentation. Naturally, colorful
icons and animated interface elements make the interface more
inviting and help uninitiated users stumble through the basics of
opening programs and printing documents. There are only so many hours
in the day, though, and spending most of them trying to figure out
the new networking system, sorting through the thousands of settings
in the Registry, discovering all of the hidden tools, or even
learning to be productive with the new Windows Movie Maker, is really
not good use of your time.
By taking the undocumented or otherwise hidden features and settings
in Windows XP and placing them in context with more conspicuous and
familiar components, this book provides the complete picture
necessary to truly understand the operating system and what is
involved in completing just about any task.
There are many books on Windows XP, but most of them get bogged down
with elementary tutorials and the scrawniest tasks most of us could
perform in our sleep. That's where this book comes
in.
Windows XP in a Nutshell provides a
condensed but thorough reference to Windows XP, with an organization
that helps you get right to the task at hand.
For example, there are literally hundreds of settings and features in
Windows XP, scattered throughout dozens of dialog boxes. Some are
plainly accessible through the Start menu or in the Control Panel,
while others are hidden under layers of application menus. A few
aren't apparent at all without knowledge of hidden
features. In Chapter 5, all these settings are
listed in the same place, sorted alphabetically from A to Z. So,
instead of wading through menus and flipping through dialogs looking
for a way to stop Windows from disconnecting your dial-up connection
to the Internet (or for the setting that affects sounds in web
pages), just look in Chapter 5, under
"Dialing" and
"Sounds," respectively.
