Wiley Windows Vista For Dummies 978-0-471-75421-3 Manuale Utente

In This Chapter

Getting to know Windows Vista

Introducing the new features in Windows Vista

Understanding how Windows Vista affects your old programs

Figuring out whether your PC is powerful enough to run Windows Vista

Knowing which version of Windows Vista you need

C

hances are, you’ve probably heard about Windows: the boxes and win-
dows and mouse pointer that greet you whenever you turn on your 

computer. In fact, millions of people all over the world are puzzling over it
as you read this book. Almost every new computer sold today comes with a
copy of Windows preinstalled — cheerfully greeting you when first turned on.

This chapter helps you understand why Windows lives inside your computer
and introduces Microsoft’s latest Windows version, called Windows Vista.
It explains how Windows Vista differs from previous Windows versions,
whether you should upgrade to Vista, and how well your faithful old PC will
weather the upgrade.

What Is Windows Vista, and 

Why Are You Using It?

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 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.

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