Use MS Word smartly with these helpful Tips

1. Date
To stop Word from adding today's date to any year you type, changing, say, 'Letter 2004' to 'Letter 2004-08-22', go to the Insert menu, click on AutoCorrect and select AutoText in the next menu. Untick the box marked 'Show Autocomplete Suggestions'. If you want to use an AutoText shortcut in future, type the abbreviation and press F3.

2. Add places
Add a folder to the Places Bar in Word 2002's Open and Save boxes to help you find files quickly. Find the folder you require in Windows Explorer, highlight it and then click on the Tools menu. Now click on the option marked 'Add to My Places'. If you are a Word 2000 user, you can download a Microsoft add-on to customize the Places Bar here.

3. Turn off fast save
Fast saves aren't much faster than normal saves and instead of properly saving your document, Word just appends anything you have added to the text to the end of the file. Nothing is ever deleted from the document file, so it can end up being huge. It's best to turn off fast saves by going to the Tools menu, clicking on Options, then on the Save tab and removing the tick from the 'Allow fast saves' checkbox.

4. No mouse styles
If you often write the same style of documents in Word, you may be aware of the Styles option, which can reduce the time you spend formatting a document. You can assign a keyboard shortcut to a style so that you don't have to use the mouse to find it by going to the Tools menu, then Customize, then pressing Keyboard and selecting Styles from the list on the left.

5. Follow style
If your styles naturally follow one another, say a particular text style always follows a particular headline style, you can cut down further on the time required to select them by going to the Format menu, and selecting Style. Choose the relevant style and click on Modify, then choose another from the box marked 'Style for following paragraph'.

6. Repeat find
To find a piece of text, press F3, enter the text you're looking for in the text box and press Enter. You don't need to keep the box open to find other instances of this text, however. Click on Cancel, and notice that the double arrows at the bottom of the right-hand side scroll bars have turned blue. Clicking on one of them will take you to the next place this text occurs, either forwards or backwards through the document, depending on which button you click.

7. AutoCorrect
AutoCorrect allows you to change text automatically as you type it, which can be handy for correcting frequently mistyped words. Click on the Tools menu, then on AutoCorrect and enter a piece of text in the left-hand column. Whenever you type it, it will be replaced by the text in the same row in the right-hand column of the dialogue box.

8. Select lots of text
It can be very difficult to select more than a few paragraphs of text at once using only the mouse, particularly if you have a fast PC, as the text will shoot past before you notice. But you can select large amounts of text easily by clicking where you want your selection to start, then navigating to the end of the intended selection using the mouse wheel or scroll bars. Then just hold down Shift and click again to select the block of text.

. Saving grace
If you are working on several documents at once, you can save them all without closing Word in the process. Just hold down Shift and click on the File menu. You will see a new option Save All. There is also an option to Close All if you want to do so without closing Word.

10. Simple formatting
If you're going to create a number of documents that are similar in appearance, it's best to use styles to format text rather than applying the formatting yourself. This ensures that you can change it easily throughout the documents, if you need to. You can, however, use the Format Painter to copy the formats from one paragraph and apply it to another. Select the Format Painter button from the Word toolbar and click on the portion of text you want to copy a format from. Now drag the pointer over the selection you want to apply the formatting to.

11. Scraps
You can create 'scraps' in Word, which are small blocks of text from a document. Highlight some text in an open document and drag it to the Desktop, and you will see it appear as a document scrap. You can arrange and rename your scraps on the Desktop, and simply drop them back into Word documents as you need them. The scraps can be pasted into most other applications too.

12. Snappy corrections
Instead of using the spell checker once you've finished writing a document, you can correct words as you type. Right-click on a red-underlined word, and Word will show you a menu of replacements it thinks are suitable. This also works for green-underlined phrases that Word thinks are not grammatically correct. Right-clicking them will again open a menu with suggested replacements.

13. Microsoft Word 2003/XP shortcut keys
Most of us spend more time using Microsoft Word than any other Office application, so make use of our handy guide to Word's shortcut keys and cut down the time you spend hunting for what you want among the many menus and toolbars.

Inside Computer

While it's good to give some attention to software settings, don't neglect hardware when it comes to PC maintenance. Dust and grime gather in the case, which makes it warmer and obstructs airflow. In the long term, this could cause problems so it's best to treat it.

Obviously, this involves opening the case of the PC so start by switching off and unplugging the PC and leave it to settle and cool down for a few minutes. Then open the case and use a vacuum cleaner with a long hose attachment to pick up loose fluff and dust. Do not use the vacuum cleaner itself, as the electromagnets in the cleaner will damage the computer.

Use a clean household paintbrush to brush dust off the case sides, cables and fans but do not brush any microchips, as you may damage them. Give the case another quick blast from the hose attachment of the vacuum cleaner and close the case, then plug it back in.

Keeping Your Keyboard Clean

No matter how clean your hands, keyboards always collect dust and grime. If you are a coffee-drinker, your keyboard may even be a bit sticky as a result of spillage. Obviously, none of this is good for the keyboard, and while it may not be dangerous, the build-up of dirt will certainly make the keyboard less responsive to touch, and may cause keys to seize up entirely.

To clean the keyboard, you will need to remove all the keys so it is a good idea to draw a map or take a digital picture of their location, before removing them. Then switch the PC off and unplug the keyboard.

Remove each key carefully using a screwdriver to lever it off the board - each one will come off, with a little patience. There may be springs attached to keys so keep them in a safe place.

Rub the outside of the keyboard with water or medicinal (rubbing) alcohol, and shake the keyboard gently upside down to remove dust. Brush the keyboard all over with a clean household paintbrush to dislodge other dust.

You can either clean the key tops manually using rubbing alcohol or water, or tie them tightly and securely in a cheesecloth bag, and run the bag through a dishwasher on a cool setting. Then replace the keys and springs, using the map from earlier on.

50 Tips for Windows XP

Computers are supposed to make life easier but all too often you find yourself waiting for Windows to complete a simple task or getting frustrated because things aren't working as they should. Wouldn't it be better if the home PC danced to your tune? Well, the good news is that you can.

There are lots of settings in Windows XP that can be tweaked and altered to improve the way the operating system works, speed up the computer and generally make it easier to use. And the best news of all is that we are going to share 50 of these tips with you now, with step-by-step explanations to make things ever clearer.

The tips cover the general use of Microsof Windows, the internet and email and the PC's hardware settings. All the tweaks and tips included here will help to make your PC work smarter so you don't have to work harder.

Some of the tips we'll look at refer to specific control panels. These can all be accessed through the Windows Control Panel which, in turn, can be accessed by clicking on the Start button at the bottom-left of the screen and clicking Control Panel. Then simply double-click on the icon of the settings you want to tinker with.

To make things easier, we suggest you switch to Classic View mode. You can do this in the main Control Panel window. Just look for the Switch to Classic View option in the left-hand panel. If you can't see it, the computer is already operating in Classic View mode.

Appearance in Windows XP

1. Say goodbye to the paperclip and animated guides
The animated helpers in Microsoft Office can be useful but they can also annoy. To remove them, go to the Control Panel and double-click on Add or Remove Programs. Click on Microsoft Office in the list and click on Change, then Add or Remove Features and OK. Tick the box marked Choose advanced customization or applications, then click on Next. Check the box next to Office Shared Features, then click on the disk icon next to Office Assistant and select Not Available from the drop-down menu. Then click on Update and follow the prompts.

2. Change the way icons are displayed within folders
In any Windows Explorer window, click the View menu and select an option from the second section. The Icons option is the standard view, List shows smaller icons, Display shows file properties and Thumbnails can be used in picture and video folders to preview files.

3. Resize icons
Make icons bigger if they are hard to see by opening the Display Control Panel and clicking on the Appearance tab. Click on the Effects button. In the dialogue box check the 'Use large icons' box, click on OK and OK again, then close the Control Panel.

4. Change Desktop wallpaper
To smarten up the Desktop, open the Display Control Panel in the main Control Panel window and click on the Desktop tab. Choose from the list of wallpapers displayed in the menu here by clicking on one, or click on Browse to select your own digital photograph from the computer's hard disk. For a small performance boost, opt for no wallpaper at all by selecting None from the top of the list. Then click on Apply and OK to confirm your selection.

5. Desktop clean-up wizard
Remove useless short cuts with a wizard by opening the Display Control Panel and clicking on the Desktop tab, then clicking on Customize Desktop. Click on Clean Desktop Now and follow the prompts.

6. Lock the Taskbar
You can fix the Taskbar (the bar at the bottom of the Windows Desktop) in place by right-clicking it and selecting Lock Taskbar. This stops it from being moved accidentally.

7. Lose the fonts
Many programs have their own fonts but these often aren't that useful. To prune the fonts stored on a PC open the Fonts Control Panel. Double-click on any font icon in the folder to see what it looks like, or right-click once and select Delete to get rid of any you don't need. Be sure to only delete fonts that aren't being used and do not delete any that look like they contain odd symbols or shapes as they are probably being used by Windows itself.

8. Pointers
Having fancy mouse pointers can be fun but can slow sluggish PCs down further. To change the pointer style, open the Mouse Control Panel and click on the Pointers tab. Choose a scheme from the drop-down list and click on Apply and OK. Select None to revert to the standard style.

9. Quick launch
For fast access to favourite programs, drag their icons to the Quick Launch toolbar, to the right of the Start button on the Taskbar. If you can't see it, right-click the background of the Taskbar, click Toolbars and make sure Quick Launch is ticked. You can then drag any short-cut icon here and launch the program in future with a single click.

10. Group taskbar buttons
Running many programs at once can lead to the Taskbar becoming cluttered. To simplify things, group all the Word documents or instant messaging windows you have open together by right-clicking the Taskbar and selecting Properties. Then tick 'Group similar taskbar buttons' and click on OK.

11. Affiliate certain file types to certain programs
The program that Windows uses to open a particular type of file can be changed by right-clicking on a file of that type and selecting Open With, then choosing a program from the list. To ensure all files of this type open with that program in the future, tick the box marked 'Always use the selected program to open this kind of file' before clicking on OK.

12. Set actions for Windows to take automatically when a CD or DVD is inserted
Open My Computer, and right-click on the icon for the CD or DVD drive, then select Properties and click on the AutoPlay tab. Choose a type of file from the list (say, Music files, for when you insert an audio CD), then choose an action from the second list and click on OK.

13. Delete unnecessary programs
Most programs can be uninstalled using the appropriate uninstall link in the Start menu. If this is not listed, double-click on Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel, select the program from the list by clicking on it then click on Remove and follow the instructions.

14. Get rid of modem dialing noise
A modem's dialing tone can be a handy way of establishing that a connection is being made but it can be annoying. To silence it, open the Network Connections Control Panel, right-click on the internet connection icon and click on Properties. Click on Configure, then uncheck the box marked Enable modem speaker and click on OK, then OK again.

15. Disable delete confirmation
To stop Windows asking for confirmation when you drag files or folders to the Recycle Bin, right-click on the Recycle Bin icon and select Properties. Uncheck the box marked 'Display delete confirmation dialog' then click on Apply and OK.

16. Disable the Microsoft error reporting dialogue box
If Windows encounters a problem with a specific program, a dialogue box will appear asking if you wish to send a report to Microsoft. To stop this appearing, right-click on My Computer and select Properties, then click on the Advanced tab and click on Error Reporting. Click in the circle marked Disable error reporting and click on OK, then OK again.

17. Disable the document printing information balloon
If you print over a network, stop Windows telling you each time a document is printed by selecting Printers and Faxes in the Control Panel. From the File menu select Server Properties and click on the Advanced tab, then untick the boxes next to 'Show informational notifications for local printers' and 'Show informational notifications for network printers'. Click on Apply and then on OK.

18. Make Windows show the correct file types
Windows will hide the three-letter extensions of file names, such as.jpg, to make things less complicated but it can be useful to know which files are which. In any Windows Explorer folder, click on Tools, then on Folder Options, then on the View tab, and remove the tick from 'Hide extensions for known file types' and click on Apply and then on OK.

19. Switch off reporting back when a program crashes
When a program crashes, Windows normally asks whether it should send information to Microsoft to help them fix the problem. While this is harmless (and the information can't be used to identify you) it can be annoying. To turn it off, open the System Control Panel and click on the Advanced tab, then the Error Reporting button. Click on the entry 'Disable error reporting' and click on OK, then OK again.

20. Change the programs that load at start-up
Some programs open automatically when the PC is turned on. To add a program to this list of programs, double-click on the Startup entry in the All programs menu in the Start menu. Simply drag-and-drop the icon of the program you wish to launch every time you start up the PC to this folder. To reverse the process, right-click the icon for the program in question and click on Delete, then follow the onscreen prompts.

21. Clean up your hard disk
To sweep your hard disk clear of old internet files, empty your Recycle Bin and compress old files, use the Disk Cleanup wizard. Open My Computer, then right-click on the hard disk icon and select Properties. On the General tab, click on Disk Cleanup and follow the prompts.

22. Stop Windows asking for a password when the PC has been idle
Screensavers kick into action when a PC has been idle for some time to help protect the screen and Windows may ask for a password to resume work. To disable this feature, go to the Display Control Panel and click on the Screen Saver tab, untick the box marked 'On resume, password protect', then click on OK.

23. Turn off multimedia on web pages
Many web pages include sounds and video, which can slow your PC down. Switch them off in Internet Explorer by going to the Tools menu and clicking on Internet Options, then click on the Advanced tab. Scroll to the Multimedia section and untick the boxes marked 'Play sounds in web pages' and 'Play videos in web pages'. Click on Apply and then on OK.

24. Get rid of pop-up messages when you're browsing the web
Service Pack 2 for Windows XP adds a pop-up blocker to Internet Explorer. To check it is on, go to Tools and click on Internet Options, then go to the Privacy tab and make sure Block pop-ups is ticked. Click on Apply and OK to confirm.

25. Compact Outlook Express
Sometimes Outlook Express will continue to display email messages in folders after they have been deleted. Get rid of these for good by selecting Folder from the File menu, then Compact All Folders.

26. Managing add-ons and plug-ins to Internet Explorer
Many programs install themselves as add-ons to Internet Explorer to help you browse the web, but can slow down your PC and take up hard disk space. To check on these programs, select Internet Options from the Tools menu in Internet Explorer, click on the Programs tab and click on Manage Add-ons. You can disable any of these programs by clicking it and selecting Disable from the section below. If you have problems after doing this, go back to this dialogue box and re-enable the add-on by selecting it and clicking on Enable, then clicking on OK.

27. Stop messages appearing when Internet Explorer encounters errors on web pages
When Internet Explorer encounters a problem on a web page it will ask if you want to debug it - that is, to attempt to fix it yourself. This is useless for most of us so to disable it go to Tools, then Internet Options, then click on the Advanced tab. Tick the two boxes marked Disable Script Debugging and untick the box marked 'Display a notification about every script error'. Click Apply and on OK.

28. Autocomplete
Internet Explorer has a built-in AutoComplete function that will fill in some parts of web forms for you based on similar previously-made entries. To enable this feature, go to the Tools menu in Internet Explorer and click on the Content tab then click on AutoComplete. Now check the Forms box, click on OK and OK again.

29. Google toolbar
The Google toolbar doesn't just make internet searches easier, it also includes a pop-up ad blocker, a spelling checker, and an advanced AutoFill feature for web forms. Download it here. /2128532

30. Check messages with broadband
If you have a broadband connection, set Outlook Express to check regularly for new emails. Select Options from the Tools menu, then click the General tab and tick the box marked 'Check for new messages every ...' and enter a number of minutes in the next box. Then click on OK.

31. Block adverts in Firefox
Programs can be added to the alternative web browser Firefox. One such program is Adblock, which allows you to filter web ads with a single mouse click. If you have Firefox, you can install Adblock here.

32. Enable PC hibernation
Hibernation is a power-saving feature for when a PC is not in use. To enable it, open the Power Options Control Panel from the main Control Panel and click on the Hibernation tab, tick the box marked Enable Hibernation, and click on Apply. If there is a tab marked APM click on it, and tick the box marked Enable Advanced Power Management Support then click on Apply. Finally, click on the Power Schemes tab and enter a time in the System Hibernates box.

33. Index the hard disk
Use a desktop search program such as Copernic or Google Desktop to index the PC's hard disk and make it easier to find documents.

34. Turn on and use System Restore
Use System Restore to back up the important parts of Windows so that problems with a PC can be resolved simply by reverting to settings from an earlier point in time. To use it, click on Start, then All Programs, Accessories, System Tools and System Restore.

35. Defragment the hard disk
Over time a computer's hard disk can become clogged up with traces of deleted files. To defragment it and sort files for more efficient storage, select All Programs from the Start menu, then Accessories, System Tools and Disk Defragmenter then follow the prompts.

36. Make login easier
For PCs with only one user, there's little point displaying the log-on screen at start up. To remove this, click Start, then Run, then type 'control userpasswords2' (without the quote marks). Then untick the box marked 'Users must enter a user name and password for this computer' and follow the prompts, then click on OK.

37. Turn on Automatic Updates
Automatic Updates is the way Windows keeps itself up-to-date with patches and upgrades. To enable it, right-click on My Computer and click on Properties, then click on the Automatic Updates tab. Click on the circle marked Automatic and click on OK.

38. Refresh drivers with Windows Update
You can use Windows Update to keep a computer's drivers up-to-date. Go to Windows Update and click Custom Install, then click on 'Select optional hardware updates' in the left-hand panel, and follow the instructions.

39. Refresh rates for monitors
Older CRT monitors can flicker if not properly set up. To rectify this, click on the Settings tab in the Display Control Panel, click on Advanced, then on the Monitor tab. From the drop-down list, select a value option in the Refresh Rate drop-down menu that is lower than the current setting, then click on Apply and follow the prompts. If the flicker persists, try again with a higher setting, and so on. Always make sure the box marked 'Hide modes that this monitor cannot display' is ticked.

40. Tweak Desktop settings
TweakUI [/2128680] can make changes to hidden settings that control how the Desktop looks and feels, making it easier to use. Follow the instructions to install and set it up.

41. Check for errors
Scan your hard disk for errors and get Windows to automatically fix them, if it can. Open My Computer and right-click on the icon for the hard disk, then click on Properties, select the Tools tab, and click on Check Now. In the box that appears, tick both options and click on Start, then follow the prompts. For a quicker, less detailed scan, leave both boxes unticked and press Start. Click on OK, then on OK again.

42. Keep it clean
Use a spyware killer such as AdAware or SpyBot to keep your PC free of spyware and in good condition.

43. Files and settings transfer
Make the transfer of files between PCs easier using the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. Click on Start, All Programs, then Accessories and select System Tools then Files and Settings Transfer Wizard.

44. Clear the screen
ClearType is a Microsoft PowerToy that can set up an LCD screen to make it display text more accurately. It's free to download and there are simple installation instructions.

45. Use your keyboard and mouse buttons
Some keyboards and mice have dedicated buttons for playing back media or launching a web browser. To ensure these are configured properly, look in the Start menu for a configuration program with the keyboard or mouse manufacturer's name, and click on it to set up the keys. There should be instructions available onscreen to guide you through this process.

46. DirectX update
DirectX is a Microsoft program that games makers use for graphics and sounds. Make sure your version is up-to-date by going to Windows Update and following the onscreen instructions.

47. Gfx and sound drivers
When playing the latest games it's vital to use the latest versions of the drivers for the graphics and sound hardware in the PC. If the latest drivers are not on Windows Update, check the support section of the maker's website periodically.

48. Joystick testing
To check that a joystick is working correctly, open the Game Controllers Control Panel and click on the joystick's entry in the list, then click on Properties. Move the joystick around and note the motion on the screen. If it isn't correct, you may need to remove and reinstall the joystick. Use the Add/Remove programs settings to do this.

49. Tidy up saved games
If the PC is running out of hard disk space, try removing old games. Often, uninstalled games will leave folders on the hard disk - check the C:\Program Files folder (or wherever you install games) for old games. If a folder is still there, and the game has been removed, you can safely delete the folder.

50. Use a wired keyboard and mouse
Although a wireless keyboard and mouse are convenient, they are a little slower to respond than wired units. If you are a serious games player, it might be wise to keep a wired keyboard and mouse specifically to use for games.

Windows Vista

Overview
Windows Vista was originally expected to ship sometime early in 2006 as a minor step between Windows XP and Windows Blackcomb. Gradually, Vista assimilated many important new features and technologies of Blackcomb. On August 27, 2004, Microsoft announced that it is delaying release of WinFS so that Vista could be released in "a reasonable timeframe" (officially marked as December of 2006). Two beta versions have been planned, the first expected to debut on or before 3 Aug 2005 and the second in Q4 2005, with release candidates to be released throughout 2006, five years after the release of Windows XP, making it the longest time span between releases of its Windows operating system.

Vista is currently available as a preview release available to Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) subscribers, and at select Microsoft developer conferences. The preview release is classified as an alpha version at the moment, and as such its performance and feature sets are not representative of the release product. Like many other products (including all Windows releases since Windows 98), it has since been leaked onto popular file sharing networks.

Technologies
Microsoft labels the key new technologies as "The Pillars of Vista", which are:

Fundamentals: new developments to the basic structure of the operating system including the .NET framework, further support for digital rights management (DRM), an application deployment engine ("ClickOnce"), improvements to the installation of applications (Windows Installer/MSI 4.0), and the Trustworthy Computing initiative, previously known as Palladium (see also trusted computing).

Avalon: a new user interface subsystem and API based on XML, .NET, and vector graphics, which will make use of 3D computer graphics hardware and Direct3D technologies. See Windows Graphics Foundation.
Indigo: a service-oriented messaging system to allow programs to interoperate as part of the .NET framework.

WinFX: a new API to allow access to these new features, replacing the current "Win32" API (see Windows API).

It is worth noting that Avalon, Indigo, and WinFX are technologies that will be made available to Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 as well, and are therefore not technologies to be exclusive to Vista, but rather developed in time for the Vista release, to be incorporated in that operating system. This doesn't imply coming visual changes to these operating systems though, as Aero will still be exclusive to Vista. The reason for backporting these technologies is to allow an easier introduction to these technologies to developers and end users.

On March 26th Microsoft released a Community Preview featuring both Avalon and Indigo to enable developers to experiment with the new technologies without running the Alpha version of Vista. Due to many requests it was released to the general public and is available at Microsoft's website [1].

Features
Additionally, Vista will include many other new features.

Aero
Vista will include a completely re-designed user interface, code-named Aero. The new interface is intended to be cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing than previous Windows interfaces. The most visible addition to the interface is the sidebar (however this feature has been removed in the last alpha release), an area at the side of the screen consisting of tiles which display dynamic information about whatever window is currently in the foreground, which is essentially an extension of the "system tray" on the Windows task bar.

Search
Vista will feature a new search engine that will allow for instant display of results for a given search. This is in contrast to the search engine of Windows XP, which can take several minutes to display results. The Vista search will allow you to add multiple filters to continually refine your search (Such as "File contains the word 'example'"). There will also be saved searches that will act as Virtual Folders, where opening a folder will execute a specific search automatically and display the results as a normal folder. The search will also feature other usability improvements. The Vista search is actually built on an expanded and improved version of the indexing service for the search in Windows XP. This feature is similar to Apple Spotlight.

Metro
Metro is the codename for Microsoft's next generation document format, which is based on XML. It is similar in many ways to Adobe Systems' PDF. Metro is intended to allow users to view, print, and archive files without the original program that created it. The name Metro also refers to the print path in Vista. With Metro, documents can remain in the same format from the time they are created to the time they are printed. Microsoft states that Metro will provide better fidelity to the original document by using a consistent format for both screen and print output.

While many analysts suspect Metro is intended to be a "PDF-killer", Microsoft insists that they are not attempting to duplicate all the functionality of the PDF. For example, at the time of this writing, Metro is not planned to have the capabilities for dynamic documents.

Shell
The new shell is a significant change from previous versions of Windows. Combined with the new desktop searching feature, the shell gives users the ability to find and organize their files in new ways. Apart from the typical file organization practice of using folders to contain files, a new collection known as Lists let you organize files from multiple locations in a single place.

A new type of folder known as a Shadow Folder enables the ability to revert its entire contents to any arbitrary point in the past.

Additionally, the shell contains significant advancements in the visualization of files on a computer. Previous versions of the Windows Shell would display thumbnails to represent different files on your computer. In Windows Vista the thumbnail concept is taken further by overlaying different imagery to communicate more information about the particular file such as a picture frame around the thumbnail of an image file, or a filmstrip on a video file. Windows Vista helps the user identify the file easily by more intelligently generating the thumbnails. Using algorithmic analysis, images are cropped around their likely subject, and interesting key frames are automatically chosen from a video file. Also, the ability to zoom the thumbnails in the shell greatly increases their usefulness.

Networking
Windows Vista is expected to have a brand new networking stack. A significant change is a more complete implementation of IPv6 which is now supported by all networking components, services, and the user interface. Vista also takes advantage of P2P technology to provide a new type of domain-like networking setup known as a Castle. Castles make it possible for user credentials to propagate across networked computers without a centralized server making them more suitable for a home network.

The ability to assist the user in diagnosing a network problem is expected to be a major new networking feature. Using technologies such as UPnP, Windows Vista has a greater awareness of the network topology the host computer is in. With this new network awareness technology it can provide help to the user in fixing network issues or simply provide a graphical view of the perceived network configuration.

Other features
Full support for the "NX" (No-Execute) feature of processors. This feature, present in AMD's AMD64 architecture, as well as Intel's EM64T Architecture, can flag certain parts of memory as containing data instead of executable code, which prevents overflow errors from resulting in arbitrary code execution. This should not be confused with trusted computing facilities provided by a so-called Fritz-chip.

Built-in DVD recording capabilities, including Mt. Rainier support.
A new installation program that will install Vista in about 15 minutes (which is present in alpha build 4074 of Windows Vista).
Native Raw Image support (a format used by most professional digital cameras).

Native, embedded RSS support, with developer API.
A new level of file encryption support from that available in Windows XP, which will make it easier and more automatic to prevent unauthorized viewing of files on stolen laptops/hard drives.

Monad. A new command-line interface called MSH, and codenamed Monad will not be fully implemented in Vista, but will exist in it to some extent. It plans to combine the Unix pipes and filters philosophy with that of object-oriented programming.

The "My" prefixes will be dropped, so "My Documents" will just be "Documents", "My Computer" will just be "Computer", etc.
Windows System Assessment Tool (WinSat), a built in benchmarking tool which analyzes the different subsystems (graphics, memory, etc), and uses the results to allow for comparison to other Vista systems, and for software optimizations. The optimizations can be made by both windows and third-party software. Tom's Hardware Overview

File Virtualization, when an individual program's permissions are restricted, allows that program to use its own 'fake' set of certain files so modifications to those files from said program does not alter the original files.
Transactional File Transfers, prevents a half updated set of files from being created during updates for example, which can cause stability problems.
InfoCard, a user interface to the Identity Metasystem.

Features and technologies delayed until future releases
WinFS (short for either Windows Future Storage or Windows File System): a combined relational database and filesystem, based on the next version of SQL Server (codenamed Yukon). Working on top of NTFS, it will provide abilities to represent objects and their relationships, rather than just a hierarchy of files and folders. The removal of WinFS from Windows Vista was announced in August 2004, and is expected to be released as an update to Vista, entering beta stages at about the same time as Vista is released. Microsoft's promotion of this technology has spurred the recent trend towards desktop search tools.
Full implementation of Monad.

Graphics hardware requirements
Vista's graphics requirements are defined in relation to the different desktop experiences.

Aero Glass
This graphics mode adds support for 3D graphics, animation and visual special effects in addition to the features offered by Aero Express.

Intended for mainstream and high-end graphics cards.
At least 64 MB of graphics memory, 128 MB recommended, or 256 MB for 1600x1200+.
At least 32 bits per pixel.
3D hardware acceleration with capabilities equal to DirectX 9.
A memory bandwidth of 2 GB / second.
Capable of drawing ~1.5M triangles / second, one window being ~150 triangles.
A graphics card that uses AGP 4X or PCI Express 8-lane bus.
It is likely that such a configuration will be entry-level or lower by Vista's release in 2006.

Aero Diamond
A graphics mode customized for the Vista Media Center Edition, and will not be made available in the other editions. Not much information is currently available, but it appears that it will be the most advanced level of graphics in Vista, requiring hardware at the same level or greater than the Aero Glass visual style.

Aero Express
The lesser Aero visual experience offering only the basic visual improvements introduced by Vista, such as composition based DPI scaling.

Intended for mainstream or lower-end graphics cards.
Uses the Avalon Desktop Composition window manager.
A Vista Driver Display Model (LDDM) driver is a requirement.
Some graphics cards already support LDDM. In some Vista builds (4074, 5048), LDDM is already supported to run Aero Glass.

To Go
The new Vista look & feel without any visual special effects, similar to the visual style Luna of Windows XP in that it resembles merely an application skin. As with Luna, no additional hardware requirements compared to the classic Windows interface.

A simple option for consumer upgrades, and mobile / low-cost devices.
No additional requirements compared to the lesser Classic mode.
Fallback mode in case the hardware requirements for Aero aren't met.

Classic
The most basic user interface offered by Vista, which is also seen in Windows 2000, or Windows XP with its visual style Luna deactivated.

An option for corporate deployments and upgrades.
Requires Windows XP Display Driver Model (XPDM) or LDDM drivers.
No graphics card hardware requirements exceeding those of Windows XP.

Naming considerations
Vista means "the visual percept of a region", with these synonyms: aspect, panorama, prospect, scene and view. Translated from Spanish and Italian, vista means: sight, vision, ability to see; look, glimpse; spectacle; viewfinder; range of view; point of view.

In Latvian, however, vista means 'hen' (grown-up female of a bird, [2]) and 'chicken' (as in food), and may also connote something or someone not particularly agile or clever.

Windows Vista has been unofficially abbreviated to Windows VI, staying with the traditional 2 character motif, as in 95, 98, Me, NT, XP. VI is also the number 6 in Roman numerals, and Windows Vista will carry the version number 6.0 (Windows 2000 and Windows XP being Windows NT versions 5.0 and 5.1, respectively).

Windows Vista sound like "bosta" in Argentinian culture.

In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Vista is a part of the atmosphere that surrounds the world of Arda before the cataclysm at the end of the Second Age. Vista forms the inner layer of normal air: above it is Ilmen, and above that Vaiya.

Trademark clashes
On 25 July 2005, vnunet.com reports Microsoft might have to change the name of its upcoming operating system since the name Vista has already been the registered company name of a small internet related business since May 2000. However, The Seattle Times reports that Microsoft spokeswoman Stacy Drake is confident that a change will not be necessary as the Microsoft trademark will be 'Windows Vista' never just 'Vista'; "We are only using the word Vista paired with our trademark Windows so the two together — 'Windows Vista' — form the name of our next operating system."