Windows xp ui

Now, rather than showing each Word document separately, you see a single Word button that offers a drop-down list of selectable windows, one for each document. You can select the one you want in the normal way or, as previously, right clicking allows you to close the application. Power users will appreciate the Clean Desktop wizard that runs every 60 days, removing shortcuts that have remained unused in the last two months -- you can turn this feature off or alter the timescale.

For newer users, Microsoft has added layers of task-oriented menus and options with the aim of allowing you to find features more easily. The Control Panel is a prime example, undergoing a major revamp so that the default view now shows categories rather than individual applets. It means you don't have to know which icon relates to the change you want to make. Instead, you pick from a list of topics -- such as Appearance and Themes, Performance and Maintenance or User Accounts -- to drill down to the option you want.

XP's Control Panel has been given a new front end that allows you to drill down to the applet you require by choosing from categories of tasks. If you're new to the system and run into trouble, the Remote Assistance feature allows a friend or system administrator to take control of your desktop and fix things. We found that this feature worked quite well.

To allay privacy fears, Remote Assistance is switched off by default. Other features designed to make the system easier to use include a sticky mouse -- dubbed 'click-lock' -- that avoids you having to hold down the mouse button while dragging an object, resizing a window or performing similar mouse-related tasks.

And finally, one big improvement is that multiple users can physically access the computer easily. You can now switch from one user playing games to another user who might want to log in, send some email and quit, without the first user having to close any programs.

It's effectively a bookmark for your PC, and although it doesn't constitute a true multi-user system, under most circumstances it will be close enough. Most of XP's new user interface settings can be changed and even switched off so that the system looks and feels pretty much like its predecessors. However, the chances are that if you've installed it, you'll want to use the extra functionality on offer. It has pictures graphical that you use user to communicate interface with the computer.

This type of system is popular because it's logical, fun, and easy to use. This operating system has multi-tasking capabilities, meaning it can run several applications at the same time. Multi-tasking allows you to view this lesson on the Internet at the same time you practice using other applications with Windows XP.

Microsoft has ended support for Windows XP. To learn more about what this means for you, check out our article How to survive the end of Windows XP support. Like previous versions of Windows, Windows XP uses a desktop for the standard interface. Think of the desktop as a workspace where you can access everything you need to operate your computer, such as system components, applications, and the Internet. Your desktop's appearance may vary from the example shown below, especially if you bought a computer with XP preinstalled.

When you click the Start button, the Start menu appears. The Start menu is your gateway to the applications on your computer. The left side of the Start menu lists programs, while the right side allows access to common Windows folders My Documents, for example. It also provides access to Help and Support , Search , and Run. If you select All Programs , a pop-up menu appears.

Pop-up menus like this are called cascading menus. If a cascading menu is available, a small black triangle appears next to the name of the application or function. The Start menu remembers items you've recently opened and places each icon on the Start menu so you can easily open them the next time you open the Start menu.

For example, if you recently opened Microsoft Word using Start All Programs Microsoft Word , the next time you open the Start menu simply click the Word icon on the left side of the Start menu. The small pictures on the desktop are called icons. One type of icon is an object icon. These icons allow you to open files and programs on your computer. Shortcut icons allow you to open applications quickly. These icons appear on your desktop and with little arrows in the left corner.

Desktop shortcuts are links to files and programs. You can add or delete shortcuts without affecting the programs on your computer. You'll learn about creating shortcuts in a later lesson. The taskbar is the small blue bar you see at the bottom of your desktop. Click an icon to open a program. Click Show Desktop to quickly view your desktop without closing any programs or windows.

Nevertheless the API remained heavily underdocumented. Officially known as 'Windows XP style', it is available in three color schemes: blue default , olive green, and silver. Officially titled 'Windows Classic style', it is less CPU-intensive and offers better performance [11] and greater color and font customization options. Windows XP includes 22 preset color schemes for this visual style. Four of them [12] are optimized for the visually impaired. A slightly darker variant of the Standard scheme, called 'Windows Classic', was default color scheme of Windows 98 albeit with a dark blue desktop background instead of green, much like the pre-release versions of Windows and appeared on Windows Vista but not Windows 7.

Windows Classic style is automatically used in Safe mode and on Win32 console windows. It also appears in Windows Server through R2. This Windows Classic theme was removed from Windows Server and Windows 8 for normal use but still exists in the kernel.

It presents a relucent, vivid and faux-reflective color scheme with intense blue and green colors. Royale was originally made available in December On April 7, , Microsoft New Zealand had made the Royale theme and the wallpapers for the New Zealand theme available for download for all editions of XP through Windows Genuine Advantage on its website but no longer exists in Because of the freeware nature of this package, it had also been available on software download websites, such as Softpedia at one time.

Microsoft did also release a Windows Media Playervisualization and skin at one time. Royale Noir looks like a darkened version of Royale, having a blackish and bluish to purple tint. Royale Noir has a black Start button, which changes to green when the mouse hovers over it.