Datasheet

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CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCING WINDOWS VISTA
particular system. The index is simply a number that tells you how your system will perform. You can
see this number at the top of the Welcome Center display shown in Figure 1.1. The reason that this tool
is so controversial is that not everyone agrees that it provides a valid view of system functionality.
You can see more details about the information used to create the index by clicking Show More
Details in the Welcome Center and then Windows Experience Index in the System window. Microsoft
uses the processor calculations per second, memory operations per second, desktop performance, 3D
business and gaming performance, and hard drive data transfer rate as primary indicators. You can
learn more about this tool in the “Using the Windows Experience Index to Your Advantage” section
of Chapter 10.
Games Explorer
Vista includes a new kind of explorer called Games Explorer. This product performs many tasks
that really aren’t business related, such as tracking how many times you’ve played a particular
game and showing you the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating of the game. How-
ever, it does provide one feature that is important in a home business setting: Parental Controls.
You can use the Parental Controls feature to block access to any games on your system.
Windows Calendar
For years, one of the big reasons to use Outlook instead of Outlook Express has been the availability
of a calendar. Vista overcomes this oversight by providing Windows Calendar, an application you
can use to schedule tasks and record your appointments. Like Outlook Express, Windows Calen-
dar isn’t as fully functional as the calendar offered as part of Outlook, but it does work well for an
individual or small business that doesn’t need to worry about resource sharing. You can publish
your calendar in order to share it with other people, but Windows Calendar doesn’t quite provide
all of the functionality that Outlook users might expect. It’s a welcome addition, however, and will
serve many people well. You can learn more about this application in the “Using Windows Calen-
dar” section of Chapter 17.
Small Business Resources
Microsoft is trying to provide a better Windows environment for small business users. You’ll find
a Small Business Resources link in the Programs menu that takes you to a special website. This
new small business website contains security, support, articles, research, products, and demon-
strations all designed to help small business. You’ll also see an advertisement for Small Business
Plus, a new Microsoft business relationship product that will help small businesses with summits,
online training, a newsletter, and additional online support. The direct link to this information is
http://www.microsoft.com/smallbusiness/hub.mspx .
Windows Easy Transfer
Windows Easy Transfer is the new tool supplied with Windows Vista for migrating your settings.
Microsoft designed this tool for smaller organizations and individuals, where you transfer settings
from one machine to another. If you want to perform large-scale setups, when you need the Business
Desktop Deployment (BDD) package, which is a separate download. This comprehensive package
contains the Windows System Image Manager Tool (creates complete system images), Windows
User Setting Migration Tool (USMT), and Remote Installation Service (RIS). You can learn more
about Windows Easy transfer in the “Use Windows Easy Transfer to Transfer Settings ” section
of Chapter 2.
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