Features of operating systems of the Windows family. Operating system (OS) Windows Features of the Windows operating system are

Operating systems family Windows is a 32-bit operating system that provides multitasking and multi-threaded application processing. They support a user-friendly graphical user interface, protected mode capability, compatibility with real-mode programs, and networking capabilities. Windows includes Plug and Play hardware support, long filenames, and improved robustness.

32-bit means that operations on 32-bit data are faster here than on 16-bit data. 32-bit Windows applications run in their own address space, which is not accessible to other programs. This protects applications from each other's errors. If one application fails, the other continues to function normally. A failed application can be terminated.

Multitasking provides the ability to work in parallel with several applications. While one of them is busy, for example, printing a document or receiving email from the Internet, the other can recalculate a spreadsheet or perform other useful work.

Multithreading allows applications designed in a specific way to simultaneously run multiple processes of their own. For example, when working with a multi-threaded spreadsheet, the user will be able to recalculate in one table while printing another and loading a third into memory. While one thread is waiting, for example, to complete a communication operation with a slow peripheral device, the other can continue to do its work.

A distinctive feature of Windows is its object-oriented approach to system design. At the user level, the object approach is expressed in the fact that the interface is a semblance of the real world, and working with the machine is reduced to actions with familiar objects. Thus, folders can be opened, put in a briefcase, documents can be viewed, corrected, moved from one place to another, thrown into the trash, a fax or letter can be sent to the recipient, etc. The user works with tasks and applications in the same way as with documents on his desk. The object-oriented approach is implemented through the model desktop– primary Windows object. After Windows boots, it is displayed on the screen. Various objects can be located on the desktop: programs, folders with documents (texts, pictures, tables), shortcuts to programs or folders.

Shortcuts provide access to a program or document from multiple locations without creating multiple physical copies of the file. On the desktop you can place not only icons of applications and individual documents, but also folders. Folders are another name for directories.

A significant innovation in Windows was task bar. Despite its small functionality, it makes the multitasking mechanism clear and greatly speeds up the process of switching between applications. Externally, the taskbar is a strip, usually located at the bottom of the screen, which contains application buttons and the Start button. On the right side there is usually a clock and small icons of programs that are currently active.

Windows allows you to work with audio and video files of various formats. A significant achievement of Windows was its built-in computer communications programs. Windows communications tools are designed for ordinary users and do not require special knowledge. These tools include the ability to work in local networks and wide area networks, setting up modems, connecting to email, and much more.

In the Windows operating system, the mouse is widely used when working with windows and applications. Typically, the mouse is used to select pieces of text or graphic objects, check and uncheck boxes, select menu commands, select toolbar buttons, manipulate controls in dialogs, and “scroll” documents in windows.

In Windows, the right mouse button is also actively used. By placing the pointer over the object of interest and right-clicking, you can expand context menu, containing the most common commands applicable to this object.

When shutting down, you cannot simply turn off the computer without shutting down the system properly - this may lead to the loss of some unsaved data. To properly shut down, it is necessary to save data in all applications that the user was working with, shut down all previously running DOS applications, open the “Start” button menu and select the “Shut Down” command.

Principles of operating system organization.

The concept of the Windows operating system.

Operating system (OS) is the main PC program. It allows you to run programs, organizes their work, distributes memory between them, organizes disk access, allows us to work with a printer, keyboard, mouse...

Personal PC operating systems are divided into multitasking ( Windows, OS/2, Mac OS, Unix, etc. ) and single-tasking (MS-DOS, DR-DOS, etc.).

Single-tasking is a thing of the past in computer technology. They can have exactly one program running at a time.

Multitasking ones allow you to work with several programs in parallel - the number of these programs depends only on the power of the system, as long as there is enough memory, you can run more and more programs...

The most common multitasking OS is Microsoft Windows. Among other operating systems for PCs, one can note the increasingly popular Linux OS (Linux) from the Unix family, and one can also note the BeOS (Bios) and OS/2 systems from IBM. On a Macintosh PC, the MacOS system is used.

Typically the OS is stored on a hard drive. System disk is a disk where the main modules of the operating system and service programs that expand its capabilities are stored. When you turn on the computer, the OS automatically loads its programs from the system disk into RAM and transfers control to them.

Microsoft Windows is a multitasking 32-bit network operating system with a graphical interface and advanced system capabilities. Two families of Windows OS have been developed.

Windows 95/98/Me– a powerful desktop OS optimized for multimedia applications.

Windows NT/2000– a powerful universal network OS for business computing. Available in two main versions:

• server– server OS optimized for use as a file, print and application server;
• work station– desktop OS optimized for use as a high-performance secure network client and enterprise OS.

All OS families Microsoft Windows have the following general properties:

• have a single graphic Windows 95 user interface;
• support multitasking And multi-threaded calculations;
• have built-in support multimedia.
• support various hardware platforms: Intel-compatible, RISC-based and PowerPC-based;
• support FAT file system.

In addition, Windows NT/2000 has additional properties:

• Protection. Windows NT/2000 has stronger protection for files, folders, printers and other computer resources at the user level, while Windows 95/98/Me provides protection only at the resource level.
• Reliability. Each application in Windows NT/2000 runs in its own address space. Applications that crash do not affect other applications or the OS as a whole. Properties of the Windows NT/2000 architecture protect the OS from incorrectly running applications.

Introduction

windows internet operating

The 21st century is characterized by a pronounced phenomenon of globalization and the transition from an industrial society to an information society. Under the influence of scientific and technological progress, new information technologies (hereinafter referred to as IT) are being introduced everywhere, which provide unique opportunities for the rapid and effective development of humanity as a whole. At the moment, the ability to use industrial information technology has become a very important aspect for most people. Computers have penetrated into all areas of human life. The culture of communicating with a computer has become a common human culture. Familiarization with a personal computer (hereinafter PC) must begin with familiarization with the operating system, because Without it, working on a PC is unthinkable for most users. The relevance of this topic is that the Windows operating system (hereinafter referred to as OS) from Microsoft is currently considered the most common system on PCs. When you turn on your computer, the OS loads into memory before other programs and then serves as a platform and environment for them to work. It is impossible to imagine working with a computer without an OS. Knowledge of the OS is necessary to successfully use modern computers.

The object of the study is the consideration of operating systems.

The subject of the study is the study of the main features of the Windows OS.

The purpose of the work is to explore the concept of the Windows operating system.

This goal leads to the following tasks:

Consideration of the basic concept of an operating system.

Consideration of the main types of operating systems and their characteristics.

Consideration of the history of the creation of the Windows operating system/

Studying the features of Windows XP, its advantages, disadvantages and network capabilities.

1. The concept of operating system

An operating system is a set of interconnected system programs, the functions of which are to control the use and distribution of computer system resources and organize user interaction with the computer.

The system boots when you turn on the computer. It carries out a dialogue with the user, manages the computer, its resources (RAM, disk space, etc.), and launches other (application) programs for execution. The operating system provides the user and application programs with a convenient way to communicate (interface) with computer devices.

The main reason for the need for an operating system is that the atomic operations for operating a computer's devices and managing computer resources are very low-level operations, so the actions required by the user and application programs consist of several hundred or thousands of such atomic operations.

For example, a magnetic disk drive “understands” only such basic operations as turning on/off the drive motor, installing read heads on a specific cylinder, selecting a specific read head, reading information from a disk track into a computer, etc. And even to perform such a simple action as copying a file from one floppy disk to another (a file is a named set of information on a disk or other machine media), it is necessary to perform thousands of operations to run disk drive commands, check their execution, search and process information in tables placing files on disks, etc. The task is further complicated by the following: there are about a dozen floppy disk formats, and the operating system must be able to work with all of these formats. For the user, working with floppy disks of different formats should be done in exactly the same way.

A file on floppy disks occupies certain areas, and the user should not know anything about which ones. All functions for maintaining file allocation tables, searching for information in them, and allocating space for files on floppy disks are performed by the operating system, and the user may not know anything about them.

During operation of the copying program, several dozen different special situations may arise, for example, a failure when reading or writing information, the drives are not ready for reading or writing, there is no space on the floppy disk for the copied file, etc. For all of these situations, appropriate communications and corrective actions must be provided.

The operating system hides these complex and unnecessary details from the user and provides him with a convenient interface to work with. It also performs various auxiliary actions, such as copying or printing files. The operating system loads all programs into RAM, transfers control to them at the beginning of their work, performs various actions at the request of executing programs, and frees RAM occupied by programs when they complete.

2. Types of operating systems and their brief characteristics

There are several types of operating systems: DOS, Windows, UNIX, Macintosh OS, Linux. Other modern operating systems, such as Linux, UNIX, OS/2, have their own advantages and disadvantages. Linux provides more advanced security than Windows and has a more sophisticated interface; UNIX is used where high system reliability is required. The big disadvantage of OS/2 and UNIX is the rather meager selection of software tools, and here Windows wins over other operating systems.

The most common operating system is Windows. There are several versions of Windows: Windows-3.1, Windows-95, Windows-98, Windows-2000, Windows NT. All of them are close to each other in content. Therefore, we will consider such operating systems as DOS and Windows-95.DOS is one of the first operating systems and one of the most famous. The popularity of this operating system peaked in the 90s; now this operating system is rarely used. The most popular operating systems in the world at the moment are Microsoft operating systems. Their share is about 90% among all operating systems. The most stable systems of this company are based on NT technology.

Operating system DOS

The DOS operating system consists of the following parts:

) Basic input/output system (BIOS), located in the read-only memory (read-only memory, ROM) of the computer. This part of the operating system is "built into" the computer. Its purpose is to perform the most simple and universal operating system services related to I/O. The basic I/O system also contains a computer performance test that checks the operation of the computer's memory and devices when the computer's power is turned on. In addition, the basic input/output system contains a program that calls the operating system loader.

) The operating system loader is a very short program found in the first sector of every DOS floppy disk. The function of this program is to read two more operating system modules into memory, which complete the DOS boot process.

) The DOS command processor processes commands entered by the user. The command processor is in a disk file! COMMAND.COM on the disk from which the operating system boots. Some user commands, such as Type, Dir or Cop, are executed by the command processor itself. Such commands are called internal. To execute other (external) user commands, the command processor searches the disks for a program with the appropriate name and, if it finds it, loads it into memory and transfers control to it. At the end of the program, the command processor deletes the program from memory and displays a message indicating that it is ready to execute commands (DOS prompt).

External DOS commands are programs that come with the operating system as separate files. These programs perform maintenance actions, such as formatting floppy disks, checking disks, etc.

Device drivers are special programs that complement the DOS input/output system and provide support for new or non-standard use of existing devices. For example, with the help of drivers it is possible to work with an “electronic disk”, i.e. a piece of computer memory that can be manipulated in the same way as a disk. Drivers are loaded into the computer's memory when the operating system boots, and their names are specified in a special CONFIG.SYS file. This scheme makes it easy to add new devices and allows you to do this without affecting the DOS system files.

Window-95

Window-95 evolved from a graphical add-on for DOS into a full-fledged operating system. At least that's what its developers said. In reality, everything was more complicated: Windows 95 still used good old DOS as its basis. Slightly modernized, of course, and not declared as a separate product. However, most consumers were happy with this option. After all, they still had the opportunity to work in the usual DOS mode without loading the Windows graphical shell, and, therefore, not to part with the usual DOS programs.

Also, the Window-95 operating system became 32-bit. All previous versions of DOS and Windows were 16-bit and, therefore, could not fully use the capabilities of even the 386 family of processors, much less the new Pentium processors. Of course, this advantage also contained some inconveniences. Especially for Windows, users had to replace all their Windows programs with new 32-bit versions. However, in practice the transition turned out to be relatively easy. Already throughout the year, new versions of all popular software products have been released. But the old 16-bit versions could work with the new OS without any problems.

3. History of Windows

The history of Windows dates back to 1986, when the first version of the system appeared. It was a set of programs that expanded the capabilities of existing operating systems for greater ease of use. A few years later, the second version was released, but the Windows system did not gain much popularity. However, in 1990, a new version was released - Windows 3.0, which began to be used on many personal computers. The popularity of the new version of Windows was due to several reasons. The graphical interface allows you to work with objects on your computer not with the help of commands, but with the help of visual and understandable actions on the icons representing these objects. The ability to simultaneously work with several programs has significantly increased the convenience and efficiency of work. In addition, the convenience and ease of writing programs for Windows has led to the emergence of an increasing variety of programs that run on Windows. Finally, work with a variety of computer equipment was better organized, which also determined the popularity of the system. Subsequent versions of Windows were aimed at improving reliability, as well as support for multimedia (version 3.1) and work in computer networks (version 3.11).

In parallel with the development of Windows, Microsoft began work in 1988 on a new operating system called Windows NT. The new system was tasked with significantly increasing reliability and effectively supporting network operation. At the same time, the system interface should not differ from the Windows 3.0 interface. Interestingly, the third version also became the most common version of Windows NT. In 1992, Windows NT 3.0 was released, and in 1994, Windows NT 3.5.

The process of development of operating systems does not stand still, and in 1995 the Windows 95 system appeared, which became a new stage in the history of Windows. Compared to Windows 3.1, the interface has changed significantly, and the speed of programs has increased. One of the new features of Windows 95 was the ability to automatically configure additional computer hardware to work without conflicts with each other. Another important feature of the system was the ability to work with the Internet without using additional programs.

The Windows 95 interface became the main one for the entire Windows family, and in 1996 a redesigned version of Windows NT 4.0 appeared, which has the same interface as Windows 95. The development of Windows 95 continued with the operating system that appeared in 1998. While the interface remained the same, the internal structure was significantly redesigned. Much attention was paid to working with the Internet, as well as supporting modern information transfer protocols - standards that ensure the exchange of information between various devices. In addition, a feature of Windows 98 is the ability to work with multiple monitors.

The next stage in the development of Windows was the appearance of Windows 2000 and Windows Me (Millennium Edition). The Windows 2000 system was developed on the basis of Windows NT and inherited from it high reliability and security of information from outside interference. The Windows Me operating system became the successor to Windows 98, but acquired many new features. First of all, this is improved work with multimedia, the ability to record not only audio, but also video information, powerful means of recovering information after failures, and much more. Gradually, the differences between different Windows systems are being erased, and the Windows XP operating system is intended to replace both Windows 2000 and Windows Me.

In 2007, after Windows XP, a new operating system appeared. This time the operating system from Microsoft is Windows Vista. This system was created on the basis of Windows XP. The shortcomings have been fixed, the design has been improved, and a new 3D Aero Glass interface has appeared, which requires a video card that supports DirectX 9.0. Windows. Vista has become more demanding compared to Windows XP.

After a while, Windows Seven appears. Everyone knows it as Windows 7. This operating system was created on the basis of Windows Vista. There were modifications to the structure. Drawbacks have been corrected and network capabilities have been expanded. In the new system, the developers clearly paid a lot of attention to working with the Internet. Windows7 is also less vulnerable than earlier releases.

In October 2012, Microsoft launched the Windows 8 operating system. Windows 8, unlike its predecessors - Windows 7 and Windows XP - uses a new interface called Modern (formerly Metro). This interface appears first after system startup; it is similar in functionality to the desktop - the start screen has application tiles (akin to shortcuts), which, when clicked, launches the application, opens a website or folder (depending on which element or application the tile is attached to). Today, Windows 8 is the newest operating system. 8 has significant shortcomings and receives negative reviews from users who have a computer without touch display support due to the prevalence of Metro interface gadgets. Users criticize the changed interface, which forces them to spend additional time learning to work with the new operating system. Although most of the innovations are described in the help system, which is called up by pressing the F1 key while the desktop is open.

4.Windows XP

Having considered the history of the development of Windows, analyzing the main points of its improvement, and also taking into account user reviews of this product, we can come to the conclusion that Windows XP was and remains the most popular version. Therefore, let’s look at the features of this particular operating system.

Features of Microsoft Windows XP

The Microsoft Windows XP operating system is based on NT technology and is a direct successor to the Windows 2000 system. However, all the best innovations included in Windows Me can be found in Windows XP. While maintaining high levels of reliability, security and performance, the system has become easier to learn, and many tools have appeared in it designed for individual home users.

The system is available in several versions, tailored to different application features. Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition is intended for individual users, most often working on a home computer. In this version, special emphasis is placed on working with drawings, audio and video. The Microsoft Windows XP Professional version is intended, as the name suggests, for professionals. This version is most commonly used in organizations. If you do complex work at home, such as creating and editing images, modeling and design, or any other complex work, then this version is suitable for your home computer. The Microsoft Windows XP Server version is intended for installation on a server - a powerful computer that allows multiple users to work on a computer network. Working on local networks is beyond the scope of this book, so we will not consider the server version. The book describes the main version of the operating system - Windows XP Professional. The version of Windows XP Home Edition is practically no different from it. Any minor differences will be specifically noted.

It should be noted that to work effectively with the Windows XP operating system, you need a fairly powerful modern computer. First of all, your computer must have at least 128 megabytes of memory installed. It is better to install 256 megabytes to make the system run faster. Any processor can be used, but not too old. If the processor clock speed is at least 300 megahertz, then it will be suitable. Although it is better, of course, to use a processor with a frequency of more than one gigahertz. The hard drive must accommodate not only the operating system files and temporary files, but also have enough free space, for example, to create an image of a CD before burning it. In reality, a disk size of at least two to three gigabytes is required. And if you consider that you need to install other programs on the disk and leave space for various documents, then a 10 gigabyte disk cannot be called too large.

In the version of Windows XP, the appearance of the system has changed greatly. Buttons, icons, panels now look a little different. Even the Windows main menu has changed. The interface changes are the most significant since the transition from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95. However, it is possible to use the old interface if you are used to it. Of particular note is the operation of programs in compatibility mode with previous versions of Windows. You can work with a program that is written for Windows 95, and does not work in Windows 2000. All versions of Windows XP have many innovations. A much wider variety of devices are supported. The system allows you to easily and conveniently process videos, photographs, drawings, music and songs. Now, using Windows XP, anyone can build a home network based on two or three computers, sharing files, folders, printer, fax and Internet access.

When working with Windows XP, you don't need to install additional programs to burn information to recordable and rewritable CDs. You can burn a CD directly from Windows Explorer. By the way, the conductor has changed a lot. In addition to support for compressed folders, special folders for storing pictures, music and videos, a panel has been added with commands, the composition of which changes depending on the actions you perform.

A useful component of the system is the video editor. Now you can perform professional non-linear editing of your amateur films. It has become much easier to work with digital cameras and scanners. You don't need any additional software to enter a photo into your computer, slightly transform it, and print it out. The universal audio and video player now supports more formats and allows you to change its appearance. You can create your own audio files in the popular MP3 format. The universal player also supports digital video disc (DVD) playback, allowing you to enjoy the highest quality picture and sound when watching today's movies. For entertainment, Windows XP includes several new games, some of which allow you to play online.

System security has also been significantly improved. Now, if you accidentally delete important system files, they will be automatically restored. It is possible to restore the system to an earlier state after installing new programs and equipment. Improved support for Plug & Play technology allows you to connect many modern household appliances to your computer.

Tools for working with the Internet have also received further development. The help system has been significantly redesigned and the security system has been improved. Numerous changes have affected the means of administration and management of the work of many users on a local computer network.

There are many other innovations in the system that you will learn about as you read the book and get to know Windows XP. However, before you start working with the system, we recommend that you become familiar with the basic concepts used in Windows XP. If you are familiar with previous versions of Windows, most of the concepts will be familiar to you.

Advantages and disadvantages of Microsoft Windows XP

The system has become more complex - but it crashes much less often, practically does not freeze and almost does not display mysterious error messages. All this is ensured by the following innovations:

a) new Windows kernel. The developers of Windows XP removed the last remnants of MS-DOS compatible code used in Windows 95/98 (and despite attempts to hide it, in Windows Me). Inside both versions of Windows XP is the robust, reliable kernel that first appeared in Windows 2000. With a fully secure memory model, integrated security, and a Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) that protects key system components from bad software, Windows XP has there is much less chance of failure during daily work. And if a failure does occur, you can use a set of recovery utilities that are significantly superior in their capabilities to applications available in previous versions of Windows.

b) sustainable means of protecting the system. A common source of problems in previous versions of Windows was the replacement of vital system files with outdated or incorrect versions. Windows XP controls these substitutions by maintaining the system-correct version of the file while allowing the application to use the versions of the dynamic link libraries it needs. Additional protection is provided by recovery tools that monitor the system and, by maintaining a “snapshot” of system files and settings, allow you to “roll back” to a previous configuration if a new application or device driver causes problems.

c) rolling back device drivers. Experienced Windows users know that buggy device drivers can completely ruin even a carefully configured system. Windows XP protects against driver-related problems by warning you if you try to install a driver without a digital signature that verifies that it is compatible with Windows XP. The system also allows you to remove the driver and restore the previous version, and even in safe mode if necessary.

d) equipment compatibility. Any user clearly understands how important it is to have good operating system support for a particular piece of equipment. In this mutual understanding between the OS and the hardware, device drivers play a significant role. They are designed for compatibility of specific equipment with a specific OS. Without exaggeration, I note that Windows is the only operating system of its kind that is capable of “correctly” working with the vast majority of modern equipment designed to work with a computer. Have you seen today, say, a printer or scanner whose accompanying drivers are written only for Linux or Mac OS? Of course not! Due to its widespread use, modern Windows today simply must support any computer equipment and peripherals. Therefore, today in the world the largest number of drivers and their versions are written specifically for Windows. Installation drivers today are usually supplied with the hardware itself on an accompanying disk or floppy disk. Moreover: for a large amount of equipment, the Windows base itself today contains standard drivers installed in the operating system by its developers. So, for example, today it is not at all necessary to look for an installation disk with drivers for a SIS 6326 video card or an Epson LX printer. Windows itself will detect the new installed hardware and correctly install the driver for it from its database. However, a caveat should be made here: Windows-based drivers are not available for all equipment, especially new ones. Most often there you can find a driver for equipment that is obsolete today. In general, a modern OS supports all modern types of devices designed to work with a computer: scanners, printers, information digitizing devices, modems, tuners, infrared sensors, network cards, disks, etc.

d) OS stability. In general, the stability of modern Windows can be called acceptable. However, the word “acceptable” here must be accompanied by a lot of reservations:

The stability of the OS becomes acceptable only after its high-quality and competent configuration;

The stability of modern Windows also largely depends on the product version and the presence of installed add-ons. Without their presence, unfortunately, frequent failures occur in the operation of the OS;

the stability of Windows XP also depends on the applications themselves installed on the OS by the user: the more stable they are in operation and the more compatible with the Windows software shell itself, the fewer failures we will be able to observe in the operation of the main OS;

The stability of modern Windows is greatly influenced by the hardware itself, which is used in conjunction with the running OS. Often, some users easily attribute incompatibility or incorrect operation of this or that equipment to Windows instability;

Also, device drivers have a significant influence on the stable operation of modern Windows XP. Today's problems arise among a lot of users. Much in the operation of a particular device is determined by the version of a particular driver. If we consider drivers written for video adapters, the fact is that today the release of new video drivers is most often timed to coincide with the release of a video game. Many video drivers are written specifically for a specific instance of the game and for a specific instance of the video card. There is only one goal of this “trick” - to maximize the performance of the video adapter. Such drivers usually come as an accompaniment to the games themselves on the same game installation discs. By and large, the release of new drivers is always the elimination of errors in old ones plus “sharpening” for the most modern computer games for testing the performance of video adapters. Therefore, the “curvature” of the drivers installed on the OS plays a significant role in the normal functioning of modern Windows XP;

Internet use and the number of common viruses living on the World Wide Web also directly affect the stability of the OS. These virtual viruses can make it difficult to work on any computer. Sudden and frequent reboots, spontaneous shutdown of the computer, unauthorized access of the computer to the Internet and other cases of virtual life are a sure sign of a PC infection with viruses. In general, Windows XP can work for quite a long time (more than a year) without any problems or the need to reinstall the OS (of course, subject to all the precautions described above).

e) new interface design. For the first time since the introduction of Windows 95, the user interface was so completely overhauled only in Windows XP. If you choose the new Windows XP interface, you will notice some differences right away:

bright colors. The color scheme is the default in Windows XP. The new operating system takes full advantage of graphics hardware that supports 24- and 32-bit color;

volumetric windows and buttons. When you select the Windows XP style, windows and buttons become three-dimensional with rounded corners and smooth shadows. You can also notice that all objects change their colors slightly when the mouse cursor is hovered over them - buttons, tabs and other interface elements are highlighted, like links on web pages;

distinct icons. The design of all system icons has been redesigned. The new icons are brighter, the set of colors is richer, because they are designed for resolution up to 24 bits (true color);

built-in themes. Desktop themes first appeared in the Microsoft Plus package for Windows 95. In Windows XP, theme support is integrated into the Display utility, and it also supports changing the properties of controls, window borders, and menus;

compatibility problems. Many programs originally written for Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me will not run correctly under Windows XP. Moreover, some devices require drivers that are not compatible with Windows XP.

Networking capabilities

Windows XP takes advantage of increased network performance, reliability, and efficiency.

The Windows XP operating system provides the ability to quickly switch users.

This allows you to organize the work of several users on one computer. Each computer user can create a separate password-protected account with personal settings and private files. Several accounts can be active on one computer at once, switching between them is simple and quick.

Connecting computers into a network significantly increases their capabilities. Windows XP's powerful, easy-to-use networks help you save time and money. Networked computers can share a common Internet connection, a common printer and other equipment, and common files. You can even play online computer games with other participants.

In addition, setting up a network using MS Windows XP is easier than using any previous operating system. To set up a network at home or in a small office, you don’t have to be an expert in the field of networking; the wizard will take all the steps necessary for this. All that remains is to answer a few questions about the computers that need to be connected, and the wizard will do the rest of the work.

Once your network is up and running, Windows XP helps maintain it by automatically monitoring changes and adjusting settings to ensure maximum performance with minimal user effort.

Windows XP introduces powerful new features designed to keep your network up and running no matter what. Sophisticated software protects each computer's operating system and also creates a protective barrier, or firewall, to prevent unauthorized persons and viruses from the Internet from entering the network.

Thus, the Windows operating system is the most common system. Windows XP networks have many advantages, including power and ease of use. Among the advantages of the system, reliability stands out. OS software protects your computer from viruses and unauthorized use of information by others.

Creating local networks in MS Windows OS

A local network is usually intended for the collection, transmission, dispersed and distributed processing of information within one laboratory, department, office or company, often specialized in performing certain functions in accordance with the profile of the company and its individual divisions. In many cases, a LAN serving its local information system is connected to other computer networks, internal or external, up to regional or global networks.

When you create a home or small office network, computers running Windows XP Professional or Windows XP Home Edition are connected to a local area network (LAN). When installing Windows XP, the network adapter is detected and a local network connection is created. By default, the local network connection is always active. Only connections of this type are created and activated automatically. If you disconnect your local network connection, it will no longer be automatically activated. This information is stored in the hardware profile so that the profile can accommodate the needs of mobile users who change their location.

By creating a home network or a small organization network, you can effectively use all the resources of your computer, using it for both work and entertainment.

If you have multiple computers or other equipment, such as printers, scanners, or cameras, you can use a network to share files, folders, and Internet connections. For example, when a computer is connected to a network, a user of another computer can also access the Internet at that time. If you have multiple computers and one or more peripheral devices (printers, scanners, or cameras), these devices can be accessed from all computers.

There are several ways to connect computers into a network. For home and small office networks, the simplest model is a peer-to-peer network.

A peer-to-peer network, also called a workgroup, allows computers to communicate with each other directly and does not require a server to manage network resources. It is most suitable when placing less than ten computers in a total area. Computers in a workgroup are considered nodes because they are peers and share resources. Each user decides for himself what local computer data can be shared on the network. Resource sharing will allow users to print on the same printer, access data in shared folders, and work on a single file without transferring it to a floppy disk.

A home or small office network is similar to a telephone system. While on a network, each computer is provided with a network adapter, which performs a function similar to that of a telephone handset: like a handset used to receive and transmit conversations, the computer's network device sends and receives information to other computers on the network.

Thus, Windows XP local area network is used within one company or enterprise. The most common local network is a peer-to-peer network, which allows computers to communicate with each other directly and does not require a server to manage network resources. The local network provides the following opportunities: share access to the Internet connection, files and folders, office equipment, as well as joint games and entertainment.

Global Internet

Global computer networks are those that cover large geographical areas. The most widespread global network is the Internet. The Internet is a global international computer network of digital communications that unites many servers into a single logical architecture, which contain a huge amount of information on various topics. A global network always consists of many local networks connected together.

If you are using Windows XP, use the Network Connection Wizard to set up a new Internet connection. The Connection Wizard will create a connection to the Internet and display a list of Internet service providers along with information about the services they offer. You select the appropriate provider from the list, and then you are provided with a new account. XP contains the latest version of MSN Explorer with full Microsoft services and the latest update to Internet Explorer.

Internet information resources concentrated on World Wide Web servers allow users not only to view existing pages, moving from link to link, but also to request the necessary information.

Internet users can use the Internet not only as a source of information, but also as a means of communication. XP offers the following ways to ensure security and privacy when using the Internet:

Use Internet Explorer security and privacy settings to help maintain your privacy and improve the security of your computer and your personal information.

Use security zones to make your computer more secure by setting different levels of security for different areas of the Internet.

Using Content Advisor to prevent objectionable pages from being displayed on screen, using standard ratings that have been determined independently by the Platform for Internet Content Selection (PICS) committee.

Thus, the Internet is the most widespread global network. MSN Explorer is a new, all-in-one program that lets you take advantage of the Internet more fully. It allows you to access various Internet resources (text, images, files) at a given address. For communication in the Windows XP operating system, programs such as E-mail, Outlook Express, and Windows Messenger are used. Windows XP uses powerful features to keep your network safe and secure.

Conclusion

In this work, “Features of the Windows operating system,” the very concept of the Windows operating system, the history of its development and improvement, as well as the features of this information product were studied. Based on the above, we can conclude: the Windows operating system is the most popular and widespread operating system all over the world, and for most users it is the most suitable due to its simplicity, good interface, acceptable performance and a huge number of application programs for it

Bibliography

1. Gordeev A.V. Operating systems: textbook. for universities, e.g. “Informatics and computer technology” / A.V. Gordeev, 2nd ed., St. Petersburg: Peter, 2009. - 415 p.

Leontyev V.P. Mastering Windows XP quickly and fun: reference book / V.P. Leontiev, M.: OLMA-PRESS, 2010. - 219 p.

Ostreykovsky V.A. Computer science: textbook for universities / V.A. Ostreykovsky, M.: Higher School, 2011. - 511 p.

Sviridova M.Yu. Operating system Windows XP: textbook. guide for beginners prof. education / M.Yu. Sviridova, M.: Academy, 2009. - 189 p.

Stepanov A.N. Informatics: textbook for universities / A.N. Stepanov, 4th ed., St. Petersburg: Peter, 2012. - 684 p.

Tanenbaum E. Modern operating systems / Andrew Tanenbaum, 2nd ed., St. Petersburg: Peter, 2009, 2010. - 1038 p.

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Windows– a family of operating systems from Microsoft Corporation. As of May 2013, about 91% of personal computers ran Windows. Windows operating systems run on most hardware platforms. Its distinctive features are: graphical user interface, preemptive multitasking, support for long file names, automatic detection and configuration of peripheral devices (Plug and Play).

The graphical shell of Windows OS provides user interaction with the computer in the form of a dialogue using input and output of graphic information on the display screen, control of programs using icons, menus, windows, panels and other controls.

The main elements of the graphical interface are: Desktop And Task bar with button Start. The main program control device is the manipulator mouse.

The mouse pointer is used to select menu commands, move objects, highlight text, etc. The appearance of the mouse pointer on the screen depends on the operation being performed:

· when selecting an object, the pointer looks like an arrow pointing upward at an angle;

· in the document window, the pointer resembles the Latin letter I;

· if the operating system is busy performing some operations and cannot work with the user, the pointer is shaped like an hourglass.

To select an object on the screen, you need to place the pointer on it and then press the left mouse button.

Click(short button press) is one of the main mouse operations. To perform this, quickly press and release the mouse button. Click to select an object in the program window, select the desired command in the menu, etc. When you right-click on Windows items, a context menu appears.

Double click the left button is performed when the mouse pointer is positioned on a specific object and is used, as a rule, to open a file.

Drag an object (Drag and Drop) is an operation that results in changing the location of an object. To perform it, you need to place the pointer on the desired object (icon, folder, file), press the left mouse button and, without releasing it, move the mouse so that this object moves with it.

ü Each menu item marked with the symbol 4 corresponds to a submenu, which opens if you click on this menu item. A submenu usually expands from top to bottom and is therefore called falling. You select the required item (operation) in the submenu and activate it with a mouse click. In order to leave the menu, you need to move the mouse pointer to an open part of the desktop (or program window) and click the mouse.

ü Submenu items are available to the user if they are displayed in black, and are inaccessible if they are displayed in gray.

ü An ellipsis after the name of a submenu item means that executing this command requires additional instructions that will be entered by the user using a dialog box.

ü When you activate a menu item (submenu) that does not have any marks to the right of its name, the program of the same name is launched in a separate window.

There are three buttons in the upper right corner of the window:

§ program window minimize button with an underscore (left button). When you click this button, the window is minimized to the icon shown in Taskbars;

§ window resizing button(middle button). If the button looks like a page, then clicking on it expands the window to the full screen. If the button looks like two pages, then clicking on it minimizes the window to such a size that the window borders become visible;

§ on the exit button(right button) placed an oblique cross S. When you click this button, the program ends.

All the conventions and steps listed above also apply to all Windows applications.

The most common Windows application is MS Office . This office application suite has been improving for about 20 years. The first version of the suite, numbered 3.0, was released in 1992 and won the intense competition with two other office suites WordPerfect Suite companies Novell, Inc. , sold to the company in 1996 Corel , And Lotus SmartSuite companies Lotus Developmen , which ceased to exist in 1995.

Despite the advent of open source office suites OpenOffice.org And LibreOffice, MS Office maintains its leading position in the market. Despite the fact that the governments of a number of European countries recommended OpenOffice.org And LibreOffice , as office suites for government organizations

MS Office comes in several editions. Differences between editions in the package composition and price. One of the most complete editions contains:

MS Word is a word processor. Allows you to prepare documents of varying complexity. The product occupies a leading position in the market and is used as a standard in the document flow of most enterprises.

MS Excel is a spreadsheet processor. Supports all the necessary functions for creating spreadsheets of any complexity. Occupies a leading position in the market.

MS Outlook is a personal communicator. It includes: calendar, task scheduler, notes, email manager, address book. Network collaboration is supported.

MS PowerPoint is an application for preparing presentations.

MS Access is an application for database management.

MS Publisher is an application for preparing publications.

MS OneNote is an application for recording and managing notes (organizer).

MS Groove - provides users with a space to hold online meetings, discuss common projects and much more.

MS SharePoint Designer - HTML editor and web design program.

MS Picture Manager is an application for working with pictures.

MS InfoPath, a data collection and management application, simplifies the process of collecting information.

Various editions of MS Office 2010:

MS Office supports scripts and macros written in the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) programming language - a slightly simplified implementation of the Visual Basic language built into the MS Office product line.

The following Windows applications are also used for office purposes:

MS Visio is an application for constructing structural diagrams and plans from ready-made elements and templates.

MS Project is a project management application.

Microsoft Word(often simply Word) is a word processor designed for creating, viewing and editing text documents. Released as part of the Microsoft Office suite. Since 1989, 11 versions (editions) of MS Word have been released to run under Windows.

MS Word is the most popular word processor currently in use. The binary format of its documents (extension doc) is standard de facto , and many competing programs support compatibility with this format. Document format of different versions Word is changing. Formatting that appears fine in one version may not appear in previous versions of the product, but there is a limited ability to save a document with some of the formatting lost for opening in older versions of the product. Latest versions MS Word 2007/2010/2013 use the default XML-based format (extension docx).

Word enhances user capabilities through the use of a built-in macro language (from version Word 97 VBA applies). However, this created the possibility of writing viruses embedded in documents (the so-called. macroviruses). In this regard, it is recommended to always set the highest level of security settings when using Word(Menu item: Service/Macro/Security) and use antivirus programs.

Word has a number of complex service functions. Performs:

Search and, if necessary, replace individual words or text fragments;

Spell checking and hyphenation;

Automatic insertion of table of contents, bibliography, subject index, links, incl. hyperlinks, etc.;

Protecting documents from unauthorized access

Microsoft Excel– a program for working with spreadsheets from Microsoft. It provides ample opportunities for economic, statistical and technical calculations, has graphical tools for visual presentation and analysis of the results of tabular calculations, and allows the use of the VBA programming language to implement non-standard functions. It also provides the ability to protect all or part of the data from unauthorized access.

Excel is part of MS Office and is one of the most popular applications in the world today. An Excel document has the extension .xls (.xlsx in MS Excel 2007/2010/2013) and is called a workbook. The workbook consists of separate sheets. You can switch between sheets using the shortcuts at the bottom of the window.

Each sheet is a table. The table consists of columns and rows. The number of columns in the sheet is 16384 (2 14), and the number of rows is 1048576 (2 20). The number of sheets in a workbook is limited by the amount of available RAM (3 sheets by default). Column width is 255 characters.

The accuracy of data presentation is no more than 15 digits, and the acceptable date in calculations is no earlier than January 1, 1900.

MS Excel allows you to solve complex mathematical problems using built-in procedures - add-ons. The most useful of them Finding a solution And Data analysis.

Add-on “Search for a solution” » solves optimization problems:

Nonlinear generalized decreasing gradient method, which is used for smooth nonlinear problems;

Simplex method for linear programming problems (Nobel Prize in Economics 1975);

Evolutionary method for nonsmooth problems.

Statistical analysis can be accelerated by using the Analysis Package add-on. To analyze data using this package, you must specify the input data and select parameters; the calculation will be performed using a suitable statistical macro function and the result will be placed in the output range. Some tools allow you to present your analysis results graphically.

The analysis package implements various methods for assessing the significance of differences (T-tests, F- and Z-tests), variance, correlation and regression analysis and a number of other widely used statistical procedures.

Microsoft Visio- vector graphics editor, diagram and block diagram editor for Windows. Visio was originally developed and released by Visio Corp. Microsoft acquired the company in 2000, rebranded it, and the product was included in MS Office.

The app helps users simplify the presentation of complex information through convenient, easy-to-understand diagrams. Visio includes libraries of elements for diagrams from most subject areas, local network diagrams, organization charts, flowcharts, and general multi-purpose diagrams.

There are many types of Visio documents, but to create any of them you need to follow three basic steps.

1. Selecting and opening a template.
2. Drag and connect shapes.
3. Adding text to shapes.

MS Project is a project management program developed and sold by Microsoft Corporation.

MS Project was created to help the project manager (PMU) in developing a project execution plan, allocating resources to tasks, tracking progress and analyzing the scope of upcoming work. MS Project creates critical path schedules. Schedules can be created taking into account the resources used. The chain is visualized in a Gantt chart.

A Gantt chart consists of bars placed on a horizontal time scale. Each segment corresponds to a separate project, task or subtask. The projects, tasks and subtasks that make up the plan are arranged vertically. The start, end and length of the segment on the time scale correspond to the start, end and duration of the task.

MS Project, with 20 million users, is essentially a monopolist. The most obvious advantages of the product are related to the fact that it is included in MS Office. This provides the following advantages common to all MS Office products:

ü the same short user training time as with other MS Office programs;

ü rich customization options in the style of Excel formulas (the product itself is designed in an interface close to Excel);

ü the ability to adapt the product to your specific needs by programming or purchasing ready-made solutions created on the basis of VBA.

You can enter resources into a project and assign them to tasks to determine which resource is responsible for completing which assignment. This helps not only plan staffing for the project, but also calculate the amount of equipment required and the volume of consumables. When you enter resources, task schedules are supplemented with the following resource information:

s Labor costs

s Units

s Working hours in calendar units

MS PowerPoint- a program for creating and conducting presentations, which is part of MS Office. Today, PowerPoint is the most popular tool for visually presenting information.

The main problems that arise when creating a presentation are not of a technical nature, but of a content and design nature. The content is entirely up to the author of the presentation, and there are specific recommendations for design:

s font size: 24–52 points (heading), 18–32 points (plain text);

s the font color and the background color should contrast (the text should be easy to read, but not hurt the eyes);

s font type: for the body text a smooth sans-serif font (Arial), for the title you can sometimes use a decorative font if it is widely available;

s italics, underlining, bold font, capital letters are recommended to be used only for semantic highlighting of a text fragment;

s the color scheme should consist of no more than two or three colors that can be combined with each other;

s illustrations are designed to complement textual information and present it in a visual form;

s it is better to place information blocks horizontally, blocks related in meaning - from left to right;

s there should not be too many information blocks (about 3-6)

MS Access– relational database management system. Has a wide range of features including linked queries, communication with external tables and databases. Thanks to the VBA language, you can write applications that work with databases in Access.

The term "relational" means that the theory is based on a mathematical concept attitude. The word table is often used as an informal synonym for the term "relationship".

Information in a relational database is presented in the form of a set of related tables or one tables, the rows of which characterize the aggregate properties of the individual objects that make up the table and are called records Database. The table columns describe the individual properties of each object and are called fields Database.

In Access, it is possible to create relationships between tables, which allows you to share data from different tables and thereby avoid unnecessary duplication of data, save computer memory, and also increase the speed and accuracy of information processing.

The ease of manipulation and speed of information processing in a DBMS depend on how fully the specifics of the information being stored are reflected in the database. To do this, information placed in the database fields must be classified into one of nine types:

· text fields are designed to store symbolic information. Text fields can contain letters, numbers, punctuation, spaces, and other symbols. Text fields must not exceed 255 characters;

· MEMO fields designed for storing long (up to 64,000 characters) texts. Fields of this type can store texts containing several sentences or paragraphs. However, the number of operations with MEMO fields is less than the number of manipulations with text fields;

· numeric fields are intended to store numeric values ​​that are not monetary amounts. Numeric fields, in turn, are:

o byte– for storing integers from 0 to 255;

o whole– for storing integers from -32768 to 32767;

o long integer– for storing integers from -2147483648 to 2147483647;

o single floating point– for storing fractional numbers with six decimal places;

o double floating point– for storing fractional numbers with ten decimal places;

· date/time fields are designed to store date and time information. They allow you to manipulate data, for example, determine the time interval that has passed from one date to another. There are several formats for representing date/time;

· monetary amount fields are numeric fields of a special format and are intended for storing information about monetary amounts and for transactions with them. When working with monetary amounts, Acces uses the types of currencies that are set by default in the Windows environment;

· Counter field– a special type of numeric field, the value of which is automatically increased as each new record is entered into the table. The first entry is assigned the value 1, the second – 2, etc. The value assigned to the entered entry cannot be changed;

· boolean fields are designed to store information that takes one of two values ​​“Yes” or “No” (Yes/No);

· OLE fields contain information created by other Windows applications, including graphics. OLE field sizes are limited by the computer's hardware capabilities;

· hyperlink fields are designed to store URL links to files on hard drives or to pages on the Internet (Intranet).

Despite its undeniable advantages, the Access DBMS is limited in its ability to work with large volumes of information. In Access, the maximum table file size is 2 Gb, and the number of fields in tables and reports is up to 255. The number of characters in a text field is no more than 255, and in a record (except for MEMO and OLE fields) – up to 4000.

Access, when working with a database, interacts differently with the hard drive than other programs. A new edition of the changed entry is written to disk as soon as the keyboard cursor is placed on a different line.

Main components of MS Access:

Table Builder;

Screen form builder;

Query Builder

Builder of reports for printing.

1.2.1.1. Features of Windows 7

Before we begin a detailed study of Windows 7, let's consider the main features of the operating system that simplify the user's interaction with a personal computer.

The Windows 7 user interface components are windows with controls, the taskbar and the context menu, and the main input devices are the mouse, keyboard, joystick (if the computer uses a touch screen, then the input device is the display, which converts pressing or touching the screen to the team).

Windows 7 introduces full multi-touch technology for the first time. Windows Touch is available in Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate editions.

1. Desk

When Windows 7 starts, the desktop appears on the screen. The desktop is the main window of the graphical user environment (graphical user interface). By default, the Windows 7 configuration displays a background image and only one icon (Trash) on the desktop.

If necessary, icons and shortcuts for programs, folders and files, as well as gadgets (mini-applications that are distributed free of charge, for example, Windows Media Center or weather forecast gadgets, presented in Fig. 1.2.1.1.1 and etc.). In Windows 7, gadgets can be placed anywhere on the desktop.

Fig.1.2.1.1.1

As you work, running programs and open folders are displayed on the desktop, covering the background image of the desktop with icons and gadgets.

To change the desktop interface, themes are used that include the desktop background, window color, sounds, and screensaver. The Windows 7 operating system offers the following themes: basic (simplified and classic), contrast and Aero.

To enable a theme, right-click on the desktop and select Personalization from the context menu. Thus, Windows 7 allows you to customize your desktop with new themes, slide shows, and gadgets.

2. Search menu

In Windows 7, you can quickly search (Windows Search) more documents, videos, pictures, and music. When you type your search query into the Search programs and files search box in the Start menu, you will immediately see a list of matching documents found on your computer.

Rice. 1.2.1.1.2

One of the main purposes of the taskbar is to switch between open applications. The taskbar consists of the following components: the Start button, the application icon area combined with the Quick Launch bar, the notification area, the minimize all windows button, which is used both for minimizing windows and for previewing the desktop using the Aero Peek effect.

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Rice. 1.2.1.1.3

Aero Peek feature in Windows 7 like X-rays, which allow you to see through the contents of all open windows on your desktop. Aero Peek allows you to temporarily peek your desktop (view your desktop background, icons, and gadgets) underneath all open application windows when you hover your mouse over the Minimize All Windows button located on the right side of the taskbar.

It should be noted that when you click on the button with the left mouse button, the windows are minimized. When you click again, the windows expand. To enable the Aero Peek feature, in the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box, select the “Use Aero Peek to preview your desktop” checkbox.

Pinning apps on the taskbar. By default, the taskbar displays icons for Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, and File Explorer. When you launch other applications, corresponding icons will also appear on the taskbar, and when you close them, the icons will disappear.

To quickly launch applications, you can pin them to the taskbar. To do this, right-click the application icon from the desktop to the taskbar (the Paint and Word icons are pinned to the taskbar, a screenshot of which is shown in Fig. 1.2.1.1.3).

View thumbnails of open application windows. When you select the “Always group, hide labels” option in the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box, open windows will be grouped on the taskbar. If you hover your mouse over a minimized program icon while the Aero theme is enabled, a group of miniature windows (thumbnails) of app window previews will be displayed.

To view thumbnails of open windows, hover your mouse over the application's taskbar icon. To temporarily display a hidden window in full screen mode, hover over its thumbnail in the taskbar, and left-clicking on the thumbnail will make the window appear permanently. Open application windows can be closed either in the maximized state or in thumbnail preview mode.

Rice. 1.2.1.1.4

It should be noted that open applications are highlighted and in open applications a frame is displayed around the icon (from Fig. 1.2.1.1.4 it follows that the Explorer, Paint, Word and Mozilla programs are open). The number of frames around the icon corresponds to the number of open application windows (from Fig. 1.2.1.1.4 it follows that three windows are open in the Word application, and one window each in the Explorer, Paint, Mozilla applications).

Jump Lists is a new feature in Windows 7. If you right-click on the icon in the taskbar, the Jump List will open. Each application has its own jump list. This function allows you to quickly navigate to frequently used documents or recent files (Fig. 1.2.1.1.5).

Rice. 1.2.1.1.5

The default notification area icons include Show hidden icons, Network, Speakers, Action Center, Power (laptop only), and Clock. The “Show hidden icons” pop-up window (Fig. 1.2.1.1.6) displays the icons of all other programs that should be displayed in the notification area.

Rice. 1.2.1.1.6

4. Working with windows

To work with windows, Windows 7 uses functions called Aero Shake and Aero Snap. Aero Shake function. The Aero Shake function allows you to minimize all open windows except the window that is shaken by the mouse. To do this, you need to place the mouse pointer on the title bar of the application window and, while holding the left mouse button, quickly move the mouse left - right or up - down, i.e. shake it. When you shake the mouse again, all minimized windows will return to their original position.

Aero Snap function. The Snap feature allows you to quickly resize open windows by dragging them to the edges of the screen. If you place the mouse pointer on the title bar of an application window and, while holding down the left mouse button, drag the window to the left or right edge of the screen, it will take up exactly half of the user's desktop. To maximize a window, you need to drag it with the mouse by the title bar to the top of the screen; when the mouse cursor reaches the top of the screen, the window will expand.

5. Libraries

By default, Windows 7 contains a new component (Libraries), which includes libraries such as: Videos, Documents, Images, Music. In addition to the libraries listed, you can add other libraries to the Libraries component, or you can create your own library by adding content from various sources.

A library is similar to a traditional folder, but unlike a folder, a library is not tied to specific folders on the hard drive; it contains links to files and folders scattered throughout the hard drive or across the Home network.

In other words, the Library collects and combines content of similar subjects (folders and files) in one place, regardless of the medium on which it is actually stored. Libraries appear in the navigation pane of Explorer (Windows Explorer).

Rice. 1.2.1.1.7

As follows from the screenshot Fig. 1.2.1.1.7, the Documents library combines five places. If you left-click on the “5 places” inscription, the Path to the “Documents” library window will open, in which you can connect folders with documents stored in other places on the computer.

Windows Media Center has been significantly improved, with a new interface and additional features. Windows Media Center is designed for viewing videos, images, TV, movies recorded on DVD and listening to music (Fig. 1.2.1.1.8).

Rice. 1.2.1.1.8

The universal Windows Media Player 12 (Figure 1.2.1.1.9) can be used to search and play media files located on your computer or network, play CDs and DVDs, and stream media from the Internet. You can also rip music from audio CDs, burn music to CDs, and sync multimedia files to a portable device.

Rice. 1.2.1.1.9

Windows 7 has a mini-player that appears when you select Play from the context menu of an audio file.

8. Remote media streaming

Streaming media lets you broadcast music, pictures, and videos to computers and media devices connected to your home network, and receive media from other computers and devices.

Additionally, Windows Media Player 12 allows you to stream media from your home computer to another computer connected to the Internet.

To ensure streaming multimedia via the Internet, you need to open the Stream list in the player and select the command “Allow access via the Internet to your home multimedia library” (Fig. 1.2.1.1.10) or “Enable media streaming”.

Rice. 1.2.1.1.10

9. Home group

In Windows 7, there are four types of network location: Home, Work, Public, Domain. Homegroup allows you to solve the problem of sharing files and printers on your home network. If you connect two or more computers running Windows 7, a homegroup will allow you to set up automatic sharing of the Videos, Documents, Pictures, and Music libraries with other users.

10. Standard Windows applications (WordPad, Paint)

Windows 7 has updated standard applications such as Paint and WordPad. These applications have new features and interfaces similar to those of Office 2007 applications.

11. Internet Explorer 8

Windows 7 uses a new version of the Internet Explorer 8 browser, which has a number of new features.

12. Supports computers with 32- and 64-bit processors

Almost all editions of Windows 7 include 32-bit and 64-bit software and support computers with both 32-bit and 64-bit processors. But 64-bit versions of Windows 7 allow you to take advantage of newer computer models. Computers with 64-bit processors allow you to process more information.

13. Improved performance

Windows 7 provides faster sleep and recovery times, reduced memory consumption, and faster detection of USB devices.

Windows 7 makes it easy to browse and connect to available networks. To do this, click the Network icon on the taskbar. The “View available networks” function (Fig. 1.2.1.1.11) displays all available wireless and wired connection options.

Rice. 1.2.1.1.11

15. Updated Explorer window (Windows Explorer)

The popular and main means of accessing files and folders in Windows 7 is Explorer or Windows Explorer. You can quickly launch the Explorer window (Fig. 1.2.1.1.12) by clicking on the “Explorer” icon on the left side of the taskbar. All operations in the Explorer window are carried out using the toolbar and context menu commands.

Rice. 1.2.1.1.12

On the left side of Explorer there is a navigation panel that displays four groups: Favorites, Libraries, Computer, and Network. The document preview mode in Explorer, which is activated by the "Show preview area" button, is intended for searching for a text document. You can easily create a folder in Explorer by using the New Folder button on the toolbar.