The answer to this one’s pretty easy: You’re using Microsoft Windows because you don’t have much choice. Nearly every computer sold since late 2001 comes with Windows XP preinstalled. A few people escaped Windows by buying Apple computers (those nicer-looking computers that cost more).
But chances are, you, your neighbors, your boss, your kids at school, and millions of other people around the world are using Microsoft Windows.
And just what is Windows? Sold by a company called Microsoft, Windows isn’t like your usual software that lets you write term papers or send angry e-mails to mail-order companies. No, Windows is an operating system, meaning it controls the way you work with your computer.
Microsoft is sneaky?
Microsoft may tout Windows as your helpful computing companion, always keeping your best interests in mind, but that’s not really true. Windows always keeps Microsoft’s interests in mind. You’ll find that out as soon as you call Microsoft for help on making Windows work right. Your first two questions are free if you pick up the long distance charges to Redmond,
Washington. The third call (and all the rest) cost $35 apiece. Microsoft also uses Windows to plug its own products and services. Sometimes you click a menu item that touts something helpful, but Windows simply leads you to a Web site where
you can purchase additional items from Microsoft or its business partners.
Simply put, Windows not only controls your computer but also serves as a huge Microsoft advertising vehicle. Most of the offers you see on Windows aren’t necessarily the best ones — they’re just the ones that make the most money for Microsoft. Many of its offers are simply advertising flyers stuffed inside your computer.
Windows gets its name from all the cute little windows it places on your monitor. Each window shows information, such as a picture, a program that you’re running, or a baffling technical reprimand. You can put several windows on-screen at the same time and jump from window to window, visiting different programs. You can also enlarge a window to fill the entire screen.
Like the mother with the whistle in the lunch court, Windows controls every window and each part of your computer. When you turn on your computer, Windows jumps onto the screen and supervises any running programs. Throughout all this action, Windows keeps things running smoothly, even if the programs start throwing food at each other.
In addition to controlling your computer and bossing around your programs, Windows XP comes with a bunch of free programs. Although your computer can run without these programs, they’re nice to have. These programs let you do different things, like write and print letters, browse the Internet, play music, and even whittle down your camcorder’s vacation footage into a three- minute short — automatically.
Windows XP isn’t just the newest version of Windows; it’s actually the best version so far. (Just ask people who upgraded from previous versions.) Windows XP doesn’t crash very often. And if one Windows program crashes, it doesn’t drag the entire computer down with it, like earlier versions did.
Windows XP makes it easier for several people to share a single computer. Each person receives his or her own user account. When users click their names at Windows XP’s opening screen, they see their own work — just the way they left it.
Because Windows XP is sturdier and more secure than earlier Windows versions, it’s also more difficult to figure out. Computers are pretty dumb, so when a potential security problem arises, they simply make you decide how to handle it.
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