Aero Desktop Experience

Windows Aero, introduced with Windows Vista, is the premium visual experience of Windows. It features a transparent glass design with subtle window animations and new window colors. Part of the Windows Aero experience is Windows Flip 3D (shown in Figure 1.8), which is a way to arrange your open windows in a three-dimensional stack that you can quickly flip through without having to click the taskbar. The keyboard shortcuts for Windows Flip 3D are the Windows key + Tab.

Windows 7 Graphical User Interface

FIGURE 1.8 Windows Flip 3D

Aero also includes taskbar previews for your open windows. When you point to a taskbar button, you see a thumbnail-sized preview of the window, whether the content of the window is a document, a photo, or even a running video. Beyond the new graphics and visual polish, the Windows Aero desktop experience includes smoother window handling, increased graphics stability, and glitch-free visuals, all of which give you a simple, comfortable, and high- quality experience.

Windows 7 includes some new features to work with your desktop applications:

. Aero Shake: If you need to cut through a cluttered desktop and quickly focus on a single window, just click a pane and shake your mouse back and forth. Every open window except that one instantly disappears. Jiggle again—and your windows are back. Note that some windows, such as open dialog boxes, cannot be minimized in this way.

. Aero Peek: Enables you to peer past all your open windows by making all the windows transparent to reveal all your hidden icons and gadgets.

. Aero Snap: A quick way to resize open windows simply by dragging them to the edges of your screen. Depending on where you drag a window, you can make it expand vertically, take up the entire screen, or appear side-by-side with another window.

Windows 7 Graphical User Interface

The following editions of Windows 7 include Aero: . Windows 7 Home Premium . Windows 7 Professional . Windows 7 Enterprise . Windows 7 Ultimate

Aero is not included in Windows 7 Home Basic or Windows 7 Starter. ExamAlert

Be sure you know what editions of Windows 7 support Windows Aero.

Cram Quiz

1. What do you call the long horizontal bar at the bottom of the screen that includes the running programs, the Start button, and the Notification Area?

❍ A. Desktop ❍ B. Taskbar ❍ C. Windows Explorer ❍ D. Alert Center

2. What replaced the Quick Launch shortcut?

❍ A. Notification Area ❍ B. Alert Center ❍ C. Recycle Bin ❍ D. Jump Lists

3. Which features are new to Windows 7? (Choose all that apply.)

❍ A. Aero Shake ❍ B. Aero Peek ❍ C. Aero Snap ❍ D. Windows Flip 3D

Windows 7 Graphical User Interface

Cram Quiz Answers

1. B is correct. The taskbar is the long horizontal bar at the bottom of the screen. Answer A is incorrect because the desktop is the main screen area that you use after you turn on your computer and log on to Windows. Answer C is incorrect because the Windows Explorer is the program that enables you to manage files and folders. Answer D is incorrect because the Alert Center is a program that notifies you of security and maintenance problems.

2. D is correct. A Jump List appears for programs that you’ve pinned to the taskbar and for programs that you are currently running. It helps you quickly access a program, folder, or document quickly. Answer A is incorrect because the Notification Area contains system icons that are alerting you of their status. Answer B is incorrect because the Alert Center notifies you of maintenance and security alerts. Answer C is incorrect because the Recycle Bin is used as a tem- porary storage area for files and folders that you delete.

3. A , B, and C are correct. If you need to cut through a cluttered desktop and quickly focus on a single window, just click a pane and shake your mouse back and forth (Aero Shake). Every open window except the one instantly disappears. Aero Peek enables you to peer past all of your open windows by making all of the Windows transparent. Aero Snap is a quick way to resize open widows. Answer D is incorrect because Windows Flip 3D was introduced in Windows Vista and enables you to arrange your windows in a three-dimensional stack that you can quickly flip through without having to click the taskbar.

CHAPTER 1: Introduction to Windows 7

Review Questions

1. Which operating system was the most popular operating system when Windows 7 was released?

❍ A. Windows XP ❍ B. Windows Vista ❍ C. Windows 2003 Workstation ❍ D. Windows 98

2. Which version of the kernel does Windows 7 use?

❍ A. 5 ❍ B. 5.1 ❍ C. 6 ❍ D. 7

3. What is the maximum number of applications you can run concurrently with the Windows 7 Starter?

❍ A. 1 ❍ B. 2 ❍ C. 3 ❍ D. Limited only by the hardware

4. Which editions of Windows 7 include all features that Windows 7 has to offer? (Choose two answers.)

❍ A. Windows 7 Home Premium ❍ B. Windows 7 Professional ❍ C. Windows 7 Enterprise ❍ D. Windows 7 Ultimate

5. Which of the following support added Windows 7 to a Windows domain? (Choose all that apply.)

❍ A. Windows 7 Starter ❍ B. Windows 7 Home Basic ❍ C. Windows 7 Home Premium ❍ D. Windows 7 Professional ❍ E. Windows 7 Enterprise ❍ F. Windows 7 Ultimate

Review Questions

6. What is the disadvantage of using a 64-bit version of Windows 7 when running applications?

❍ A. You are not able to run legacy 16-bit applications directly on Windows 7.

❍ B. You are only able to run up to three legacy 16-bit applications. ❍ C. You need to have 16-bit drivers available to use 16-bit applications. ❍ D. Your 16-bit applications run slowly.

7. What do you call the main screen area that you see after you turn on your computer and log on to Windows?

❍ A. Desktop ❍ B. Taskbar ❍ C. Windows Explorer ❍ D. Notification Area

8. Where do you place your gadgets?

❍ A. Notification Area ❍ B. Start menu ❍ C. Desktop ❍ D. Taskbar

9. What do you call the feature that enables you to shake away the cluttered desktop to quickly focus on a single window?

❍ A. Aero Shake ❍ B. Aero Peek ❍ C. Aero Snap ❍ D. Windows Flip 3D

10. Which of the following include Windows Aero? (Choose all that apply.)

❍ A. Windows 7 Home Premium ❍ B. Windows 7 Home Basic ❍ C. Windows 7 Professional ❍ D. Windows 7 Ultimate

CHAPTER 1: Introduction to Windows 7

Review Question Answers

1. A is correct. Although Windows XP was released in 2001, it was still the most popular operating system when Windows 7 was released. Answer B is incorrect because Windows Vista was heavily criticized and never became as popular as Windows XP. Answer C is incorrect because Windows 2003 Workstation does not exist. Answer D is incorrect because although Windows 98 was popular long ago, Windows XP became more popular, and it replaced Windows 98.

2. D is correct. Windows 7 uses the 7.0 version of the kernel. Answer A is incorrect because Windows 2000 used the 5.0 kernel. Answer B is incorrect because Windows XP uses the 5.1 kernel. Answer C is incorrect because Windows Vista uses 6.0 kernel.

3. D is correct. Windows 7 Starter is an edition targeted specifically for small form factor PCs. It is only available for 32-bit platforms. Initially, Windows 7 Starter edition could only support up to three concurrent programs. Since then,

Microsoft has eased this restriction and now enables you to run as many programs as you desire, being limited only by your hardware such as the amount of RAM. Therefore, Answers A, B, and C are incorrect.

4. C and D are correct. Windows 7 Enterprise is targeted at large Enterprise cus- tomers. Windows 7 Ultimate is targeted for technical enthusiasts who want all Windows 7 features. Windows 7 Enterprise edition requires a volume license, but Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate does not. Answers A and B are not correct because Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Professional do not include the language packs and do not have some of the more advanced enterprise applications, such as BitLocker, BitLocker To Go, AppLocker, DirectAccess, and BranchCache.

5. D , E, and F are correct. The only versions that support adding to a domain are Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate. Windows 7 Starter, Home Basic, and Home Premium do not support adding to a domain. Therefore, answers A, B, and C are incorrect.

6. A is correct. Although 64-bit versions of Windows 7 can address more memory and can process more at one time, they cannot directly support legacy 16-bit applications. Therefore, the other answers are incorrect. If you have a 16-bit application and you want to run the application on a 64-bit version of Windows

7, you should try using XP Mode. 7. A is correct. The desktop is the main screen area that you see after you turn on

your computer and log on to Windows. You can think of it as similar to a desk, which serves as a surface for your work. Answer B is incorrect because the taskbar is a long horizontal bar at the bottom of the screen. Answer C is incorrect because the Windows Explorer is the program that enables you to manage files and folders. Answer D is incorrect because the Notification Area is the area on the taskbar that holds system icons to let you know of an event.

8. C is correct. Unlike in Windows Vista, Gadgets in Windows 7 can be placed any- where on the desktop. They cannot be placed on the Start menu, taskbar, or Notification Area; therefore, Answers A, B, and D are incorrect.

Review Question Answers

9. A is correct. If you need to cut through a cluttered desktop and quickly focus on a single window, just click a pane and shake your mouse back and forth. Every open window except the one selected disappears. Answer B is incorrect because Aero Peek enables you to peer past all your open windows by making all the windows transparent. Answer C is incorrect because Aero Snap is a quick way to resize open windows. Answer D is incorrect because Windows Flip 3D enables you to arrange your windows in a three-dimensional stack that you can quickly flip through without having to click the taskbar.

10. A , C, and D are correct. Windows Aero can be found on Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, and Windows 7 Ultimate. It is not included in Windows 7 Home Basic or Windows 7 Starter. Therefore, Answer B is incorrect.

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CHAPTER 2

Aero Desktop Experience