Let’s face it—when there’s a task you don’t know how to do but you need to get it done in a hurry, or when you’re stuck in the middle of a task and can’t figure out what to do next, there’s nothing more frustrating than having to read page after page of technical background material. You want the information you need—nothing more, nothing less—and you want it now! And it should be easy to find and understand.

That’s what this book is all about. It’s written in plain English—no technical jargon and no computerese. No single task in the book takes more than two pages. Just look up the task in the index or the table of contents, turn to the page, and there’s the information you need, laid out in an illustrated step-by-step format. You don’t get bogged down by the whys and wherefores: Just follow the steps and get your work done with a minimum of hassle. Occasionally you might have to turn to another page if the procedure you’re working on is accompanied by a See Also. That’s because there’s a lot of overlap among tasks, and we didn’t want to keep repeating ourselves. We’ve scattered some useful Tips here and there, pointed out some features that are new in this version of Windows, and thrown in a Try This or a Caution once in a while. By and large, however, we’ve tried to remain true to the heart and soul of the book, which is that the information you need should be available to you at a glance.

Your computer probably came with Windows XP preinstalled, but if you do have to install it yourself, the Setup Wizard makes installation so simple that you won’t need our help anyway. So, unlike many computer books, this one doesn’t start with installation instructions and a list of system requirements.

Next, you don’t have to read this book in any particular order. It’s designed so that you can jump in, get the information you need, and then close the book and keep it near your computer. But that doesn’t mean we scattered the information about with wild abandon. The tasks you want to accomplish are arranged in two levels. The overall type of task you’re looking for is under a main section title such as "Chapter 4," "Chapter 9," and so on. Then, in each of those sections, the smaller tasks within the main task are arranged in a loose progression from the simplest to the more complex.

Section 2 covers the basics: starting Windows XP and shutting it down, using the Fast User Switching feature to change users without having to log off, starting programs and working with program windows, using shortcut menus, taking a class at Mouse School, and getting help if you need it.

Section 3 focuses on running programs, including some of the programs that come with Windows XP. You’ll find information here about everyday tasks: composing, editing, saving, opening, and closing documents; copying material between documents; using the Calculator; and what to do if your computer "freezes up." There’s a short section here for all you MS-DOS fans. And if you like playing computer games, either by yourself or with other players over the Internet, you’ll find the information you need here. You’ll also find information about the programs and games that are part of the Microsoft Plus! For Windows XP packs.

Sections 4 and 5 are all about using Windows XP as your window on the world at large—exploring, communicating, and using some of the tools that let you work and play in cyberspace. We’ll help you as you explore the Internet—searching for people and places, finding and revisiting Web sites, designating your home page, viewing Web pages off line, saving and copying material from Web sites, and so on. We’ll talk about communicating with friends and coworkers via e-mail—composing, sending, receiving, and forwarding messages; subscribing to newsgroups; managing and adding to your Contacts list; sending instant messages; and even having online voice and video chats or meetings. We’ll also discuss some of the major security measures you can use to protect your computer and your personal information from prying eyes. You’ll learn how to block those annoying and occasionally dangerous pop-up windows whose bullying takeovers of your screen drive you crazy when you’re using Internet Explorer. We’ll show you how to keep your e-mail account information safe when you’re using a public computer, and how to prevent the purveyors of spam from persuading you to download pictures and thus unwittingly provide information about yourself.

Sections 6 and 7 are all about having fun—working with different types of pictures, including drawings and photographs; scanning pictures; working with pictures from digital or analog cameras and VCRs; assembling slide shows; making great little movies with narration, soundtracks, and fade-in/fade-out transitions between clips; playing and recording CD music; creating and listening to your own music playlist; and trying out Narrator—a program that actually reads aloud to you. The possibilities are endless, and we know you’ll be thrilled by the professional results you can achieve with the combination of your own imagination and the Windows XP tools—among them Media Player and Movie Maker—that let you give free rein to your creativity. You’ll also see the additional tools you can use if you purchase the Microsoft Plus! For Windows XP Digital Media Edition pack.

Section 8 is the place to go if you have questions about printing your documents or problems setting up your printer. There’s a nice feature in Windows XP that makes it a snap to print your photographs, and we’ll also show you how to print readable Web pages. This section of the book also covers sending, receiving, and annotating faxes, as well as creating useful fax cover pages.

Section 9 covers managing and organizing your documents, files, and folders: moving or copying files, and creating a system of folders in which to keep them; sharing files with other users; creating quick access to files and folders; recovering deleted items; using compressed folders to minimize large files; storing files on CDs or other types of removable disks; arranging the items on your Desktop; and navigating with toolbars.

Section 10 is about networking—the different types of networks you might encounter, how to find what you need on your network, and how to use the power of a network to your best advantage. We’ll show you, among other things, how to share files and folders, and how to connect to your network in several different ways.

Sections 11 and 12 will help you make Windows work the way you want: You’ll be selecting your default Web browser, music player, e-mail program, and instant messaging program; adding or removing Windows XP components; installing programs; adding hardware; and setting up your printer and your network, dial-up Internet access, Outlook Express, and Fax Service. We’ll talk about customizing Windows XP: reverting to the classic Windows look; reorganizing the Start menu; customizing your Desktop, folder windows, and toolbars, and even the way you enter information, so that everything looks and works exactly the way you want.

Section 13 deals with what’s possibly the most important topic in the whole book: Security, with a capital "S"! In this section, we cover all the ways you can protect yourself and your computer from the activities of others, whether they have direct access to your computer or are lurking in some faraway place from which they attempt to prey on you over the Internet. We’ll show you how to set up secure passwords to deny access to your computer when you’re not around; set up your firewall to prevent intrusions from the Internet; protect your personal information on the Internet; and increase your protection against dangerous e-mail viruses.

Last but not least, section 14 concentrates on those troublesome activities that we all try to ignore but know we must get around to eventually—preferably sooner than later. So, just as you’ll occasionally need to do some basic maintenance on your car or bicycle, you’ll also need to tune up Windows once in a while. And if something does go wrong with your system, we’ll help you diagnose the problem, get help, and get the system running correctly again.

Throughout this book you’ll see New Feature icons identifying features that weren’t available when Windows XP was initially released. If you’re familiar with the original version of Windows XP, however, you’ll see that most of the new features are those that provide increased security. You’ll also find updated versions of some programs that were released after the original version of Windows XP, and all the new and interesting features that come in the Microsoft Plus! For Windows XP packs. This section of the book, however, might be more aptly entitled "What’s New for You in Windows XP?" That’s because Windows XP has taken the best features from both Windows Me and Windows 2000, improved on them, and added new ones. So, if you’ve been using Windows Me, you’ll find many powerful features that come from Windows 2000 in addition to the completely new features of Windows XP. If you’ve been using Windows 2000, you’ll find that the features incorporated from Windows Me make computing more friendly and more fun. And if you’ve been using Windows 95 or Windows 98, you’ll see all sorts of features that will be completely new to you.

If you’ve upgraded your operating system from a version prior to Windows XP, the first thing you’ll notice is Windows XP’s new interface. This dramatic change isn’t merely cosmetic—there are substantial changes to the way Windows functions. For example, Windows detects the content of a folder and then displays the content in the most advantageous view, listing the tasks you can do that apply to that type of content. No more searching around for the right command or window—just click the task you want to accomplish. You’ll find that you can customize many items: You can change the look back to that of Windows 2000 if you like, or just change parts of the interface—the Start menu, for example. You can change what the computer does when you insert a music CD or a program CD. You can change the way you log on.

So what’s new for you? If you’ve been using the Windows 95/Windows 98/Windows Me family of operating systems, the robustness, security, privacy, and power of Windows XP are new for you. You can use the powerful and secure NTFS disk format to protect your files from prying eyes, even if those eyes belong to other people who use your computer. You’ll also be able to use some of the powerful tools of Windows 2000, such as Fax Service to send and receive faxes, and the Computer Management Console to manage just about everything on your computer.

If you’re coming from the Windows 2000 and Windows NT family, the friendliness, compatibility, and fun of Windows XP will be new for you. You’ll be amazed that you can use so many different types of hardware and software. You can fix problems simply by restoring your computer to an earlier configuration, you can log on easily, and you can customize the system in so many ways. And yippee—you can make movies and play games!

You’ll find the Windows XP logon very friendly, and you’ll appreciate the Fast User Switching feature—no need to log off when someone else wants to use your computer. Just switch users, and then, when the computer is free, resume work with all your documents and settings intact. If you need to store some files on a CD or make your own music CD, just send the files to your CD recorder, and Windows XP does the rest. The new versions of Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, and Windows Messenger turn the Internet into your personal service provider—a source of endless information, entertainment, and communication. If you get into trouble, you can ask a friend or colleague for help over the Internet and let him or her take control of your computer and diagnose and fix the problem. And you can avoid evildoers lurking in cyberspace by installing a firewall that protects your computer from intrusion.

If you’re upgrading from the original version of Windows XP with the installation of Service Pack 2 or later, you’re going to see a significant increase in security. Many of these powerful security features are buried so deeply inside the operating system that you’re unlikely to even know they’re there—except by the reduction in problems you’ll encounter. Other features, such as the Windows Firewall, are more obvious. The Firewall is a rigorous sentry patrolling the doors to your computer, challenging anyone or anything that approaches from the outside, and stopping anything that tries to slither away from the inside carrying your secret information with it. You might get really tired of the frequency with which you’ll encounter the Windows version of "Halt, who goes there?" However, if the challenge stops a virus or destructive worm from infiltrating your computer, or prevents a file from a spyware program on your computer from escaping with your password or credit-card number, you’ll know it was worth the effort.

The increased security also encourages you to use all the available methods to prevent trouble. The new Security Center monitors your security settings and warns you if you haven’t installed the latest critical updates from Microsoft. It tells you if your anti-virus software needs updating or if the Windows Firewall isn’t protecting you as well as it should. The Security Center doesn’t just warn you about problems—it shows you how to apply the strongest, most effective settings and how to get the downloads you need. And the increased security isn’t limited to the operating system. You’ll find that Internet Explorer and Outlook Express also provide settings that increase security and help prevent problems.

But improved security is certainly not the only enhancement you’ll find in your updated Windows XP. For example, if you’d prefer not to use the programs for Web browsing, e-mail, instant messaging, and playing music that come with Windows XP, you can easily designate other programs as your default programs.

Some of the programs that came with the original version of Windows XP have also been upgraded; you’ll find that they work a bit differently and often contain new and useful features. Among them are new versions of Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, Windows Messenger, and Windows Movie Maker. And, as we point out throughout the book, you’ll find that the Microsoft Plus! and the Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition packs that became available after the original release of Windows XP will really enhance your work and play in Windows XP.

What’s new in Windows XP? Perhaps, finally, the feeling that you control the computer rather than the computer controlling you!

We had to make a few educated guesses about you, our audience, when we started writing this book. Perhaps your computer is solely for personal use—e-mail, surfing the Internet, playing games, and so on. Perhaps your work allows you to telecommute. Or maybe you run a small home-based business. Taking all these possibilities into account, we assumed either that you’d be using a stand-alone home computer or that you’d have two or more computers connected so that you could share files, a printer, and so on. We also assumed that you had an Internet connection.

Another assumption we made is that—initially, anyway—you’d use Windows XP just as it came, meaning that your folder windows and the Control Panel would show common tasks, and that you’d use your little friend the mouse in the traditional way: that is, point and click to select an item, and then double-click to open it. If you prefer, you can easily set your folder windows not to list common tasks, and you can use the mouse as if you were working on a Web page—pointing to an item to select it and then opening it with a single click. However, because Windows XP’s default setup makes accomplishing your work so easy—and because our philosophy is that work should be as stress-free and pleasant as possible—that’s what we’ve used in the procedures and graphics throughout this book.

We had three goals in writing this book:

We hope you’ll have as much fun using Microsoft Windows XP Plain & Simple, Second Edition as we’ve had writing it. The best way to learn is by doing, and that’s how we hope you’ll use this book.