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Intro

In lesson 2 of our Microsoft Windows Vista course, you will learn how to customize key system settings such as the system clock, date, appearance, and desktop background. I will show you how to enable classic Start menu features, adjust folder views to resemble Windows XP, use the Windows Sidebar and gadgets, work with WordPad, and utilize Vista's new search tool. We will also cover getting online with Internet Explorer and managing email with Windows Mail. This lesson uses Windows Vista Ultimate, but everything shown applies to all Vista versions.

Transcript

Welcome to Windows Vista 102, brought to you by WindowsLearningZone.com. I am your instructor, Richard Rost.

In today's class, we are going to learn how to customize certain things in Windows. For example, I am going to show you how to turn the system clock on, change the computer date, your appearance, and the background.

If you liked Windows XP and the way it looked and felt, I am going to teach you how to turn on classic Start menu features and make your folders look like old Windows XP folders. Even if you have not used Windows XP, there are a lot of great customizations in that lesson.

Next, we are going to talk about the Windows Sidebar and little gadgets you can turn on and use. I am going to show you how to edit a document in WordPad. We are going to learn how Windows' new search feature works.

Then we will do some things on the Internet. We will learn about Internet Explorer and how to browse the web. We will send and receive email with Windows Mail.

This class is a prerequisite to Windows Vista 101. I strongly recommend you take Vista 101 before taking this class. Even if you have used Windows before, there are still some great tips and tricks in that class that you can learn from.

I will be using Windows Vista Ultimate in this lesson. However, all the things I am going to show you are valid for every version of Windows Vista.

I recommend you sit back and relax and watch the lesson through completely the first time. Then watch it a second time, following along with the examples on your computer. Do not try to learn while doing it the first time. It makes much more sense the second time through and you will be able to follow me much more easily. If you watch it once without trying to do anything, just watch and learn. See what I am trying to accomplish. Then, after I am done with the lesson, play it again and do the examples on your computer.

There is a class website where you can go to discuss this class and all the topics. You can chat with me and all the other students at windowslearningzone.com. Question mark, GWV102, is a special link that will take you right to this class website.

If you are watching the class in the Amicron video player while online in our Amicron theater, you should see this discussion web pop up to the right side of the video. If not, you can go to that web page directly by typing that address into your address bar, and I will teach you how to do that later on in Internet Explorer in Lesson 5.

And of course, if you need any help with anything related to this class, windowslearningzone.com/contact is our customer service page.

Quiz

Q1. What is one of the customizations taught in the Windows Vista 102 class?
A. Turning the system clock on
B. Installing new hardware
C. Removing Windows updates
D. Formatting a hard drive

Q2. What does the instructor recommend doing if you liked the look of Windows XP?
A. Upgrading to Windows XP
B. Turning on classic Start menu features and classic folder views
C. Installing Windows XP themes from the internet
D. Only using command prompt

Q3. What feature related to small applications will be discussed in the class?
A. Running DOS games
B. Using the Windows Sidebar and gadgets
C. Editing registry entries
D. Configuring disk partitions

Q4. Which built-in program will be used for word processing in this lesson?
A. Microsoft Word
B. WordPad
C. Notepad++
D. Excel

Q5. What is the new feature of Windows introduced for file searching?
A. Command Prompt Search
B. File Explorer Basic Search
C. Windows new search feature
D. Internet Search Bar

Q6. What web activity will be covered in the class?
A. Creating web pages
B. Browsing the web with Internet Explorer
C. Installing web servers
D. Hacking websites

Q7. Which email program will be used to send and receive email?
A. Gmail
B. Outlook Express
C. Windows Mail
D. Thunderbird

Q8. What does the instructor recommend you do the first time you watch the lesson?
A. Follow along and try each example immediately
B. Sit back, relax, and watch without doing the examples
C. Take detailed notes during the lesson
D. Skip lessons unrelated to your experience

Q9. What should you do after watching the class once, according to the instructor?
A. Watch it again and follow along on your computer
B. Never watch it again
C. Read only the transcript
D. Skip directly to the conclusion

Q10. Where can students go to discuss the class and chat with the instructor and other students?
A. The Windows Help Desk
B. windowslearningzone.com
C. The Microsoft official site
D. Online gaming forums

Q11. What should you use if you need help related to the class?
A. Search on YouTube
B. windowslearningzone.com contact page
C. Call Microsoft support directly
D. Join a computer club

Answers: 1-A; 2-B; 3-B; 4-B; 5-C; 6-B; 7-C; 8-B; 9-A; 10-B; 11-B

DISCLAIMER: Quiz questions are AI generated. If you find any that are wrong, don't make sense, or aren't related to the video topic at hand, then please post a comment and let me know. Thanks.

Summary

Today's video from Windows Learning Zone focuses on customizing your Windows Vista experience. I will guide you through several alterations you can make to better suit your needs and preferences.

We will start by looking at basic customizations you can perform, such as enabling or disabling the system clock, changing the date on your computer, and modifying your system's appearance and background. For those who enjoyed the look and feel of Windows XP, I will explain how you can activate classic Start menu features and adjust your folder settings so they closely resemble the classic Windows XP style. Even if you have not used Windows XP before, you will find plenty of useful options for personalizing your computer.

After those adjustments, we will discuss the Windows Sidebar, which includes handy gadgets you can use to enhance your workflow. I will also show you how to use WordPad to edit documents and explore how Windows Vista's new search feature allows you to quickly find files and information on your system.

Next, we will shift our focus to online activities. You will learn about using Internet Explorer to browse the web efficiently, and I will cover how to send and receive emails using Windows Mail.

This course does build on the foundational material covered in Windows Vista 101, so I strongly advise watching that earlier class first, even if you are already familiar with Windows. Vista 101 includes many helpful tips and techniques that could improve your experience.

Throughout this lesson, I will be using Windows Vista Ultimate, but everything I demonstrate will work in all versions of Windows Vista.

To get the most out of this class, I suggest you first watch the entire lesson without trying to follow along on your own computer. Just watch and try to absorb the concepts and procedures. Then, go back and watch it again, this time working through the examples with me step by step. This approach will make the instructions much easier to follow and understand.

Remember, there is a class website where you can join discussions about this course and interact with me and other students. Just head over to windowslearningzone.com and use the GWV102 code to go directly to the site dedicated to this class.

If you are using the Amicron video player online in the Amicron theater, you should see the discussion website open up next to the video. If you do not, you can access it directly by typing the web address into your browser. I will cover how to do that later in the lesson when we look at Internet Explorer.

As always, if you need any assistance with anything covered in this class, our customer service page at windowslearningzone.com is available to help you.

You can find a complete video tutorial with step-by-step instructions on everything discussed here on my website at the link below. Live long and prosper, my friends.

Topic List

Turning the system clock on
Changing the computer date
Customizing desktop appearance
Changing desktop background
Enabling classic Start menu features
Making folders look like Windows XP folders
Using the Windows Sidebar
Using and configuring gadgets in Sidebar
Editing a document in WordPad
Using the new Windows search feature
Browsing the web with Internet Explorer
Sending and receiving email with Windows Mail