Windows Vista in a Nutshell

Considerations and Scope

The focus of this book is on users and their networks and applications, not on large enterprise or corporate systems or network administration. However, the book recognizes that many people run small networks in their homes or in their offices, so it spends a considerable amount of time on network tools, settings, configuration, and troubleshooting. Therefore, in addition to covering the use of Windows Vista on a single PC, the book also covers how to set up a network, how to troubleshoot it, and how to take advantage of Windows Vista’s numerous networking features, including file and printer sharing, offline folders, collaboration via Windows Meeting Space, using Remote Desktop Connections, and many other common and not-so-obvious network tasks.

This book also offers you a basic understanding of the deeper levels of network configuration available in large, enterprise-level networks, but specific installation details and detailed configuration information for system and network administrators are largely beyond its scope.

This book has tried to speak universal truths about Windows Vista, but sometimes it is forced to make assumptions about your settings or installed options. Microsoft gives so many configuration options, and computer manufacturers can change some configurations, so the truth is that, for better or worse, each user’s machine represents a slightly different installation of Windows Vista. Of all the code and data Microsoft ships on the Windows ...