Windows Vista in a Nutshell

Conventions Used in This Book

The following typographical conventions are used in this book:

Italic

Used to introduce new terms, user-defined files and directories, file extensions, filenames, and directory and folder names.

Constant width

Used to indicate command-line computer output and code examples.

Constant width bold

Used to indicate user input.

Constant width italic

Used in code examples and text to show sample text to be replaced with your own values.

[Square brackets]

Used around an item to show a step or parameter (usually a command-line parameter) that is optional. Include or omit the option as needed. Parameters not shown in square brackets are typically mandatory. See "Path Notation,” which follows, for another use of square brackets in this book.

The following symbols are used in this book:

Tip

This symbol indicates a tip.

Warning

This symbol indicates a warning.

Path Notation

Rather than using procedural steps to tell you how to reach a given Windows Vista user interface element or application, I use a shorthand path notation.

For example, the book doesn’t say, “Click on the Start menu, then click on All Programs, then on Accessories, and then on Paint.” It simply says, Start → All Programs → Accessories → Paint. The book generally doesn’t distinguish between menus, dialog boxes, buttons, checkboxes, and so on, unless it’s not clear from the context. Just look for a GUI element whose label matches an element in the path.

The path notation is relative to the Desktop or some other ...