Desktop Sidebar - Changing Gadgets

Sidebar is usually turned on by default. You may want to change or edit the clock, calender, and slide show that is set in the sidebar of your new to Vista computer. This is done by:

• Left clicking on the Start Orb
• Go to All Programs
• Then Accessories
• Finally to Windows Sidebar

This will open Windows Sidebar on the right side of your monitor. If you want to add new gadget, just left click on the little plus sign at the top of the Sidebar. This will bring up a selection of gadgets that come with Windows Vista. At the bottom of this Window is a link that will take you to a web location where you can choose from more gadgets.

If you want to remove a gadget from the sidebar move your cursor over that gadget. A "X" will appear. Left click on this "X" and that gadget will be removed from the Sidebar.

Wireless Network - Connecting

Most all laptops have a built-in wireless card. This is the 802.11 Standard, not the wireless internet that Verizon and Sprint sells. The later is internet wherever you are at. The former requires you to be within 400 ft of a WiFi network transmitter.

• From the Start Orb left click
• Then left click on Connect to
• Wireless networks on top are higher priority
• Move to network which you want to connect
• Left click on it, to highlight it
• Then at the lower right, click on Connect
  

Resource Monitor - Intro

Ever wonder what you computer is doing? Have you ever wondered if your processor is being over worked? Have you ever noticed that your computer suddenly got slow, then you started to panic?

In Windows Vista there is another tool, beside the Task Manager it investigate what is happening with you computer. It is call the Resource Monitor. You open up the Task Manager by doing the 3-finger salute. Then at the bottom right you left click on Resource Monitor.

Through this monitor you can see in graph form and number wise four important aspects of your computer.

1. CPU - How hard your processor is working.
2. Disk - The amount and speed that data is being written to your hard drive.
3. Network - Here you can see if any information is going or coming from your computer.
4. Memory - High usage of memory is usually the first place on will see slowness of their computer.
   

Windows Calender - Sharing

In our household we are constantly struggling with three different schedules that can change every two weeks if not every week. We try to sit down once a week and review what is planned for the next week. It is inevitable that one of us misses something.

Windows Calender offers a solution to families like ours. It is under the menu item titled Share.

The calender can be published to a location on the internet to be seen by those you want. It can be sent via email to family members. And what I think is neat is that you can sync it with other family members calenders.

This may not eliminate scheduling problems, but it should greatly reduce them.

Windows Calender

Windows Calender is one of the applications that is put into Windows Vista. This application along with Windows mail, Windows Calender can eliminate the need to get Microsoft's Office Outlook.

You get to Windows Calender from the Start Orb. If is does show up left clicking on the Orb, then you will have to go to All Programs.

In the left column, you have the current month calender. Below that is option to have multi calenders. At the bottom of the left column is a space to keep track of daily tasks.

The center column is daily appointments. It is broken into hours. You can view day, work week, week, and month from the View menu at the top of Windows Calender.

Finally the left column allows to to do some more customization.

Vista SP1 - First Look

Vista SP1 is out and being install on people's computer. The overall consistence is that there is little or no noticeable difference. There are a few application that break after Service Pack 1 gets installed.

I have yet to get Service Pack 1 installed on my computer. However, I have talked with a few people that have. They all have told me that they have not noticed any really difference. Some of the other things I have read over the web is as follows.

• Microsoft has posted a list of what application break after Service Pack 1 is installed (read more).
• Cnet.com is reporting that Service Pack 1 was release early to users who have the 64 bit versions of Vista.
  
• Info World says that Microsoft pulled its updates during the middle of people's updates, thus resulting in endless reboots.
  

Sharing On A Network

Every home has at least two computer, now days. At some point in time there arises a need to share files across the network. In Windows XP and Vista this is done by turning on File and Print Sharing.

Turning on File Sharing in Vista is done as follows:

• Left click on the Start Orb then Network
• Click Network and Sharing Center along the top of the window
• Turn on Network Discovery and File Sharing. You may want to turn on Public Sharing
• Go back to the Start Orb and then Computer
  
• Left click on C drive go to the folder you want to share
• Right click it and left click on Share. You will get a dialog box asking who you want to share this folder.
  
• Type in Everyone and click on Add
• Next to the new entry for Everyone
• Leave it as to Reader if you just want to give read-only access
• Change it to Co-owner if you want to give full access

Vista will now set up that folder as a share. Repeat the process for any other folder you'd like access to over the network.