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Chapter 3 Windows XP Stuff Everybody Thinks You Already Know In This Chapter B Explanations of the strange terms used in Windows XP B Information on where to look for more details on these strange terms hen Microsoft Windows first hit the market in 1985, it failed mis- erably. Windows’ weak attempts at fancy graphics choked the equally weak computers of the day. Even when it did run, Windows was slow, awkward, and downright ugly. Today’s powerful computers easily whip Windows into shape. After 15 years on the market, Windows has turned into a trendy bestseller that’s preinstalled on nearly every new PC. Because Windows has been around for so long, a lot of people have had a head start. Many kids learned about Windows in grade school. Even today’s major corporations seem to take it for granted that you can suc- cessfully navigate their Web pages. To help you catch up, this chapter is a tourist’s guidebook to those weird Windows words that everybody else thinks you already know. Activation Here’s a big secret: You don’t really own Windows XP. Even when you buy Windows at the store, or it comes preinstalled on your new com- puter, it’s not yours. No, the fine print says that only Microsoft owns Windows. You only own a license—permission—to run Windows on W
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