Special Edition Using Microsoft Windows Vista
About the Authors Robert Cowarthas written more than 40 books on computer programming and applications,with more than a dozen on Windows. His titles includeWindows NT Unleashed,Mastering Windows 98,Windows NT Server Administrator’s Bible, andWindows NT Server4.0: No Experience Required. Several of his books have been bestsellers in their categoryand have been translated into more than 20 languages. He has written on a wide range ofcomputer-related topics for such magazines asPC Week,PC World,PC Magazine,PC TechJournal,Mac World, andMicrosoft Systems Journal. In addition to working as a freelanceconsultant specializing in small businesses, he has taught programming classes at theUniversity of California Extension in San Francisco. He has appeared as a special guest onthe PBS TV seriesComputer Chronicles, CNN’sHeadline News, ZD-TV’sThe Screen Savers,and ABC’sWorld News Tonight with Peter Jennings.Robert lives in Berkeley, California. Inhis spare time he is involved in the music world, producing chamber-music concerts andplaying various genres of music. He meditates regularly in hopes of rewiring his innercomputer. Brian Knittelhas been a software developer for more than 20 years. After doing graduatework in nuclear medicine and magnetic resonance imaging technologies, he began a careeras an independent consultant. An eclectic mix of clients has led to long-term projects inmedical documentation, workflow management, real-time industrial system control, andmost importantly, 20 years of real-world experience with MS-DOS, Windows, and computernetworking in the business world. Previously, he coauthoredSpecial Edition UsingMicrosoft Windows 2000 Professional,Special Edition Using Microsoft Windows XP,and contributedto several of Bob Cowart’s other Windows books. Brian also coauthoredUpgrading and Repairing Windows, with Scott Mueller, and is the sole author ofWindows XPUnder the Hood. Brian lives in Oakland, California, and spends his free time restoringantique computers and trying to perfect his wood-fired pizza recipes. About the Contributors Everette Beatleyis a fourth-year computer engineering major at Christopher NewportUniversity in Newport News, Virginia. He currently works for Southern Electronics, Inc.in Kilmarnock, Virginia, as a System Administrator. When not in school, Everette lives inLancaster, Virginia, where he enjoys road cycling and waterskiing on the RappahannockRiver. Eric Butowhas authored or coauthored seven books since 2000, includingMaster VisuallyWindows 2000 Server,Teach Yourself Visually Windows 2000 Server,FrontPage 2002 WeekendCrash Course,C#: Your Visual Blueprint,Creating Web Pages Bible, andDreamweaver MX2004 Savvy. His most recent book isThe PDF Book for Microsoft Office, an e-book producedby ExcelUser.com. He is also the CEO of Butow Communications Group (BCG), a technicalwriting and web design firm based in Roseville, California. Butow also writes forAddison-Wesley. Greg Dickinsonlives in Birmingham, Alabama, and has 10 years experience with computernetworking. He works for one of the top 30 banks in the country, packaging and distributingsoftware packages and updates to the bank’s 6,000 desktops. When not wrestlingwith the intricacies of enterprise networks, Greg likes to spend his time recording trainingvideos and singing in a barbershop chorus. Diana Hugginsis currently the Information Services Technical Communication Specialistfor Great-West Life. She also works as an independent contractor providing both technicalwriting and consulting services. Diana has authored/coauthored several certification studyguides, includingWindows 2000 Directory Services Design (Exam Cram 70-219)as well asMCSE Planning and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure(Exam 70-293). To complement this, she also spends a portion of her time providingtechnical-editing services and developing certification practice exams. Alex G. Moralesfirst managed networked computer systems in the 1980s and has sincemanaged some of the world’s largest Internet sites. Along with several industry certifications,he holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of Texas, and currentlyleads a stalwart team of engineers in the global deployment of Windows Vista atDell, Inc. Alex lives in Austin, Texas, with his muse, Gwen, her son Evan, and Molly theBorder Collie. Will Schmied, MCSE, is a Senior Systems Administrator for a world-renowned children’sresearch hospital. As a freelance writer, Will has worked with many publishers, includingMicrosoft and Pearson. Will has also worked directly with Microsoft in the MCSE examdevelopmentprocess and is the founder of the popular Internet certification portal,www.mcseworld.com. Will currently resides in northern Mississippi with his wife, Chris;their children, Christopher, Austin, Andrea, and Hannah; their dogs, Charlie and Jack; andtheir cats, Smokey, Evin, and Socks. Mark Edward Soperhas worked with computers and related technologies since 1983 andspecializes in technology education through training, writing, and public speaking. He hastaught computer troubleshooting and other subjects to thousands of students, and is the00_SEUMWV_fm.qxd 12/7/06 5:05 PM Page xxxivauthor or coauthor of 17 books, most recentlyUpgrading and Repairing Networks, 5th edition,published by Que Publishing, and has also written more than 150 magazine articles.He has CompTIA A+ and Microsoft MCP certifications and provides online self-help contentfor Skywire Software, technology screening questions for ReviewNet. He also teachesapplied technology classes for IvyTech Community College of Indiana. Mark lives inEvansville, Indiana, and blogs at www.markesoper.com. Steve Suehringis a technology architect and author with a diverse background of computingexperience. In recent years, Steve has worked on several books and magazine articlesand has been an editor for a popular technology magazine. Steve has spoken at conferencesand meetings internationally and currently works with clients to help them optimize andbetter utilize technologies, both old and new. Brent Thalis a Virginian who is a senior at Christopher Newport University in computerengineering and plans to attend graduate school in computer science and applied physics.Brent comes from a long line of engineers. His grandfather was a mechanical engineer, andhis father is a registered professional engineer (P.E.) in civil engineering and an adjunct professorof engineering at the University of Virginia. After graduate school, Brent plans towork in the computer engineering field for a highly reputable company and continue towrite as a contributing author.