Windows Vista consists of Windows Media Player 11, Windows Movie Maker with new effects and High Definition support, Windows Calendar, DVD Maker, Contacts, Fax and Scan, Disk Defragmenter with scheduled defragging, Windows Easy Transfer, Memory Diagnostics Tool, mildly improved Task Scheduler, and many other smaller tools. Microsoft is obscuring the differentiation between Control Panels and onboard utilities, adding several tools in Windows Vista's Control Panel. They are more like stand-alone utilities than settings. Backup and Restore, Parental Controls, Performance Rating and Tools, and Windows Defender are all new mini applications residing in Control Panels. More conventional Control Panel additions or revisions include AutoPlay configuration, Color Management, Device Manager, Digital Identities (smart-card management), Indexing Options for the integrated search functionality, Mobility Center, Network Center, Network File and Printer Sharing, and Power Options.
Collectively, this batch of new programs, utilities and configuration controls represents the single largest update of bundled software since Windows 95. They may sound like bells and whistles. On their own, few of these additions are really anything major, but they're not worthless either. Everyone of these mini applications have its own usefulness. In the case of Backup and Restore and Windows Defender, the functionality is a notch above minor. Backup and Restore is able to do scheduled, automatic backups to optical media or network volumes. It brings Windows Vista's control panels into the 21st century.
tags: Windows Vista, Windows Media Player 11, Windows XP, Windows Defender
