Windows xp, Vista
Windows XP is a graphical operating system that was released in 2001. Windows XP was a major revision of the Microsoft Windows operating system created for use on desktop and business computer systems. It is presently the latest general-purpose version of Microsoft's family of operating systems, and is succeeded by Windows Vista. The letters XP are said to come from the word ’experience’.
The most common editions of the operating system are Windows XP Home Edition, which is targeted at home users, and Windows XP Professional, which has additional features and is targeted at power users and business clients. Windows XP Media Centre Edition, released one year later, consists of Windows XP Professional with new features allowing users to record and watch TV shows, watch DVDs, listen to music and more.
Windows XP is known for its improved stability and efficiency over previous consumer versions of Windows. It presented a significantly redesigned GUI (graphical user interface), a change Microsoft promoted as more user-friendly than previous versions of Windows. Windows XP is also the first version of Windows to use product activation to combat software piracy, a restriction that did not sit well with some users and privacy advocates.
Windows XP introduced several new features to the Windows operating system line. The most noteworthy ones include: faster start-up and hibernation sequences; the ability to discard a newer device driver in favour of the previous one (known as driver rollback), should a driver upgrade not produce desirable results; a new, arguably more user-friendly interface, including the framework for developing themes for the desktop environment; fast user switching, which allows a user to save the current state and open applications of their desktop and allow another user to log on without losing that information; the Remote Desktop functionality, which allows users to connect to a computer running Windows XP from across a network or the Internet and access their applications, files, printers, and devices and support for most DSL (digital subscriber line) modems and wireless network connections.
Windows Vista is the next major version of Microsoft Windows. Vista will be one of the most substantial updates in the history of Windows in terms of new features and is thought to be the largest and most costly software development project in the history of computing.
Windows Vista has many new features, such as an updated graphical user interface, improved searching technology, a number of new security features, and completely redesigned networking, audio, print and display sub-systems. Vista also aims to increase the level of communication between machines on a home network using peer-to-peer technology, making it easy to share files, password settings, and digital media between computers and devices. Microsoft's primary stated goal with Vista, however, has been to improve the state of security in the Windows operating system. Amongst the many common criticisms of Windows XP, the most significant has been its security vulnerabilities, and an overall susceptibility to viruses and buffer overflows.
Ex. 3. General understanding. Look through the text again and answer the
following questions:
1. Why was Windows XP a major revision of Microsoft Windows?
2. What do the letters XP mean?
3. What are the most common editions of Windows XP?
4. What was improved in a new operating system?
5. What new features were introduced in Windows XP?
6. Why will Windows Vista be one of the most substantial updates in the history of
Windows operating system line?
Ex. 4. Which of the listed below terms have Russian equivalents:
activation, advocate, application, audio, client, criticism, efficiency, functionality, history, piracy, project, theme, version, virus.
Ex. 5. Give the Russian equivalents to the following English word combinations from the text:
additional features, combat software piracy, come from, current state, fast user switching, improved stability and efficiency, major revision, most substantial update, previous version, privacy advocate, product activation, run Windows XP, security features, wireless network connection.
Ex. 6. Give the English equivalents to the following Russian word combinations from the text:
возвращение (восстановление прежнего) драйвера, восприимчивость к вирусам, в пользу, опытный (квалифицированный) пользователь, основная цель, переполнение буфера, самый дорогой (затратный) проект, среда рабочего стола, технология одноранговой (прямой) связи, цифровая среда.
Ex. 7. Which of the listed below statements are true/false. Specify your answer
using the text.
Example: That’s right/It’s true ...
That’s wrong/It’s false ...
1. Windows XP was the same operating system as Windows 2000.
2. Windows XP is the latest general-purpose version of Microsoft’s family of operating
systems.
3. The most common editions of Windows XP are Windows XP home Edition and
Windows XP Media Centre Edition.
4. Windows XP is an improved version of Windows operating system line in terms of its
stability and efficiency over previous consumer versions of Windows.
5. Windows XP was only an improved version of Windows operating system line.
6. Windows XP is succeeded by Windows Vista as the next major version of Microsoft
Windows.
7. Windows Vista is considered to be the largest and cheapest Software development
project in the history of computing.
8. Windows Vista has very few new features.
9. Windows Vista is targeted primarily to improve the state of security in Windows
operating system.
Ex.8. Retell the text using the questions of ex.3.
Ex.9. Questions for group discussions:
1. Compare Windows XP with Windows 98 Second Edition and Windows 2000. State its
improved and new features.
2. Do you think Windows Vista is really the next major version of Microsoft Windows?
Why and why not?
3. Think over the future of Windows operating system line.
Unit 6. Text. Introduction to the WWW and the Internet.
Grammar.
Ex. 1. Study the following words, read and translate the text.
1. broadcast live — передавать в прямом эфире
2. browse — рассматривать, разглядывать
3. browser — браузер (программа поиска информации)
4. business transactions — коммерческие операции
5. compete — соревноваться
6. humanities — гуманитарные науки
7. hyperlink — гиперссылка
8. link — соединять
9. network — сеть
10. provide — обеспечивать (чем-либо)
11. provider — провайдер (компания, предоставляющая доступ к WWW через местные
телефонные сети
12. recreation — развлечение
13. retrieve — извлекать
14. share — делить
15. site — страница, сайт
16. variety — разнообразие, спектр
17. World Wide Web — «Всемирная Паутина»
Ex.2. Read and translate the text.