The taskbar is a function bar provided by the main operating system to make navigating programs, windows and processes more convenient. It is divided into three areas: the Quick Launch bar, the task button area, and the system tray. Customizing the taskbar can make work or play on your computer more efficient and enjoyable.
In computing, a taskbar is a toolbar that typically runs along the bottom edge of the computer screen. The taskbar is a function bar provided by the main operating system (OS) to make navigating programs, windows and processes more convenient. The taskbar was born with Microsoft® Windows® 95 and continues to evolve. Other later operating systems may use different terminology for the taskbar.
The Windows XP® taskbar is divided into three areas: the Quick Launch bar, the task button area, and the system tray, which Microsoft refers to as the notification area. By default, the left end of the taskbar contains the Quick Launch bar, the middle displays the task buttons, and the right end contains the taskbar. Learning to use the taskbar effectively can make work or play on your computer more efficient and enjoyable. Let’s take a quick look at each function.
The purpose of the Quick Start area is to hold shortcuts to frequently used programs. Since the system tray is always visible, any program icon in the quick launch area is just a click away. If you need a particular program repeatedly throughout the day, placing an icon here will save you having to switch to the desktop or fish through the many programs listed below the Start Menu button. To place a shortcut on the taskbar, simply drag and drop an icon from the desktop into the quick launch area.
Some programs suitable for the Quick Start area might include your favorite web browser, e-mail client, and word processor. A shortcut to Notepad will let you type quick memos or paste snippets of text, and a calculator and conversion utility can also be handy to place here. Some programs will automatically place a quick launch icon in this toolbar once they are installed. To save valuable taskbar space, click and drag unwanted icons to your desktop.
The central part of the taskbar displays activity buttons for easily switching between open programs. Each time you open a new program, a new activity button appears. You could also open multiple windows in the same program, launching multiple activity buttons. Because this can crowd the system tray, Microsoft designed XP to group window buttons into a single program button that, when clicked, brings up a menu of task buttons. Vista® can display thumbnail previews on activity buttons, making navigation even easier.
The system tray occupies the far end of the system tray, displaying icons of running utilities and services. Here you’ll see the system clock, battery indicator, network indicators, Bluetooth® services, and firewall, antivirus, and antispyware icons for programs that are actively protecting your computer. The system tray may also contain optional shortcuts to configurable running utilities, such as speaker volume and graphics card settings. In Windows Vista®, the notification area separates system utility icons from program icons.
The system tray or notification area provides critical information at a glance. You can quickly confirm that your firewall and other security services are up and running. It may also show unnecessary services running, wasting valuable system resources. To close a service, right-click the icon and choose Quit from the pop-up menu. If the service is configured to run every time Windows starts, the icon will reappear on the next start. You can use a free startup manager to easily change this behavior and manage which programs are allowed to start at startup.
If you run a print job, you should see a printer icon appear in your system tray. If a problem occurs, double-click the icon to go to the print queue where you can read the details about the error. This is especially useful if you are printing over a network where the printer is not visible from your desktop. No one likes arriving at a printer only to find that the print job needs to be sent back!
Customizing the taskbar and getting familiar with it can make your life easier if you spend a lot of time on your computer. The seconds saved here and there add up to less repetitive gestures, fewer problems and more time and energy to be productive. Make the taskbar work for you and see what a difference it can make.
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