Starting and Exiting a Program

The most common way to start a Windows program is to use the Start menu, which provides easy access to programs installed on your computer. Clicking the Start button on the taskbar displays the Start menu, which lists common and recently used programs and the All Programs submenu. The All Programs submenu is the master list of every program on your computer. If you start a program, such as your e-mail program, every time you start Windows, you can save some time by adding the program to the Startup folder. When you’re done working with a program, you should exit, or close it, to conserve your computer’s resources.

Start a Program from the Start Menu

Windows Vista provides several ways to start a program:

• Click the Start button, and then click a program.
  
  
• Click the Start button, point to All Programs, click a program group if necessary, and then click a program.
  
  
• Click the Start button, click Computer or Documents, navigate to the folder with the program or file associated with the program you want, and then double-click the icon.
  
  
• Click the Start button, point to All Programs, click Accessories, click Run, type the full path and file name of the program, and then click OK.
  
  

Exit a Program

Windows Vista provides several ways to exit a program:

• Click the File menu, and then click Exit.
  
  
• Click the Close button on the program’s title bar.
  
  
• Double-click the Control-menu on the program’s title bar.
  
  
• Right-click the program’s taskbar button, and then click Close.