Text B: «WINDOWS 95»

Windows 95 is a new operational system with an easy interface based on the expanding windows principle which uses icons to graphically represent files and their types.

Windows 95 makes the way you and your computer interact easy. Most everyday tasks are now easier to ac­complish than ever before. For example, the second mouse button has become a powerful weapon. The old Windows 3.0 Program Manager and File Manager have been replaced. The desktop tools that replace them are very like those found on a Macintosh. For example, there is a Recycle Bin that makes it easier to recover acciden­tally deleted files.

Your computer probably will crash less running Win­dows 95 than it did with Windows 3.1 and 3.0 or even DOS. Most memory related problems have been removed. Built-in networking features make it easy to reliably share files with co-workers across the room or across the world. And MS-DOS as we know it is so well hidden that you'll rarely give it a thought. Yes, you can still run DOS programs and older Windows applications but most us­ers will probably want to spend most of their time using Windows 95 applications instead.

Microsoft says that it is moving forward to the time when we'll all think more about our data and less about the specific name-brand programs used to create them.

Window 95 plug-and-play capability makes it easy to upgrade your computer hardware. And portable compu­ter users will like what Microsoft has done to make their lives calmer.

A new Windows shortcuts capability makes it easy to reach frequently used files and other necessities. A new Find feature helps you to locate and examine the contents of files in a flash.

Most of this is accomplished without sacrificing per­formance. In fact, many things (like printing) usually happen faster now, due to 32-bit support and other Win­dows 95 advancements.

Vocabulary:

to interact — взаимодействовать

to accomplish — выполнять, достигать

weapon — оружие

to replace — замещать

Recycle Bin — корзина

to crash — ломаться, давать сбои

to remove — удалять

co-workers — коллеги, сослуживцы

rarely — редко

to plug — подключать

frequently — часто

support — поддержка

necessity — необходимость

flash — вспышка, зд. in a flash — моментально

to give smth. a thought — подумать о чем- либо

brand-name — торговая марка

calm — спокойный

shortcut — кратчайший путь

to sacrifice — жертвовать

advancement — прогресс, продвижение

General understanding:

1) What is Windows 95?

2) What new principles are used in Windows 95?

3) What is a Recycle Bin feature?

4) What problems has Windows 95 solved?

5) Is it possible to run old DOS programs under Win­dows 95?

6) What is a «plug-n-play» capability?

7) What is a «shortcut» capability?

8) What is a «Find» feature?

9) Why many things work faster now with Windows 95?

Exercise 9.4. Which of the listed above statements are true/false. Specify your answer using the text.

1) An «icon» is graphical image that represents file and its type.

2) Second button is not used in Windows 95 because most people use 1-button mouse.

3) There are no similarities between Macintosh and Windows 95 desktop tools.

4) Windows 95 has some tools which help to commu­nicate with other people through computer network.

5) It's no longer possible to use MS-DOS commands and run MS-DOS files.

6) Microsoft corporation is oriented to produce as many programs as needed to meet people needs and make them buy specific brand- name products.

7) New plug-n-play capability is for those who like to play computer games 24 hours a day and seven days a week.

8) A new shortcut feature is used to cut long programs very short to save disk space.

9) New Find feature helps you to locate the contents of files.

10) It must be mentioned that all new Windows fea­tures are possible only because of the low level of per­formance and quality.

Exercise 9.5. Find the equivalents in the text:

1) Ваш компьютер вероятно будет давать меньше сбоев с Виндоуз 95, чем с более ранними версиями и даже ДОС.

2) Корпорация Майкрософт заявляет, что она дела­ет все для того, чтобы приблизить время, когда мы все будем думать больше о наших данных, чем о конкрет­ных «фирменных» программах, которые используют­ся для создания этих данных.

3) Новая функция поиска позволяет обнаружить местоположение и исследовать содержимое файла в мгновение ока.

4) Большинство этих функций достигнута в ущерб производительности.

5) ДОС, каким мы его знаем, так хорошо запрятан, что вы редко думаете о его использовании.

6) В Виндоуз 95 существует инструмент Корзина, который позволяет легко восстанавливать случайно удаленные файлы.

7) Инструменты Рабочего Стола очень схож с инструментами Макинтоша.

8) Вторая кнопка мыши стала мощным оружием.

Exercise 9.6. What is:

1) window

2) icon

3) recycle bin

4) plug-and-play capability

5) shortcut feature

Exercise 9.7. Practice:

1) Start Windows 95. Empty the Recycle Bin. See the free diskspace on drives A and C. See the catalgue of disk C.

2) Resize, maximize and minimize the window. Close the window. Move it, holding the left button.

3) Create a folder COMPUTER. Copy any 2 filesinto it. Rename the folder. Delete two files into the Recycle Bin then recover them. Delete the whole folder.

4) Create a textual file in WordPad program. Save it as TEXT. Rename it as MYFILE. Create a shortcut for it. Put the shortcut on the DeskTOP.

5) Create a picture in Paintbrush program. Save it as MYPICTURE. Create folder PICTURES. Copy file MYPICTURE to the PICTURES folder.

6) QUIT Windows 95.

Questions for group discussion:

1) What are the poor features of Windows 95?

2) Computer society thinks, that Intel company, the most powerful CPU producer, has an agreement with Microsoft corporation that the latter will develop more and more sophisticated, large and demanding software to force users to buy new processors and upgrade their computers. Do you think this might be true? How does this suggestion correlate with the new Windows 2000 and Microsoft Office 2000? Do you think that Bill Gates' monopoly on Windows operating systems is very dangerous for the competition and price-making process?

3) Ask anyone in the group who has a computer if Windows 98 is better than Windows 2000? Why and why not?

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