Computer Basics & Beyond

When new Windows users fire up their computer for the first time, the first thing that they dive in to is the Start Menu. Right off the bat, they are shown a variety of things that they can do. A kind of window of opportunity. In an effort to make the Start Menu smart and user friendly, the folks over at Microsoft set in place an area where the users frequently used programs could reside. This area incorporates 6 links (highlighted in blue to the left). All of the programs in this area are ranked according to how much you use them. They actually are given "points". So, if you use a program very frequently, more so than any other, it will be placed at the top of the 6 allocated programs. As you start to use this program less and less it will start to fall off and be over-taken by another that you use more. All of this happens behind the scenes so don't go looking for how many points one has over the other. <smile>

While you do not have the flexibility of re-ordering these 6 programs, you can remove them from the list by simply right click one and selecting 'delete' from the resulting menu options. It will quickly be replaced by the next program with the highest number of points.

So, how does Windows know what to put in this 6 program slot when the operating system is being used for the very first time you ask? Well, Microsoft's answer to that is that the user will have a display of 6 'fun' programs to look at. Of course, all of the 'fun' programs are Microsoft products. They certainly aren't stupid! Once the user starts to use the variety of installed programs, the point system will then kick in.