Although at first glance it may not look like there were many changes to the Windows 98 desktop, there are several major changes. Changes have been made regarding tooltips, the new QuickLaunch Toolbar, the Channel Bar, and the Start Menu. This page deals with some of those changes.
Tooltips, which are pop-up messages that appear when you point at certain items, is now expanded.
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These can also come up on items such as My Computer. Shortcut menus also come up differently in Windows 98. Click here to see a video demo. (197K) |
If you wish to turn these off, you can do it under the Effects tab of the Properties box, which you access by right-clicking the desktop.
On the Taskbar, you now have a new feature, which will make working with programs far easier. The QuickLaunch toolbar is a series of buttons on the taskbar, usually just right of the Start Menu. Clicking on any of these buttons will launch the item in question. If you are uncertain what the button does, pointing to it brings up a tool tip.
Although you only see 5 icons, there are plenty more. (the right and left triangles at either end allow you to scroll to see other buttons) You can add a launch button for any program, file, or even a website, simply by dragging the item into the QuickLaunch toolbar. (NOTE: you can use Internet Explorer or Netscape Communicator to add web sites to the toolbar; both work.) Click here to see a video demo of a Web site bookmark being added to the QuickLaunch toolbar. (Video is 394K) Please note that we moved the Netscape window to get it and the QuickLaunch toolbar in the same shot.
The Channel Bar is a new feature that is included while your desktop is in Web Style. If you are connected to the internet, you can get to specialized sites on the WWW designed specifically for Windows 98. These are called Channels. This is what the Channel Bar looks like.
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Clicking on any of these buttons allows you to see a map of a particular Web site and download information from that site. The close button at the top appears when you point the mouse towards the top of the Channel Bar. Click the X to close the Channel Bar. |
The Start Menu has gone through some changes as well. It still gives you access to all programs within your computer. However, a new option has been added. The Favorites folder will store a list of your favorite Web sites.
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When you have your Web browser open, simply drag the bookmark down to the Start button, then drag it into the Favorites folder when the menu pops open. |
In addition, the menu expands by one level at a time, allowing you to scroll through each level. The advantage of this is that a single level of menu options no longer take up the whole screen.
You can also move, copy, delete, or add any item you want to the Start Menu. Click here to see a video demo. (1.1 MB)
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