Hiding and Displaying Windows

In addition to the Show The Desktop command on the taskbar shortcut menu, you can use the following techniques to control the display of multiple open windows:

• Pointing to the Show Desktop button at the right end of the Windows Taskbar makes all the open windows temporarily translucent so that you can see through them to the desktop. The taskbar, desktop shortcuts, and gadgets remain visible. This new feature is called Aero Peek, and is one of the features that works only on hardware that supports Aero functionality.
  The effect of pointing to the Show Desktop button, located at the right end of the taskbar.
  Keyboard Shortcut You can peek at the desktop by pressing the Windows logo key+Spacebar.
• Clicking the Show Desktop button minimizes all the open windows. Clicking it again returns the windows to their previous sizes and locations.
• Shaking the active window minimizes all other open windows. To shake a window, point to its title bar, press the mouse button, and wiggle the mouse. To shake a window when you're working on a portable computer that has a touch pad, point to its title bar, and then wiggle your finger on the touch pad.

You'll experiment with the Windows 7 window-management techniques.

1. Click the Start button. At the top of the right pane of the Start menu, point to Pictures.
   The icon at the top of the Start menu changes from your user account picture to a representation of a stack of pictures, and a ScreenTip displays a description of what will happen when you click the button.
   You can open common windows from the right pane of the Start menu.
2. On the Start menu, click Pictures.
   The Pictures library opens in Windows Explorer.
   The Pictures library displays the contents of your personal Pictures folder and the Public Pictures folder.
3. If the Pictures window is maximized when it opens, click the Restore Down button, near the right end of the window title bar, so that the window fills only part of the screen.
   Tips The second button from the right end of a window title bar is the Restore Down button when the window fills the entire screen, and the Maximize button when it does not.
4. Drag the Pictures window by its title bar until the mouse pointer touches the top edge of the screen, but do not release the mouse button.
   An outline of a maximized window appears, indicating the effect of releasing the mouse button in that location.
5. Release the mouse button.
   The window size maximizes to fill all but the taskbar area of the screen.
6. Drag the window away from the top edge of the screen.
   The window returns to its previous size.
7. Drag the window by its title bar until the mouse pointer touches the right side of the screen.
   When you release the mouse button, the window fills the right half of the screen.
8. On the taskbar, right-click the Windows Explorer button.
   The Windows Explorer shortcut menu appears. From the shortcut menu, you can open a new Windows Explorer window, or you can open a folder that you frequently access.
9. On the shortcut menu, click Windows Explorer.
   Windows Explorer opens a new window.
10. At the right end of the taskbar, point to the Show desktop button.
    The open windows become transparent.
11. Click the Show desktop button.
    The open windows disappear.
12. Click the Show desktop button again.
    The windows reappear.
13. Point to the Libraries window title bar, hold down the mouse button, and then wiggle the mouse to shake the window.
    The Pictures window is minimized under the Windows Explorer taskbar button.
14. On the taskbar, point to the Windows Explorer button.
    Thumbnails of the available Windows Explorer windows appear in a thumbnail pane above the taskbar button.
15. Point to the Libraries thumbnail, and then click the Close button that appears in its upper-right corner.
    The Libraries window closes.
16. If the Windows Explorer thumbnail pane has closed, point to the Windows Explorer taskbar button again. Then point to the Pictures thumbnail.
    The Pictures window appears temporarily when you point to its thumbnail.
    Tip You can use this technique to quickly check the content of a window without activating it.
17. In the Windows Explorer thumbnail pane, click the Pictures thumbnail.
    The Pictures window opens on the right half of the screen.
18. At the right end of the Pictures window title bar, click the Close button.