Organizing and Finding Files

Over the years, Windows Explorer has evolved dramatically. In its earliest incarnation, it was a simple file browser to make it easier to traverse hierarchical directories on hard drives without having to use DOS commands. Today, Windows Explorer is a full-featured shell that helps you manage practically every aspect of the operating system. It still functions as a file manager, but old-timers might be surprised to note that drive letters and folder trees are de-emphasized in Windows 7, in favor of a navigation system that emphasizes a new fileorganizing feature called libraries.

The concept behind libraries can be confusing, especially if you're accustomed to navigating through the traditional Windows Explorer folder tree. A library is a virtual folder that contains links to actual folders located on your system or on a network. When you view a library in Windows Explorer, the contents pane displays every file and folder contained in the locations that are a part of that library. You can search this unified view, filter it, or display it using sorting and grouping that is appropriate to the type of data contained in that library. As part of a default installation, Windows 7 sets up four libraries: Documents, Music, Pictures, and Videos.

The other major change in Windows Explorer is its excellent support for indexed searches, which can seem practically magical when you're looking for one particular document on a hard drive filled with thousands of files. Windows 7 removes many of the form-based, fill-in-the-blank, "select this check box" search tools that you might have learned to use in Windows XP or Windows Vista. Instead, context-sensitive options in the search box help you refine a search.