The PC has revolutionized the way we work, learn, play, and communicate. It has totally changed our whole lifes. In the context of that, the interface is centeral to helping people use their PC and manage their information. The Windows operating system interface has undergone a revolution of its own, by evolving dramatically over the last several decades, from a C:\> prompt in MS-DOS to a more user-friendly, functional, and sophisticated interface.

Microsoft Windows Vista introduces a breakthrough user experience that is visually exciting and intuitively designed to positively change the ways you use your PC, and it’s the first Windows operating system that scales the user experience to the hardware capabilities of your computer.

In particular, there are three attributes of the Windows Vista user experience that stand out:

• New productivity tools bring clarity to the information on your computer. They let you see what’s in files without having to open them, find applications and files instantly, navigate efficiently among open windows, and traverse wizards and dialog boxes with more confidence and certainty.
• You’ll enjoy a rock-solid visual experience, free of flicker, redrawing, hesitation, latency, and visual artifacts
• Common window elements are refined so you can focus on content rather than on the computing interface, and visual elements are more informative, intuitive, and helpful.
• Windows Defender (for protection from spyware and potentially unwanted software)

Windows Aero
Windows Aero is the new interface that comes along with the other three levels of user experience - Basic, Windows Classic and Standard. A noticeable new element of the Aero experience is the professional-looking, transparent glass design, with subtle effects such as dynamic reflections and smooth animations. The glass windows create an open, energizing environment and enable you to better focus on your content rather than on the surrounding interface. Two exciting new Aero features, Windows Flip and Flip 3D, let you confidently manage the windows on your desktop, arranging them in a visually striking yet convenient way. Beyond the new graphics and visual polish, the Windows Vista Aero desktop experience performs as smoothly and professionally as it looks, providing a simple and high-quality experience that both delights and inspires users.

When you use Aero, open windows glide across your screen when you move or resize them. You’ll see no redraw artifacts, latency, or “tearing” effects that sometimes appear on existing computers, particularly in windows that display dynamic content such as video. The Aero experience also reduces graphics driver–related system crashes and blue screens.

Windows Flip (Alt+Tab)
Windows Flip is an update to the feature known as Alt+Tab in previous versions of Windows. Windows Flip shows you live thumbnails of your open windows instead of generic icons, making it easier to quickly identify the windows you’re looking for. One of the displayed windows in the Flip experience will always be on your desktop, giving you a fast and simple way to instantly minimize all the open windows on your desktop.

Windows Flip 3D
Windows Flip 3D gives you a new way to find the window you want. When you press the Start+Tab keys, Flip 3D dynamically displays all the open windows on your desktop in a 3D, stacked view. In this view, you can rotate through your open windows to find the right one. Flip 3D can even show live processes such as playing video. You can also use the arrow keys, or the scroll wheel on your mouse, to smoothly flip through the open windows and select the window you need.

Vista Interface Compared to XP

Vista Search Features

With a new tool in Windows Vista called Instant Search, you are never more than a few keystrokes away from whatever you’re looking for. This feature, which is available almost anywhere you are in Windows Vista, enables you to type a filename, a property, or even text contained within a file, and it returns pinpointed results. It’s fast and easy. Instant Search is also contextual, optimizing its results based on your current activity—whether it’s searching Control Panel applets, looking for music files in Media Player, or looking over all your files and applications on the Start Menu.

New Start Menu

The Windows Vista Start Menu has been streamlined to help make two tasks faster and easier: looking for a specific application, file menu, email, or Internet favorite; and browsing through All Programs.

To find a specific application or file, you simply press the Windows key on the keyboard or open the Start Menu and begin typing in the Instant Search field that is always available. As you type, Windows Vista searches filenames, metadata, and the full text of all files instantly, and it displays the choices organized by type of asset, such as applications, Internet files, application files, and email messages.

New Vista Explorers

In Windows, Explorers are the main tools used for finding, viewing, and managing information and resources—documents, photos, applications, devices, and Internet content. By providing a consistent visual and functional experience, the new Windows Vista Explorers empower you to manage your information easily, quickly, and with optimal flexibility. The Navigation Pane in each Explorer has been redesigned to make it simpler to navigate across your PC and quickly find what you're looking for. The default view of the Navigation Pane is a series of quick links that take you to your Documents Explorer, Pictures Explorer, or Music Explorer. Additionally, there is a Searches link that lets you see all of the Search Folders on your PC. A traditional folder and its contents have specific addresses on the hard drive. In contrast, a Search Folder is really a saved search that executes the moment you click on it.