![NT 5.0](nt5_beta1/nt50_logo.gif)
![My Computer](nt5_beta1/mycomputer.jpg)
![Control Panel](nt5_beta1/controlpanel.jpg)
![Administrative Tools](nt5_beta1/administrativetools.jpg)
![Backup](nt5_beta1/backup.gif)
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NT 5.0, the Final Frontier
Control Panel
Microsoft has added a few applets and has increased the functionality of most others.
Let's go through the most important ones, shall we?
- Accessibility Options: this applet has stayed the same so far. However, MS has added a few new
accessibility tools accessible via the start / programs / accessories menu. We'll cover these in a moment.
- Add / Remove Programs: also very familiar, no changes implemented (yet).
- Date / Time: no change.
- Display: the addition of a tab called "Color schemes", intended to work together
with Kodak's colour matching scheme, which has been incorporated into NT 5. However, as of yet, it's next to
useless since there aren't that many schemes to choose from yet and making your own config is also not yet
possible.
- Fax client / server: finally, MS decided to incorporate a simple faxing solution into NT 5
like it did with Windows 95. Since this solution is essentially the same as the "Personal Fax"
program you can download from MS's web site, it's bare bones and just covers the basics (OK, maybe a wee bit
more). If you want a full-fledged solution, take a look at Symantec's WinFax Pro 8.01. For those of you who
haven't seen Microsoft's fax solution yet, here it is
Fax Client Properties,
Fax Server Properties
- Keyboard: you can now install new keyboard layouts
from floppies or CD and also remove them interactively:
- Modem: MS has finally incorporated the diagnostics feature
that was mysteriously absent from the NT 4.0 version of the applet:
- Mouse: if you like it fast, like I do, you could switch to
the motion tab and adjust the speed to its maximum setting. However, if
this was not fast enough, you had to edit the registry to enable acceleration. Finally, this option can be set
interactively as well:
- Power Management: as I've told you before, NT now supports power management. All configuration
takes place through this applet. It has the following three tabs.
- Regional settings: currently,
the last control applet to have undergone some major
changes:
As you can see, you can now add support for several non-Western European languages. Not only that, support can be added
sperately for the administrator and for the current user.
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