Not necessarily a "Windows Experience" (although it does improve the Windows Experience) - I'm making this post on behalf of the Windows Search Team. Oh and I am really excited for this release.

Today we released the final version of Windows Search 4.0 to Microsoft Download Center. Windows Search 4.0 updates search in Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Home Server. This release comes after a public Windows Search 4.0 Preview, which was a success thanks to great community participation - with around 300,000 downloads.   Since the Preview was released, a number of quality improvements have been made to the product based on feedback provided by the community.

Download: Windows Search 4.0 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 (x86)

Download: Windows Search 4.0 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 (x64)

More download packages are available on http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940157.

So, what's new in this release?

First and foremost: we've introduced some performance and reliability improvements. Queries are faster, as is indexing - how much faster depends on your machine and your data. Improved reliability means that system failures won't get in the way of the indexer and all of your data will be scanned and available for searches.

We've also extended remote index discovery, also known as PC-to-PC searches, which allows data to be searched quickly and efficiently across machines running Windows Search 4.0. This means that Windows Vista-to-Windows XP or Windows Vista-to-Windows Server 2008 queries are now possible.

Additionally, Windows Search 4.0 offers manageability improvements that IT Pros should take note of.

For starters, we have extended Group Policy to control more aspects of search functionality and made this control more granular with per-user policies. You can use Group Policy Objects to control how desktop search accesses remote resources - such as Microsoft Exchange Server resources or file shares - to manage network utilization.

Speaking of accessing Microsoft Exchange Server - if your organization selects not to use Microsoft Office Outlook in cached mode, you can set a Group Policy to index Exchange in online mode.  Windows Search 4.0 will then index with minimal impact to the server. Our internal testing of this configuration shows significant decrease in the load on the server and the network as compared to Windows Desktop Search 3.01.

IT Pros can deploy a new link that will be added to the Instant Search UI of Windows Vista (or Windows Search UI on Windows XP) on client PCs and allow the query entered in the search box to access your company's search server, by opening the search UI of the server in your browser and executing the query in it. With this functionality, users get a single launch pad for all of their searches. For more information on how to add customized links into the instant Search UI, click here.

Based on a large amount of customer feedback, we have added support for indexing files encrypted with EFS. Users in an organization can now encrypt files and still be able to search their contents. When running on Windows Vista, they also can get an additional level of data protection by using BitLocker and storing their index on the protected drive.

Today, Windows Search 4.0 can be downloaded for installation (download links from Microsoft Download Center listed above). If you need Windows Search 4.0 deployed in a large organization, you can use System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) or other infrastructure solutions.

In the future, we will make Windows Search 4.0 available on Windows Update as well. At that time you will be able to install Windows Search 4.0 off the update site directly or deploy it in your organization using WSUS.

Once Windows Search 4.0 becomes available on Windows Update various Windows users will experience the following:

• Windows XP users will see it as an "optional" update, which requires users to select the update for installation.
• Users running Windows Vista will see the update as "recommended." By default, recommended updates are installed automatically; however, users can prevent automatic installation of Windows Search 4.0. We will publicly post specific instructions prior to publishing Windows Search 4.0 on Windows Update.
• On Windows Server 2008, the update will be applicable only if the File Server Role is enabled.

More on the improvements in Windows Search 4.0 can be found here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940157.

This is a nice, easy to install, theme for Vista. I like the transparency effects of the taskbar, windows and start menu. The best part of this theme is the spectacular wallpaper. The overall design is a little too dark for most desktops but it’s still a good design with cool sidebar widgets. If you’re looking to set the mood on your computer then use this theme for a dark feel.

Are you still using Windows XP? If you are, then you have to download the XP Theme Patcher. If you’re using Windows Vista, you don’t need the Theme Patcher.
Title: Windows Ultimate
Author: Butch123
Download:

Download Vista Windows Ultimate for Vista Here

Now this theme is a nice break from the typical designs available. I really like the background and the whole gray look of this theme. Even though the theme is gray is doesn’t look dreary or bland. This is a great minimalistic design which is perfect for the office and staying focused on your work. The organization of all the elements is so perfectly executed that it seems like the creator of this theme really knows how to be efficient. This is my new favorite theme.

Are you still using Windows XP? If you are, then you have to download the XP Theme Patcher. If you’re using Windows Vista, you don’t need the Theme Patcher.
Title: Square
Author: dimage
Download:

Download Vista Square for Vista Here

You can’t get any more cool then this set of clocks for Windows Vista. There’s a design for everybody in this set of 7 clocks. My personal favorite is the Windows clock. I know it may not be as cool as the other ones, but I always enjoy simplicity and integration with the whole desktop. With the Windows clock it will fit almost any designs. I’m thinking that most people will like the transformers one the best.

Title: i-Clock
Author: dmzicknet
Download:

Download i-Clock Sidebar Here

More information about events

Usually an event occurs once and can last for one day or several days, but an annual event, such as a birthday or anniversary, occurs yearly on a specific date.

Events and annual events do not occupy blocks of time in your calendar; instead, they appear as banners. An all-day appointment displays your time as busy when viewed by other people, but an event or annual event displays your time as free.

Create an event

1. In Calendar, on the Actions menu, click New All Day Event.
2. In the Subject box, type a description.
3. In the Location box, enter the location.
4. To indicate to people who are viewing your calendar that you are out of office instead of free, on the Event tab, in the Options group, click Out of Office in the Show As list.
5. If the event lasts longer than one day, change the values in the Start time and End time boxes.
6. Click Save and Close.

Tip In Day/Week/Month view, you can quickly create an event by double-clicking the darker shaded area beneath the date heading of the day of the event. I want to share my experience with Microsoft Outlook Support as well as Computer help.

As far as your PC desktop is concerned, people want the usual USB ports to be available in numbers so that they can plug in various interface devices such as the printers, keyboards, mouse and card readers that are used today. Much of the contraptions we see today use the USB to be connected to the PC and with all of these things perhaps the dream of anyone to have, you can just imagine the number of ports given in standard PC designs today.

However, computer owners have options of upgrading the number of USB ports they have. Aside from the default ports that come with the usual motherboard, you can also install third party USB cards to add more slots available to you. They normally go into the PCI slots of the main board and are usually detected instantly.

For others, they use extension USB ports which allow a single port to accommodate more devices with USB communication. It may look a bit intertwined for the reason that most people don’t really want to see exposed wires here and there but the at least you are being given the luxury to be able to use more contraptions rather than plugging and unplugging them from the PC.

But even though you have a lot of USB ports, do remember the proper way to unplug them just in case. For USB sticks, remember to look at that icon on the bottom right corner and “safely remove the device”. Some people do not do this and if you are not careful, you may just crash the contents of the drive, or even get a blue screen from the PC itself.