For many years, Microsoft has tried to make Windows look as silky and smooth as possible. But looking good soaks up system
resources. If you can live without some of the visual bells and whistles, you can regain a bit of lost performance. Dig into Start, Control Panel, System And Security, System, and Advanced System Settings. Click the Settings button in the Performance section. In the Performance Options pop-up window, you'll see a long list of visual elements and effects within Windows 7, most of which are enabled by default as part of the Let Windows Choose What's Best For My Computer option. You can select Custom, then pick and choose which items to disable. For a fast, slash-and-burn approach, pick Adjust For Best Performance to turn off all effects. This will result in a blander interface but better response times, particularly if you use integrated graphics or a trailing-edge graphics card. David Ferrin [email protected] For answers to frequently asked questions about this list visit: http://www.jaws-users.com/help/
