Here is a list of shortcut keys for Windows Vista. This is not an exhaustive list. It is just keys that I find useful.

• Windows + D -- minimizes all applications and puts your keyboard cursor on the desktop
• Windows + T -- Puts your keyboard cursor onto the taskbar.
• Windows + B -- puts your keyboard cursor in the system tray.
• Ctrl + Escape -- Opens the start menu
• Windows -- Also opens the start menu
• alt + tab -- Switches between running applications. Holding alt while pressing tab repeatedly lets you move through the possible applications.
• alt + shift + tab -- Same as alt + tab but it moves you through the items in reverse.
• alt, space, N -- minimizes the current application. Often moving it to the second position in the alt + tab list. (This used to move it to the back of the list but in new OS' seems to move it to the front.)
• alt + escape -- minimizes the current application moving it to the back of the alt + tab list.
• ctrl + shift + escape -- brings up the windows task manager
• ctrl + tab -- works similar to alt + tab but switches between tabs within an application that has tabs such as visual studio or a web browser.
• ctrl + shift + tab -- Same as ctrl + tab but moves you through the tabs in reverse.
• alt + F4 -- closes the current application.
• ctrl + F4 -- closes the current tab. (Sometimes closes the application if you are on the last tab, such as in a web browser)
• ctrl + W -- same as ctrl + F4 (Sometimes it seems like certain applications ignore ctrl + F4 but pay attention to this keypress)
• alt, space, M -- puts you into "Move" mode which allows you to move the current window with the arrow keys. Enter to keep changes, escape to cancel them.
• alt, space, S -- puts you into "Size" mode which allows you to resize the current window with the arrow keys. Enter to keep changes, escape to cancel them.
• alt, space, X -- Maximizes the current window
• alt, space, R -- Restores the current window. (This makes the window NOT maximized)
• alt -- moves you to the main menu bar of the current window. Can use alt + F to get to the file menu.
• shift + F10 -- simulates a right mouse click where ever your keyboard cursor is