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Books : Science Fiction & Fantasy : Media : X-Files
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Windows XP for Dummies does a good job in its role as the flagship of the Dummies line, providing Windows novices with a guided introduction to Microsoft's latest and most feature-rich operating system for everyday computer users. Its treatment of computer, Windows and Internet fundamentals is among the best on the market, and author Andy Rathbone has an appealing way of writing that's simultaneously fun and detail-rich. If you're a Windows novice--meaning you don't know how to undelete a file that's been sent to the Recycle Bin, or what a Web browser is, or what it means to "cut and paste" text--you will get a lot out of Rathbone's work.Some aspects of this book could be better, such as the part of the networking chapter that calls for an Ethernet hub without noting that a switch, though possibly more expensive, would do the job better, without any additional hassle. The networking coverage also does an inadequate job of explaining how to share a cable modem or DSL connection among several computers. This is a serious shortcoming, and we're getting to the point in our evolution as a society of computer users at which we can assume that everyone knows what the "Cancel" button does and would rather read about the newer, more exciting things that Windows XP can do. Even the dummies aren't that dumb anymore.
But, that said--and Rathbone does confine a lot of the really elementary stuff to a skinny introductory chapter--this book is a boon to people who aren't familiar with Windows XP or its immediate predecessors (including Windows 95, Windows98, and Windows Me). It's also great for people who have learned a little about Windows on the job or from their kids, and want to expand on what they know. --David Wall
Topics covered: Microsoft Windows XP for people completely unfamiliar with the operating system and other recent versions of Windows. Coverage includes how to run programs, move and delete files, connecting to the Internet and using applications like electronic mail programs, Web browsers and multimedia players.
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Unix in a Nutshell is the standard desktop reference, without question (Manpages come in a close second). With clean layout and superior command tables available at a glance, O'Reilly's third edition of Nutshell is an essential to own.Like a dictionary, Unix in a Nutshell helps you find what you need, even if you're not exactly sure what it is you're looking for (or how to spell it!) With that in mind, this book is for intermediate to advanced users only--those new to the Unix operating system would be better off with Learning the Unix Operating System or Unix: Visual Quickstart Guide.
The last full revision of the book was in 1992, and the new edition covers Solaris 7, as well as newer versions of shells (ksh, in particular), RCS and GNU emacs. Topping off at over 500 pages, Unix in a Nutshell contains--literally--everything you could want to know about the various commands, shells and functions. Fifty new commands have been added to the already sizable lists, and even the most seasoned user is likely to find a timesaving command not previously known. --Jennifer Buckendorff
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Windows XP for Dummies does a good job in its role as the flagship of the Dummies line, providing Windows novices with a guided introduction to Microsoft's latest and most feature-rich operating system for everyday computer users. Its treatment of computer, Windows and Internet fundamentals is among the best on the market, and author Andy Rathbone has an appealing way of writing that's simultaneously fun and detail-rich. If you're a Windows novice--meaning you don't know how to undelete a file that's been sent to the Recycle Bin, or what a Web browser is, or what it means to "cut and paste" text--you will get a lot out of Rathbone's work.Some aspects of this book could be better, such as the part of the networking chapter that calls for an Ethernet hub without noting that a switch, though possibly more expensive, would do the job better, without any additional hassle. The networking coverage also does an inadequate job of explaining how to share a cable modem or DSL connection among several computers. This is a serious shortcoming, and we're getting to the point in our evolution as a society of computer users at which we can assume that everyone knows what the "Cancel" button does and would rather read about the newer, more exciting things that Windows XP can do. Even the dummies aren't that dumb anymore.
But, that said--and Rathbone does confine a lot of the really elementary stuff to a skinny introductory chapter--this book is a boon to people who aren't familiar with Windows XP or its immediate predecessors (including Windows 95, Windows98, and Windows Me). It's also great for people who have learned a little about Windows on the job or from their kids, and want to expand on what they know. --David Wall
Topics covered: Microsoft Windows XP for people completely unfamiliar with the operating system and other recent versions of Windows. Coverage includes how to run programs, move and delete files, connecting to the Internet and using applications like electronic mail programs, Web browsers and multimedia players.
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The cover of Windows XP All-In-One Desk Reference for Dummies boasts that it's "nine books in one". That's a stretch--it's really a book about Microsoft Windows XP for novices, with supplementary information about America Online and MSN--but cover claims aside, this book represents good value for someone new to computing. Woody Leonhard--a respected Windows authority who writes with enough humour to keep things light but not so much as to obscure the facts--begins with how to use a mouse and works all the way through installing printers and setting up a little network in a home or small office. Granted, if you've found this page on the Internet you probably don't need Leonhard's "how-to-click" tutorial, but you may be shopping for someone unfamiliar with Windows. This book is good for such people.While the nine separate indexes (one at the end of each included "book") will annoy you--the unified one at the back of this book is much easier to find and use--Leonhard's style will compensate. He's very good at explaining how to do what Windows XP was meant to do, up to a certain level. Want to add a music file to a Windows Media Player playlist? There's a procedure for that. Want to cancel AOL because you can't stand it? He explains how. He does not, however, provide detail on more complicated jobs like setting up a cable modem or dealing with the specific security risk posed by Universal Plug and Play. Overall, this is a nicely written, friendly book that covers Windows XP well, but to a limited depth. --David Wall
Topics covered: Microsoft Windows XP for home users, particularly novices. Windows XP fundamentals (like windows and the mouse pointer), customisation, Internet tools (including Outlook Express and Internet Explorer), America Online (AOL), Microsoft Network (MSN), printers, small networks, and Internet connectivity are all addressed.
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Ounce for ounce and pound for pound, the Pocket Consultant series from Microsoft Press is one of the best-value guides around. The editors do a good job of recruiting competent authors and having them comply with well thought-out style and formatting rules. Microsoft Windows XP Professional Administrator's Pocket Consultant is one of the gems of the series. Author William Stanek has spent time working with his subject--this book wasn't rushed to market to match the Windows XP release date--and he's good at revealing its administrative procedures clearly and concisely. The book is nicely indexed, so locating the section you need takes very little effort. This book--slightly larger than a paperback novel--is ideal for a harried administrator responsible for many different software products, as well as for consultants who need to learn how to use Windows XP Professional in a hurry.A particularly nice characteristic of Stanek's style: his skill at combining straight procedures ("Just follow these steps and it'll work") with supplementary information about options ("On the other hand, if you're doing something unusual, you might need to modify the standard procedure a bit"). As no real-life installation of Windows XP ever seems to match authors' ideas of normalcy, the supplementary information is critical. Screen shots are nicely handled as well. Their presence helps clarify what the text means, but they're not so large as to waste space. --David Wall
Topics covered: Microsoft Windows XP Professional, as system administrators need to understand it. The author explains hardware installation, permissions setting, network security zones and several kinds of network connectivity. Coverage of the particular requirements of mobile users--including VPNs and dial-up--is particularly welcome.
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Comprehensive in its treatment of Microsoft's latest and greatest operating system for the masses, Alan Simpson's Windows XP Bible has an answer to most "How do I..." questions that are likely to arise in the minds of Windows XP users, particularly those who aren't too familiar with recent versions of Windows. If you're going to buy a Windows XP reference book for your office, this would be a good choice. The author--the respected Alan Simpson, who's put out similarly comprehensive books before--must have incredible patience, because he manages to document almost every Windows procedure down to the last option and the final "OK" click. Most people won't need this level of handholding--almost everyone has gained knowledge of the basic Windows conventions by now--and perhaps this book could have been more compact (as it is, it's pretty hefty) or contained more obscure details without it. But don't accuse Simpson on neglecting details.No one will read this book front to back. Most visits will begin with the table of contents (which is very detailed) or the index (which is even more so). A page-flip or two later, readers will have explanatory prose (which is clear and detailed, and almost always strictly business-like without being off-putting) and a procedure or two with numbered steps. The procedures have a particularly good design when it comes to options--it's clear what happens if you make different choices in dialog boxes. Again, coverage is absolutely comprehensive, with detailed explanations and procedures extending even to Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) and the new Internet Connection Firewall (ICF). --DavidWall
Topics covered: Microsoft Windows XP (Professional Edition and Home Edition) for beginning and intermediate-level users of the operating system, with a few bones thrown in for more advanced users. Internet connectivity (standalone and shared), file management, administrative duties such as backing up files and uninstalling programs, local-area networks (LANs), and all other user-level aspects of Windows XP are covered. Chapters on portable computer issues and security are particularly nice.
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WIN XP PRO RESOURCE KIT
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