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The O’Reilly Web site says this book “is written for the novice power user who wants to master XP Pro and get down to work.” The cutesy title of this 658-page book chides Microsoft for not including a manual in its Windows XP box. I’m guessing Microsoft did that because no one reads manuals, making it largely a waste of time and money to print them.
Since this is an O’Reilly book, my expectations were high; O’Reilly was a pioneer in computer books and always produces illuminating, easy-to-understand guides for computer topics. My only foray into UNIX was guided by an O’Reilly book. So I was pleased to see that this book not only met my expectations, but exceeded them handily. To get to the bottom line, this is one of the best books on Windows XP I’ve seen, and since I teach the Windows XP class, I look at many books in search of good references. Although this book deals with Windows XP Pro, O’Reilly publishes a similar book on Windows XP Home Edition.
What makes this book so good? It’s:
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Accurate.
Unlike many books I have read, I could find no errors in the text.
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Up-to-date.
The authors (David Pogue, Craig Zacker, and L.J. Zacker) obviously used a recent copy of Windows XP, with Windows Updates applied.
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Well organized.
I’ll expand on this topic later.
- Attentive to upgraders
who have used earlier versions of Windows. There are very complete instructions on how to get Windows XP to look like earlier versions of Windows, making it easier for experienced Windows users to learn.
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Complete.
One of the most thorough books I have seen. -
Frugal.
Although the list price is $29.95, you’re not stuck with a CD-ROM full of obsolete shareware; which usually jacks up the price $10-$20. Instead, it gives you a URL where you can download current shareware if you want it.
Although it would be great to include this book in the Windows XP box, it’s doubtful you’ll ever see it there. For one thing, it pokes fun at some of Windows XP’s odder features, and even tells you how to improve Windows XP with third-party programs. It also uses gentle humor to make reading more enjoyable, although unlike some books, doesn’t overdo the humor.
So how is the book organized? It contains six sections, with chapters grouped as follows:
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Part One: The Windows XP Desktop
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Chapter 1: A Welcome to Windows XP
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Chapter 2: The Desktop and Start Menu
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Chapter 3: Windows, Folders, and the Taskbar
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Chapter 4: Organizing Your Stuff
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Chapter 5: Getting Help
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Part Two: The Components of Windows XP
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Chapter 6: Programs and Documents
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Chapter 7: The Freebie Software
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Chapter 8: Pictures, Sounds, and Movies
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Chapter 9: The Control Panel
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Part Three: Windows Online
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Chapter 10: Hooking Up to the Internet
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Chapter 11: Web, Chat, and Videoconferencing
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Chapter 12: Outlook Express 6
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Part Four: Plugging into Windows XP
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Chapter 13: Printing, Fonts, and Faxing
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Chapter 14: Hardware
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Chapter 15: Joining, Compressing, and Encrypting Disks
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Part Five: Life on the Network
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Chapter 17: Accounts, Permissions, and Logging On
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Chapter 18: Setting Up a Workgroup Network
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Chapter 19: Introducing Network Domains
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Chapter 20: Sharing Network Files
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Chapter 21: Three Ways to Dial In from the Road
- Part Six: Appendixes
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Appendix A: Installing Windows XP Pro
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Appendix B: Windows XP, Menu by Menu
Not only are the layout and sequence logical, there are also many figures (gray-scale, not color) to illustrate important points. The book uses lots of sidebars to make points associated with the main text. For example:
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Up To Speed sidebars discuss some of the technology behind various Windows features.
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Tips single out specific techniques for doing important tasks.
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Nostalgia Corner sidebars tell you how to make Windows XP look like previous versions of Windows, which can reduce the learning time for the new operating system.
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Warnings alert you to steps that are potentially dangerous to your data.
- Notes alert you when a feature may look differently than described in the text.
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Gem in the Rough sidebars contain some profound advice about certain approaches you may want to consider.
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Power Users’ Clinics sidebars give useful tips to make computing faster and easier.
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Frequently Asked Questions sidebars address issues users often ask about.
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Infrequently Asked Questions sidebars address issues users should ask about, but don’t.
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Troubleshooting Moment sidebars give you steps to fix common problems.
Organization is great, but only if it presents useful information. Fortunately, the book is chock full of extremely useful gems. For example, it tells us how to use the compatibility mode to run Windows 95 (or other earlier version) programs that may not be fully compatible with Windows XP. [Right click on the program or shortcut icon, click on Properties, then click on the Compatibility tab at the top of the dialog box. Pick the operating system you need to emulate, and other parameters that may limit the program’s operation.] Another gem is the technique for creating a Password Reset Disk which you can use to access your account if you forget your password and the hint that Windows asks you if you forget it. And it warns you to make this disk now, not after you forget your password. [Go to Control Panel/User Accounts, pick a user account, and click on Prevent a Forgotten Password. That launches a wizard that will create the password disk.]
This book may be the best reference on Windows XP available.
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