The For Dummies series of computer books has been one the most successful for computer users. However, in the last two years I found that the Visual series of computer books becoming increasing useful. If the For Dummies is akin to a textbook, then the Visual series is akin to a cookbook.

I first came across the Visual series with Visual C++ .Net by Jeff Cogswell. I found that the cookbook style of the book made my program learning much easier. I found that I was able to pick up a few tricks from Internet Top 100 Simplified Tips & Tricks.

Before I began to review the book, I needed to upgrade XP to service pack 2. I was somewhat fearful as my brother lost a brand new HP computer trying to upgrade. Never the less, my upgrade went with no problems, but I felt that it cut into my experimenting time of the programs that the book recommends. For example, one program I downloaded was 12 Ghosts. It is a freeware program to block pop-ups. I started to review the program, but then I remembered I was reviewing the book not the programs it recommends. As a program, 12 Ghosts has some issues, but it is a good recommendation by book.

Many of the recommendations do not require programs. One such example is window browsing. Before I learned of this trick, often with a Google search I would close my browser by mistake and have to reopen the Google search. With window browsing, the base search is still in an open window. In addition, there are two tricks for winning bids on eBay, tricks 59 and 60. Sniping is waiting until the last ten minutes then increasing bids as new bids arrive. Trick 59 explains the process and trick 60 recommends a service that will do it for dialup connections.

Organized as ten chapters with ten tricks or tips per chapter, the “cookbook” will always open to a tip or trick. Chapter 1 is boosting the Internet connection speed. The next three chapters deal with the browser. The next four are services: Google, eBay, E-mail, and instant messaging. The next to last chapter is on blogging (biographical log) and the last chapter is system security. There is a one to four button-difficultly rating on all tricks and tips. A one-button is a new spin on a common task. A two-button rating is for a new skill or task. A three-button rating requires multiple skills and finally a four-button rating requires extensive skills and other technologies. Most of the tricks and tips are two and three button rating. There are very few one and four button rated tricks or tips. Therefore, the book is not for the beginner or the advanced Internet user.

The book is 216 pages long and I have not found it on the selves of my local bookstore in Kerrville, Texas. Since it has a copyright date of 2004 and review coordinator Larry Grosskopf stated that the book had just arrived before I checked it out for review, it maybe out by the time this review is published.