Customer Reviews

Introducing Microsoft Windows Server(TM) 2003

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The book provides a good overview of features and changes from earlier Windows versions, but has very little practical information. It would be useful as a single source for new features if you are already familiar with Windows 2000 features and Active Directory. One area where it does go into some practical advice and detail is in installation and upgrade. The biggest disappointment is that most, if not all, of the information in the book is readily available from the Microsoft Web site.

If you're looking for a techie's "how to" book, keep searching. This book provides a very fundamental "list" of new enhancements and features to Windows Server 2003. Hence the title, "Introduction" to Windows Server 2003. It is very basic and I found myself lulled to sleep. I give this book 3 stars because I blame myself for not awaiting a more hands-on book that can take you thru the installation steps, configuration of different services, etc. If you're a total newbie and want to read up on what this product can do, this is the book for you. However, you can most likely read about these things in a much annotated version in any tech magazine that'll soon be reporting on Server 2003. However, you do get a 360 day evaluation copy of the product. So its not ALL bad.

This book is really a waste of time for anybody. It's a 400 plus page brochure on the new improved features of Windows Server. It doesn't explain how to do anything, simply introduces the new features. For someone familiar with Windows 2000, I would imagine they wouldn't want to sit there flipping through the 400 pages just to go "WOW", and for someone like myself, an absolute newbie to server technology, without any practical background on the subject, it all meant nothing to me. OK, Active directory now dooblats roaming profiles (?) eh? Yes, you get a 360 day copy of Windows 2003 to play with but it doesn't tell you how to play with it!
I find no redeeming features about this book. I should have read reviews before buying it. I mean, why buy advertising? I gave it 1 star so as to be able to post this review, as it doesn't allow zero.

I bought this book thinking that I could get a 360 day free trial as is advertised on the cd that comes with the book... Suprise.. Microsoft will not give you a valid activation key.. The only thing you will get is 1-2 hours of being transferred all over microsoft support groups.
The book itself is fairly good if you are not fimilar with their product, but Do Not purchase this book for the "Free trial" software.