Mac OS X 10.2 (Visual QuickStart Guide) [Paperback]

Maria Langer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 17, 2002 | ISBN-10: 0321158016 | ISBN-13: 978-0321158017 | Edition: 1st

Along with a major upgrade to Apple's core operating system comes a comprehensive upgrade to the best-selling Mac OS X: Visual QuickStart Guide. Mac OS X 10.2 promises to offer exciting new features that will change how people use their Macs, such as iChat, improved Unix tools, Bluetooth-enabled contact management software, QuickTime 6, and advanced handwriting recognition. This newest revision to Maria Langer's best-selling book covers all of the new features and more in the familiar step-by-step, task-based approach that millions of readers have come to rely on when they need to quickly and easily master complex, new technologies. Whether you're a newbie or a Mac veteran, getting used to a new operating system can be a frustrating, and at times, frightening experience. Mac OS X 10.2: Visual QuickStart Guide takes the fear out of upgrading for all levels of users. Beginning Mac users can use this book to get up and running on their new system, while seasoned Mac veterans can quickly reference the new features in this new OS release.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Along with a major upgrade to Apple's core operating system comes a comprehensive upgrade to the best-selling Mac OS X: Visual QuickStart Guide. Mac OS X 10.x promises to offer exciting new features that will change how people use their Macs, such as iChat, improved Unix tools, Bluetooth-enabled contact management software, QuickTime 6, and advanced handwriting recognition. This newest revision to Maria Langer's best-selling book covers all of the new features and more in the familiar step-by-step, task-based approach that millions of readers have come to rely on when they need to quickly and easily master complex, new technologies. Whether you're a newbie or a Mac veteran, getting used to a new operating system can be a frustrating, and at times, frightening experience. Mac OS X 10.x: Visual QuickStart Guide takes the fear out of upgrading for all levels of users. Beginning Mac users can use this book to get up and running on their new system, while seasoned Mac veterans can quickly reference the new features in this new OS release.

About the Author

Maria Langer has written dozens of computer books, including best-selling Visual QuickStart Guides on Mac OS X, Word, and Excel. A columnist for FileMaker Pro Advisor, she also writes for MacAddict and other publications.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Peachpit Press; 1st edition (September 17, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321158016
• ISBN-13: 978-0321158017
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,231,276 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Maria Langer has been a freelance writer since 1990. She has written more than 75 books and hundreds of articles about using computers, software, and online services. She provides support for her work, as well as new content, on the Maria's Guides website. These days, she also writes about aviation and travel for a variety of print and online publications.

Maria is also a commercial helicopter pilot and owner of Flying M Air, a helicopter tour and charter company based in Arizona. Her company offers tours, day trips, multi-day excursions, and aerial photography services throughout the southwest.

And if that's not enough to keep her busy and out of trouble, she's also a serious amateur photographer. She shows off her best work on her photo gallery, Flying M Photos.

Maria blogs at Eclectic Mind, her personal journal of thoughts and experiences.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Useless!, January 10, 2003

By 

Sebastiano "SCC" (New York NY) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mac OS X 10.2 (Visual QuickStart Guide) (Paperback)

Contrary to her usual standards, normally very high, Maria Langer gave us a practically useless book this time. It doesn't even mention (forget about covering them in detail) all of the official features of 10.2. The whole book is a great disappointment. It is so superficial, it barely takes you through the minimum basic information. For instance, it doesn't even mention the Location settings, despite the fact that, being such a fundamental feature, it is one of the few still to appear in the apple menu. In a chapter called "Advanced Finder Techniques" such 'advanced' features are described as "Making an alias", "Use the file info window", or "Use spring-loaded folders". Sorry, but I can't find a single reason why this book should be purchased. As others mentioned, if you need a really good book about Mac OS X 10.2, buy David Pogue's The Missing Manual (Second Edition), which is packed with really useful information, and in depth coverage of every known and unknown feature of OS 10.2. By the way, Pogue's book is 714 pages packed with useful info and costs USD 29.95. Langer's useless book is only 354 pages, at USD 21.99.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Glossy Overview, December 26, 2002

By 

Keith Fox (Bay Area, CA Pleasanton, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mac OS X 10.2 (Visual QuickStart Guide) (Paperback)

I found this to be a glossed overview of the OS. I needed a book that would walk me through the new rendevous connectivity....specifically, the windows SMB connectivity...not here...

This book is really geared towards the novice user, with really basic stuff.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Russ Walkowich MyMac.com Book Review, November 21, 2002

By 

Tim E Robertson "Publisher MyMac" (Battle Creek, Mi United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mac OS X 10.2 (Visual QuickStart Guide) (Paperback)

So you've run out and purchased OS X Jaguar or your new Mac just arrived and you tear the wrappings off, start up the computer and... where's the manual? Not sure what to do next or how to get started?

Well, with Maria Langer's newest book, (book number 50, by the way!) Mac OS X (10.2), you'll be up and running in no time at all. The nice thing about the Visual QuickStart series is that they provide you with enough visual aids and the right amount of well-written text to get you started in whatever topic the book is covering.

Ms. Langer starts at the beginning by explaining OS X, and then gives a quick run-through on 10.1 and 10.2. She then works you through installing OS X (10.2) on your computer, setting up the basic configuration options, including your Internet connections and then drops you back into installing OS 9.2.x on your computer. For previous Mac OS users, it's old stuff, but for the new users out there, it's just what they need.

She then runs you through the basics of the Mac Finder, File Management, basic and advanced techniques of the Finder and applications, and then you journey into the realm of TextEdit. Ms. Langer then walks you through Printing, Internet Connections, using Sherlock and then into the use of the i-Apps; iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie and iDVD. She does not take you into the realm of iSync or iCal, apparently she just didn't have the time to get involved with them prior to the book being printed. The remainder of the book deals with AppleScript basics, Help basics and the other things that would bring a new OS X user up to speed. She does take the time to cover the .Mac information at the end of the book for those that will take the time to use Apple's latest incarnation of its online service.

Mac OS X (10.2) is not a lengthy book; it's not 3 or 4 inches thick. It is not a thesis on OS X.2 nor does it cover X in really great detail. It's only 354 pages long and designed to get the reader up and running on OS X.2 in the shortest amount of time. The text and the pictures are the best way to get someone up and running quickly and Ms. Langer has it down pat. She provides the reader with the right amount of text, tips and pictures and she keeps you going. The book is easy to read and a valuable guide. So if you're in the market to get up to speed on OS X.2, avail yourself of Maria Langer's book. You'll be glad that you did.

MacMice Rating: 4 out of 5

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Russ ...