Customer Reviews

Macintosh Bible, The (8th Edition)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book should probably ship with every new MacIntosh. It brings out the Mac's potential in a way that gave me new appreciation for its elegance and simplicity. In an enjoyable--albeit hokey--style, the author not only presents the information about hardware and software that it is expected she give, but often does the MacIntosh user's work for him. In the section on the software application QuicKeys, for instance, the are several pages of useful suggestions as to what keys the reader should assign to various tasks when using that program. That is amazing, that is not even the book's main task and it is more nuts-and-bolts, time-saving information than the very manufacturer of Quickeys supplies with their own software. The same is true in the section on how to set up an Apple menu. I just followed every suggestion the author made; it saved me time, works like a charm, and I'd never have come up with that stuff on my own. It's even a fun book (for Macheads) to just jump around in in one's free time; such browsing will almost always yield new knowledge or a useful trick or shortcut. I doubt that Windows users have this much fun learning about their OS, and I doubt that Windows could yield a book that makes such integrated sense as this one.

I only have one annoyances with this book. First, the author fudges and glosses over real explanations of some of the more difficult concepts such as Apple Script and memory. It's as if she's so determined to make the book all-inclusive that she settles for doing a less than satisfactory job with advanced material that she'd have been within her rights to simply leave out of the book. In these instances, she seems to lift a lot of information out of the Mac OS's documentation, and fails to supplement those often spotty explanations. No one is going to understand how to use Applescript by reading her account of it. Also, the book supposedly comes with an interactive, "readers only" website, with the password to that website hidden somewhere in the pages of the book. It's so well hidden that I've had the book for 9 months and still not found it.

All in all, indispensable, and I'll be buying the OS 9 version when it comes out.

I have been using macs for about ten years and had read earlier editions of the mac bible and loved them. But after becoming an old mac hand (ignorance is bliss!) I had stopped feeling the need for newer editions of the mac bible. But last week my mother bought her first ever computer, a really sweet G3 Powerbook, and in preparation for flying across the country to tutor her I went shopping for some reference books to give us a hand. I bought the Mac Bible, the Mac OS 8.5 Black Book, and the Microsoft Office 98 Visual Basic Book. The Mac Bible is far and away the most helpful of the bunch. Easiest to read, most in depth and with valuable opinions, real life applications and a sense of humor. In fact I decided to return the Black Book and buy a Mac Bible for myself to take home.

I got my first Mac ever about a year and a half ago, being a PC person before that. Being a book fanatic, I used this Mac purchase as an excuse to go out and buy lots of Mac books! The Mac Bible was one of the first I bought. It still remains the book I consult most often.

I found it had an absolutely fabulous "history of Mac" section, so I was able to catch up on all the Macs through history. I was keenly interested in that, and still am. I love to read about the old LCs, and such. (Yes, I'm a pathetic geek.)

But there's more to that to this book. Just lots of explanations on OS features, different kinds of problems you'll encounter, and some of the best software to use on a Mac. It has a great index, so you can find the information you need quickly. I have it by my Mac at all times. What would I do without it?

I can't explain it - this book has EVERYTHING. I read it eagerly (I even had it before I got my Mac! I ordered the Mac, and read this book while waiting for it to arrive.) This book helped me adjust to the world of Mac-dom very quickly. And now, a year and a half after my first Mac, I am a full-fledged Machead, thanks in part to this book.

Excellent book! Well written and superbly done. This book takes you from the very beginning user all the way through to being able to find problems. The most helpful areas are the ideas and links to products. Great tips and shortcut ideas. Super for both the beginner and the expert. A must have for anyone who plans on using the MAC. Easy to read and follow, this book is not "boring" like so many computer books. I would recommend this to anyone.

There are four major parts to this book:
. Looking at the Mac, which talks about the Mac in general from an overview of the operating system to storage systems and printing.
. Getting Productive which walks about common business and personal applications like word processing, databases and spreadsheets.
. Getting Creative, all about graphics, web design and HTML, after all, the Mac is reknown for its capabilities in the graphical area.
. Extending your Reach, reaching out for the internet, for networks and even working with Windows machines. This part also has a chapter 'Switching to the Mac from Windows.'

In a bit over a thousand pages the authors have room to cover nearly every aspect of working with a Mac. This book covers the standard everyday tasks that you're likely to do on a Mac. From here, of course you can go on to more specialized programs if that's where your job lies. For instance in the graphics area, iPhoto, which is supplied with all new Macs is covered. But if you're a graphics professional you probably want some more professional. And the book talks about the professional level packages such as Adobe Illustrator & Photoshop, ACD Systems Canvas, Macromedia FreeHand, Corel Painter, and others. It doesn't cover these in detail, but at least talks enough about them to get you started on deciding which is best for your needs.

This book is, as the title says, the Bible of the Mac. It doesn't contain everything there is to know about the Mac (if it did you couldn't lift it) but it certainly contains enough to get you well started.

I recently had an excellent opportunity to try out this book as I made the switch from the PC to a new 15" PowerBook G4. This is the type of book that very few people probably read from cover to cover. Rather they would read it as a resource book when they are having troubles or questions. As I made the change from one OS to another I found myself going to the book eleven times. Two of those times the book didn't answer my questions. But for the most part I learned what I needed to know each time.

If you are about to make a switch or are having issues with your Mac I would recommend this book to you.

Whether you're a beginner or an expert, you're sure to find dozens of useful tips and insights. It's also a pleasure to read. Literate, up to date, and user-friendly. Only one caveat: it was written when OS 8.5 was still in beta, so in those sections your mileage may vary.

It has some thing for every skill level. Beginer to Pro. It is clear and to the point. With very little page filler. You get lots of book for your buck. The CD-ROMs you get with it are ok. If I had it to do over, I would have skipped the CD-ROM verson of the book. A good book

Like the evolution of a species, the Macintosh Bible has reached a new 6th edition. The book, like the Mac OS itself, is elegant to use and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. What is particularly useful are the new additions on the use of the Macintosh on the Net and the developments in website design. There is a real feel for the Macintosh here, the computer that all others wish to copy. Essential

I taught computer classes at a high school and had every sort of Mac from the SE/30 to IMac in the same room. This book helped me with every computer, with every problem, and stopped many classroom disasters. The format is easy, the index very complete, and you will never need another book for your Mac but this one! The fact that it is concisely and even humorously written is a bonus!