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71 of 75 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Lacking in Detail, December 8, 2001
This review is from: Microsoft Visio Version 2002 Inside Out (Inside Out (Microsoft)) (Paperback)
As can be expected in a book published by the software vendor, this is a sanitized overview of Visio 2002. While it teaches how to use Visio, it fails to get into any great detail of problems users might encounter -- as is the case with Visio. For example, the chapter on translating drawings from a CAD package, such as AutoCAD, fails to mention the objects that disappear from Visio; that Visio can't handle a large converted CAD drawing (Visio slows down to a grind), etc. The book gushes over Task Panes, but really -- Visio 2002 has just two (Open and Search) -- big deal. Also missing from the book are features dropped from Visio 2002, such as:
- Geographic Solution
- Build Region command
- Flags stencil
- Print Shapesheet All in all, the sort of effort you would expect from a book that might have been edited by the marketing department. In any case, why would Microsoft have to publish a _book_ on how to use Visio? Does this mean the documentation provided with the software is poor? A fat book, but not worth buying. I found David Plotkin's "Visio 2000: Visual Insight" the best book so far, and look forward to it being updated for 2002.
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22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great for Visio end users, November 30, 2001
This review is from: Microsoft Visio Version 2002 Inside Out (Inside Out (Microsoft)) (Paperback)
This is overall a good book, but I wanted a text that was a little meatier. If you use Visio to model or create diagrams then this book is excellent. I have picked up quite a few new habits and techniques by reading this book. Although I liked this book, I actually wanted a book that covered the more advanced topics like creating Visio components, and using the XML that Visio can now generate in version 2002. This book doesn't really cover these advanced developer topics, nor does it claim to (I should have read the descriptions more carefully). If you are looking to extend Visio and create custom solutions with Visio, this book does little more for you than tell you that you can indeed do these things, but that information is outside the scope of the text. Good book otherwise, I recommend this text for people that simply need to use Visio, rather than develop additional Visio components.
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43 of 49 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Visio from the ground up., July 8, 2001
This review is from: Microsoft Visio Version 2002 Inside Out (Inside Out (Microsoft)) (Paperback)
I started using Visio about 2 years ago when Visio 5 was the application of choice. I have placed in charged of office layout and design for the network. Also I have the responsibility of making sure our remote offices are setup as well. The application we are using is Visio 2002, and while I thought a few changes from previous application I was mistaken. I turned to the company that supports Visio 2002 and the Inside Out is the perfect choice for to answer the questions I will have in using and working with Visio 2002. The 950 page book seems to written just for me and so far it has given me several answers already. The book is broken down into 7 parts with part 1 dealing with the basics of creating diagrams, shapes, how to store data and working with other applications. Part 2 is for the business diagrams, flow charting and project management. Part 3 shows how to setup and work with network diagrams, 4 is for CAD, site and floor plans. With 5 you work with databases and software design. Part 6 teaches you about customizing, creating and editing, defining shapes, patterns and color for the Visio platform itself. Finally part 7 and how to create and work with technical diagrams like mechanical and electrical diagrams as well as space planning. The cd included has a 30 day evaluation of Visio and the e-book, add-ins, trial and demo software. You have everything you need and the book to help you get there.
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