Microsoft Windows XP Power Toolkit (Bpg-Other) [Paperback]

Walter Bruce (Author), Paul Thurrott (Author), David Chernicoff (Author)

Book Description

Series: Bpg-Other | Publication Date: August 28, 2002

Microsoft Windows XP Power ToolKit is the most comprehensive resource for providing Super Users with the information they want and need on the most valuable Windows XP tools, utilities and commands offered by Microsoft and other 3rd party companies. This reference identifies and documents the tools and then details how to get the most from them -- all included on a companion CD-ROM so you can use them right away.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Walter R. Bruce III is a writer and consultant who has been an avid Windows user since its initial release. He has for more than a dozen years been training computer users, and writing and publishing books about computer technology. He has written many internationally published books on a variety of computer operating system, database, telecommunication, and networking topics. As a publishing professional, he has also directed the publication of hundreds of computer-related books for three successful publishing companies. Walter holds an undergraduate degree in mathematics as well as a law degree. He was practicing law as a Judge Advocate General in the United States Air Force when he discovered his affinity for teaching people how to use computers. Walter currently lives with his family in the Silicon Valley area of northern California.

Paul Thurrott has written books about Windows XP, Microsoft Windows NT, and Microsoft Visual InterDev. He is the news editor for Windows & .net Magazine.

David Chernicoff, senior contributing editor for Windows & .net Magazine, a contributing editor for Connected Home Magazine, and author of more than 4000 computer-related feature stories, products reviews, how-to columns, and books, has been writing and consulting on the computer industry for more than 20 years. David lives with one wife, two children, three cats, and an untold number of deer in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Product Details

• Paperback: 720 pages
• Publisher: Microsoft Press; 1 edition (August 28, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0735617902
• ISBN-13: 978-0735617902
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #745,020 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Critical Acclaim, January 27, 2003

By 

"starfleet56" (Pacific Northwest) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Microsoft Windows XP Power Toolkit (Bpg-Other) (Paperback)

I really quite liked this book compared to a lot other books I have purchased and used for both home and business use. It avoids repeating information just to fill up pages and some of the tips are ones I have not seen in other books. The language is clear and easy to follow even for my non computer literate friends and associates which is of course the true test of a books usefulness. I am a tech and learned some useful tips on reclaiming valuable screen real estate and how to layout my desktop more efficiently. I do have the other "Inside Out" books but this one gets the edge for being written for everyone. Job well done!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Call it Windows XP Marketing Toolkit, May 26, 2004

By 

Jase T. Wolfe - See all my reviews

This review is from: Microsoft Windows XP Power Toolkit (Bpg-Other) (Paperback)

It used to be that when you picked up a book with the words "Power Toolkit" in it, you were getting a collection of utilities, scripts, and advanced information to really take you to the next level of mastership over your environment. In those days, had I purchased a utility book and discovered that one of the "power tools" recommended and covered was Sound Recorder (page 179-180) I would have demanded my money back. Evidently those days are long gone, replaced instead by titles such as this.

Three authors wrote the book and three sections separate the environment. The first section would have been better titled "An Overview of the Accessories Menu" as it serves little more than to educate the user on how to use the basic OS tools to manage their environment and really shows itself off as a continued marketing strategy to convince everyone that XP is the multimedia platform pre-equipped with the best tools out there. It does follow itself up with a few chapters devoted to listing the syntax of many networking and TCP/IP command-line utilities; handy but a strange combination of things to cover in one section. Did I mention the plug for Microsoft Office? The second section spends 113 pages telling you why you should use spend time on the Microsoft XP Downloads page for (usually not free) add-ons such as Tweak UI, Windows Media Bonus Pack, Microsoft Plus!, and Microsoft Producer. You then get a lesson on the Windows Messenger and .NET passport use, before they go back to the Accessories menu. The final chapter is for third party software. 220 pages dedicated to plugging multimedia-enhancing shareware, virus protection, and security enhancements.

Teaching users how to become proficient with the OS and its bundled software and features is a good thing and I think everyone should learn it. There are many better books out there to do that (ISBN 0782140769 or 078214067X for example) than this one. Arming users with advanced knowledge and tools to configure and administer then environment is also beneficial for users already familiar with the OS; again better books (ISBN 0782141145, 0596004168 and 0735619743). In short, keep looking.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fairly Good Reference, July 17, 2003

By 

Art Gonzales "Computer Junkie" (Brea, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Microsoft Windows XP Power Toolkit (Bpg-Other) (Paperback)

After literly reading though this book cover to cover I found it to be almost generic. Nothing intialy stood out for me. It seem no different then any of the other books related to XP tools, tweaks, and registery hacks that you can find almost anywhere on the Internet. But I have to admit I have returned to this book many times since I've purchased it in October 2002. When ever I need something to tweak I've managed to find it in the book. I would hope that they will continue to ehance the book by releasing a newer edition maybe ...more Windows XP Power tool kits book II.