PCs for Dummies Quick Reference, Second Edition [Plastic Comb]

Dan Gookin (Author), Sandra Hardin Clemons (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0764519948 | ISBN-13: 978-0764519949 | Publication Date: February 17, 2003 | Edition: 2

Who has time to read computer manuals? Certainly, you don't. All you want to do is start up your PC and get something done. You don't have time to wade through some stuffy old computer manual looking for one little piece of information. You want to get in and get out fast . . . and get back to work. Or play, as the case may be.

That's why PCs For Dummies Quick Reference, 2nd Edition, is the perfect resource for the time-challenged. This revised edition by Dan Gookin, veteran Dummies author of PCs For Dummies, gives you what you need to know about your Windows PC – only in bite-sized chunks and in a format that you can easily thumb through. No more trying to decipher the complex computerese of those other computer books.

Here, in Quick Reference style, are some of the topics you'll find covered in PCs For Dummies Quick Reference, 2nd Edition:

• The Basics: From starting your PC and navigating Windows to running applications and shutting down
• Plugging stuff in: Hard drives, joysticks, printers – if you can plug it into your PC, it's covered
• Using the keyboard and mouse
• Working with files and printing documents
• Getting on the Internet
• Maintaining and troubleshooting your PC
• Adding gadgets and upgrading your PC
• And – most importantly – having fun with your PC, no matter if you're at home or at work

So whether you're a PC newbie or an experienced computer user, PCs For Dummies Quick Reference, 2nd Edition, makes it easy for you to find the information you need quickly. And it makes the perfect portable companion for your PC when you're on the road – just slip it into your briefcase with your laptop and off you go!

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Getting Around This Book If you're new to computers, take a look at the first part of this book, The Big Picture. The Big Picture gives you an overview of PCs and provides helpful cross-references to other things you do with a PC. Or jump in at any part, where you find an alphabetical listing of the topics covered.

Get the lowdown on keyboards, Windows, disk drives, files, printing, software, the Internet, maintenance, peripherals and add-ons, troubleshooting, and just plain old having fun with your PC.

A handy appendix offers our very own Top Ten list:

Ten Things Worth Buying for Your PC. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

Fast answers to frequently asked questions

PC essentials at your fingertips!

If you like your answers quick and your information up-to-date, look no further. With this concise, superbly organized reference, you’ll find exactly what you need to know in a hurry. From setting up a PC, getting online, and using basic Windows applications to connecting a scanner, understanding CD-Rs and CD-RWs, diagnosing difficulties, and defragmenting your hard drive, step-by-step advice is just a page away.

The Dummies Way

• Concise, "get it done" information
• Helpful alphabetical organization
• Convenient lay-flat binding
• Icons and other navigational aids
• A dash of humor and fun

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Plastic Comb: 240 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 2 edition (February 17, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764519948
• ISBN-13: 978-0764519949
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,991,422 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dan Gookin has been writing about technology for over 20 years. He combines his love of writing with his gizmo fascination to create books that are informative, entertaining, and not boring. Having written more over 120 titles with 12 million copies in print translated into over 30 languages, Dan can attest that his method of crafting computer tomes seems to work.

Perhaps his most famous title is the original DOS For Dummies, published in 1991. It became the world's fastest-selling computer book, at one time moving more copies per week than the New York Times #1 bestseller (though as a reference, it could not be listed on the NYT Bestseller list). From that book spawned the entire line of For Dummies books, which remains a publishing phenomena to this day.

Dan's most popular titles include PCs For Dummies Word For Dummies, Laptops For Dummies, and Droid X For Dummies. He also maintains the vast and helpful Web site, www.wambooli.com.

Dan holds a degree in Communications/Visual Arts from the University of California, San Diego. Presently, he lives in the Pacific Northwest, where he enjoys spending time with his sons playing video games inside while they watch the gentle woods of Idaho.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I keep it by my computer, March 11, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: PCs for Dummies Quick Reference, Second Edition (Plastic Comb)

This book is full of great information and to the point. I hate books where I think, "Well I'll never need that information." But this book is stocked full of practical and useful computer topics. Stick this book by your computer like I did. I refer to it from time to time and it really helps me.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quick and Easy, July 6, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: PC's for Dummies Quick Reference (Plastic Comb)

Quick and to the Point! I love this book. No extra verbage, just quick, easy steps to get the job done.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars good tips, December 29, 2000

By 

lockeeg (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: PC's for Dummies Quick Reference (Plastic Comb)

this book offers many practical tips for everything about pcs. the section on setting up a pc is helpfull.