Customer Reviews

Unofficial Guide to PCs (The Unofficial Guides)

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3 star:		(1)
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Whether you've put off moving up from a Windows 3.1 machine, haven't owned a computer before, or want more information about using Windows 95/98 and working with common packages, this book is a tremendous resource. It distills the years of experience the authors have had with Win9x and presents general methods to use when purchasing your computer, fixing hardware and software conflicts, and working with applications. It also contains a good set of web sites as starting points for learning more.

Win9x experts probably won't gain much from this book. However, they're not the intended audience, and I wholeheartedly believe The Unofficial Guide to PCs is well worth the price for any new Windows user.

I bought the "The Unofficial Guide to PC's" and three days later I finished it. It is without a doubt the best book I have read on computers ever. I love the tone of the book, it made me laugh more than once, and as for the advice, well, that was priceless. On the little island at the bottom of Australia, the world of PC's is slightly happier due to this book.

Just bought "The Unofficial Guide to PCs" from Amazon and found a couple of good ideas in it already. To me "Recovering from a PC Disaster", "Taming Tech Support", and the "Resource Directory" plus "Important Documents" in the Appendix alone are worth the bargain price I paid Amazon.

This book is great. The depth of the detail provided allowed me to actually get questions answered without ending up with more questions than I started with. Salespeople who would normally just go through the motions can't do that any more because I now understand, in some detail, how the black box works. That's really all that I ever wanted. If I wanted to be an electrical engineer with interests in circuit design, I'd have gone to school for that. I just want the box to work, without spending a fortune in time or money on it. Finally I can pick up a book, read the right section, and get the box to work right.

There is no fat in the writing, and the book is packed with information. The entire PC process is covered; purchase (a great component description, including moneysaving tips), use (including software), upgrades and replacements. In a review there really is no way to convey an adequate description of all that is there. Just think of the time that you have spent talking to disinterested salespeople, looking at help screens, manuals, third party books, on hold on customer service lines, bugging friends, etc. Then think of a book that actually provides detailed, well-written guidance that answers questions. Get the book.

I've never been much into "how to" books for PCs since I have been using them for more than a decade. I always figured I could write one myself. But having read your Underground Guides I figured I'd check it out. And I'm glad I did. There are all sorts of useful tips contained in the book that either novice or export PC users will find extremely helpful. I kept reading things, nodding my head and thinking "that's a good idea!" The idea of your NEAT box for a home PC is brilliant, and worth the price of the book by itself. I'm making one up for mine now. Great book.

This excellent book is the best solution for all your questions and problems. It will save you lots of money, time and anger.

Based upon the content of the author's on-line newsletter, I "pre-bought" this book. Good ol' Amazon shipped it as soon as it was available. There is a lot of useful info for the beginning to intermediate computer user. There are many books covering this subject. This one is an easy read with step-by-step instructions on much of what you need to know to get the most out of your electronic brain.

The layout is super--easy to read and find things. I like information presented in this uncomplicated, straight-forward style. A big plus are the "Unofficially," "Bright Idea," and "Watch Out!" icons in the scholar's margin. They are intuitive, convenient and helpful, without being distracting or confusing. I like the extensive index, too. I will want to keep it close to my computer for an all around, quick, knowledgeable reference.

I have just had a most enjoyable reading of the "The Unofficial Guide to PCs" (well, just the first 4 chapters) and must compliment this great publication! Clapping!!! Haven't had as much fun reading "explanations and descriptions" in a long time.

This is a very informative book for the PC enthusiast, but a few references seem to be missing.