Customer Reviews

Windows® 7 Plain & Simple

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is one of the "plain and simple" series which I have found useful, especially if one is somewhat experienced and looking for the hints on how to move up to the new products.

I have just started with Windows 7 and this manual was a good way to "jump start" the process. I had expected a Vista type set of problems with Windows 7 but everything went smoothly and this manual is a good helper. If you generally know what you want to do then this can help you solve problems quickly. I have used it for personalizing the look and feel, for backing up, getting a restoral disk and the like. I knew what I wanted from having done it on many past Os and it was readily and easily achieved.

The manual provides a good set of visual steps which are readily followable. The index is quite helpful and the coordination of the pictures with the numbering and the steps assists you as you go through the process.

What seems to be new is that one can use the Start command and insert the first few letters of the desired configuration screen and you then make the selection based upon what appears. This has two advantages. First the access is based on a common set of methods and second one gets to see what else is available.

This is not a manual for a system administrator. It is targeted at a reasonably experienced user transitioning from XP, and perhaps Vista, to Windows 7. You can determine what you would like to achieve and then through a hit and miss approach find the answer and see how it is done.

And, yes, the binding is of very poor quality. The other volumes I have used for transitioning to Office 2007 and they were of much better quality. This volume seems to crack after a short use.

Most of the material was useful, but organized loosely. The index was useful in finding the desired material. I found that the descriptions and graphics were very close to the Enterprise edition I have. My only problem with the book was when it was laid down to reference a particular procedure or feature, the soft cover binding tended to separate from the pages. I now have several small booklets. Maybe I should punch the pages and make a ring bound book.

I use these series to teach some basic computer classes and find them to be very helpful for my students. I agree with other reviewers that the indexing is very good. In fact, I have expensive books with lousy indexes on these same topics. I recommend these to my students as the first book to buy. I often find, I never need another book after purchasing this one. Sometimes, you find answers to basic questions completely omitted by other books. This book on Windows 7 is no different. Excellent book.

This book is not about Windows 7 it's about Windows operating systems. Chapters 1, 2, 3,and 5 are real basic windows stuff. Chapter 6 is about surfing the net using IE8 in the most basic terms that any novice might already know. Chapter 7 is about playing games that come with Windows, most of these games were with XP. Chapter 11 is about faxing and scanning and might be useful but W7 doesn't have the versatility that XP had in this area!! 12 is real basic emailing stuff that, again, any novice would know.
Overall the book provided less than 10 valuable hints for me. W7 is quite different than the revered XP and frankly I don't like it as well. Searching on W7 is the worst and the constant interruptions are annoying.

First let me say that I usually do not favor the "simple" and "easy" type of computer books because they usually have information that I already know, however this one is an exception to that rule. Since this book was written for someone new to computers or just new to Windows 7 is is such a blessing! About 3 weeks ago,I bought a new computer with Windows 7 Home Premium on it. And I needed to be up and running quickly with Windows 7 since I had just come from using Vista and needed to know how to operate Windows 7 quickly. And this book has been very informative to me and has shown to me the new things that are unique to Windows 7. And because of this superb book, I am up and running with great ease with Windows 7 and truly enjoying it! What a relief after spending almost 3 years using Vista! The best thing I have found about this book are the large colorful screen shot illustrations with step by step of how do do the exercise. Like having a teacher right there beside you showing you how to use Windows 7! In my opinion, this book covers basics to slightly advanced. This is a truly SUPERB and well written book, I highly recommend it!

Well indexed.Most instructional book require multiple looks to find the remedy for your situation. This book is well indexed, plus it is written in language that is used outside of an IT department. Great book have recommended it other computer challenged friends.

I get Jerry Joyce's book evry time a new Microsoft Product comes out that I want to buy. I enjoy the writing & the layout. As a seasoned Microsoft user/customer, I am interested in what is new with the Operating System. This book does a good job of giving you those highlights. It is really intended for computer beginners, but I got good info from this book.

I am happily reading this book and learning a few things I didn't get figured out, but I have a complaint: The printing of the screen shots is not crisp enough (very light and not dark), and I have to wear reading glasses or use magnifying glasses in order to see what it says on the page. I never have to do this, so I don't think it's me.... There was one thing I was trying to see, and I had to use both reading glasses AND a magnifying glass, but then I went and read another book without having to use any visual aids at all. So--- I think the print quality of the screen shots is VERY BAD.

I am 78 and have been using a computer for about 18 years but it is still not my native language, so to speak. I can follow the directions in the book easily and the computer "Help" instructions have never been any help to me.
I am really grateful to the authors and to Amazon for making it available.

This book is exactly what I needed. The author's "SEE-HOW" and "no computer speak" techniques take you through the subjects a screen at a time and points out and explains each pertenant item in detail. I am going to go through it cover to cover.