Customer Reviews

Windows® 7 Step by Step (Step by Step (Microsoft))

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Windows 7 Step by step is what I bought for my sister. She's a novice PC user and wanted some help with using the newest Windows. Out of all the ones I read through at Borders this was the best for beginners and basics. If you are looking for a beginner book, probably a good choice but really will want to get a more advanced one to actually learn Windows 7. The more advanced one I like best is Windows 7: The Definitive Guide: The Essential Resource for Professionals and Power Users.

I don't know that I have ever really been a huge fan of any "step by step" books. This may be due to my technical experience and quickly getting bored with things I already know. In any case, I decided to look over this book as an option for my mother-in-law, who, shall we say, is slightly less than computer savvy. Ok, very far from computer savvy. She bought a new computer that had Win7 installed and to save my sanity from the phone calls I typically receive, I thought finding a book like this would be great.

The book itself is very readable and covers everything that is new as well as those that are updated from earlier versions of the Windows operating system. This is good because my mother-in-law came from a Windows XP machine and this books makes the transition easy enough for her. The practice files provided give a good level of work for the new Windows 7 user to get a feel for each of the features available in the operating system. The first section for new computer users is also a great refresher for current computer users to allow them to understand the terminology that will be used throughout the book.

Seriously, if my mother-in-law can go through this book and keep the phone calls to a very minimum, this book is hitting the target it was shooting for.

I really liked Windows 7: Step by Step. It covers all the basics without getting too technical and has lots of explanatory pictures, which is what beginners benefit from right away. It's easy to understand, the practises are good. I recommend this book for beginners, both of Windows 7 and computers in general.

This is the best book I have ever read on how to get the most out of Windows. I have read books on how to use Windows 3.1, 95,98,XP and Vista and none even come close to the clarity and thoroughness of Windows 7 Step by Step. This book is a must read for every user of Windows 7.

This book is a great place to start if you're new to Windows 7. It covers all the basics-- from how to start up the computer and log in to how to create a network-- without being technical. The text is set up in a series of exercises, and there are many diagrams and screenshots.

This is definitely a beginners-level book, but I mean "beginners" in the sense of those new to Windows 7. I'm very experienced with computers dating back to the Apple II days in the late 1970s, but my new new computer came with Windows 7. I found this book perfect. It gave me a quick start with practical, accurate directions, but it never talked down to me.

The CD that comes with the book contains the entire text in PDF format, so you can have the book on your desktop. It also contains sets of practice exercises that go with the chapters in the book. I found these very useful.

If you want a detailed reference book, Step by Step Windows 7 isn't a good choice for you. You'd probably be happier with Windows 7 Inside Out. However, if you want a practical guide to getting started quickly, this is the book. I recommend it very highly.

I have used every Windows version and transition from one into the next has been gradual and easy, thanks to good documentation. Windows 7 breaks the chain because it has an unfamiliar look about it and documentation is sparse. User's guides are pictorial instead of written, and only available online.

Windows® 7 Step by Step corrects the deficiency by explaining all aspects of the program in careful detail with all technical terms defined in a glossary. I've only scanned the book--I'll never read it--but for every question that has occurred to me, it has given me the answer.

W-7 Step by Step comes with a CD containing a fully searchable .pdf copy of the book. I use it to look up things in preference to thumbing through the paper pages. Windows® 7 Step by Step (Step By Step (Microsoft))

I agree completely with the comments and 2-star rating by Dawson Gillaspy. I've had this book for about two weeks and have spent a good bit of time with it. Over this period I've had several reactions. On the "pro" side, the book contains a great deal of useful information. However, the presentation is exhausting. It seems to be written for someone who has not used any version of Windows previously, certainly not for one familiar with XP. For example, unless you feel that you need four pages explaining "Moving and Copying Folders and Files", i.e, cut, copy, and paste, and many similar common, fundamental windows operations, I believe this is probably not the book for you. These sorts of very familiar tasks and the wordy introductions are throughout the book. What is missing is a concise description of the fundamental and subtle differences between XP and Windows 7. The book does tell one what Windows 7 can do but not in a consise and, for me at least, useful way. If one has never used a computer or Windows before, this book may work for you, but be prepared to spend a lot of time... I am happy with the many new features in Windows 7 that were not in XP and I believe the book does explain them. But if your are not prepared to feret them out of the more than 440 pages of content, 49 pages of introduction, 15 pages of glossary, and 32 pages of index, this may not be the book you are looking for.

This book is done "right" in all the details, it has a lot of contents, well presented, too. It really covers all the practical aspects of the operating system.

The pagination is superb, the information extremely valuable, particularly in those sections dealing with Web connections, setting up hardware devices and managing folders and files.
The language is clear, technical as it needs to be, but also colloquial in such a way that, most of the time, I continue to read past my initial point of interest...

It comes with a CD, which includes the complete eBook and skill-building practice files. I would recommend this book to everybody, including those operating (no pun itended) at higher level of computer science than the average Joe, such as myself.

First let me say that I am no begineer in computers or Windows. Over the years I have used all previous to Windows. However, that said, each time a new release of Windows comes about, I upgrade my computer or purchase a newer computer with the newer Windows version. And to get me up and running very quickly, I buy a couple of Windows books. And each time I upgrade to a newer Windows, I ALWAYS buy a Windows Step by Step book that included the CD and practice files. And each time that I do, I am even more amazed with the book then the last time! The authors that write this book, I feel like I know them because they have authored other computer books that I have read in last several years. And I totally trust these authors. In this book each chapter is read and even though I do skip over the some of the info in the book that I already know, there are always new things that I learn from this book. Even though I am a more advanced person, whenever any software is upgraded, there are always changes and new things to learn. This is where this book comes in. So I must say that I 100% recommend this book to anyone who is either a beginner or a more advanced person who like myself wants to learn the new features in Windows 7. This book has something for everyone.

This is a very basic instruction book best suited to people who are unfamiliar with Windows or even PCs in general. In other words, this was perfect for me. I purchased my very first home computer just a month ago (laptop) and I had not worked with Windows since, lets see, Windows 5.1? 6.0? It has clearly written instructions and illustrations and is a good overview for those wanting to quickly familiarize themselves with the various functions of this latest Microsoft operating system. I purchased this to clear up some confusion about sound settings for recording, and the instructions quickly and easily explained what I needed to do. The table of contents is very helpful to locate which topics you wish to troubleshoot. The book comes with a disc which includes "practice" excercises. I have not yet gone through this disc, which is the reason I held off giving a full 5 stars. Right now, the book alone has been adequate for helping me get the most from my laptop. Those needing more detailed and advanced instruction should probably choose something a bit more technical and in-depth.