Windows for Mac Users [Paperback]

Cynthia Baron (Author), Robin Williams (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 14, 1999

If you're a die-hard Mac user who needs to work with Windows, you know that Microsoft's operating system is just different enough from your familiar Mac OS to make the transition less than seamless. Don't waste time fumbling around on your own. Windows for Mac Users will make mastering Windows much easier and less painful.

In this one-of-a-kind book, Cynthia Baron teams up with best-selling Mac author Robin Williams to give you a clear, witty introduction to the PC interface and hardware. You'll learn how to make your cross-platform commute smoother and more productive with Mac-to-Windows keyboard shortcuts and easy-to follow instructions on how to rename and transfer your Mac files to a PC. Save yourself time and frustration by letting the experts be your guide to the world of Windows.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

You have a Mac; you love your Mac. But your job requires you to work with a computer that runs Microsoft Windows 95/98 or Windows NT 4. This unfortunate circumstance means you need to acquire some special skills--the least among them being an ability to cope with Windows' usage that varies greatly from that of the Mac. Windows for Mac Users will show you how to make the transition and where you will need to look for the differences.

The book uses Mac terminology to explain how Windows operates. If you're wondering what the System folder looks like on a Windows 98 machine or how to create an alias under Windows NT, Baron and Williams--unabashed Mac fans--have answers for you.

They also have information on why closing a document and quitting an application are different operations under Windows. They even cover TweakUI--a downloadable utility--as a means of fixing some of Windows' most annoying traits. Unfortunately, the authors sometimes resort too quickly to the "that's beyond the scope of this book" excuse...

Windows for Mac Users also provides information for Mac users who need to share files and other information with Windows users. While their information on color palettes and filename extensions is excellent, they leave out detailed information on networking Macs and PCs together. Nonetheless, Mac users who are out of their element will find this book helpful. --David Wall

From the Back Cover

If you're a die-hard Mac user who needs to work with Windows, you know that Microsoft's operating system is just different enough from your familiar Mac OS to make the transition less than seamless. Don't waste time fumbling around on your own. Windows for Mac Users will make mastering Windows much easier and less painful. In this one-of-a-kind book, Cynthia Baron teams up with best-selling Mac author Robin Williams to give you a clear, witty introduction to the PC interface and hardware. You'll learn how to make your cross-platform commute smoother and more productive with Mac-to-Windows keyboard shortcuts and easy-to follow instructions on how to rename and transfer your Mac files to a PC. Save yourself time and frustration by letting the experts be your guide to the world of Windows.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 420 pages
• Publisher: Peachpit Press (May 14, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201353962
• ISBN-13: 978-0201353969
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 2.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,567,732 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for Mac users trying to understand Windows, July 7, 2000

By 

Al B. (Rome, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Windows for Mac Users (Paperback)

A reasonably experienced Mac user learning Windows is in an unusual situation:

In some ways, they understand overall computer operations and graphical interfaces -- even new ones -- better than most experienced PC users. This makes most books written for PC novices much too simplistic for these new PC users.

On the other hand, experienced Mac users still need to learn some fundamental basics unique to Windows that every PC user already knows -- for example, using the right mouse button (missing on Macs.)

The authors do an excellent job of walking this fine line between novice and advanced levels, essentially taking the reader through the entire Windows OS from beginning to end. Step-by-step, they cover Windows and how it works, explaining the differences between it and the MacOS. The prose is clear and supplemented by many screen shots.

Ms. Williams is probably one of the finest technical writers in the computing field today. I read perhaps 10 or more technical books per year and hers are always the best written. She could probably write a how-to book on rocket science and have us all (successfully) planning space missions the next week.

If you buy only one book -- this is the one to get!

A postscipt: You don't "need" a second book, but still I found it handy to supplement this book with "Crossing Platforms : A Macintosh/Windows Phrasebook" by Adam Engst and David Pogue. "Crossing Platforms" is more of a reference book for looking up specific issues than a primer like "Windows for Mac Users."

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent,clear, concise, NO BS, June 29, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Windows for Mac Users (Paperback)

This book in not good it is GREAT!!!!!!! As a dedicated Mac person I have found this book to be an excellent introduction to Windows. It is clear, concise, extremely readable- unlike most technical books, and right on the money. I read half of it in one sitting and the rest the next day. It gives you the info you need without all the BS or stupid jokes you find in so many of the Dummy books. I got the info I needed to get up and running quickly and was able to go back and find my specific needs when I need to review. I highly recommend this book.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mac professionals in a Windows world: Buy this book!, March 11, 2000

By 

CleoSJ "Cleo" (San Jose) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Windows for Mac Users (Paperback)

This book is great! I'm a Mac person who occasionally has to work on the Windows platform for my clients. This book really helped me to figure out how to do what I needed to do on Windows (which often is totally different from how you do it on the Mac). I didn't have a clue to do the most mundane things, such as to how to attach a mouse, how to install a font, how to do a hard break, and so forth. If I didn't have this book on hand, I would have been very frustrated trying to get the job done on a platform that I wasn't familiar with. I highly recommend it!