Windows Me: The Missing Manual [Paperback]

David Pogue (Author)

Book Description

Series: Missing Manual | Publication Date: September 8, 2000

Windows Me, the hotly anticipated successor to Windows 98, comes with dozens of important new features. They include a home-networking Wizard; Movie Maker, for creating digital sounds and movies; and self-healing, self-updating software components. But one major failing of Windows remains unaddressed in the Me edition: it comes without a single page of printed instructions.

In Windows Me: The Missing Manual, author David Pogue provides the friendly, authoritative book that should have been in the box. It's the ideal user's guide for the world's most popular operating system.

The book begins at the beginning: with a tour of the Desktop, the enhanced Start menu, and instructions for customizing the Taskbar and toolbars. There's a special focus on organizing files, folders, and windows for maximum efficiency and minimum clutter.

More advanced chapters explore each control panel and built-in application; walk readers through every conceivable kind of configuration (for Internet use, for peripheral equipment, and so on); and guide them in setting up a small network--an essential skill in today's home or small office--including how to share a single Internet connection among several PCs. The book even shows readers how to access one of today's hottest PC features: listening to live radio, or watching live TV, from all over the world, via the Internet.

Special appendixes cover more technical ground: the various DOS applications that govern the startup and shutdown process, instructions for installing and updating Windows, and so on.

Windows Me: The Missing Manual is a one-stop reference for the professional and consumer Windows user. In keeping with the high standards of the Missing Manual line, the book features superb writing, offers special features for both absolute novices and power users, and covers its topic completely. If Microsoft could close its eyes and wish for the perfect user's guide for its flagship product, Windows Me: The Missing Manual would magically appear.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

A few years ago, software publishers decided to stop shipping manuals with their software, and instead rely on online help that's built into the software. The problem with this approach--for starters--is that in order to use online help you have to go into the program and find it. Additionally, no one really likes to read text on a computer screen, and it's hard to find the same page twice. Enter Windows Millennium: The Missing Manual. This brilliant book explains everything that you need to know to use and enjoy Microsoft's everyday OS, yet manages to be fun to read. If you never really have used a computer before, or if you're trying to expand your knowledge beyond the limited procedures that you've learned on the job, you'll appreciate the contents of this well-written guide.

Author David Pogue earned his stripes in the Macintosh community--he's immensely popular among Mac fans--but he's made the transition to Windows admirably. He approaches Windows Me's features (including Outlook Express and Internet Explorer) one at a time, and explains how to use each. His approach is detailed without being dull, and friendly without being fluffy or flippant. Newcomers who need lots of guidance will find this book a handy tutorial, and independent users who need to do a bit of research from time to time will find it a handy reference. --David Wall

Topics covered: Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (a.k.a. Windows Me) for beginning and intermediate users. The author explains the essentials of files, folders, and icons, and proceeds to document the Control Panel. Appropriately, the Internet gets a lot of attention, and there's fine coverage of setting up a small local area network (LAN), including one that employs Internet Connection Sharing (ICS).

About the Author

David Pogue, Yale '85, is the weekly personal-technology columnist for the New York Times and an Emmy award-winning tech correspondent for CBS News. His funny tech videos appear weekly on CNBC. And with 3 million books in print, he is also one of the world's bestselling how- to authors. In 1999, he launched his own series of amusing, practical, and user-friendly computer books called Missing Manuals, which now includes 100 titles.

Product Details

• Paperback: 423 pages
• Publisher: Pogue Press; 1st ed edition (September 8, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 059600009X
• ISBN-13: 978-0596000097
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,435,266 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

David Pogue is the personal-technology columnist for the New York Times. Each week, he contributes a print column, an online column and an online video. His daily blog, "Pogue's Posts," is the Times's most popular blog. David is also an Emmy award-winning tech correspondent for CBS News and a frequent guest on NPR's "Morning Edition." His trademark comic tech videos appear each Thursday morning on CNBC. With over 3 million books in print, David is one of the world's bestselling how-to authors. He launched his own series of complete, funny computer books called the Missing Manual series, which now includes 60 titles. David graduated summa cum laude from Yale in 1985, with distinction in Music, and he spent ten years conducting and arranging Broadway musicals in New York. He's been profiled on both "48 Hours" and "60 Minutes."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

185 of 189 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Microsoft's mistake is now your gain., September 23, 2000

By 

Michael J Woznicki "Michael J Woznicki" (Holland, MA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Windows Me: The Missing Manual (Paperback)

Every time you think you have figured out Microsoft they come up with a new way to confuse you. Windows 98 was released and finally I thought I understood the product and then along comes Windows ME, the Millennium Edition. O'Reilly Press and the Windows Millennium, The Missing Manual is making short work of the newest OS.

In this 413 page book, that Microsoft should have given you when you bought the product, you have a world of information that the writers have taken the time to lay out in a format that is easy to follow and easy to understand. The writers have really done their homework with this one.

In Part 1 the ME Desktop, you cover areas like the desktop, the start menu, folders, taskbar and help, icons and shortcuts. While most of the things are identical to 95 and 98, for those new to the OS game this is a great starting point.

Part 2, Components, takes on subjects like programs, Sound, movies and the control panel. Part 3 Online, talks about the changes in the Internet functionality of Windows ME. Part 4, Plugging into ME you have topics like printing, fonts, PNP, Users and troubleshooting to look at.

Finally Part 5, Building the Small Network to show what new networking capabilities ME has. Overall the book is made for the beginner to intermediate user, however some of the more advanced user may find useful information included in the book.

64 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Did you buy a new PC with Win ME? This sure can help you!, February 8, 2001

By 

Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Windows Me: The Missing Manual (Paperback)

First off, let me tell you that if you are updating your old PC and have bought a new one with Windows ME, or have updated your old PC with the new operating system, you need this book.

Windows ME is the home operating system (as opposed to Windows 2000 which is more business and network oriented.) It's sufficiently different from Windows 98 that you can get a lot of benefit by using a guidebook such as this. The online help and tutorials that come with Windows ME are just not enought.

The first part of the book deals with moving around the operating system at the basic level. While most things will look familiar to you, the browser-like Explorer is vastly improved. The first section of the book explains how you can have customized views for your pictures and graphics, helpful for the home digital photographer. After reading this section, you will be able to optimize your Explorer to suit the types of files you keep on the PC.

Realize that some of the power of Windows ME is that it was designed to improve how you interface with the internet. However, networking was totally redone in Windows ME and greatly improved. You'd be surprised how many people are using home networks, so this is an important development. There is an excellent section in this book dealing with networks, and this is probably worth buying the book alone for this information, if you intend to do any networking with Windows ME.

Windows ME is also designed for multimedia and there is plenty in here for learning how Windows ME is used with various peripherals. And lastly, internet access is another focus of the improved functions in Window ME, and there are topics to deal with the many changes that have been made to the operating system.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An essential piece of software., March 15, 2002

By 

Craig T. Niedzielski (Jacksonville, Florida United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Windows Me: The Missing Manual (Paperback)

From the intro: "To learn about the thousands of pieces of software that make up (Windows Me), you're expected to read the online help screens. Unfortunately, as you'll quickly discover, these help screens are tersely written, offer very little technical depth, and lack examples and illustrations. You can't even mark your place, underline, or read them in the bathroom."

Exactly. I had been fiddling with W/Me for five months before I got and absorbed this nifty little book. Before, I could figure out most things most of the time, and still be scratching my head about how I just got something to work. Now, I understand what I'm doing, where I can find help that really helps and not confuses, and spend more of my time getting real work done, and less or none at all trying to get the darn thing to do what I want it to do.

I really don't need a book lying around my desk proclaiming to all who pass that here resides a "dummy." Just because I'm a novice doesn't make me stupid. This book will help out the novice and experienced user alike, with plenty of explanations and tips that will give you your money's worth in one week. Mr. Pogue writes in a style that is easy to follow, with just enough levity to keep your attention and not sound glib or sarcastic. He offers plenty of examples to demonstrate his topics, with printed screens exactly as they appear on the monitor. And of course, you can read it in the bathroom.

I wish I had this book at my side five months ago.