Windows Vista Ultimate Bible [Paperback]

Joel Durham Jr. (Author), Derek Torres (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 6, 2007 | ISBN-10: 0470097132 | ISBN-13: 978-0470097137

The ultimate book on the ultimate Vista for gamers and digital media buffs.

If you're the ultimate gamer and multimedia fan, Windows Vista Ultimate and this information-packed book are for you. Want to launch games with a single click? Share files with your Xbox 360? Try out new audio and media tools? It's all here and then some. You'll find step-by-step tutorials, techniques, and hacks-plus in-depth discussions of games, gaming, performance tips, and much more. Whether you're a veteran Windows gearhead or just getting started, this is the book you need!

• Try out the new Aero Glass user interface and new desktop features.
• Set up your graphics card, sound card, and speakers.
• Keep Vista secure with stronger firewall and family safety settings.
• Meet the new DirectX with 32-bit floating point audio and high-speed DLLs.
• Share multimedia across a network with ease.
• Enrich your audio with crossfade, shuffle, and volume leveling.
• Get up to speed on the new Media Center and Media Player 11.
• Use the Universal Controller and WinSAT for gaming.
• Find out how to run Windows(r) XP games on Vista.
• Edit video like a pro.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

The ultimate book on the ultimate Vista for gamers and digital media buffs

If you're the ultimate gamer and multimedia fan, Windows Vista Ultimate and this information-packed book are for you. Want to launch games with a single click? Share files with your Xbox 360? Try out new audio and media tools? It's all here and then some. You'll find step-by-step tutorials, techniques, and hacks—plus in-depth discussions of games, gaming, performance tips, and much more. Whether you're a veteran Windows gearhead or just getting started, this is the book you need to succeed with Vista Ultimate.

• Try out the new Aero Glass user interface and new desktop features
• Set up your graphics card, sound card, and speakers
• Keep Vista secure with stronger firewall and family safety settings
• Meet the new DirectX with 32-bit floating point audio and high-speed DLLs
• Share multimedia across a network with ease
• Enrich your audio with crossfade, shuffle, and volume leveling
• Get up to speed on the new Media Center and Media Player 11
• Use the Universal Controller and WinSAT for gaming
• Optimize game and multimedia performance
• Find out how to run Windows® XP games on Vista

Edit video like a pro

Explore the new Windows Aero interface

Learn all about optimizing Vista Ultimate for gaming

About the Author

Joel Durham, Jr.
I hate writing about myself in the third person for these author blurbs, so I’m going to put a stop to it right now. I’m Joel Durham Jr., and I’m one of your hosts for this adventure. I’ve been a computer and video game nerd all my life, and I’ve been writing professionally about computers, games, operating systems, consoles, and all that kind of stuff since 1997 — when Matt Firme gave me my big break by hiring me as PC Gamer’s first Technical Editor. After a year in that blissful atmosphere I left that job, mainly to escape the San Francisco Bay area (having to get an interestonly ARM mortgage for a $750,000 2-bedroom house on a lot the size of a sheet of standard copier paper, and somehow survive on an editor’s salary).
I moved back to upstate New York to be near family. Since then, I’ve been freelance writing for such markets as GameSpy, Gamecenter (I spent time as the Senior Technical Editor there before CNET closed the site down), 1UP, Computer Gaming World, ExtremeTech, PC Magazine, Computer Source, and a bunch more. I live with my wife (who defies logic by being too gorgeous to be interested in a geek like me, and yet she is), and the two smartest, cutest children in the world.

Derek Torres
I, too, hate writing about myself in the third person; knowing that Joel hated this odd phenomenon as much as I do was the real reason that I chose to write a few chapters for this book. Technical writer by trade, I’ve been into computers for a very long time and getting paid to do it since 1998 or so. My career as a tech writer took off in Paris, France, around the turn of the century where I worked for several software shops.
After returning to the U.S. a few years ago, I decided to focus more on writing for software and small business issues. Some of the people nice enough to publish my work include Microsoft (Work Essentials and the Vista Expert Zone), Redmond Channel Partner magazine, and STC’s Intercom magazine. I also write a column for the Information in Focus Web site and regularly present at technical communication conferences in the U.S. and in Europe. Additionally, I’ve had the privilege of writing or co-writing several books on Windows operating systems.

Product Details

• Paperback: 824 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (March 6, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470097132
• ISBN-13: 978-0470097137
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.3 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,179,239 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally a book that isn't all business!, May 1, 2007

By 

David Lawlor "http://www.davelawlor.com" (Oak Forest, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Windows Vista Ultimate Bible (Paperback)

Often the technical help manuals for Operating Systems fall into two categories, either they are all business or they are totally for the casual user. This book does a nice job of catering to the gaming/digital media group. Being someone who has always loved playing computer games on both the PC and console, it is great to have someone write about integrating my XBox 360 into my home network and go beyond just gaming with it.

The book even goes into getting individual games to work under Vista from older operating systems, which has consistently been a challenge to gamers when switching over.

Though I have had the equipment, I haven't had a real practical guide on how to integrate media center into my home. This book not only explains it all but allowed me to think creatively about how to use my system to the fullest.

Having this book will truly show you how to get the most entertainment value out of Vista. Remember its not all business!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vista Ultimate Reference for Home Users, July 6, 2007

By 

G. Tairov - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Windows Vista Ultimate Bible (Paperback)

There are undoubtedly many books covering Windows Vista these days. This Windows Vista Ultimate Bible is very home-user oriented. Yet, in my opinion, it is still a wonderful book! There's much emphasis on gaming, multimedia enhancements, music, videos, and audio. Also, 4 chapters are dedicated to networking, Internet, and tweaking Vista for optimum performance. I also appreciated full color inserts throughout the book. A very nice addition, I must admit. 5 stars.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not technical at all, September 4, 2007

By 

Thomas V. Fandino (Houston Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Windows Vista Ultimate Bible (Paperback)

Absolutely not a technical book with a missleading title..because the simple fact that the word BIBLE imply everything is cover ,and this is not the case.I will call it "Introduction to Windows Vista Ultimate"..
Part 1 (with 6 chapters) is and stormy rush thru Windows Vista Ultimate and then you will be send to the others parts of the book for expanding
explanation..so that looks redundant to me..Another thing is the use of not realy windows words like Chapter 3 "contextual toolbar" to explain the change on the menu toolbar.I typed in help Contextual toolbar and shows nothing..But first time users that not like the tutorial included with the progam is perhaps ok, but a waste of money ,in my opinion buying this book.
Thanks