Customer Reviews

Windows XP Professional - The Ultimate Users Guide

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

With the release of Microsoft's newest operating system, Windows XP, there needs to be reference manuals to help the new user and technicians out. Coriolis, famous for Exam Prep, has released a book that will just about everyone in being able to learn the OS is short time.

While not written as a certification manual, this 800 plus page book will help with the exam objectives. Covering topics like personalizing the desktop, sounds schemes, creating users and accounts, rights, permissions and policies.

From there you also learn about printing, faxing, installing and removing software and hardware, email, MSN Explorer, IE version 6, outlook express and the internet. Coverage of networking is very well done with the home network, small office setup, and remote access and LAN coverage.

Finally disk and file management, security, backup strategies, restoring files and mobile users setup and configuration round out the areas covered. There are exercise included and they seem to be setup in a step by step format. Overall for those new to XP or those wanting a better understating this book may be just what you need.

This book is the best I've seen on Windows XP. The chapters on small business networks really helped me out. I would highly recommend this book for anyone using Windows XP Professional at home or at work, and also that business owners buy it for their employees. I know my employees use the book a lot!
This book is a one-stop shop!

I found myself rolling back several new computers that came equipped with Windows Vista to Windows XP and realized that my library of XP books was thin. Great testament to Windows XP that I needed relatively few books to support it for all these years. Considering that XP will start to be phased out in 2008, I thought I'd better bolster my library of XP books.

This one was a bad choice (and I am glad I bought it used at a low price).

First, even though it is a "Second Edition", I have not seen a mention of Service Pack 1, much less Service Pack 2. SP2 brought many additions to XP which need to be covered - and I have seen no evidence they are covered here. (One can only imagine what was wrong with the first edition of this book if a 2d edition was required before the service packs were released.)

There is, in fact, no mention of "Service Pack" in the index. There are, in fact, many, many things missing from the index. It is, in truth, a very poor index. Look for "voice recognition" in the index. You won't find it. It is simply a poor index.

In fact, depending on your level of expertise, you might consider this book to be poor. I do. It basically appears to be parts of the Microsoft Windows XP Pro Help file dumbed down for inexperienced users. Considering that the back cover proclaim the book's intended audiences to be "XP Users and administrators" and "Administrators of Windows XP networks", the content is pretty thin stuff. The front cover promises "new information on troubleshooting and tweaking Windows XP" and "in-depth implementing and troubleshooting guide". I found litle information of that nature here. There is a lot of silliness, such as a section on "Adding a Print Cartridge" to a printer - which instructions are promptly disclaimed by pointing out that the process varies greatly from one printer to another.

Granted, this book is somewhat old, but I think I'll still clear of any other titles authored by Joli Ballew. Glad I bought it used, for it is (in my opinion) certainly not worth anything close to the retail price.

Jerry

This book is too detailed for the average user as I have seen some of the instructionals from within this book that a friend purchased as a guide; it didn't seem to help. Most of the help he/she has gotten with XP has been verbal/written advice from me and a few other friends who are PC savvy. The book would be worth it somewhat, if the price were listed at 75% less than it is now!

This book is too detailed for the average user as I have seen some of the instructionals from within this book that a friend purchased as a guide; it didn't seem to help. Most of the help he/she has gotten with XP has been verbal/written advice from me and a few other friends who are PC savvy. The book would be worth it somewhat, if the price were listed at ...less than it is now ...!