Apple's Unix-based, industrial-strength operating system, OS X, is the biggest change ever faced by the Mac community. OS X looks different, feels different, offers new and different features, and is an order of magnitude more complex than any previous Mac operating system. Maria Langer's Mac OS X Visual QuickStart Guide from Peachpit Press is designed to quell the fears of those apprehensive users who are looking to make the switch, or have just switched and find themselves lost in a new world.
Starting with the best way to prepare your computer for OS X, and working it's way through installation and the interface changes, this book covers almost every basic aspect of the new operating system. Navigating with the new Finder, application basics, hooking up to the Internet--it's all here, in simple, concise terms.
If the book has a flaw, it is that only the bare basics are covered. Everything presented is clear and thorough, but there is not enough material. There is nothing about access rights, logging in or logging out, or getting around basic issues that might pop up. The book lays things out as they should be but offers little advice for those times when something goes wrong.
Since Mac OS X ships with minimal hardcopy documentation, the Mac OS X Visual QuickStart Guide is an ideal companion for the new user making the switch. There is plenty of information here, presented clearly and with countless screenshots. For the brand-new user looking for a well-illustrated manual, this is the one that Apple should ship with OS X. --Mike Caputo
Book Info
Beginner to intermediate level guide to using Mac OS X, with straightforward, simple explanations of concepts, coupled with illuminating screen shots and illustrations. Includes thumb tabs for easy page-flipping, and a companion Web site with news and updates. Also includes sections on iTunes and iTools. Softcover.
See all Editorial Reviews
