Windows XP Pro: The Missing Manual (Paperback)

by David Pogue (Author), Craig Zacker (Author), L. J. Zacker (Author)
Key Phrases: active desktop, custom install, password reset disk, Outlook Express, Control Panel, Internet Explorer (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This superbly written book uses wit, technical insight and scrupulous objectivity to shed light on Microsoft's newest and most reliable operating system. Windows XP Pro: The Missing Manual isn't for system administrators or OS theory geeks; it's for the novice or budding power user who wants to master XP Pro and get down to work. Coauthored by David Pogue, New York Times technology columnist and Missing Manuals creator, the book reveals which XP features work well and which don't, such as the Remote Desktop software that enables people to connect to the office from home or the road, the encryption file system that protects sensitive information, and the Windows Messenger that enables real-time text, voice and video communication. The book also helps you reduce window clutter, tame the multi-column Start menu, and set up your own small-office (peer-to-peer) network. Anyone who uses XP Pro will find this new system much easier -- and more fun -- to digest with Windows XP Pro: The Missing Manual. This is the crystal-clear, jargon-free book that should have been in the box.

About the Author
Craig Zacker has published numerous books and articles on networking topics and Windows NT. David Pogue, a Yale grad and former Broadway conductor, writes the back-page column for Macworld magazine. He's the author or coauthor of 15 computer, humor, and music books, including Macs for Dummies, Opera for Dummies, Classical Music for Dummies, Magic for Dummies, Macworld Mac Secrets, Hard Drive (a novel), The Microsloth Joke Book, and Tales from the Tech Line. Mia Farrow, Carly Simon, Harry Connick, Jr., and Stephen Sondheim are among his computer students.

Product Details

• Paperback: 672 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly; 1 edition (January 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 059600348X
• ISBN-13: 978-0596003487
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.1 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #534,613 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

84 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superbly written for non-nerds, January 19, 2004

By	Chris Taylor "CMT" (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews

This is by far the most understandable XP Pro book I've found. It takes the position that there's nothing wrong with witty, polished prose in technical writing. In fact, the excellence of the writing makes learning far less of a chore than you find in geekier books.

As for the gripes by previous reviewers: Good grief! It says right on the cover that the book "isn't for system administrators or OS theory geeks; it's for the novice or budding power user." It's clearly intended for people new to XP Pro, or even intermediate users who'd like a crystal-clear explanation of, say, understanding how file encryption is different in XP Pro and XP Home, or how to dial into your PC from the road using a laptop, or how to set up a home network, step by step.

(And to whoever wrote that you can find the same information in the online help--get real!! Microsoft's online help for XP Pro is opaque, humorless, loaded with jargon, and free of illustrations. And above all, it NEVER mentions bugs and problems and workarounds, as this book does.)

Bottom line: If you're a network administrator, it's true that you'll be much happier with a much thicker, more technical (and dry-as-dust) book.

But if you're a home user, or maybe you've been issued an XP Pro box at work and you want to get the most out of it, this book presents a complete, entertaining, and easily understood a picture of the beast they call Windows XP Professional. HIGHLY recommended.

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars He's Right, It Should Have Been In the Box, January 23, 2005

By	John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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

The title is right! This is the book that should have been included in the basic box with XP Pro. It is set at just the right level for the average user trying to come up to speed on a new operating system. While the basic user interface is more or less the same as the previous windows operating systems, the underlying code structure is based on NT rather than the older DOS/Windows.

This book isn't for system administrators or advanced readers. It's aimed at the average user who wants to master the machine well enough to get down to work or to look up something without having to call for support. It is basically crystal-clear, jargon-free (well, computers are still the subject, how about nearly jargon-free).

This edition is up to date to include Service Pack 2, which changed a number of screens and philosophies in the security area.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The combination is......., March 23, 2003

By	B. J. Martin (Plymouth, WI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Simply put- BUY THIS BOOK!!!!!
If you own Windows XP Pro*, this manual is a must have, invaluable resource tool.
Easy to read and filled with helpful tips on maximizing the efficiency of your system; Pogue and Zacker got it right!
You'll save yourself so much time on completing your tasks that it'll pay for itself as soon as you get it.
My only question is why didn't we get one of these when we purchaced Windows XP??
*I use it on XP Pro and Home editions