Microsoft Computer Dictionary (Paperback)

~ Microsoft Press (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Computers--and the community of people that surrounds them--do an excellent job of generating jargon. They've created a world of RJ-11 jacks, Lempel Ziv compression, TACACS protocols, and data forks. Microsoft Computer Dictionary, Fourth Edition, explains all these terms and thousands more. It's a sort of miniencyclopedia of computing topics.

The dictionary focuses on providing beginning and intermediate computer users with a solid grounding in terms, technologies, and concepts related to productivity software, databases, and networks. Communications technologies--such as those related to mobile phones--get attention too. This latest edition of the dictionary includes a selection of terms related to the Year 2000 bug, though these terms are inexplicably isolated in a special appendix.

The Microsoft Computer Dictionary generally treats non-Microsoft technologies evenhandedly--the entries related to Sun Microsystems' Java language might even be construed as boosterish. However, a Microsoft slant sometimes appears, as in the coverage of palm-size PCs. There's no mention of 3Com's topselling Palm computers or its operating systems, though Windows CE is mentioned.

Cross-referencing, particularly of acronyms, is excellent. The companion CD-ROM allows you to quickly search for dictionary terms and also includes The Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications. --David Wall

Product Description

MICROSOFT COMPUTER DICTIONARY, FOURTH EDITION, continues the tradition of being the authoritative source of definitions for computer terms, concepts, and acronyms. With over 8,000 entries, the Fourth Edition is now fully updated to include the latest technology, including expanded coverage of e-commerce, cyberculture, networks, standards, enterprise and component terminology, Windows(r) 98, and UNIX. As an added bonus, the dictionary expands its coverage of jargon and slang, which are often the most confusing terms in the computer world. The dictionary also now includes stylish new line drawings to help clarify concepts and illustrate key terms.

Product Details

• Paperback: 541 pages
• Publisher: Microsoft Pr; 4th edition (May 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0735606153
• ISBN-13: 978-0735606159
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,606,334 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A complex reference for the experienced computer user..., June 11, 2000

By	Laura Haggarty (Northern KY USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This book is not for the novice computer user. I bought this book for my 74 year-old father, who has just recently dipped his toe into the vastness of the Internet. He needed something that would let him look up the terms he reads about so that he'd understand what a URL is, know how to read an emoticon, and be able to chose between compressed or uncompressed JPEGs.

While the book gives him that information and more, it does so using more complicated definitions than he'd like. He gripes that when he looks something up, the definition is filled with words he doesn't know, which he then has to go look up as well!

So, while this book might be an excellent resource for an experienced computer user, it's not geared towards the novice. What he needed was "The Internet for Dummies" or something like that, but wouldn't get the joke if I'd sent it to him.

Bottom line, buy this book if you have a basis from which to work, avoid it if you're just beginning in computer and online work.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars GOOD, BUT NOT THE BEST VALUE, February 16, 2003

By	reviewer (Zurich, Switzerland.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Microsoft® Computer Dictionary, Fifth Edition (Cpg-Other) (Paperback)

Yes, this edition of "Microsoft Computer Dictionary" has been revised and updated, when compared to the previous editions. Its 10,000 entries centered on software, hardware, and internet terms. They are easy to understand. But the fact that Microsoft stopped adding attached CD-ROMs (with this edition), without any significant price reduction is irritating. It depicts the company's insensitivity to the consumer needs.
However, this is not a bad dictionary to use, if you will tolerate this latest arrogance. It contains some new acronyms on XML, Xbox, tablet PCs, and wireless network. But, be aware that there are other computer dictionaries in the market, which offer much more for less money: including attached CD-ROMs.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Microsoft Computer Dictionary , Fifth Edition by MICROSOFT P, May 25, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Microsoft® Computer Dictionary, Fifth Edition (Cpg-Other) (Paperback)

I personally think that as far as Computer Dictionaries go this is an excellent one , but I must WARN YOU.... If you looking for the accompanying CD that came with all the past versions , YOUR OUT OF LUCK.... I think portability is a big factor and having the book on CD in the field is much easier than lugging the desktop book around.. EITHER "MICROSOFT" PRESS IS GETTING REALLY CHEAP OR BILL IS GETTING PARANOID OVER ALL THE LAWSUITS AND DECIDED TO SAVE SOME MONEY , I DON'T KNOW.. I DO KNOW THAT I GIVE THIS BOOK THREE STARS BECAUSE OF THIS , OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE GIVEN IT A HIGHER RATING... So be AWARE of this.......