How Macs Work, Millennium Edition (How It Works) (Paperback)

by John Rizzo (Author), K. Daniel Clark (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Have you ever wondered exactly how those beautiful lime or tangerine or blueberry iMacs work? Or how the operating system works on your iBook? Old and new generations of Macintosh users alike can find the answers in How Macs Work, Millennium Edition. Topics include: how different types of memory function, how data is stored, how FireWire transfers huge amounts of real-time digital data from consumer electronics devices like video camcorders into your Mac, increasing Mac speed and maximizing potential, how AirPort provides Internet access and creates networks on Macs without wires, and how Mac¿s new digital video editing technology can turn a VHS tape into polished digital video. The book will also explain how the Mac operating system works, including OS X ("OS Ten") the completely new implementation of the Macintosh operating system which features state-of-the-art technology throughout and an entirely new user interface called "Aqua."

From the Back Cover
Have you ever wondered exactly how those beautiful lime or tangerine or blueberry iMacs work? Or how the operating system works on your iBook? Old and new generations of Macintosh users alike can find the answers in How Macs Work, Millennium Edition. Topics include: how different types of memory function, how data is stored, how FireWire transfers huge amounts of real-time digital data from consumer electronics devices like video camcorders into your Mac, increasing Mac speed and maximizing potential, how AirPort provides Internet access and creates networks on Macs without wires, and how Mac's new digital video editing technology can turn a VHS tape into polished digital video. The book will also explain how the Mac operating system works, including OS X ("OS Ten") the completely new implementation of the Macintosh operating system which features state-of-the-art technology throughout and an entirely new user interface called "Aqua."

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Que (October 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789724286
• ISBN-13: 978-0789724281
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,138,777 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This book delivers on it's promise, August 29, 2001

By	G. Poirier "educator, mountain biker, camper,... (Fontana, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book did a great job of really explaining how the Mac and all the stuff inside it work. It's really good if you want a broad knowledge base for how the computer works inside and out. You'll learn about memory, CPU's, drives, peripherals (monitors, keyboards, mices) and all kinds of other stuff. What this book DOESN'T do is tell you how to work it. You won't learn how to run the operating system or how to set up an ethernet network, for example.
However, you WILL understand how that stuff works with your computer and what's going on behind the scenes when you're word processing. There's lots of pictures to describe the stuff they're talking about, too. One thing I didn't like was that the pictures were often numbered out of order which meant I had to go searching for the next numbered picture to read. It's quibbling, I know, but it happened a lot and made the book harder to read.
I recommend this book if you have a fear of computers and want to know just what the heck is going on. I'm glad I got it. For example, why do you have to shut down your computer? Why is it bad if it loses power or you unplug it? Because the hard drive must park. If it doesn't park, the wafer thin disks inside could become damaged if the read head touches them. Then your computer dies. I learned that from the book! It's kinda rudimentary, and if you knew that already, and you know what a processor cache is then you can probably skip this book. But, if you're dying to know, then pick it up!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars How the Mac used to Work. , September 6, 2005

By	Shawn R. Williams "IN Wonderful Delight." (SLC, UT, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Since OSX, I am told, this book is of little informational use to me, knowing well the inner workings of a PC. I am planning on purchasing a Mac with Intel support, so I thought I would start my research on how Unix runs and how proprietary macintosh works. So far, less than a third of the book is at best mediocre information and the other portion is dated computer jargon. Two buck expense though, I am not crying. Thanks.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The BEST book if you seek illumination, not documentation!, November 28, 2002

By	Techdaddy (California USA) - See all my reviews

This book was written by two gentlemen with whom I had the good fortune to work at MacUser Magazine (before it was acquired by MacWorld). John Rizzo was Technical Editor at MacUser, and he's easily the most accurate and informed author available for this kind of book. Dan Clark is one of America's most gifted technical illustrators; his "see through" drawings of computers & components always AMAZE other artists and even the most hardcore techies. True to the Mac tradition, this book feels like a looking-glass that lets you float knowlingly through complex electronics, instead of boring you with Windoze-style "hardware documentation." A great gift for budding young geeks and undecided potential Mac owners.