Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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331 of 348 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The definitive XP reference, not for casual users, January 7, 2002
This Microsoft Press reference book is a tome and over kill for the casual user. But if you really want to learn how to use the very best of XP this is the standard, the premier, it is the definitive guide. XP Inside Out is an appropriate title. My first Windows user's manual was measured in ounces and a hundred plus pages. XP is over 1200 pages and almost 7 pounds. You need wheels to go desk to desk with it. You can take it to bed, it's bigger than your pillow. You can soak it in paraffin to make a Yule log. But it's this size that creates the very best topical layout, reference, and index that I have yet seen by Microsoft. Users can actually trace error messages to their plain English explanation and suggested solutions - a first for Microsoft. Authors Halverson, and Young, Microsoft "employees," have produced a superb reference tool for power users, developers, system designers, software instructors, consultants, and CIOs. If you want to know anything about XP, use this book. It is suitable for (interested) users 12 years of age to professional software and hardware systems experts. That's quite a span and good technical writing, editing, and layout is responsible. But there is more. The book includes a full text and illustrated e-book version on CD (40 MB on your hard drive and running with MS Internet Explorer or Netscape). That's worth the cost of the book by itself because standard XP search, find, and print tools can be used to navigate the 1,400 pages instantly. It's worth the Amazon.com price, no reservations by this reviewer.
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102 of 106 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent power user's guide, June 3, 2003
This huge volume is definitely a must-have guide for everyone aspiring to becoming a Windows XP advanced user. Casual users should stay away for now until they become familiar with Windows. Also, strangely, you won't find coverage of Windows Movie Maker in this otherwise complete power user's guide to WinXP.This "deluxe edition" is hardcover (vs. paperback for the regular, cheaper edition), has two added chapters (one on fax and one on advanced user adminitration), and includes a couple interesting e-books from Microsoft on the CD-ROM, in addition to an e-book version of the book itself. This book covers both the Pro and Home editions of WinXP -- and each chapter has a handy brief discussion of the differences between the two editions. In fact, I find this feature, together with the two extra free e-books, worth the price premium over the regular edition. Besides, hardcovers are just easier to lay down on a desk and they last longer as well. In terms of "meaty stuff," this book will satisfy your hunger for advanced knowledge of XP. After reading the book you'll become an XP expert. If you want to become a guru, then get the other "Inside Out" books such as Windows XP Networking Inside Out and Windows XP Security Inside Out (highly recommended). Or you can use this book as a jumping board to acquire some advanced knowledge and then figure out the guru-advanced topics yourself. Either way, this book can help you master Windows XP. Still not convinced? Pick a copy and read the chapter on system optimization. Clearly written and organized, the chapter gives you everything you need to know about optimizing Windows, including the best explanation of the performance monitor I've come across (as well as concrete steps for taking advantage of this and other tools). Then you'll see how useful this book is.
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50 of 50 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Microsoft Press is making XP a welcome addition., January 9, 2002
After installing Windows XP I began to ask several question about the configuration and administration of the operating system. I found this book to have the answers and much, much more information for me. I also found that this 1250 page reference manual is very useful in studying for the Windows XP Professional Exam, 70-270.Published by the company that produced the software, this book is broken down into 9 parts, with part 1 being the XP Overview of installing, configuring, deploying, moving files and components. Also covered here is accounts, permissions, policies, passwords and troubleshooting hardware. Part 2 is the customization of XP with task scheduling, power management which includes hibernation. Part 3 is the explorer which has areas like managing and finding files, encryption and offline work covered. Part 4 is the digital media section which includes the media player, scanner and imaging. Part 5 is the advanced IE area including internet security, customizing Outlook express, web hosting and communications. Part 6 the goes into system maintenance and recovery, which tackles topics like routing and disk management, troubleshooting errors messages and regedit. Part 7 is the networking part talking about small to large networks, sharing resources and remote access. Part 8 teaches about system administration with topics like profiles and policies and the even viewer. Finally part 9 is the Appendices which include the command prompt. MMC, services and system information. The cd-rom included has a number of utilities and tools and you need to have XP installed in order to run the cd. Also include the e-book of the book and overall an excellent manual to have on hand.
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