Comprehensive in its treatment of Microsoft's latest and greatest operating system for
the masses, Alan Simpson's Windows XP Bible has an answer to most "How do I..." questions
that are likely to arise in the minds of Windows XP users, particularly those who aren't
too familiar with recent versions of Windows.
If you're going to buy a Windows XP reference book for your office, this would be a good
choice. The author--the respected Alan Simpson, who's put out similarly comprehensive
books before--must have incredible patience, because he manages to document almost every
Windows procedure down to the last option and the final "OK" click. Most people won't
need this level of handholding--almost everyone has gained knowledge of the basic Windows
conventions by now--and perhaps this book could have been more compact (as it is, it's
pretty hefty) or contained more obscure details without it. But don't accuse Simpson of
neglecting details.
No one will read this book front to back. Most visits will begin with the table of
contents (which is very detailed) or the index (which is even more so). A page-flip or
two later, readers will have explanatory prose (which is clear and detailed, and almost
always strictly businesslike without being off-putting) and a procedure or two with
numbered steps.
The procedures have a particularly good design when it comes to options--it's clear what
happens if you make different choices in dialog boxes. Again, coverage is absolutely
comprehensive, with detailed explanations and procedures extending even to Internet
Connection Sharing (ICS) and the new Internet Connection Firewall (ICF).
--David Wall
Topics covered: Microsoft Windows XP (Professional Edition and Home Edition) for
beginning and intermediate-level users of the operating system, with a few bones thrown
in for more advanced users. Internet connectivity (standalone and shared), file
management, administrative duties such as backing up files and uninstalling programs,
local-area networks (LANs), and all other user-level aspects of Windows XP are covered.
Chapters on portable computer issues and security are particularly nice.
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