Free Downloads Windows Vista Secrets
"If one book can help you master Vista, this is it." --Fred Langa, former editor-in-chief of Byte Magazine "These two know more about Windows than Microsoft does." --Chris Pirillo, editor of Lockergnome.com Go beyond Microsoft's Help guide and discover the true secrets of Windows Vista that are essential to power users. Written by two of the most recognized Windows authorities, this resource provides you with numerous tips, tricks, and undocumented features that aren't available anywhere else. You'll find extensive screenshots, tables, and illustrations that clearly show how to achieve optimal performance, fix desktop problems, and take advantage of the robust features of Windows Vista. The Insider's Guide to Installing and upgrading your system (see Chapter 2) Quickly finding and organizing all of your files (see Chapter 5) Taking advantage of new security features (see Chapter 8) Creating your own movies and DVDs (see Chapter 12) Playing state-of-the-art games with amazing effects (see Chapter 14) Going wireless using Windows Vista mobility features (see Chapter 15) Managing your schedule with Windows® Calendar (see Chapter 20)
Series: Secrets (Book 70)
Paperback: 672 pages
Publisher: Wiley; 1st edition (January 10, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0764577042
ISBN-13: 978-0764577048
Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 1.4 x 9.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (65 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #2,054,910 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #25 in Books > Computers & Technology > Operating Systems > Windows > Windows Desktop > Windows Vista #1997 in Books > Textbooks > Computer Science > Operating Systems #4522 in Books > Computers & Technology > Software > Microsoft
Somewhere inside these 645 pages is a terrific computer book desperate to get out.Unfortunately, the useful tidbits are buried by the jargon, disjointed outline, and the wince-inducing writing. The authors say "functionality" instead of feature, "enabled" instead of On, and (I kid you not) "circular in nature" instead of "round."But it's even worse that huge chunks of Windows Vista get no coverage at all! Here are a few topics that don't appear in the book, or at least the index: Scanning. Faxing. Flash drives. Monitors. Dial-up connections. Safe Mode. Hibernation. Filename extensions. Network projectors. ReadyBoost. Dynamic disks. Shadow Copy. Burning CDs or DVDs at the desktop. Problem reports. Driver rollback. Driver signing. Ease of Access Center.And there's no information at all about Vista's amazing new speech recognition--only a passing reference in the Tablet PC chapter, even though it works on any Vista PC.So if you get this book, you'll also need ANOTHER book if you want comprehensive coverage of Vista.Meanwhile, huge swaths of the book are padded by pointless tables and listings. Do we really need *26 pages* of symbol-font printouts?Or a half-page table that explains the difference between Small Icons, Medium Icons, Large Icons, and Extra Large Icons? (The table says that "Medium Icons are similar in style to Large Icons, but smaller." Wow, really!?)There are lots of illustrations, but most are full-screen shots, shrunken down to to fit the page. The result is that you can't read any of the text in them.The authors of this book clearly know a lot. But they should have been paired up with writers, editors, and indexers who could help them set that information free.
I really had high hopes for this book as I read Paul Thurrott's articles and am on some of his email lists.My conclusion about this book is that it is more the missing user manual than a real techie book with good insider's technical knowledge. The last time Microsoft included a concise user manual with windows was with Windows 3.11. This book perfectly fills that void. If you are a home user or are trying to enhace your BASIC knowledge of vista, this is a good book.If you are a technical professional in the field, this book is not going to give you any epiphanies. I also didn't like that there seemed to be a healthy dose of filler in the book as well. There are pages upon pages about fonts including many more pages of font character sets. I would guess that less than 1% of the people that buy the book will have any interesting reading that many pages about fonts nor will many people use the font character sets that the authors printed over many pages.I'm Sorry to say that I'm pretty let down by this book. Especially considering that about 90% of the "Secrets" in this book are not secrets but are fairly common knowledge to advanced home and technical users.Please gentlemen, you both have the technical skills and contacts to make a much better book than this. Instead it seems you've made a book that was stuffed with filler and basic info so that you could be one of the first to market after the release of vista.
I bought this book before I upgraded to Vista. I am glad I have it. The book covers everything from which version to buy to upgrading- including some insights about the gotchas found in every microsoft product. The book is well organized. There are plenty of screenshots which are useful because Microsoft has completed changed the look and feel of the Windows Operating system. Everything is different, and this book is useful for finding all the right buttons, and getting up to speed on the operating system without too much developer speak or needless rambling.I find myself turning to this book to figure out how to do a certain task- burn a DVD,CD, transfer files, make a movie, download music, etc....I especially liked the tips throughout the book as it's often the subtle insights that lead to wasting less time wondering how to do something!If you are planning to upgrade or have acquired a machine with Windows Vista, this book is a must have.
I bought this book because of Brian Livingston. I read his weekly ezine called Windows Secrets and have learned a lot from him and his cohorts over the years. After installing Windows' Vista I wanted to do so much more with it so I bought the book. After reading the entire thing, not one of my questions was answered. If you are looking for a book that just gives the highlights of Vista, buy the book. If your looking for a book that reveals the secrets of the techy side of things, keep looking.
A lot of the information is as relevant to XP or OS X as it is relevant to Vista. Mundane topics such as enjoying digital photos, ripping CDs, composing and sending email, managing your calendar... There are seventy-three pages covering fonts and character sets. Only six pages of narrative are dedicated to PowerShell. Yet fonts are not new to Vista and PowerShell is.
If you are skilled with computers this book is not for you. I was very disappointed. No "secrets" here. Just common everyday stuff I already knew. Previous Windows Secrets books were MUCH better.
Windows 10: Windows10 Mastery. The Ultimate Windows 10 Mastery Guide (Windows Operating System, Windows 10 User Guide, User Manual, Windows 10 For Beginners, Windows 10 For Dummies, Microsoft Office) A Beginner's Guide to AutoHotkey, Absolutely the Best Free Windows Utility Software Ever! (Third Edition): Create Power Tools for Windows XP, Windows Vista, ... and Windows 10 (AutoHotkey Tips and Tricks) Windows 10: The Ultimate Guide For Beginners (Windows 10 for dummies, Windows 10 Manual, Windows 10 Complete User Guide, Learn the tips and tricks of Windows 10 Operating System) Windows 8.1: Learn Windows 8.1 in Two Hours: The Smart and Efficient Way to Learn Windows 8.1 (Windows 8.1, Windows 8.1 For Beginners) Windows 8.1 :: Migrating to Windows 8.1.: For computer users without a touch screen, coming from XP, Vista or Windows 7 Windows 8 :: Migrating to Windows 8: For computer users without a touch screen, coming from XP, Vista or Windows 7 Windows Vista Security: Securing Vista Against Malicious Attacks Windows 10 Troubleshooting: Windows 10 Manuals, Display Problems, Sound Problems, Drivers and Software: Windows 10 Troubleshooting: How to Fix Common Problems ... Tips and Tricks, Optimize Windows 10) Windows 10: The Ultimate User Guide for Advanced Users to Operate Microsoft Windows 10 (tips and tricks, user manual, user guide, updated and edited, Windows ... (windows,guide,general.guide,all Book 4) Windows 8 Tips for Beginners 2nd Edition: A Simple, Easy, and Efficient Guide to a Complex System of Windows 8! (Windows 8, Operating Systems, Windows ... Networking, Computers, Technology) Windows® Group Policy Resource Kit: Windows Server® 2008 and Windows Vista®: Windows Server® 2008 and Windows Vista® Microsoft Windows Internals (4th Edition): Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 Windows 10: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide - Learn How To Start Using Windows 10, Easy User Manual, Plus The Best Hidden Features, Tips And Tricks! (Windows ... Windows 10 Software, Operating System) Windows 10: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide How to Operate Microsoft Windows 10 (tips and tricks, user manual, user guide, updated and edited, Windows ... (windows,guide,general,guide,all) (Volume 3) A Simple Guide to: Create a Wired Home Network between Windows Vista and Windows 7 Windows® Internals: Including Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista, Fifth Edition (Developer Reference) Windows Vista Secrets Windows Vista Annoyances: Tips, Secrets, and Hacks Hands-on Study Guide for Exam 70-411: Administering Windows Server 2012 R2 (Exam 70-411, 70-411, Exam Ref 70-411, MCSA Windows Server 2012 R2, MCSE Windows Server 2012 R2) Windows 10: From Beginner To Expert: A Complete User Guide to Microsoft's Intelligent New Operating System (Now With Bonus Chapter) (Windows - General ... General Guide, Windows - General Mastery,)
