Rating: 
Summary: All your documents will look better because of this book.
Review: The information in this particular book is indispensible to ANYONE who prepares documents for print, whether it is a newsletter, a poster, or a simple business letter. Even things as simple as pointing out how to create an em dash will make all your documents look better. Robin Williams has an excellent writing style that lends itself to repeated readings. She has written many books since, many of which elaborate on the points in this book, but this is still the one I recommend to people who want to know more about type. I gave this book to someone who was producing a school newsletter, and the publication went from ransom note to cohesive publication overnight! If I was teaching a "Word Processing 101" course, I'd use this as the textbook.
Rating:
Summary: She said it first
Review: The reviewer identified as "sonpraises" says: "What is important for the non professional typist to know (use "smart" quotes, don't space twice after a period, italicize instead of underlining, create a long (em) dash by typing shift + option + -) are widely discussed in other places."They are widely discussed because Robin Williams brought them to the world's attention with the first edition of this book. Robin said elsewhere that the Macintosh brought about the greatest revolution in printing since Gutenberg. She was in the forefront of this printing revolution, giving people information once known and used primarily by printers, teaching graphic design and typography to the newly developed industry of desktop publishing. Some day we won't need Robin's book, because people will have forgotten the conventions used on a typewriter to show emphasis and the limitations of a typewriter's keyboard and mono-spaced type, and their computers will automatically provide smart quotes and em dashes. Until then, The Mac Is Not a Typewriter (and its twin, The PC Is Not a Typewriter) needs to be read and shared.
Rating:
Summary: She said it first
Review: The reviewer identified as "sonpraises" says: "What is important for the non professional typist to know (use "smart" quotes, don't space twice after a period, italicize instead of underlining, create a long (em) dash by typing shift + option + -) are widely discussed in other places." They are widely discussed because Robin Williams brought them to the world's attention with the first edition of this book. Robin said elsewhere that the Macintosh brought about the greatest revolution in printing since Gutenberg. She was in the forefront of this printing revolution, giving people information once known and used primarily by printers, teaching graphic design and typography to the newly developed industry of desktop publishing. Some day we won't need Robin's book, because people will have forgotten the conventions used on a typewriter to show emphasis and the limitations of a typewriter's keyboard and mono-spaced type, and their computers will automatically provide smart quotes and em dashes. Until then, The Mac Is Not a Typewriter (and its twin, The PC Is Not a Typewriter) needs to be read and shared.
Rating:
Summary: An indispensible resource
Review: This book is the gold standard of the basic professional standards of the printing industry. It is an indispensible resource for anyone who does desktop publishing or who coordinates graphic and layout projects. Small businesses and people in the graphics field need to know the lessons in this book to establish themselves as educated professionals with high standards. Every day I see sloppy desktop publishing work, even by national advertising agencies: many, many more people need to know about this book. I'm going to buy a stack of them and pass them out to friends and associates who can benefit from it.
Rating:
Summary: Must read for any Mac user
Review: This book should be included with all Macs, and, in fact, with all document processing programs. If you follow Ms. Williams sage advice, you will produce documents that look great. Don't think that you have to be a professional to follow the advice in this slim volume (unless you want your output to look amaturish). Ms. Williams knows her stuff. There is a PC version, too.
Rating:
Summary: Must read for any Mac user
Review: This book should be included with all Macs, and, in fact, with all document processing programs. If you follow Ms. Williams sage advice, you will produce documents that look great. Don't think that you have to be a professional to follow the advice in this slim volume (unless you want your output to look amaturish). Ms. Williams knows her stuff. There is a PC version, too.
Rating:
Summary: If you have a Mac, you need this book.
Review: This is a must have book. Why? Because a Mac and the typographic capabilities built right into it allow you, a regular person to create professional level documents and you need to learn a new set of rules. The typewriter is a horse of a completely different color. This books explains what your Mac can do, how to make your documents better and the rules of the road when it comes to creating much better documents. All in a fun and easy to read way. Enjoy your Mac even more with this book.
| 
