Rating: 
Summary: Good starting point
Review: For someone new to Windows XP this is a great place to start. Just take it for what it is, an introduction. For more in depth, technical know-how, you may have to go elsewhere. This is plainly written in English that is understandable and easy to follow. An excellant resource to help anyone get started, whether purchasing, setting up, or running XP.
Rating:
Summary: The best choice for WinXP users
Review: I must leap to the defence of Mr Leonhard from the ill-informed attack on his book that's been placed among the user reviews. I was intruiged about 'kenonline' and his complaint so I went hunting through my copy. Sure enough on page 202 there's a reference to 'NTBACKUP' but that's NOT the authors fault - that's the name of the folder that _Microsoft_ used.The Backup option in XP/Home is pointless (you can backup but not restore) which is presumably why Woody decided not to spend pages on a laborious explanation of how to use it. In any event the online help is more than enough if you want to waste your time with it. Woody Leonhard has been producing great books and newsletters for as long as I've been computing. They are easy to read, informative and he'll tell you things that Microsoft wants to keep quiet about. It's a great shame that his latest book has been maligned in such as fashion. It's a pitiful case of a person not carefully reading what's in front of them and then blaming the messenger. I sure won't be returning my copy of 'Windows XP all in one desk reference' and I'm happy to recommend it to one and all.
Rating:
Summary: The best choice for WinXP users
Review: I must leap to the defence of Mr Leonhard from the ill-informed attack on his book that's been placed among the user reviews. I was intruiged about 'kenonline' and his complaint so I went hunting through my copy. Sure enough on page 202 there's a reference to 'NTBACKUP' but that's NOT the authors fault - that's the name of the folder that _Microsoft_ used. The Backup option in XP/Home is pointless (you can backup but not restore) which is presumably why Woody decided not to spend pages on a laborious explanation of how to use it. In any event the online help is more than enough if you want to waste your time with it. Woody Leonhard has been producing great books and newsletters for as long as I've been computing. They are easy to read, informative and he'll tell you things that Microsoft wants to keep quiet about. It's a great shame that his latest book has been maligned in such as fashion. It's a pitiful case of a person not carefully reading what's in front of them and then blaming the messenger. I sure won't be returning my copy of 'Windows XP all in one desk reference' and I'm happy to recommend it to one and all.
Rating: 
Summary: Too cute ..not funny, just a waste of time.
Review: Leonhard does an excellent job of explaining how to do things in XP, but you must skip through several pages of really awful attempts at humer to get to the real subject. Showing filename extensions is a good example. He starts that subject on page 85. On page 87 he gives 5 steps in bold type which explains exactly how to get XP to show filename extensions. But pages 85, 86 and most of 87 are pure garbage with respect to the subject. Just before the 5 steps on page 87 he insults the reader with a complete paragraph about pointing your finger at the computer screen and shouting " Show me filename extensions, sucka, or I'm gonna getcha!". The book is 80% junk and 20% well written advice.
Rating:
Summary: Another Woody masterpiece using the English language
Review: No one speaks Windows XP the way Woody speaks Windows XP in his new publication "Windows XP All-in-one Desk Reference", which is a masterpiece of organization, indexing, and commom sense treatment of technical topics in non-technical discourse. Not since Woody's publication of "Woody Leonhard teaches Microsoft Office 97" has such an instructive, clearly written and illustrated technical book on Microsoft products been published. There is a mind-boggling number of subjects each treated individually in short, simple explanation that gets to the heart of the subject. The dialog and explanations are laced with amusing analogs that make reading a pleasure, aside from the technical content. Subjects ranging from the simplicity of the XP Desktop to the meaning of the highly technical term DHCP, are handled with the same masterful stroke of simplicity. This book is a must-have in every home and office that expects to stay on-line in the 21st century.
Rating:
Summary: Another Woody masterpiece using the English language
Review: No one speaks Windows XP the way Woody speaks Windows XP in his new publication "Windows XP All-in-one Desk Reference", which is a masterpiece of organization, indexing, and commom sense treatment of technical topics in non-technical discourse. Not since Woody's publication of "Woody Leonhard teaches Microsoft Office 97" has such an instructive, clearly written and illustrated technical book on Microsoft products been published. There is a mind-boggling number of subjects each treated individually in short, simple explanation that gets to the heart of the subject. The dialog and explanations are laced with amusing analogs that make reading a pleasure, aside from the technical content. Subjects ranging from the simplicity of the XP Desktop to the meaning of the highly technical term DHCP, are handled with the same masterful stroke of simplicity. This book is a must-have in every home and office that expects to stay on-line in the 21st century.
Rating: 
Summary: Just Coasting...
Review: One of the finest and most useful books I ever studied and re-studied was Woody's "MOM for Windows." Woody and company really explained Windows and gave you the tools and confidence to dig in and get the most out of the operating system with behind-the-scenes customization tips. Either Windows XP is absolutely opaque and no longer amenable to friendly hacking -- or Woody is coasting on his reputation with this book for dummies. I cannot believe that a few game cheats and other odd bits are the only features to XP that haven't been sufficiently explained by Microsoft marketing products. Woody and company may indeed be between a rock and a hard place in trying to delve beneath the surface of XP. I do not know. But this book has done nothing to diminish my ignorance.
Rating:
Summary: Not really a reference -- more like a ramble
Review: This book could have used a thorough editing. It is supposed to be a "desk reference," which to me means you can look up information quickly. However, it's hard to find what you're looking for here. The worthwhile information is buried in the everyday stuff that I already knew, so to find what I wanted, I had to wade through many pages of material I was already familiar with. Take Chapter 2, "Finding Your Way from Start to Finish," for example. It explains very basic stuff such as changing user settings, and then, starting about 40 pages into the chapter where you would least expect it, are instructions for sharing a file on the Internet, a sophisticated task. I found this book very frustrating. On top of not being able to find instructions I wanted by browsing in the book, I found the index unhelpful. Finally, I don't understand why the author devoted 65 pages to America Online. Since when is America Online part of Windows XP? The book makes no mention of the Windows Registry. This book should rightly be called "A Ramble through Windows XP." It is not a reference. It is not a friendly book that you can find information in.
Rating:
Summary: Not really a reference -- more like a ramble
Review: This book could have used a thorough editing. It is supposed to be a "desk reference," which to me means you can look up information quickly. However, it's hard to find what you're looking for here. The worthwhile information is buried in the everyday stuff that I already knew, so to find what I wanted, I had to wade through many pages of material I was already familiar with. Take Chapter 2, "Finding Your Way from Start to Finish," for example. It explains very basic stuff such as changing user settings, and then, starting about 40 pages into the chapter where you would least expect it, are instructions for sharing a file on the Internet, a sophisticated task. I found this book very frustrating. On top of not being able to find instructions I wanted by browsing in the book, I found the index unhelpful. Finally, I don't understand why the author devoted 65 pages to America Online. Since when is America Online part of Windows XP? The book makes no mention of the Windows Registry. This book should rightly be called "A Ramble through Windows XP." It is not a reference. It is not a friendly book that you can find information in.
Rating:
Summary: Really is for dummies: make sure you're dum enough
Review: This book is well suited to eight year olds and adults who prefer a cute writing style to er, ahem, actual information. One of the things I was looking for was help backing up to a second hard disk. The book says to start NTbackup and read the help screens. Duh. I sent it back.
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