Rating: 
Summary: THE FINE MANUAL THAT "MISSED" IN EVERY 'XP' PACKAGE
Review: The best quality of this book is that it combined the best of everything: it harnessed the best aspects of a step-by-step method with that of a detailed exposure. A welcomed combination! It is a hard-to-resist text if your goal is to conquer "Windows XP Professional" without any skin-pain.
This is one of the few books that presented a well-balanced information: not too much, but never too little. Everything about it is comprehensive. Its authority is unquestionable. Indeed, this is the type of manual that users would have loved Microsoft to include in their 'XP' package.
Only if Mr Gates would listen to us!
Rating:
Summary: Superbly written for non-nerds
Review: This is by far the most understandable XP Pro book I've found. It takes the position that there's nothing wrong with witty, polished prose in technical writing. In fact, the excellence of the writing makes learning far less of a chore than you find in geekier books.As for the gripes by previous reviewers: Good grief! It says right on the cover that the book "isn't for system administrators or OS theory geeks; it's for the novice or budding power user." It's clearly intended for people new to XP Pro, or even intermediate users who'd like a crystal-clear explanation of, say, understanding how file encryption is different in XP Pro and XP Home, or how to dial into your PC from the road using a laptop, or how to set up a home network, step by step. (And to whoever wrote that you can find the same information in the online help--get real!! Microsoft's online help for XP Pro is opaque, humorless, loaded with jargon, and free of illustrations. And above all, it NEVER mentions bugs and problems and workarounds, as this book does.) Bottom line: If you're a network administrator, it's true that you'll be much happier with a much thicker, more technical (and dry-as-dust) book. But if you're a home user, or maybe you've been issued an XP Pro box at work and you want to get the most out of it, this book presents a complete, entertaining, and easily understood a picture of the beast they call Windows XP Professional. HIGHLY recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: This book is not worth the paper it is written on
Review: When I go to a book that gives details about an Operating System, I expect more than I can find in the built in help. This book contained too many errors, was incomplete in areas that most people would be looking for, and is in my opinion a waste of not only money, but time. I deserve a refund for this. Stick to Mark Minasi for titles like this, you will rarely be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: This book is not worth the paper it is written on
Review: When I go to a book that gives details about an Operating System, I expect more than I can find in the built in help. This book contained too many errors, was incomplete in areas that most people would be looking for, and is in my opinion a waste of not only money, but time. I deserve a refund for this. Stick to Mark Minasi for titles like this, you will rarely be disappointed.
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