Windows XP Personal Trainer

Rating:
Summary: A good book for the right audience...
Review: O'Reilly has a series of books by CustomGuide called the Personal Trainer series. I had the chance to review the Windows XP Personal Trainer volume, and given the right audience, it's pretty good...

Chapter List: The Fundamentals; Working with a Window; Working with a Windows Program; Working with Files and Folders; Customizing the Taskbar and Desktop; Customizing Windows; The Free Programs; Working with Pictures and Multimedia; Optimizing and Maintaining Your Computer; Exploring the Internet; Passwords, Logons, and User Accounts; Networking with Windows XP; Setting Up a Network; Index

The Personal Trainer series uses a comic book superhero motif in the design. In some of the other titles, the theme plays out a little more strongly. Once you get past the cover on this book, you probably won't even notice it. Each chapter has a series of lessons that cover material related to the topic. Each lesson is well illustrated and broken down into a step-by-step process. To wrap up the lesson, there's a "quick reference" sidebar that recaps the particular command that was just covered. The entire chapter wraps up with a summary, a quiz (yes, there are answers provided!), and some "homework" to stretch your understanding a bit. Very readable and non-intimidating...

Now, I mentioned the "right audience" to open the review. This isn't the type of book that you'd give to an IT professional or long-time computer user. The material starts with some fundamental Windows basics, and builds from there. If you've been using computers for years, you'll know this stuff anyway. But think about your parents who just got a computer for the first time. Think about your kid who just got his first computer. This is the type of book that a computer neophyte could open up and not be scared off within five minutes. And even if they've conquered the basics already, the material on multimedia and setting up a home network may be information they've never ventured into.

If you're looking for an entry level book on Windows XP for someone who needs to learn the fundamentals, I'd suggest taking a look at this one. It could work out well for them...

Rating:
Summary: Serious contents
Review: O'Reilly has been experimenting with several series of books. Most in a sombre, serious format. But we also has the vivid Personal Trainer series, which includes this book on XP. It's targeting a new user. New to both XP and computers in general.

So there is a lot of attention paid to basic operations in any operating system with a GUI. Like opening, moving, resizing and closing a window. And how to graphically navigate through the filesystem, using the metaphor of folders.

Experienced users will have internalised this a long time ago, as automatic. But it's important to realise that it is not so obvious to new users. You have to start somewhere. The book is suitable as a guide to the XP newcomer. Oh, as for the cartoon aspect of the cover. It really isn't used inside to any great extent. (As contrasted to the Head First series.) In spite of the cover, the contents have a serious demeanour.