Macintosh Systems Books

I bought this to recommend to friends who are shifting to Mac. While it has lots of good and still relevant information, it was written before OSX so many things are changed. Despite that, t's handy for those who are familiar with Windows to find the equivalents in the Mac.

Recently I took a job which required me to work in an office that was mostly Windows-driven. Knowing Adam's and David's reputation, I decided that their book was a good choice.

After skimming through "Crossing Platforms," I was able to tell the Information Support guy how to do something under Windows that he wasn't aware of. Four days after I was hired! Within two weeks I was completely comfortable using Windows (except for that silly mouse design and other poor UI choices, but that's another matter). Now I have a reputation as a computer genius. I just hope it's reflected in my paycheck.

"Crossing Platforms" is, as the title of this review hints, as far from a "Dummies" book as you can get. It starts by assuming that you're an intelligent person who simply doesn't have the experience on one of the world's two major computer operating systems.

Much of what you want to do on a computer is possible under either Mac OS or Windows-- after all, they were built to manipulate files, send and modify information, etc.-- but there are different terms and some different ways of treating the information. In other words, you know the music, but not the words. "Crossing Platforms" will allow you to make the paradigm shift and use what you've spent years learning. It helps you avoid the pitfalls and gotchas, and is laid out in a manner which makes it easy to reference. In short, twenty-four of the best dollars I've spent recently.

If you are learning the Mac or Windows OS as a second language then this book is the best investment you could make. Terms are translated between the two environments by quick, simple look-up in a translation dictionary. More important, the translations are actually useful. The concepts are translated, not just the words. Look up a term and you get an explanation of the equivalent idea and jargon, even if the terms have no exact match. This is the book to have in your hands while you talk to foreign tech support. I've purchased a couple of copies of this book each year since it came out, mainly because other people borrow mine and then beg to keep it. I was buying another couple of copies today in Jan 2003 (one for me, one for my new tech support person) and I realized that there are very few computer reference books that are still so useful 4 years after publication. This is one computer reference book that will get dog-eared.

As a 15 year PC user & tech support person, I am struggling to learn the MAC environment. Using this guide made my life much simpler, and I have personally recommended it to several users here in our company who are going PC->MAC and MAC->PC. If you've ever tried to learn a "foreign language" and used a translating dictionary ... you'll immediately know how to use this book. This is one tech book that won't sit on your bookshelf collecting dust!

Adam Engst and David Pogue are longstanding and prolific writers in the Mac community. Both have also made the transition to working with Windows as well.

Their book is a good reference work for any dual-platform user. It literally is organized like a Spanish-to-English/English-to-Spanish dictionary:

One half of the book gives Windows equivalents to various MacOS features such as Preferences, Extensions and Control Panels. The other half does the converse, explaining the Mac equivalents to Windows features. Differences in each case are spelled out. In some cases, there is no real equivalent and the particulars are explained (for instance, there is no Mac equivalent for the mysterious Windows "Registry" -- similar functions are handled very differently by "Preferences" on a Mac.)

This book has no real beginning or end and is mainly a reference book. Mac users wanting more of a start-at-the-beginning explanation of Windows should check out "Windows for Mac Users" by Robin Williams -- one of the most well-written computer books on the market.

I am relatively new to the Apple Cult. I got my first iPod about 4 months ago and now I feel like I can't live without it. This book covers the details that I would have known if I had been a fan-boy from the start. Interesting reading. I'll check out Cult of Mac next.

Fans of the CULT OF MAC book will find equally absorbing Leander Kahney's new look at how the iPod is revolutionizing all kinds of information. A history of the iPod's development and marketing is accompanied by colorful cultural insights and examples of iPod's vast changes to music culture and file sharing. Any interested in making, marketing or listening to music must consider THE CULT OF IPOD: it's an eye-opening look at how the iPod itself has changed the nature of music.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I recently purchased an ipod and before I received it, I wanted to read up on it. I was looking more for a how-to book, which this isn't. This book instead is a very interesting read on the beginning of the ipod to the impact on society the ipod has had. The book is well written, with interesting facts and great color photos. I would highly recommend this book to any ipod owner or future owner. I did not buy this book, rather I rented it from the public library.

As a new user (I know, years behind the curve) of an I-Pod and an instructor at a technical university, this book interested me doubly. I wanted to learn about the making of this product, its design and marketing, and how the aura of cool was generated triumphantly around this, say, and not the Rio. I referred my students to this book as an example of how to analyze the cultural impacts of a specific technological product. The table of contents mimics the readout on the I-Pod screen, and the contents themselves combine snippets of print, often in sidebar or columnal formats, as played against graphics--the visual and the textual jostle for attention, fittingly, in this book about not only the nuts-and-bolts of the machine, but how it looks: surely one of the key features that led this handsome player to succeed while other clunkier models had failed to gain massive sales.

At times, this volume's layout can be like reading Wired Magazine: a bit overwhelming when you simply want to look up a short entry. Like Wired, it's a bit pricy for what's actually compiled as text within as opposed to the attention-getting graphics. Kahney, a reporter for Wired News, reports here as a suitable follow-up to "The Cult of Mac," according to the back blurb (made to imitate in its copy and layout the I-Pod's own iconography). As a non-Mac user, it's intriguing to get a vivid if not too detailed glimpse into how the other 20% lives with their Cupertino- designed accoutrements.

This book admittedly does feel cobbled together as an assembly of bite-sized features and eye-candy pictorials, familiar to any reader of Wired. Yet, I suppose the author knows his audience. If the likely reader of this book is as curious about not the how-to of the I-Pod but the why, then this book begins to provide suggestions. Not for the newbie needing advice on its mimimalistically presented operation, but for the adept wishing to delight in its Zen-like presence. It's for a crowd who I presume is as enamored with the appearance of a product as well as the function of a product-- and this expresses Apple's cachét within the computer realm neatly. Therefore, it's an appropriate combination for the eyes that accompanies the soundtrack of one's life for each user's ears.

A suitable print companion would be Dylan Jones' "IPod, Therefore I Am" published also in 2005: this in Nick Hornsby "High Fidelity"-fashion conveys Jones' packing of his 40Gb jukebox with the best of his many records, and how our consumption of music has been affected by its portability. Malcolm McLaren back around 1982 predicted that music would become less important for younger generations but more disposable and therefore sought after as a cheap commodity. (This observation quoted in another fine 2005 study, Simon Reynolds' "Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-1984.") This separation of the medium from the message, so to speak, reflects, perhaps, two decades later, the ubiquity of the device and the detachment of the record sleeve, the tape, the disc, from the music itself in digitized bytes and invisible shapes.

So, how does Leander Kahney succeed? Theorists and then journalists will no doubt follow the first reports on the I-Pod's arrival, as did Theodore Roscek and Stewart Brand and James Fallows and Tracy Kidder twenty-odd years ago in the wake of the first Apples and PCs. This larger-format but only 150 pp. entry, then, reminds me of two decades ago, when non-techies began raving about their PCs and how such devices would liberate us from drudgery and bring about unity. It's a primer to a phenomenon. Utopian, perhaps, in some of its claims, but this is probably the earliest entry in what will be a short shelf of studies of the impact of the shift from what's been labelled a move from broad- to narrow- to pod-casting, as the websites that supplanted networks in turn are superseded by programming tailored not to but by the individual. Kahney concludes that it's not technology but our culture that makes us antisocial, and that the I-Pod is not to be blamed. In fact, as podcasting and the sharing of playlists shows, it may in fact simply be the latest and far more easy-to-use evolved version of the mix-cassette tapes that were once lovingly made and exchanged as tokens of friendship and shared admiration those couple of decades ago.

This book takes a unique look at Apple's signature product and how it has changed the way people listen to music. The book is divided into two sections.

The first section consists of the first three chapters. The iPod is introduced, and its basic functions and history explained. The rest of the book is the second part. It covers a large number of iPod topics at random. Material covered includes homemade iPod ads, the custom iPods of some celebrities, iPod DJs, and products that have been invented as a result of the iPod's existence. Stylistically, the book is designed to resemble the iPod. For example, the cover resembles the front of an iPod, and the table of contents looks like an iTunes library list. In spite of being 160 pages long, you can read the book in less than two hours due to the large number of colorful photos present.

The book is more about the cultural impact of the iPod than its inner mechanics. It is not one of those "Missing Manuals" you often see. There is a fascinating exploded view of the iPod internals on pages 36 and 37, but more interesting - at least to me - was the discussion on iPod jacking starting on page 103. There are also stories about people using their iPods to block out the rest of the world, people using the white ear buds to show they are part of the "iPod group", and alternatively, people who use ordinary earphones to hide the fact that they are using an iPod who are trying to assert that they do not follow the crowd.

There are humorous stories about the perils of being an iPod-using Microsoft employee, and serious ones such as the one about posters that mimic iPod ads but are actually protesting the Iraq war. There really is something here for everyone. Don't let its "coffee table book" look fool you - there really is some deep and thoughtful material here.

OS X UNIX is amazingly friendly and accessible. Some people who had never used it before type commands and work with the operating system directly as a "cool guys" in movies! This book is very helpful and well written and it is serves as a very nice reference. I paired this book with that "UNIX Essentials" DVD I found here on Amazon and it is complete UNIX course recorded and this book and a video they contribute one another greatly. The book is very particular about the subjects that related to OS X and because there are some differences between OS X and other UNIXes it is nice to have a book that deals with it.

I was a bit worried that the book would be more for beginners, but have been pleasantly surprised. I have been scripting on Linux and Unix machines for years and this is a great book for those who like working under the hood.

This book isn't for the average geek - if you're a geek but not a UNIX geek then don't buy this book. Even if you are a Unix geek the book is of potentially less value than you might expect... so let me adjust your expectations a bit.

Short and simple: it isn't a "Tiger Unix Bible". The majority of topics are just touched on or in many cases merely mentioned.

It also isn't a detailed coverage of Unix topics specific to Tiger. Apple has quite a few technologies of their own that they have woven into this flavor of UNIX. One might think that the book would cover at least those in depth. Nope. Even 10.4 specific topics that would be new to a 10.3 geek are typically "mentioned in depth". Assuming knowledge of Unix is one thing - but this book seems bent on assuming knowledge of the very topics it intends to introduce. That's probably just a fancy way of saying it covers a lot of geeky topics rather lightly.

If you're a true Unix geek you know how to deceipher man pages, hit all the usual blogs and find the information that's missing. And it's a lot easier to do if you know what the topics, commands and keywords are that you need to look at. For pointing me in the right direction I've found this book useful. Just don't expect more.

There are many Tigers left in this Leopard world, and you'll want this book if you're going to tame the big striped cat via Unix. Especially valuable for Unix developers and administrators that are new to the Mac OS, "Mac OS X Tiger for Unix Geeks" illuminates Apple's unique approach to Unix and provides a jump-start into using the Mac OS's GUI and command-line tools. Authors Brian Jepson and Ernest E. Rothman lift the hood and point out the function of Tiger's major parts: the startup process, the filesystem, directory services, and the tools to use when configuring these parts. They proceed to detail Tiger's application development framwework, comparing and contrasting it with traditional Unix frameworks. The book finishes with an overview of Tiger as a server OS, replete with notes on major server technologies: administration tools, and databases and scripting languages. Jepson and Rothman share so much knowledge, you'll think they're developers for Apple!

Excellent. Very helpful. And even if you are a real geek who prefers to look up the man pages, or consult mailing list archives, you shouldn't dismiss this book too quickly. It covers the basics and goes on to less obvious matters. No matter how expert you already are, the chance is high that you shall find a great deal of useful material here.

Dont be fooled by its size, this book has been a tremoundos help, It is great if you dont know anything on Mac's. I have been able to do and set up thing's on my macbook I could not have done on my own. This is a book that should be in your colection. Go to Barnes and Noble and check it out for yourself, than come back to Amazon and get it way cheaper, you wont be sorry. Again this book is small but packs a punch of info.

This book is an easy to carry around very good quisk reference for
setting up and using the OSx Tiger operating system.
The book covers most issues quite well.
Small enough to carry in your laptop case.

This is a quick reference book, small and compact. It would be excellent for the first time Mac user. Something to quickly review and get started right away on the Mac. I would even reccomend it for age 12 and up.
For the first time adult Mac OS X user I would suggest something else like Max OS X by David Pogue.

This book accomplishes it's task - that is to be a quick guide to the Mac OS X. It has many tips and keyboard shortcuts. It touches on a lot of subjects, but it doesn't go into any detail; for that, you'll have to look elsewhere. I found the book easy to read and helpful. I'm keeping it in my laptop bag, right next to my macBook. But I'm also purchasing an additional book to get a more in-depth understanding of Mac OS X.

This is not a beginners book. If you are looking for a book that explains how to double click or what an icon is, look elsewhere. The primary audience for this book is someone who is familiar with the Mac and wants to learn all the tips, tricks, and idiosyncricies of Tiger. This is the type of book someone working in a computer lab or at a help desk would turn to when you need a quick answer to a question. Every IT department should have a copy of this book available.

One of the greatest aspects of the book is Toporek's tables of keyboard shortcuts in every section. I generally like keeping my hands on the keyboard and every time I move to the mouse, time is wasted. If there is a way to do something, anything on the keyboard in Tiger, Toporek tells you. I found myself writing little post-it notes of shortcuts I never knew and now can't live without.

The book is extremely comprehensive, not just covering the Finder, but also applications and utilities, Unix, networking, and troubleshooting.

If I had to pick one book to be stranded on a dessert island with (of course that island would need wireless internet and electricity) it would be this book. I can't think of a real world question this book couldn't answer. Many of the sections were in a "How do I " style like "Change password for User Account?" or "Share a USB Printer over an Ethernet Network." Being a real world Tiger user, I can't think of a single question this book doesn't answer. I also found it handy when there were things I heard about in Tiger, but couldn't remember where they were or how to use them. For example, I know there's a program that will take pictures of the screen, but can't remember where it is. I can't search help if I don't know what I'm looking for. A quick flip through the Applications and Utilities section in the book helped me find what I was looking for.

This is not a tutorial book. Toporek states the "how to" do something without actually walking you through it and doesn't explain why he's telling you to do something. I like to think of this as a recipe book for using Tiger. Follow the recipe exactly and you'll be fine, but don't expect to be told why you must preheat the oven or make sure to temper the eggs when making custard.

I highly recommend this book for a intermediate Mac user who would rather look something up in a book then search for the answers in Google or call their tech savvy friends. I went out and bought one personally for myself I liked it so much!

Pros: Efficient and straightforward guide on how to use Tiger efficiently and effectively.
Cons: Not for the intro user, if you are looking for a bunch of pretty pictures and hand-holding--go elsewhere.

The DVD that comes with the project files in the book is corrupt. I thought maybe the first one was an isolated incident, but then when I recieved a replacement I had the same issues. I couldn't retrieve any files and the DVD nearly crashed my computer.

My belief is that this book came out so long ago that the disks deteriorated and that since there are going to be no upgrades to the software this book has basically had it.

I'm sure that the instructions are helpful, but without the files you don't have any hands-on projects to work on, which is a bummer. There aren't really any alternatives to this book either.

Apple should put these files online and allow people access to them if they have proof that they purchased the book.

if you're looking at this review, you likely already know what this book is. good stuff.

When PeachPit sent me this book to review I was already excited about it since Shake is something I've taken much interest in the last couple months. I'd already begun to amass all kinds of training resources on the topic and had even set out a schedule for which to execute the consumption of said resources. So receiving this book was much on point for me.

At the time of this review I had already worked my way through the Shake documentation (the first stop on my agenda) so I went into this with a rudimentary understanding of the application. I was pleased to discover that the writer of this book had taken that into consideration (and without even having to ask me!). They even state in the opening chapter that the book is not meant to replace the [free] documentation that comes with every Shake install but is aimed at enhancing what's already there. I found this to be accurate to some degree. After all, the basics must still be covered for those who were too [lazy/unaware/apathetic] towards the Shake documentation but for the most part every chapter enhanced its documentation counter-part rather nicely.

The second top notable feature of this book, in my opinion, is that you are supposedly adequately ready to take (and presumably pass) the Apple Pro Certification exam on Shake after completing the book. I say supposedly because I myself have not taken the exam and cannot speak on my preparedness. However, as some may know, the PeachPit book on Shake is the curriculum used in Apple Pro Training classes all over these great United States. This is also stated early in the book.

Other notable features of the book include a chapter relevant keyboard shortcuts matrix at the end of every chapter, high quality examples (some being clips from commercials you've seen on TV) for you, the student, to dig your fingers into in the labs, and pro level tips peppered throughout the book such as "always be sure auto-keyframe is enabled before rotoscoping (no one wants to roto for an hour only to find their work lost due to an oversight)" or "instead of color-matching in RGB, color-match each individual channel separately. it is much easier this way". The tips may seem basic but we all forget the basics sometimes so its great that they include this aspect of real-world protocols in a training book.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. This is notable because I went into it with high expectations, which is usually a situation ripe with potential for disappointment. It was a fun and easy read and clearly written by a seasoned professional (the Pro Training way). I felt like he was my mentor sometimes the way he addressed certain issues "they don't teach you in school" (mentioned earlier in this review). I do recommend, if you buy the book, to download the errata available from PeachPit's website. It will clear up some minor confusion from the few typos that appear in chapters 2 and 13.

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About the reviewer: Ezra Peace is a narrative filmmaker based in New York. His credits include several feature length independent films and many independent short films as well as marketing and promotional work done in Miami and New York.

If you are Final Cut Pro editor as I am, and want to take a next level of your creations? Then get this book with the application software. Not only teach you for solid ground compositing also take you to the pro level.

This is a great way to learn Shake because it guides you step by step. The thing is that you need to know theorical concepts about compositing or have enough experience in another compositing software so you fully understand what he says, because sometimes the terms are not explained, just the way to do it, so if you don't know a lot about this I suggest you to first learn a little about how compositing works.

great information -- but too much detail and flows too slowly. still, I would recommend this to all beginners of Final Cut

Brenneis continues to lead the pack in producing a logical and accessible manual for the film editor's leading software.

Great hands-on manual but the FCP 6 book just came out. The reality is there aren't enough changes to make this version obsolete. If you still need a manual to work in FCP then this version will get you 99% of the way.

trust me and my classmates.this is the best!!!

I recently upgraded to the Mac Pro System from my PC for my digital editing and I needed the Final Cut Pro System but since I was not familiar with the system I needed a little assistance navigating through the programs so that I can use it effectively. I am so pleased with the purchase of this book. It is so through and even though I have been editing for years it is still useful for me when it comes to navigating and using advanced features of Final Cut Pro. You do not have to be an avid reader to appreciate this book and nor do you have to be a pro to appreciate the book because you can skip through and target your weaknesses because the the book is laid out just that way. A smart buy for the novice to the intermediate.

This book is great for beginners and people who have been using InDesign for years. Very detailed from start to finish. If you are working on a project and don't know how to do something it is very easy to find answers in this book.

This book is in detail for what Indesign software is made up to do. Easy to understand and to learn. Easy reading.

I've only bought a few computer manuals in my life [and never ended doing much with them but setting them on a shelf] before this, so perhaps I am not the best person to review one. Furthermore, I have never used a desktop publisher program of any kind (beyond WORD) before picking this book up - so I am about as clueless going into this as I can be. But, I had to learn In Design (along with Adobe Photoshop and Acrobat) fast. A design instructor recommended this book.

With just a little time, reading, and playing with direction - I feel like I can use In Design to do my publishing tasks. And that is saying a lot for a computer dummy like me.

There were personal forwards to the chapters that made the chapters easy to understand and that relate the software to technical/design concepts that even someone with no art and little design background can catch onto.

This books works well as a walk-through tortorial AND as a comprehensive reference book. But, unlike a $200 tutorial, this $20 book still has more to answer your questions and easy tables and listings to reference when you've walked yourself through the program.

I actually ENJOYED reading through this manual and playing with In Design- because it feels personal and interactive - without being condescending. And I felt like I was actaully moving along as I progressed through the book.

I have heard that this book may not be quite comprehensive enough for a professional designer who uses the full Adobe Creatve Suite to do professional ad and design work on a daily basis- and who is already comfortale and confident with the program. If that's you - go ahead and look into a $150+ set of manuals. But, if you are the average, even professional, individual who is looking to become familiar with In Design and its uses - then this book is very reasonably priced, easy to read and navigate, easy to reference, and -have to repeat - reasonably priced.

This is the best InDesign book out! Sandee knows this program inside and out! She explains it clearly, quick and concise! I recommend this to every desinger I know. I have a copy at work, and keep a copy for home use too!

Thanks Sandee for sharing your wisdom!

With several InDesign texts close at hand, this is the one I find myself reaching for first. Cohen has an approachable style and the material is logically organized. The linkage of virtually every section of text to one or more illustrations gives the reader "two kicks at every can." Her VQG for CS2 InDesign will be my first purchase after upgrading.

The pitch for this book is that there are lots of hidden features that you would not know about without reading this book. I am by no means a techie but there was only one thing in this book that I didn't already know, and I never read any instructions. The program is very intuitive on its own and you will learn everything you need to know just by simple observation.

The book was as advertised, arrived in very good time and in excellent condition.

Excellent! Very plainly written. Easy to understand. A must-have if you would rather refer to a book instead of electronic help. I really like the Missing Manual Series and/or anything written by David Pogue.

Do not buy this book unless, for some reason, you are determined to use an obsolete version of iPhoto. The newest version of iPhoto is iPhoto 6 (SIX!!!) and it is VERY different from iPhoto 5. (Sorry David, I wish your book was for iPhoto 6. I would buy it then. I do have your Mac OS X Tiger Edition, and it is GREAT!)

Picking up this book, the first thing you notice is how great is looks. It's printed in full color, with screen shots on nearly every page. I started the book expecting to jump right in to using iPhoto, but found that the entire first section of the book covers buying the right digital camera and a a guide to taking great looking pictures. I skimmed this section rather quickly as I already owned a camera and understand the basics of lighting and composing pictures. What I did read looked very useful for someone getting into photography for the first time.

The second section covers using iPhoto to organize and edit your digital pics. I was surprised how many handy ways iPhoto 5 has to organize and find pictures easily. The chapter on editing demystifies all the controls and sliders in iPhoto's editing mode. Perhaps the best tip though is the advice to use the enhance button quickly and automatically adjust photos suffering from the affects of being taken in sub-optimal conditions.

Section three details the many ways to share your photos with others. This falls primarily into 2 categories: printing and electronic distribution. These chapters have great tips for getting high quality prints wether you use your own printer or send your photos to a third party printing service. The section on electronic distribution shows you how easy it is to create a DVD you can send to friends and family; a format that even grandma will understand how to view. If you want to post your pictures on the Internet there are lots of useful tips on optimizing your photos for on-line viewing.

The last section covers advanced uses. One of the most valuable explains how to get all those spontaneous photos off of you camera phone an into iTunes. And if you take a lot of photos; more than iPhoto can handle easily, the authors explain techniques for managing multiple iPhoto libraries.

Summary: iPhoto 5 The Missing Manual is a great guide to getting the most out of iPhoto. In addition to covering iPhoto's many non-obvious features, the book includes a guide to buying the right digital camera, and techniques for taking the best quality pictures in many conditions. Best of all the book is beautifully illustrated in full color. iPhoto 5 The Missing Manual is well worth the $30 cover price ($20 on Amazon).

Must have if you're expertise level is not advanced. You really need to do yourself a favor and safeguard your data and OS integrity.

In language which those of us without technical degrees can understand, Joe Kissell explains how to keep your Mac AND your valuable data safe and healthy. I'm one who didn't know the difference between an "archive" and a "back up". Well, I do now, thanks to this book. It is a truism that nobody backs up their data until they have lost it at least once. Don't let this be true of you when it's so easy to keep everything safe and your Mac happy.

I'd also like to point out that this book is interesting and even fun to read, unlike many computer books I've seen. Joe Kissell will not put you to sleep, and you just might want to send him a thank you note the first time his advice saves your from hours (or more) of heartache.

Microsoft conditioned me to feel insecure about my data. Because of this I had always planned on following the often heard but rarely heeded advice to do regular backups of my data. But what this really requires is a coherent backup *system* not just a backup product. Similarly, I'd always planned to set up a regular maintenance routine for my Mac, a systematic approach not just the occasional use of a maintenance product.

Problem: almost all info and reviews of backup and maintenance products in the Mac press write from a product-centered point of view focused on product features rather than a user-centric point of view focused on how to set up a backup and maintenance system to fit your needs and then how to choose products to fit into your system accordingly.

Solution: Joe Kissell's book. Kissell's book is a very smart approach to developing automated backup and maintenance systems for your Mac that largely run in the background to protect your data and your hard drive automatically. He starts not with product features to look for, but with a thorough assessment of your specific needs that drives your search for specific product features to meet those needs. After guiding you through your needs, including things I had not thought of or considered, he then has a smart comparative review of current backup software to best match your needs with the products that have the features you need. It's systematic; the only systematic approach I've ever found to this complex subject.

My only gripe is that you can tell it was written in Microsoft Word because the typography is terrible. But the substance, the content, is best in class. This is the best source of information on backups and maintenance for the Mac platform bar none. It's the only resource you need. All you need to do is read his book, set up your system, implement it, and stick to the weekly schedule. The whole thing can be done in one day or over a weekend. Do it before you lose important data that would take you far longer than a weekend to replace or reconstruct.

I've integrated Joe's recommendations for a backup system and a maintenance system into an easy weekly backup & maintenance routine that keeps my Mac in top shape with redundant backups just in case. For once I have peace of mind regarding my data. Thanks Joe.

Jeff Nailen
BioFit Solutions

It is now twenty years that I have been using Macintoshes and buying books about this computer. While many have been helpful, this one stands out in providing the essential information that is critical to users of any computer. As our world becomes more dependent on these beasts, the old dictum: there are two kinds of people in this world--those who have lost data and those who will -- is even more true. I began backing up to 3.5 inch floppies using retrospect, and then tried a Syquist Drive which worked for years, and then began using inexpensive hard drive storage. But a logical way to strategize, or someone to hold my hand as I made critical decisions about back up, was absent until this book came along. All the Macintosh bibles and missing manuals were nice, but this one is indispensible. There are lots of great reviews of this book, and I wanted to frame this in a broader picture. The maintenance material is essential too.

Very helpful, especially the Mac backup information. Helped cut through the hype, provided clear answers.

There are lots of good details in this book, which seems to go farther than the missing manual series. The 4th edition (hot pink cover) seems to have pretty even coverage of using an ipod/itunes with Mac OS 9, Mac OS X, and Windows XP. After a day examining ipod books in the bookstore, this is one I bought. The 5th edition is out due in December 2004.

Five stars; highly recommended. This is an excellent book for new users and experienced iPodders alike because the information is thorough, accurate, and fun to read. The author discusses not only each version of the iPod and iPod Mini, but also includes detailed discussions of accessories, cases, and iTunes. He also includes power-user information, such as setting up the iPod as a boot disk. This leads me to the best reason to purchase this book: time savings. The author covers so much information in such depth and in such a clear and easy-to-understand manner, that almost any reader will save an enormous amount of time as compared to searching for answers about the iPod on the Web. Although this book has been a big help to me with my new fourth-generation iPod, my hope is that Chris Breen will write an updated edition specifically including the Click-Wheel iPod and the latest iPod accessories.

Mr. Martin is back to his old tricks. I'm the author of Secrets of the iPod and also a moderator of Macworld magazine's forums. Mr. Martin and I had a disagreement and he was eventually banned from the forums for trolling. He chose to express his frustration by writing a negative review of my book (a book he has never read).

When my first remarks appeared revealing the true nature of his review, he edited his review to be positive in the hope that I would then be forced to change my remarks.

His review read:

"This work is so informative and so well written that it works on every level, and for both beginners and experts. Without doubt, Mr. Breen is the most trusted iPod expert, and has produced the "bible" for iPod users. You can't go wrong with this book."

Yet when my remarks were removed at my request, Mr. Martin changed his review yet again to the negative screed you now see. How could the same book (and its author) be so wonderful one day and wretched the next? Such is the logic of the trollish world Mr. Martin inhabits.

I'm sorry that Amazon's customers must be subjected to Mr. Martin's childish antics but until he's eventually prohibited from venting his spleen in such a fashion, there's nothing for it but to expose him for the kind of person he is.

That said, I would disregard anything Mr. Martin has to say about my book -- positive or negative -- as it's difficult to write a useful review of a book you refuse to read.

I thought this book was great! Finally, I have found a book that answers some of the nagging questions I have had about my ipod, for example hidden files. I had done research on the internet for answers to some of my questions with no luck finding detailed answers, until I discovered "Secrets of the iPod", by Chris Breen. I recommend this book to anyone who owns an iPod and wants to know how it "really" works.

If you can't make it to one of Mr. Breen's iPod/iTunes seminars which I highly recommend, this is the next best thing. Everything you need to know and more about your new iPod. First off, the iPod is a mini hard drive music player run by cool software. It does a great job. It is not a walkman or radio, it is a sensitive appliance. I own two and I found it's fairly intuitive and got it up and running in minutes. For those who want get into the innards, voila! Mr. Breen to the rescue!