Microsoft Books

This book is a great one for those who are into the history of computing in general and the history of operating systems specifically. If you are taking a course in computer science and you need to write a paper on such subjects, for less than a dollar, there is a wealth of information here on how operating systems transitioned from the unstable state they were at in the early 90's to today. I'm not singing Windows 95's praises as a product that fixed everything, but it was a product that started down the road to stabilizing home and business computing platforms so that you didn't cross your fingers every time you added hardware or software to your PC. In 1994 my husband and I spent two months just trying to get a sound card to talk to the rest of our computer without "screeching"! This involved pouring over documentation about every component in our machine.

The following is the table of contents:
1. The Road to Chicago - Chicago was the codename for Windows 95. This chapter talks about the mission of Windows 95 - to make every aspect of the PC running on Windows 95 easier for users, support staff, hardware manufacturers, and software developers.

2. Intel Processor Architecture - Talks about the history of the Intel processor architecture through the 80386 and how Windows 95 intended to capitalize on the features of the now ancient 80386.

3. A tour of Chicago - Looks at the structure of the system and associated terminology. It's just a brief overview.

4. The Base System - Examines the programming interface and the 80386. It also talks about true threading - something that was new to Windows.

5. The User Interface and Shell - Takes a lengthy tour through the most visible part of the system, which is the user interface. The chapter does a pretty good job of highlighting the differences between 3.1 and 95.

6. Applications and Devices - Looks at the implementation of the Windows User and GDI modules and at a few of the device drivers and subsystems associated with the User and GDI modules.

7. The Filesystem - Talks about the advantages gained in terms of performance, multitasking, and reduced memory requirements in a full Windows 95 protected mode driver.

8. Plug and Play - Talks about how Windows 95 made it much easier to add a new device adapter card to your computer.

9. Networking - Windows 95 came out when the internet was in its infancy. Thus, here the emphasis is on getting different computers within a confined environment to talk to one another versus internet computing. Remember that Novell was still top dog when this book came out.

10. Mobile Computing - Again, mobile computing did not mean in 1994-5 what it does today. Thus this chapter looks at the capabilities that the author loosely groups under this heading of mobile computing - communications support, electronic mail and fax support, and portable systems support.

Finally, there is an interesting epilogue in which the author interviews those heavily involved in the design of Windows 95 about its various functions and plans for the future. It's very interesting from a historical perspective.

I bought this book when it first came out, and I'll probably always keep it, along with a handful of similar books, just because it is so interesting to look back on computing history from time to time, particularly when it is written by those that were in the trenches.

Inside Windows 9

Dear Amazon.com Readers,

"Inside Windows 95," by Adrian King, is a very good base for understanding the design considerations Microsoft undertook when it set out on its Chicago (later named Windows 95) project. Adrian King, a Windows expert himself, looks at each step of the development of Windows, all the way to the new 3d-controls, such as dialog boxes. There are illustrations of how each control looks, and explanations of why Microsoft chose the interfaces it did.

I read this book, and was very impressed by it. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know the WHY of the Windows 95 interface. This book also covers a bit of the Cairo project that Microsoft worked on. Cairo went through many phases and changes, and eventually evolved into the Windows 2000 of today.

This was really an excellent book. It contains many great sample databases. You will get your money's worth in DAO.recordset operations. One section of sample code just did not work, which caused me to spend some extra time fixing. It was the code to generate Word Tables (Chapter 14). Better instructions for creating grouped Data Access Pages (Chapter 17) were also needed. I also thought that instructions on running all the code in the last chapter concerning Active Server Pages were lacking. Other than these set backs it was still a great book. I think that in many places in the code there were opportunities for the author to implement domain aggregate functions instead of recordsets, With/End With code blocs, case expressions, Between/ And Where clauses in queries as opposed to two expressions joined together by an OR clause, Between/ And clauses in validation rules for tables, the IN operator in queries to avoid expressions with multiple OR operators, and general sub procedures for events that call the same actions. The more experienced reader will find these places and modify the code if he or she so desires. The author seemed to use the same techniques all the time no matter what the situation was as a way to keeping things as simple as possible, without bombarding the reader with other alternatives.

I knew the basics of Access. I can create tables, use the wizards to create forms and use the wizards to create reports. I have found many books that can teach me that.

But I needed to go further. I needed to start writing code that powered my Access databases. This book showed me how to do that.

The author took me step by step through numerous examples that have empowered me to write code that really make my applications so much better.

I highly recommend this book.

I first read the author's work when I needed a "direct approach" to ASP scripts, so I thought I'd give his Access book a try because I saw an example like what I needed to develop. I am VERY pleased - his ability to clearly convey a tramendous amount of information embedded in nice, concise examples is this author's strength. Very much to the point - numerous examples - it's a whole book of well-explained examples. Very good book if you want to put together a successful applicatin in a hurry. Thanks again!

The Internet for Busy People, Second Edition is now available! It's similar to the first edition but with more pages, more examples, more illustrations, and all of the latest technology. (I helped Christian put the second edition together, so I know first-hand how complete this book is...)

Christian Crumlish doesn't waste your time explaining every little insignifcant detail about the Internet. Instead he gets right to the heart of the basics. Tailored for the home dial-up user or the busy executive this book is easy to read, informal, and sometimes irreverent but never boring. If you don't want to waste time this book is perfect. Rick Buhler, Chief Nerd has spoken

Are you the only dinosaur left who hasn't been on the Web yet? Or maybe you're sick and tired of people raving about the Internet while you sit and nod knowingly, but without the slightest clue what they are ranting about. If you have decided it's time to surf before you get alienated, but only have coffee breaks and short lunches to learn how to surf the Web, The Internet for Busy People can give you a crash course in surfing lingo. The best way to learn how to surf is to dive in and get immersed in interfacing with the new environment. The Internet for Busy People does exactly that by using rich colourful pages that give you great screen shots of what you will see while browsing the Internet. As most individuals are more receptive to graphics inclined than text, the book's familiar and myriad screen shots shortens the learning curve, much like a computer flight simulation assists a pilot in flight training. Besides great screen shots, call-out diagrams that point out how to fill out a web page form help overcome the form-filling paranoia that many of us have. For instance, what should you put in the domain box and, for that matter, what the heck is TCP/IP or SMTP Besides helping you overcome such nightmares, The Internet for Busy People does a great job in easing the rookie surfer into Netspeak and the lingo of the Internet surfer. As you get more proficient with simple e-mail protocol, Crumlish grooms you for bigger and better things on the Internet like File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and researching using Gopher to access remote libraries. But my favourite aspect of The Internet for Busy People is the expert dialogue box that peppers the book with wise words from the pros. In so doing, Crumlish actually treats you like an intelligent, albeit busy person that doesn't need to be coddled with simplistic information. Even for a seasoned surfer, I picked up some new tricks and got some questions answered from the expert advice dialogue boxes. I've always found that writing style and tone of voice in any computer publication is the make-or-break factor in my enjoyment of a book. It's easy to accumulate knowledge, but to share it in a non-condescending manner that doesn't put the reader off. Crumlish makes reading The Internet for Busy People like hearing from a friend enthusiastic about teaching you the ways of the Web. The Internet for busy People is surprisingly affordable considering that every page is chock-full of colour graphics and illustrations. Basically, it's like browsing the Internet before you actually go on-line - a dry run, so to speak.

I was suprised to find how different IIS 7 is from IIS 6, so different it might as well have a totally different name, but I wasn't worried as with his other books Stanek does an excellent job of guiding the reader through the ins and outs of IIS 7. Using this book, I confidently helped plan our site wide upgrade and then deployed IIS 7 throughout our server farms with complete success. Excellent resource!

I picked this up as we were moving our front-end web servers to IIS 7 and as Stanek's other books have been extremely helpful. Having read it cover to cover and compared it to other IIS books available, I found it to be the best by far. This book focuses on exactly what I needed to know to get up to speed and to get the job done every day. As a reference manual it can't be beat.

I've had IIS 7 Administrator's Pocket Consultant for several months now. I've read it cover to cover and refer to it all the time. I'm always amazed at how much information William can pack into his pocket consultants and especially with this one.

William starts out by telling you IIS 7 is completely different from its predecessors and then showing what you need to know right away to be successful. Then chapter by chapter he teaches you everything you need to know to be successful with IIS deployment, configuration and management. The book also includes excellent details on monitoring, backup, recovery and troubleshooting.

What I like best about Williams' books is the friendly easy to understand language. He's always very organized and clear. He doesn't stray off topic into tangents and has a solid sense of what's important and what's not. I like to think of his approach as being like the cool History teacher who teaches everything you need to know, while you're having too much fun to realize how much you're learning.

There's a wealth of real world examples and reference materials throughout. This makes the book perfect for administrators and for developers who build and manage IIS installs. Highly, highly recommended.

Understanding how to develop and sustain personal and professional relationships in the workplace is critical to the success of any leader. While business dynamics are fluid, and the circumstances surrounding environments will always be in a state of flux, relationships are a constant. In my book Leadership Matters...The CEO Survival Manual: WHAT IT TAKES TO REACH THE C-SUITE AND STAY THERE I spend a great deal of time discussing why leaders must become masters of managing multiple constituencies and building strong relationships. I would strongly recommend Anna's book.

This book is a MUST READ for anyone wishing to delve into the mysteries of why we behave the way we do at work, the often unintended consequences of our actions, and ways we can overcome the ingrained habits that can sabotage our workplace success. While based almost entirely on Dr. Rowley's experience in a private company, I found her stories and insights quite germane to my work in the public sector. Dr. Rowley's conversational style made me feel as if I was on the couch with these Microsoft managers, working through their challenges and identifying creative solutions. While I am not a big fan of nonfiction books, particularly ones that deal with private sector moguls, I found I couldn't put this one down. If you are at all interested in the psychology of workplace relationships, this is the book for you.

Anna Rowley hits the nail on the head with this book. There are lessons that we can all take away from this book and apply to our personal and professional lives, regardless of whether you're in a leadership role.
It's also a very well written book and is hard to put down. It flows really well and even though she's taclking some very big topics, it's not overwhelming at all. She breaks down the problems that leaders face into chapters that are easy to digest. I haven't done the exercises yet, but I'm planning to go back to do them

This book is very very well done. I learned Access in several days with easy to follow examples. Admittedly, I was a little nervous about taking on Access, but this book made me feel at ease and now I consider myself very proficient with databases. Each MS program has its own section which is further broken down into lessons, each of which has exercises, so its a very organized approach.

Now the bad news: I lost my copy after my last move and now am going to get another.

BUY THIS BOOK IF YOU'RE USING OFFICE 95!

I learned half of access in 5 hours I give this a WOO WOO!!

This is one of the best books on the subject of Microsoft Office. I have read numerous books on the subject and I would say this one stands out. Other books on the subject are ususally 90% reading and 10% doing. Some even come with diskettes with lessons. But I feel that you learn how to do a program through using it - not reading about it. With Learning Microsoft Office for Windows 95 it is a step by step process to ensure that by the time you finish a particular subject, i.e. Powerpoint you become (in my opinion) an expert in Powerpoint. It is written in easy and concise language that lets the user begin learning on the first day. This book is probably outdated, but I would recommend it even if your software is updated.

Forget about those "Computer for Dummies" books. They stink in comparison to "The Little PC Book" series. These books explain and help you learn about computers in a much better way than the "Dummies" series. I personally recommend this book to my clients.

I have been using PCs at work for a few years but recently bought my first home PC. This book taught me a lot. It was easy to read and incredibly informative.

I've been using Apple computers since 1981 or so. And I still operate my business using Macintosh computers. But in an increasingly Windows OS world, I often find myself seated at--horrors--some sort of PC. I go from computer expert to rank beginner in seconds! Whether you're an old Mac addict forced to use Windows, or a new PC computer user wondering how it all works and what you can do with it, I recommend this book very highly! It told me everything I needed to know without making me feel like an idiot or a dummy. Leave those other books on the rack. Magid's book is the one you want.

This is a *delightful* computer book. Highly recommended for people who have never used computers before. It is simply well-written and easy to follow. It's non-threatening, and has something to offer both novices and long time computer users.

I teach Windows95 course for beginners, after reading this book, I couldn't pick a better book for them to start out with. Very well written, I just wish I had wrote it.

Whoever thought you would buy a software manual for the prose? This book is beautifully written and should serve as an object lesson to tech writers everywhere. And yes, it has everything you need to know about Windows 95, presented with care and clarity.

This Book for Mac or Windows is Outstanding. It covers just about all the commands in Lingo, And no one knows them better than the person who wrote the Lingo language. Sample movies help explain complex commands in an easy straight forward manner.

Jervis Thompson => http://user.aol.com/jervo

I use Director 7, and this book is made for Director 5. . . And let me just say it makes no differnce want version of Director you are using, if you want to know about Lingo, then this is the book for you! After just reading 4 of the 18 chapters of the book, I know more about Lingo then I did after reading two other books! This is a must have for any serious Director User!

As someone who both works with Director and teaches it at the university level, I'm always looking for good books for beginning to intermediate users. This is NOT the first book I recommend for beginners (usually that's Director Demystified) because it's pretty dry and technical.

But, for anyone who has a general understanding of how Director works, this book is useful in the way a good cookbook is useful. If you know what you want to do, you can look it up and find clear instructions on HOW to do it. My copy is filled with post-it markers showing the answers to questions students have raised in class ("How do I get Director to... ?) The sample movies are very helpful, and teach a valuable lesson: learn the basic principle using the simplest of movies, then apply it to the real thing.

Since the most recent version of the book covers Director 5, I'm waiting for an updated version. But most of the information in the book is still valid...Lingo doesn't THAT much from version to version.

The Maran Illustrated series for computers is excellent. Perfect for those who need to SEE exactly what is being described. Clear captures of the computer screen with directives. Worth it's weight in gold.

I teach small classes for Nebraska Workforce Development clients - usually from 1 to 4 students - and I have used this book for 2 years now. You should see the delight on their faces when they begin to learn Office skills and do real projects! Many of them go on to learn more and get good jobs... but they just needed a user friendly way to get started.

Thanks to Maran Graphics!

I love the "Maran series" books. They are very helpful for people who are not a computer genius, since they show instructions step by step.