Microsoft Books

As I had never used Microsoft Excel before, the easy to follow instructions in Exploring Microsoft Excel 2000 made learing excel fun, not frustrating. The fact that the instructions assume the user has no prior knowledge of the program, unlike many other "teach yourself" computer books, ensured that I learnt a lot about the program in a short space of time. Completing the "hands-on" excersies in each chapter was a quick, easy and thorough way to learn all the skills needed to make the most of Excel 2000. Using the practice questions at the end of each chapter ensured that the topics covered in the chapter had been fully understood. An excellent book for those who need to learn from scratch, and I'm sure even familiar users could learn some valuable information about better using the program.

I never used Excel before I bought this book and thought it was very well laid out for learning. The web site tutorials and downloadable examples helped tremendously.

The Office 95 book is the best I have found! Having read many of the integrated Office 95 texts, this series, and especially this edition, stands head and shoulders above the rest. The language is accessable to all users. Hands on practice problems provide the user with actual practice using the material covered throughout the chapters. Various "tip boxes" provide interesting bits of information on a wide variety of Office extras. I would, and have, recommended this text to anyone wanting to learn Microsoft Office 95.

This is an excellent book to learn Microsoft Powerpoint 2000. Consisting of well written text as well as hands-on exercises, it is an excellent tool for anyone entering the business field. We are currently using the book at University of Miami and the results are positive.

I was assigned this book for a Computers in education class this summer and in three weeks,I was able to provide a professional power point presentation with literally all the bells and whistles.

Great reference for everyone that wants to get started to Access. The book is full of examples and exercises.

A+

This book on 'sensation and perception' goes very well complemented with the other textbook on Goldstein (1996) Sensation & Perception. Ryan, C. 'exploring perception' is also complements well with Gazzaniga et al(1998) Cognitive Neuroscience - The Biology of the Mind = topics related to cognition, perception & encoding & higher perception functions.

Written by a James Cook Uni (Aust) Professor, 'exploring perception' comes with a interactive CD-ROM that is user friendly, the textbook serves as a reference to the CD-Rom. But when I purchase the package, I prefer to view the CD-Rom first, and I really learn much more as compared to the textbook as I am rather tired of reading books sometimes.... The CD-Rom has interactive modules related to 'physiological bases of perception', 'form, pattern & movement', 'perceiving colour', 'depth, size, brightness & contrast', 'phychophysics' - the modules are seggregated into eight units related to respective modules. It comes with tutorial questions as well, and the most interactive and attractive of all ----- there are sound commentary description of each experimental illustration as well as 'do-it-yourself' illustration from each individual unit experimentations.

'Exploring Perception' & 'Sensation & Perception' are specialised fields which are valuable tools to contributing to understanding and development of visual aid equipments related to 'Engineering Psychology' or 'Human Ergonomics', esp for the development of V-R equipments such as for people with visual difficulties etc., An interactive CD-Rom in 'Sensation & Perception' - I call it ! -worth keeping as a learning foundation for S/P & a reference !

"Exploring the Internet" (2nd Edition) begins with the seemingly obligatory Internet history, but differs from the mainstream introductory Internet books by concluding each of its chapters with a variety of tests and and hands-on tasks that challenge the reader's true understanding of the concepts rather than the reader's ability to simply memorize.

Sound like a text book? It is. I was introduced to the book through an introductory Web course that is part of a Master's Degree program at Nova Southeastern University's School of Computer and Information Science. The book is one of several in the Exploring Windows series from Prentice Hall publishers. Employing a "learning by doing" concept, each of the book's chapters concludes with a multiple choice test, an "Exploring the Internet" exercise, some World Wide Web practice sessions and "Case Studies" in which the reader is asked to put his new found knowlege to some practical online use.

One of the "problems" with the book is not of the book's design, but rather a result of the Web's rapid growth. Some of the sites and URLs used in the book simply are no longer around or operable. However, the authors are aware of the problem, address it on several occasions and present such clear directions that it's easy enough to find worthwhile substitute targets.

In short, the book is more than adquate in its introduction to the Internet and Web. There's plenty for the first time visitor and quite a few tips still left over for those who already possess a good understanding of the topic.

Fast Track Visual Basic.NET is an excellent follow-up book to the successful Public Beta version. I constantly use this book in the first instance, rather than the larger Professional Desktop books - because it provides me with concise & pragmatic explanations of the key technical issues in a manner that is intuitive.

Back in early 2001, when Visual Studio.NET public beta was released I rushed out and bought a copy of VB.NET Programming With the Public Beta & C# Programming With the Public Beta. Recently I had the pleasure of working as a technical reviewer on both of the sequels: I am a time-poor developer and architect and rely on ensuring that I have access to quality information and value greatly a concise real-world professional explanation.

Generally, as busy developers, we do not have the time to read a book from cover to cover but I found that the Fast Track book is actually well-suited for this because it is so well written and full of interesting issues; although it is also great to use simply as a reference book. But what really sells me on this book is its professional and friendly atmosphere; the craftsmanship of the authors; choice of content and clarity of explanation.

A risk facing many VB.NET developers is that they will not comprehensively understand full Object Orientated programming nor the broader functionality of .NET; having been nurtured on legacy VB's. A C++ or Java developer moving to C# will have an enormous advantage over a legacy VB developer; however this book provides an excellent chapter that simply and clearly articulates the new object-orientated capabilities of our language in a manner that quickly offers the opportunity to bridge the gap.

Apart from the expected syntax and ADO.NET chapters there is excellent discussion of creating a Windows Service, Installation & Deployment and the big issue of Interoperability and Migration (invoking COM and calling Windows API's and using the migration wizard).

The book is full of explanations that simplify complex issues, that are well supported by short, realistic & pragmatic examples and offers a comprehensive understanding of our new & very powerful development paradigm.

This book is filled with great explanations, wonderful tips and tricks, and is a great read! Plenty of humor (but not silly)and a wide range of information. Read this book to understand viruses and how they work, and how to stop them, and to understand how the Internet is put together. Great hints for parents who worry about kids on the Internet.