Microsoft Books

I first saw this book in an Excel class I took a few days ago.
We were not allowed to keep the books because they were needed for future students. However, I was completely sold on Office 97 Simplified during the class and knew I wanted a book of my own. I came back to work and told my boss about it and he is allowing me to purchase two for our office. So many computer books are so complicated the average person cannot follow them but Office 97 Simplified uses a step-by-step, no nonsense wording with pictures that even a young child could benefit from it. I salute the writers and publishers for creating a book that almost anyone can understand. Thank you!

A great book for those who want to skim through and pick up what they want, without having to fight through the jargon. Also very good for those of us who learn faster by visual prompts.

In our corporate environment, all our computers are loaded with the Office software, minus reference materials. In the beginning, not all of us were fully comfortable with the programs, and I was one of them.

I wanted a quick reference guide as well as a pictorial tutorial (the pictures helped me overcome my initial computer-phobia).

YEARS later, this book continues to help my colleagues who now come to me for my "expertise." I merely whip out my book and show them, step by step.

My book now shares space with my dictionary and thesaurus as my go-to resource. Since then, I also bought other Simplified Books on the Internet, Web Development, Powerpoint, Word, Excel, Windows 95 and 98. What a great series! Can't think of a better library of computer basics.

Thanks for making it seem so easy, and so much fun!

As a computer instructor, I have gone through many books trying to find an easy-to-understand textbook for my beginning students. I found it in Ruth Maran's "Simplified" books. I find most textbooks on Office 97 too wordy and hard to follow. The "Simplified" books show you how to use each application in short easy steps with colorful illustrations. Anyone can learn how to use Microsoft Office with these books. There are no excuses now.

For my daughter I bought the whole of these books. This Outlook addition has been a good help for her. I recommend this for anyone

The colorful comic book cover of this book quickly grabbed my attention. The content of the book really doesn't have much to do with the comic character theme. The book is broken up into small lessons, which is good for someone like myself with a short attention span. This book is very easy to read and very well written, yet it is filled with a lot of humorous examples. I never thought I could enjoy reading a book about Microsoft Outlook, but I've got to admit this one made me laugh out loud at times.

Oh yes, it also comes with a very cool CD-ROM, so you can practice all of the examples on your computer without having to actually the program installed.

It is a great book if you have never used Outlook and you don't need the software on your computer.

The lessons contained on the disc are very detailed and easy to understand as you are walked through. After each lessons there is a quiz to make sure you understand the fundamentals contained in the lesson. The other good thing is you can use the lessons as many times as you like as you can reset the disc. Installation was easy just requiring you to put it in your CD drive.

It is a self paced system and after using it I definitely felt confident. For people learning at home without being on a shared server you can also complete this lesson for shared mailboxes and meeting requests.

For millions of users, Microsoft Outlook is how they read and write email. This book explains in easy steps the many features endowed in it. Each chapter is divided into short lessons, with a lesson typically spanning no more than 3 pages. The intent is that a lesson is a very bite-sized set of steps that you can readily comprehend in a few minutes. Regular readers of O'Reilly books will recognise this as similar to their Hacks series in format. Though the Custom Guide books are more vivid, shall we say?

To me, the most interesting lesson was how Outlook deals with spam. The book said earlier versions of Outlook used a filter "that was almost worthless". But the current filter is asserted to be much improved. Though the details are proprietary, it appears to be some type of Bayesian with other techniques like a white list. The subject is scarcely closed. The lesson says that third party filters can also be used, to improve spam detection.

I was put in charge of figuring out Business Contact Manager in our office. I got this book after many fruitless attempts at the HELP tab. The first thing I tried to find out was target marketing out of Business Contact Manager and there it was, in this book. It has made the transition from ACT way easier for us.

I needed a book that would transition me from not using Business Contact Manager at all to using it in my every day routine. This book worked. The information was appropriate and presented in a logical fashion. The book was short enough that I could read it cover to cover. A good pick.

This is a very good resource to have on hand for anyone new to Outlook's Business Contact Manager. The layout is clear, important concepts are covered and there are a fair amount of screen shots. It is easy to jump to what you need. However, for something intended for "dummies," or those of us brand new to the program, they do not spend enough time on just getting started. For example, at the beginning they tell you how to create a database (yup, I need to know that). Then they jump right into importing to it from Excel or other sources (bam! huh?). After I created my database I couldn't tell if it was there since my view in Outlook didn't change! More step by step screen shots at this point were needed. Now, how about a simple example of how to manually enter a new contact? I have a pile of business cards on my desk to input (in addition to a bunch more in Excel). A few lines on how to get one contact into my new database so I could see what's happening would have been very helpful. Start simple, right? They forgot to do so.

However, the program is quite extensive and a book simply can't give someone the knowledge a class could. The book was well worth the money as a reference tool, but I'm still looking for a class because nothing beats hands on learning.

Lon Ornstein might have co-authored a Dummies' book, but he's no dummy. His company is a well-known third-party developer of CRM enhancments - first with the ACT! product line and now Outlook 2007/BCM. Like all Dummies' books, this one is easy to read and understand, and gets right to the "meat" of using BCM. Highly recommended if you're trying to make the switch from ACT!, or if you need to extend the capabilities of Outlook 2007 for a small-midsize business.

If you've got a question about Outlook whether you are a beginner or advanced this is the book for you. Curious about the array of features available to you in Outlook or have a specific question about Journals then this book will cover both needs.

This book is well written and logically structured. Personally I really like the FAQ style format and Useful tips. Invaluable tippets of information that Microsft never seem to bother telling you about.

I found the chapters on data security, archiving and backups an invaluable source of information. Areas that I had always questions about but could never get clear and concise explainations. An excellent refernce book on Outlook.

Think of a question about Outlook and this book truly has the answer! The book is logically structured and covers everything from starting with Outlook all the way up to designing forms and creating macro's. It not only covers HOW you should use a certain functionality but also WHY and WHEN you want to use it.

Make sure you don't skip the last 2 chapters as they cover security and backups. Although these topics sound dull and complicated it is not something where you want to go wrong on. Both get covered in the easy step-wise approach like the rest of the book and you'll find it no more difficult than creating a new contact.

I was a bit surprised to see Outlook Express and Outlook Web Access (OWA) being covered as well but then I realized that they both have "Outlook" in their name as well (I guess I'm just too much Microsoft Office Outlook minded :-D).

The book is targetted to the end-user (both home and corporate) so don't expect too much admin stuff in it. I still really recommend having a copy available on your Service Desk especially if your Service Desk more or less only has time to deal with technical instead of functional issues. The addition of Outlook Express and OWA makes sense here again because that is most likely how they deal with the company e-mail at home.

To be honest with you, I had always hated Outlook. Hated it.

So it was with some scepticism that I opened this book to see if I could glean some tips and tricks to improve my Outlook experience. And boy, am I glad I did. This book takes the inherent complexity of Microsoft's propriety email client and turns it into a simple to use and feature packed email and organisation package.

If you only use Outlook purely for its email capabilities, chances are that a lot of this book will be lost on you initially. However the more you read this book, the more impressed you will grow with Outlook's features. I can't tell you the number of times I had "I didn't know Outlook could do that!" moments!

The language used in the book, is clear, concise and to the point. It emphasises the important aspects of the software, but still gives information about the smaller, almost forgotten features. The vast gulf left by Microsoft's refusal to package an Outlook instruction book with its software has left many users with gaps in their knowledge of the software. This book fills that gap admirably, causing this reviewer to wish that all Microsoft software came with such clear and well written instructions.

Whether you are a casual home user or an over-worked professional, you will find something of value in this book. Highly recommended.

I agree with the three previous reviewers that this book had covered the majority of questions one can think of about Outlook and gave easy and direct answers through its FAQ format. The chapters on security and backup might even delight many. However, I am obliged to suggest to the authors, if there will be an updated version, to add some notes on the usage of some specific functions on the Tool Bar, say, the "Rules Wizard" under "Tools", which can be used to set the criteria of forwarding specific email(s) to specific persons. The administrators may find it too simple. IMHO, it's very helpful for any workstation user. Recommended!

I almost think Paul McFedries can outsmart Bill Gates at his own program, Windows 95. I'm a beginner but I was able to go into the registry editor and remove the Microsoft Internet icon from my desktop! [something Bill Gates wanted it hard to do] When it comes to Win95, McFredries is a know-it-all but he sure doesn't talk like it. He speaks clear English! I got my money's worth at list price but you can save $18 with Amazon.com. That's progress for you.

Helped me configure Windows 95 the way it should be done. It dug me out of a hole numerous times!! IT's like everything you always wanted to know about "***" but were afraid to ask!! I recommend this book to everyone who uses Windows 95!! YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH THIS BOOK!!!!!

This is an excellent book for any Windows 95 user. Topics range from installation to advanced networking. Not only is this a good book for learning as you go, but it is also an excellent reference book. Everyone should have a copy of this book in thier library.

If you're not going to upgrade to Win '98, then you need this book. It will get you through ever facet of using Win '95. And if you can't find the answer in the book, as in a strange situation I encountered, the author's e-mail address is included so he can help you out. McFedries has written many other excellent books which are also worth a look.

This book is worth every penny I paid! It has provided invaluable assistance on numerous occasions. You won't find a better Windows 95 book anywhere! I highly recommend it!!

If you're like me, you started with a "Dummies" introduction to Windows 95 edition for a quick overview, but as you needed more you became overwhelmed by the choices. Where could you find a comprehensive, useful, yet readable reference? My first choice was Microsoft's own _Windows (r) 95 Resource Kit_, but I found that very unsatisfying; it was like a guided tour of the Black Forest, leaf by leaf. By contrast, McFedries' latest "Unleashed" reference is the one to buy. Always a good reference, it has become an excellent one whether you are supporting Windows 95 or simply trying to learn its myriad features better. McFedries doesn't simply paraphrase Help files; he writes from experience. What's new in the 1998 Edition? Many more tips and notes; coverage of Microsoft's OEM Release 2, improved networking coverage, expanded Internet material, and more appendixes. I'd been looking for a helpful multimedia reference, and Unleashed pleasantly surprised me with its offerings here too: Primers on HTML and lots of information on Windows (and Internet) multimedia sound, animation, graphics and video. McFedries has devoted an entire chapter to multimedia. The companion CD-ROM contains dozens of pieces of shareware, including games and more serious Win95 support or companion software. McFedries has added even more value by including two bonus books in HTML format: _Teach Yourself Outlook in 24 Hours_ and _Teach Yourself Office 97 in 24 Hours_ While even this reference won't solve all your learning and support needs, Unleashed is an excellent value and built to last.

it is a very good book about windows 95 big effort from the author it talked not only about windows 95 as o/s but it covers many aspects like networking,tcp/ip,internet. it is a good ref.

When I first got comfortable with Windows 95 and wanted to dig a little deeper, I tried Peter Norton's book. It's almost as thick as this book and nearly half the price. But I found Norton's text to be muddled and confusing. He gets into alot of theory which I care little about.

This book, however, starts out with 95 installation and rolls right along with all sorts of great how-to info and all manner of little details that may not be essential to know but which I enjoy reading about. I don't often find myself getting worked up over a computer book, but I actually found myself getting excited over some snippet of information that I hadn't known before.

I remember reading something by Paul Hawken in which he stated that a teacher of his once told him to find the book that would save him from reading ten others. In the Windows 95 world, this is that book.

(If you have Windows 98 or are thinking of upgrading, McFedries now has out a 98 edition. I kind of wish that I had bought that one instead, for although I don't plan on upgrading anytime soon, the new book appears to be almost verbatim what is in this book. I think it would be just as useful for someone using 95, except that when and if you decided to upgrade to 98 you'd be knowledgeable about the differences.)

This is an excellent starter book for people who would like to be able to do repairs and upgrades on their PC's but have had little hands-on experience.

The authors do a good job of covering a lot of areas without getting the reader lost in the technical jargon that is commom in other books of this type.

I am a teacher of computer science and I would recommend this book as a reference for anyone who owns a PC and doesn't want to pay through the nose for repairs every time their machine "coughs".

If this book saves the reader one trip to the service center then it is well worth the cost and then some. In addition it also contains some excellent advice on considerations when upgrading your current PC.

PC Repair And Maintenance: A Practical Guide by computer repair technicians Joel Rosenthal and Kevin Irwin is a do-it-yourself guide to repairing common computers (running Microsoft Windows 95, 98, Me, 2000 or XP) and is specifically meant and recommended for the non-specialist general reader. Easy-to-follow instructions, step-by-step tutorials, and an emphasis on practical and "hands-on" approaches fill the pages of this outstanding guide which is organized around the core principle that a deep understanding of "how a computer works" is not required to diagnose and repair basic problems. A superb manual for home use as a basic instructional and an ideal reference for anyone contemplating a career in the computer repair business, PC Repair And Maintenance is enhanced with a companion CD-ROM offering video tutorials on basic tasks such as installing a new memory card, hard drive, new battery, and more.

THE HARDEST PART OF A PC REPAIR OR UPGRADE IS FINDING THE CORRECT INFORMATION TO DO THE JOB. USUALLY IT IS NECESSARY TO CONSULT MANY MANUFACTURERS MANUALS FOR THE HARDWARE PORTION OF THE JOB. ONCE THE HARDWARE WORK IS DONE THE REAL FUN USUALLY BEGINS, LOCATING THE INFORMATION NECESSARY TO GET THE SOFTWARE TO WORK WITH THE HARDWARE. PC REPAIR & MAINTENANCE A PRACTICAL GUIDE PROVIDES AN EASY TO UNDERSTAND, COMPREHENSIVE, SINGLE SOURCE FOR BOTH THE HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE INFORMATION NECESSARY TO REPAIR OR UPGRADE A PC. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.

When I first looked at the book I thought just another PC repair book, I was right and I was wrong. What I found was a very good information for the "real" world as well a helpful tool for the A+ exam.

The main text is only about 220 pages so no one topic is coverd to far in depth. Also there is no coverage for DOS or Nt, however Windows 9X, Me, 200o and XP are discussed. The book does a fairly decent job of examining the finer points.

I also like the coverage of the hardware side of the PC world, and this book has a good blend of both sides. The amount of information makes this a good prep tool for the A+ exam, although you will other resources.

While the books does have some color photos, they should have had all the pictures in color and this could be fixed in the next release. The book comes with a cd with several videos about CPUs, motherboards and other hardware devices. This makes a great add on.

One thing that lends real credability tot eh book is the practice questions, which are written by the highly respected Christopher Crayton and based on his A+ test guide. Overall this book is a very good learning tool and needs to be given serious conmsiderationfor the certification study.

This book is a very good preparation for Access 2000 Core. However, as of May 2002, many of the questions on the Access 2002 "Core" test were actually from the "Expert" objectives which were not published on the Web MOUS site. Fortunately, the Microsoft Access 2002 MOUS Expert book by Winters and Manchester does an excellent job preparing readers for the Core test and it covers all of the Expert objectives.

This book is a very good preparation for Access 2000 Core. However, as of May 2002, many of the questions on the Access 2002 "Core" test were actually from the "Expert" objectives which were not published on the Web MOUS site. Fortunately, the Microsoft Access 2002 MOUS Expert book by Winters and Manchester does an excellent job preparing readers for the Core test and it covers all of the Expert objectives.

This book is a very good preparation for Access 2000 Core. However, as of May 2002, many of the questions on the Access 2002 "Core" test were actually from the "Expert" objectives which were not published on the Web MOUS site. Fortunately, the Microsoft Access 2002 MOUS Expert book by Winters and Manchester does an excellent job preparing readers for the Core test and it covers all of the Expert objectives.

This book is a very good preparation for Access 2000 Core. However, as of May 2002, many of the questions on the Access 2002 "Core" test were actually from the "Expert" objectives which were not published on the Web MOUS site. Fortunately, the Microsoft Access 2002 MOUS Expert book by Winters and Manchester does an excellent job preparing readers for the Core test and it covers all of the Expert objectives.

This is the best cookbook I have ever seen!

No wonder this book had to be self-published: most of the menus provided require hours, if not days, of planning and work, the majority are not especially cheap (though many are quite reasonable), and no effort has been made to convert these exquisite dishes into low-fat monstrosities. This is true four-star cooking. While there are some very fine books on gourmet cooking within time and budget constraints, most cookbooks these days aim to let us believe we can produce first-rate food fast, cheap, and without calories. Yeah, sure. That's not the kind of cooking that dominates food-star menus!

I just love this book. Though I will never make some of the more extravagant dishes, I've made at least a dozen of these recipes, and every one has been, in the Brits' sense of the term, well brilliant.

And the writing: The author's personality shines through, and I don't know how anyone can help liking this guy. How can anyone who moves in such highfallutin' circles, someone who has trained in some of the finest restaurants in the world--and still drops in as a guest chef--be so down-to-earth and likeable? Amazing. He thanks a "ghost editor" in his preface, but the voice is of a piece with the author's whole approach to food.

Whether or not you have any interest in becoming a four star chef in general, you will find some recipes here that you'll love, that you can serve with pride and joy on special occasions.

Besides, the book is just great "food porn." Sometimes I just read the thing and salivate over the beautiful dishes.

I must own at least three dozen cookbooks, and this is probably the most fun of them all. I can heartily say that if you really love food, you ought to buy this book.

I enjoyed the stories Joe shared in his book. I have tried some of the recipes and I cannot believe I actually made the dish. Great stuff. I have thrown a multitude of parties and Joe has been part of some of them. I would start out with the basic and all of a sudden it was transformed to a breathtaking event. People would ask, how did you do that? I just smiled.

After reading Joe's book, I began to understand that you have to have a love of food and people to accomplish what he does. He is a true artist at work.

Enjoyed the stories of where the recipes originated.

I love to cook, but am often searching for the perfect menu to serve at a dinner party. I want my guests to feel special and comfortable, but as the host I also want to be able to enjoy the festivities, rather than stressing about the preparation and scrambling to organize the meal. This cookbook offers everything I need to entertain.
First, Joe has designed meals. Traditionally in other cookbooks, we find a main entree that sounds delicious, but then are left searching for the appetizers, side dishes, and desserts to compliment the dish. Joe has taken this confusion out of the equation. Each element of the meal compliments one another. Furthermore, Joe's meals range from extravagant to casual. Whether you want to throw an intimate dinner for four or a late Sunday brunch for 12, Joe offers wonderful ideas. Additionally, once you have chosen your meal, Joe helps you organize: his "Menu Progression" gives step-by-step instructions for preparation. He explains what you need to do a week before, a day before, hours before, and during the meal. It's fantastic.
This book is also a great reference. Joe explains some of the chemistry behind cooking, including an explanation of the differences between salts and why it is important to use cold water when brewing coffee. He also gives Internet resources for buying kitchen supplies, spices, and even meat.
Finally, I enjoy reading this book. Accompanying each menu is a personal story. It is clear that Joe is passionate about "haute cuisine" and believes everyone has the ability to find their own passion in the kitchen. This book is inspiring and should be in every home cook's library.

Form so many books, this is best I have ever seen. And if you need to know why the transaction happens, then go the Juval Lowy's book.

this books offers very good insight to the introducing the
beginner to transactions
There are 10 chapters in this book of which I have covered 9
chapters in 2 days

chapter 5 the nwtshipper's applications breaks when
the web service attempts to create a shippercomponent during
and add method call

In chapter 6 the customer entry. the famouse cauliflowers aka com+ objects are never activated/spins during a transaction.
Maybe because they are deactivated or not using pooling.

I am on the last chapter 10 works but lacks alot of instructions
on how to set it up,
but after 2 days of hacking i finally got it to work
and when it worked, it was like magic..

This must be the only book I have in my possession which
demonstrations transactions in .net

I would like to give this book 5 stars but since the poor setup
instructions in chapter 10 I have to give it a 4 stars instead.
Authors.. Good job!!!

Real Life Examples That Work - And More

The book was well written and easy to follow. The descriptions and examples of code were the best and most concise of any I have read in .NET. But the best part, was that it also covered the material in the four previous Beginning VB/ASP books I have read, but in a more understandable and memorable way.

This is a gem of a book!

Ever get frustrated looking for a book that has a decent discussion on transactions? So many have half a dozen pages and a kiddie's transaction example about a bank that only ever has one customer that only ever does one transaction & of course it succeeds: great!

This is different - it's real! It's a book all about real-transactions and the things you need to know that support them - heaps of juicy nitty-gritty details. It's great to get into a meaty discussion about distributed architecture, but where the fun really starts is in designing transactional .NET DLL' s.

Apart from all the great information, another thing that comes across in the book is just how lucky we are as VB developer's to be using .NET - the power is awesome!