Desktop Books

As a long-time user of Microsoft Publisher, I was hesitant to pick up a copy of this book; I should not have hesistated at all. Luisa Simone's book on MS-Publisher 97, Microsoft Publisher by Design, not only is an excellent guide to the technical aspects of the software but a guide to content and design as well. Ms. Simone makes excellent use of screen shots and real-life applications to take readers through the step-by-step creation of 13 different projects, all without relying on templates or software "wizards". Her keen insight to publication design and her ability to anticipate the need for "hand-holding" makes this an invaluable guide for new and experienced users alike. For anyone that is thinking of purchasing MS-Publisher 97, as well as for those who are "hardened veterans" of the program, this is a definitive guide; a must-have in your library. Microsoft would have done well to have made this the manual that came with the program

I teach at two community colleges and have taught various versions of Windows including 95, 98, NT and now 2000. I have never found a better book for teaching. This book is easy to follow and has ample practice files to help the individual work through the lessons. The book covers Windows more thoroughly than any of the five other books I have used and previewed. It is well worth every nickel! This is a great book not only for the beginner, but also for the expert needing to utilize all Windows has to offer. I highly recommend this book!

I had to buy this book for school in college. It is very easy to follow and it helped me get an A+ in the class. I completely recommend this book.

I first encountered this book in a masters course at FSU. After reading it I got that excited feeling that I get when I encounter an astounding book. I was sick and tired of computer books that are product driven and programming content crazy. I hadn't seen any books tell you what you could do with this programming you just learned. This book shows you the steps it takes to develop your idea, from knowing your audience to post-production. Now you can learn not only that techie stuff everyone else does now you can know what to do with it.

Includes valuable information about MPEG4 coding and delivery standards. It would have been better with some code samples

Gaskell (as it is known) was the textbook I used at UCLA for an Analytical Bibliography class which was a prerequisite for a class on Handpress Printing. It's not for wimps (UCLA, the Analytical Bib class, OR this work!). Hint: if you don't know what the term "analytical bibliography" means, do not buy this book (exception: if the book is required for your class in Analytical Bibliography!).

Gaskell is an astonishingly thorough one volume overview of almost everything about the transmission of printed text. It consists of only 438 pages, yet manages to cover book production from 1500 to 1950. Included are sections on printing type, composition, paper, imposition, presswork, warehousing, binding, decoration, the American and English book trades, machinery, etc., ad infinitum (it seems). The "Reference Bibliography" following various appendices thoroughly lists the resources to which one would refer for more indepth analysis (e.g., watermark catalogs, surveys of the book industry during historical periods, Stationer's Records ...).

The final section on "Bibliographical Applications" is probably the most complex, and also my favorite part of this work. It gives a fair overview, with examples, of bibliographic description of the kind one would find in an antiquarian bookseller's catalog.

This book is NOT a standalone resource for all aspects of analytical bibliography, though I can't imagine anyone working in this activity starting anywhere OTHER than with Gaskell. The only improvement would be an expansion to a 10 volume encyclopedia on the subject of analytical bibliography.

The authors do an excellent job of laying out basic computer concepts in easy format. Would recommend it. The other books on special software was not explaining the basics to me. I guess I expected too much.

Catfish

From the moment I opened this factual, precise and yet self- explanatory work of intellect, my answers to problems in the world of information technology were all fulfilled. Surely, the world of technology changes at the speed of light and so does the world of business. The author has fully incorporated this approach in creating a holistic work which embodies the concepts of the Internet and the World Wide Web (yes, they are in fact completely different), tying into the literature screen shots and sequential series which polish the seasoned user of Microsoft Access and I suppose, enlighten the skills of the novice.

The impact of global business and electronic commerce are both dependent upon effective, efficient and reliable database management systems. This book makes this point succinctly clear and dwelves only into the sticky programming issues if the reader wants to. You do not have to be a professional to read this book, but it is strongly advised that such a publication will indeed make you into a better professional. As a college student whose professor loaned him the said book overnight, I was overwhelmed to the point of visiting Amazon.com in order to execute my purchase!

It is an excellent book for beginners as well as for the professionals.

I had tried to learn FP98 using a couple of different texts to no avail (the "Dummies" book was no exception). I always got "bogged down" in the early tutorials which showed the same old Personal Page designed with themes. Then I found this book.

This text takes you by the hand and walks you through creating and modifying a website from scratch. The tutorials have lots of illustrations and assume you are a rank novice. There are "homework" case studies for you to do (this series of books are actually designed for introductory college level courses) that immediately reinforce the lessons just learned. Data files are downloaded from the Course.com website.

This book is for complete "newbies" but it hits the mark dead on for its targeted audience. If you are having trouble following other texts and you want to have the satisfaction of creating custom webpages very quickly buy this book.

Having trouble learning Access? The same comments apply to the Access98 text available in this same series of books!