Software Books

It is one of the best books on SQL I have read. This is a good book not only for those who want to use SQL Anywhere but for all SQL Afficianodos. It is both comprehensive and compact. I found this book useful while trying to understand Mobilink. I recommend this book without any hesitation to anyone who wants to understand how everything works in SQL Anywhere.

In a word: Awesome! This is the definitive book on Sybase SQL Anywhere 9. If you use this at work, especially in a replicated environment, then you MUST have this on your shelf.

This is a down-to-earth, no-holds barred approach to dealing with the good/bad/indifferent aspects of SQL Anywhere Studio 9. I am a data architect for a company that manages over 4,600 remote databases and this book has single-handedly helped me solve issues we have been having for months.

The author, Breck Carter, is a man who has been in the trenches with "the rest of us" to solve some of the most vexing data management problems. The solutions are as simple as they are elegant.

Written in a "real-world" tone, this book gets to the nitty-gritty of 99% of problems. The chapter on Mobilink replication is worth the price of the book alone as it goes into extreme detail on the how/whens/whys of moving data around and how to best utilize this impressive feature.

Highly Recommend!

Some of the documentation in this book is included no were else besides Sybase official docs. Given that "official docs" have such a dry reputation, I was happy to find this book. Indeed it is much easier to read, and contains lots of important information for configuring and programming in your SQL environment.

This book is packed with pertinant, in-depth info. The author does not have an overly-wordy style, so there is no inflated page-count.

This book is simply a must-to-have for db-developers; it presents a complete and compact reference for experienced developers as well as it offers a comprehensive immersion in SQL Anywhere to beginners and less experienced ones.

If I had to use only one word to express my opinion about this book I would just say: RELIEF. Relief of not getting drowned again in hundred of pages of irrelevant topics, misleading information, decorative pictures and tools descriptions.

I highly recommend this book to application programmers, as myself, accustomed to flirting with different db-engines but still seeking a solid understanding relational db paradigms.

I started using Sybase SQL Anywhere before Sybase owned it--when it was called The "Watcom" Database Engine. "SQL Anywhere Studio 9 Developer's Guide" is an outstanding reference. The book was written by someone who obviously has a great deal of experience using SQL Anywhere Studio to build real-world software solutions. Highly recommended.

One of the first book written on structured systems analysis and still, after 20 years, one of the best. The techniques has stood the test of time.

I read this book over 20 years ago. It is still the best. I keep it right on my desk.

I was introduced to Data Flow Diagraming in college with this book. Since then I have seen many other books describing DFD's. All fail to explain them as clearly as this book does. I highly recommend it!

This is an EXCELLENT text and workbook. I was searching for a current publication. I have a very old copy but I find it still extremely relevant. I Took a graduate course in structured systems analysis in 1997 and the text the professor/ school ordered for the students was horrible and absolutely no help. I took out my old copy and was able to follow along very well. (I would bet the professor was also using this text as his guide :-) THIS BOOK NEEDS TO BE KEPT IN CIRCULATION!!!!

As a business process consultant and information systems designer, I am constantly looking for effective techniques for capturing business details and new system requirements. I have looked at every new tool and method to come along, but this is STILL the best one there is. A testament to this book and it's methods is that many of the latest software tools, using the latest technology, still build on the methods and diagrams used in this book. And it's all still valid. Every consultant, business analyst, and systems designer MUST have a copy of this book in their library!

Testing has often been the misbegotten portion of the software development process. Frequently neglected until the semi-chaotic end of the production cycle, the testing phase has traditionally been shortened to accommodate a fixed release date. The relationships between the developer and test groups are to some extent adversarial, but in so many cases it often breaks down into open hostility. Among developers, it is often considered demeaning to have to soil ones hands by actually testing the code. With such a sullied background, it is no wonder that production code is generally riddled with bugs.
As the authors of this book point out, all of the above are dangerous conditions. With the expansion of code reuse and RAD tools, the development of the initial iteration is going to be done at a faster pace than before. Since the number of pathways through the code is operationally infinite, the only way relatively bug-free code will be developed is by allocating more resources to testing and making the choice and tracking of test cases a more scientific endeavor. The most significant point of the ten made in this book is that the testing process should be considered on an equal basis with that of development so that both groups communicate as equals. Without that, all the fancy, efficient tools in the world are reduced to the level of mere toys.
This is a book that can and should be read by developers, managers and yes, even testers, as all will benefit from the simple words of wisdom.

This book gives excellent insight for the beginning QA professional. It not so detailed that developers and managers will not want anything to do with it either. It explains ways to communicate quality assurance without offending anyone. The content is concentrated on the expressing QA in a brighter light without ruffling too many feathers. I recommend it for everyone in a technical environment with the goal of attaining quality. THIS IS A MUST HAVE FOR ANY QA PROFESSIONAL.

Much has changed in software development and testing practices since this text was written in the late 90's. However, many of the identified challenges are still with us. I find myself rereading this book as it is a useful reference for a test manager. The authors identify dual disparate roles for the software tester. In role one, the focus is on the task of testing software, such as test planning, test design, and execution. In role two, the tester or test manager's role is more as a politician and marketer to protect the test staff and promote the value they bring to each project . The text focuses on the second role, which elaborates on what the authors identify as the top ten people oriented challenges for the software test professional.

The first section of the book includes an assessment to help you identify your strengths and weaknesses in meeting people related testing challenges. The bulk of the text contains individual chapters on the top 10 challenges. The challenges are explained along with guidelines to overcome the challenge. Chapters can be read out of order and this format allows you to focus on your weaknesses as identified in the self assessment. The last section of the book describes a six step change process to implement improvements. My favorite two chapters were "Explaining Testing to Managers" and "Getting Trained in Testing." Highly recommended.

This is an excellent review of the biggest recurring problems of the software testing world. As I read the descriptions of each of the 10 challenges, I was astonished at how many of the pitfalls I fall into on a regular basis. Perry & Rice don't just lay out what the challenges are - they also discuss how to meet each one. Each item on the list has its own chapter with sections on the impact on testing, solutions to the challenge, impediments to implementing the solutions, and helpful guidelines to creating a plan of action. This is without a doubt an excellent book for those of us in the trenches of software testing each day. (One bit of advice, though - if you're looking for a book on "how to do software testing", look elsewhere. Perry and Rice have other good books on the subject, but this one is really intended to help you step back from your daily testing work and see where you could improve on your approach to it.)

When this book was written software testing was starting to consolidate into an 'honorable' profession, and the number of good books about testing could be counted on your fingers (and probably a few toes). The discipline has matured into a profession, and there are so many excellent books on the subject now that it boggles my mind.

You'd think that the top ten challenges listed in this book would have been long ago resolved and replaced with a new set. Sadly, that isn't the case. Each challenge listed is as valid today as it was when this book was written, and except for #10 on the list (getting trained in testing), which has dramatically improved, the other nine are still there. Read the book. Take the advice of the two authors, both of whom are seasoned professionals who give the solutions to these challenges, and move the profession forward.

Here are the top five challenges that I see today, drawn from the list in the book:

#1 today, #6 in the book: Communicating with Customers -- And Users
#2 today, #3 in the book: Hitting a Moving Target
#3 today, #1 in the book: Having to Say No
#4 today, #4 in the book: Testing What's Thrown Over the Wall
#5 today, #2 in the book: Fighting a Lose-Lose Situation

Your order may be different, but I am willing to bet that the list will be the same. This book does give realistic solutions to these problems, so if you agree with the list, then you'll find this book valuable.

As someone with a background in the comparatively 'easier' (and more stable) Mac world, I found this book, more than any other Windows 98 guidebooks, to be the most useful in terms of explaining why my Wintel product was failing. The book is exceptionally well-designed. Not only is the materially organized in a useful fashion, the page-layout makes things easy to read. The author's writing style is crisp and engaging, and that which he is trying to teach is genuinely useful. Indeed, _Using the Windows 98 Registry_ is so straightforward in its approach, I felt like I was reading a tech manual for a Macintosh product. I would second another reviewers' comments, though, that future editions could benefit from the inclusion of case studies.

I purchased the book to understand how Windows 98 registry really works. I had sometimes to correct corrupt registry entries arising from my heavy user actions and this may be very scary.

Hunneycutt's book was the right choice. This is a book written by an expert with high pedagogic skills. I found not only the whys of registry but a number of tips that helped resolving my issues. Reading this book felt me more in control of the machine.

Also useful are some of the freeware and shareware described in the book, like regmon. To be frank, however, I didn't find much use for the featured software that come with the book's CD.

The book offered a lot more than my immediate needs requested. For instance, as a programmer I found it may be a powerful reference tool for those needing to write code accessing the registry.

As a hint for the next edition I suggest increasing anedotical contents for troubleshooting application entries and other heavy user issues.

This book has tons of useful information and goes into detail in the areas where you need it to. Lots of good desktop edits, good CD, and very easy to read & follow.

This book is excellent for understanding the "theory" of the Win 98 registry, but I have not found it very useful for guidance in the practical aspects of actually tweaking registry settings. It usually contains enough information about a particular registry section to know if it is not worth editing, but it often does not give enough coverage to important keys. It would definitely benefit a lot from input by a person who commonly solves problems using the registry. That said, I have sometimes found it helpful when trying to find which key contains a given piece of info that I am interested in tweaking.

This book is one of the best written registry books that I have read. It explains all the hard to find details that most other books barely touch on. It's the only registry book that I recommend!

I have taught programming for about 20 years in a local college. I have several other Rod Stephens books so when I needed a book to help me with the new features in Visual Basic 2008, this book was my first choice. I was not disappointed. At over 1000 pages it covers just about everything you might need, whether you are a beginner or an expert. The good explanations are backed up by good examples. I highly recommend it.

For the novice user this book will take you by the hand, and guide you through VB.NET from the IDE, to basic principles and concepts of OO programing, and into concrete examples, covering a vast amount of information. There is an incredible 200+ page appendix.

Like most other books on the subject, the sections that cover parts of VB that I work with daily (and thus understand well) offered few new insights. The other 75% of the book has proved to be extremely helpful!

If you truly "know" VB.NET '08 inside and out, then you don't need this book (or any others for that matter!), for the rest of us the useful information abounds.

A weighty tome with substance to match the heft. Mr. Stephens knows his material and knows how to make his knowledge accessible. This book has become a necessary adjunct all of my VB projects.

I'm experienced with VB.Net but needed a quick reference book for the new features (esp. LINQ) and that would also provide an overview for features I might not otherwise discover.

My first project with VB 2008 sent me right to the book. I was able to easily adapt code lifted right off the page on the first task. However, different code from the book for a second task was less successful (LINQing on a data set table). The syntax (in the book) for the ORDER BY clause was erroneous and raised a perplexing error. (Perhaps the Wrox web site corrects this; I haven't checked.) Googling brought me to a Microsoft web site with an example with the correct syntax.

I guess you should expect such issues when applying 15th century technology (i.e., printed paper) to a bleeding edge tool.

All in all, however, the book was worth the modest investment. Make use of Amazon's excerpts to evaluate it for your own needs (I did).

By the way, the (first) one I received was damaged (crumpled pages, torn backcover) in packaging, but Amazon redeemed themselves by promptly sending an intact replacement.

This is a great book. Starting for the simplicity and going strong describing in simple language the complicated topics for the beginner to the advanced programmer in VB 2008(VB 9).

I enjoyed the reading and I am not done yet with the book. And after reading some paragraphs again, have been able to find new details that allow me to improve my routines.

Thank you Rod for the book.

BUt why do VB when c# is just as easy and you can write unmanaged within it. Its just a no brainer with all the limitations of VB still.

Visual Basic experts Lars Powers and Mike Snell effective collaborate in the Visual Basic Programmer's Guide to the .NET Framework Class Library to instruct intermediat to advanced level users on a full range of issues including: delineating and define the pieces of .NET; explaining how/why .NET was conceived and what this means to VB6/Windows DNA developers; how to execute Windows programming using the .NET namespaces; position the .NET namespaces within the context of the reader's project; how to make architecture decisions when using .NET namespaces; as well as details about the construction of Web Services and how they programmatically communicate with each other. Visual Basic Programmer's Guide to the .NET Framework Class Library is enhanced further with call-outs and highlighted sections will illustrate concepts by relating previous VB6/Windows DNA best practices with the new .NET approach. 1152 pages. User Level: Intermediate-Advanced. Highly Recommended.

I found this book to be a handy 2nd book to have on .NET programming... it doesn't have much content to help you make the transition to .NET (I'd have to recommend Gary Cornell's Programming VB .NET: A Guide for Experienced Programmers for that task), but it does do a great job of helping you find the right class libraries and write code with them once you are up and running with your language of choice.

Each chapter is focused on a namespace. The authors then spend a few pages bringing people up to speed on the spotlight technology (I am new to XML and particularly liked the intro to XML piece). Then they dive right into the details of using the .NET classes to achieve your desired end-result. The class library that ships with .NET is huge, and I found it helpful to use this book as a guide to highlight the classes I should worry about to get 80-90% of my programming work done.

Now for the cons: the sample applications could have been a bit more in-depth, and I really think they should have spent the time to make the book "bi-lingual" by providing some C# code as well - but overall, a great addition to your .NET bookshelf.

The challenge for a reference book like this is to be better the documentation that Microsoft provide - MSDN and the .Net framework SDK. My experience is that this book certainly achieves that.

For example, today I needed to show the "save file" dialog and then write the contents of a text box to a text file. I know how to do that in VB6, but I hadn't done it in VB.Net before. I searched MSDN which gave me accurate descriptions of the menthods and properties of at least four classes for writing data to files, but I still had no idea which one(s) I needed to use.

I am sure the sample code I needed is somewhere in MSDN, but I hadn't found it after 20 minutes searching when I gave up and referred to this book. In five minutes I had found what I was after, my code worked and I was able to get on with my next task. That is what this book is for. If you want to learn about the new programming features in VB.Net (like polymorphism, delegates etc) this is not your book. But if you want help getting your .Net program to talk to anything (files, printers, active directory, browsers, TCP/IP Sockets, XML/XSLT or whatever) This book will be a valuable resource.

Just note that while this book covers ASP.Net and ADO.Net, if you work with these a lot you might want more depth than is provided here. I will be considering the Wrox "ASP.Net Namespace Reference" when it is released.

Because of a project, I needed to finally make the jump from VB6 to VB.NET. After reviewig several books, I grabbed the book by Powers and Snell. It helped tremendously on the key pieces of my project. What I really like are the numerous code examples - worth the price of the book alone! I even contacted the authors to get their thoughts on something and ask a few questions. Not only did they reply with great answers, but their indepth knowledge of .NET helped finalize an important part of my project architecture. Looking forward to more titles by Powers and Snell. Thanks again guys!

Have you every wondered why your bag was so heavy at the end of the round? Have you ever ended the round with more balls than you started with? Does you selection of golf balls look like the "Water ball" display on the club house counter?

I have spent countless dollars on magazine subsciptions, range balls, lessons and "the latest technology" all for nothing. I have stood on the first tee truly believing a round of 80 was "in my bag" having never broken 85. I have left 3 footers short and chili-dipped my way to a snowman on a par 3.

But now I know all I needed was this book. No, this book will not teach you a better swing, but it will make you appreciate the one you already have.

Chief Tit and his lost tribe of Reb Ball People tries to explain why each of us endures 5 and 6 hour rounds of golf. Using many traditional literary techniques (and some not so traditional), he walks (or carts - your choice) us through the game we all love to hate. The very game that allows us to card a score of 101, leaving us thoroughly dejected, but due to the 25' putt you sank on the last hole, continuing to come back for more of the same punishment.

Following Chief and his foursome through this round of golf I laughed at their experiences as they resembled my own. Read this and identify youself in each of the characters.

Cancel your magazine subscription, load you bag with balls (don't forget your ball retriever) and head to the course for a round with the Chief. A must read for anyone who calls themself a golfer or enjoys the game.

Leadbetter may be able to talk to all the elements of 'hitting' a golf ball, Wildroot explains how to PLAY the game of golf. From laugh-out-loud philosophical debates on hazards and drops to the perfect swing thoughts (thong or no?), this book covers every conceivable on-course angle, and nudges the rules slightly for the average weekend player.

Perfect not only for golfers, but for anyone who wants to understand why those of us with high handicaps continue to (try to) play every weekend...
thanks Chief!

I've been a golf enthusiast for many years, and I've read my fair share of so-called "golf humor" books. None of them have made me laugh out loud the way Red Ball did! From the political satire to the Dedalus twist on not-so-current events, this one will give you plenty of stories for your Sunday golf buddies.

I have read a lot of so-called golf humor books through the years. For the most part, they are either pretentious, uninteresting and/or simply not funny. At last, a golf book that is not only hilarious, but also captivating. Thank you Dedalus Wildroot!! This is golf's version of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride - with intellectual stimulation to boot. Whether you're a weekend hack or a low handicapper, this book is a must read. It's a journey you'll never forget, and before you know it, the wisdom and sayings of The Chief will find its way into your foursome.

Have you ever hit your second shot from the Ladies Tee? Have you ever broken the "No Personal Coolers" rule? Do you use the plural noun "mulligans?" When standing over a downhill-sidehill lie do you find yourself considering whether O.J. Simpson was framed? Then this book is for you.

"Who Were The Red Ball People?" is the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Links" of golf books. Dedalus Wildroot mixes mathematics, humor, philosophy, politics and loutish behavior into a 19th-hole cocktail of absurdity. Whoever said golf is a "gentleman's game" has obviously never played with the Red Ball People foursome.

You don't have to play golf to get a kick out of this book, but it helps if you do - especially if you fist-pump after triple bogeys. By the time Chief Tit (who will never be pried from his "temporary" handicapped cart) drags you around 18 holes, you may find you have picked up the kind of instruction that Golf Tips magazine only wishes they could impart to you.

Although I am a certified Power Point Professional I don't use Power Point anymore. Let me explain. Since Apple came out with Keynote it is far better so I left Power Point in the dust and has never been easier. For Power Point I will agree with the other commenters this book is one of the best I have seen even better than the "Dummy" books I used to recommend to my Community College classes. I would love to have seem a CD with some sample complete presentations.
The main thing I disliked about the book is the fact the illustrations are in Black & white. The only color is on the covers. I believe the book would be better if they were color and what is there would have better resolution.
I am a full time Minister and would love to see something from the stand point of when you have a lot of material you need to give the audience. I speak to the same audience 52 weeks a year and roughly do 110 presentations. I do pickup some points out of every book and this one is no exception.
I am waiting for a book, probably by a preacher who does as many presentations as a do to the same audience, dealing with how to deal with a lot of text putting full Scripture passages in the presentations.
This one is ok but I find it written more to the fellow that does business presentations. There is another audience unless I am the only Preacher that uses Power Point or Keynote.
Great job though Rick.

Why Most PowerPoint Presentations Suck
Altman's writing sets a new standard for "computer" books. I use the quotation marks because this book doesn't just cover PowerPoint, but also provides solid teachings on delivering more effective presentations, making it more of a "professional" book than one just on computing subjects. That aside, this is the best-written computer-oriented book I've read. Altman has an entertaining style while also clearly demonstrating his expertise on the subject through genuine tips and techniques that are easy to understand and use. If the title doesn't grab you the content certainly will.

I did not like this book as much as the other five-star reviewers on this page seemed to have liked it. And since someone else has already said something similar, I found my voice too.

This book tries to do too much in a series of unrelated chapters and is not too suitable for simple PowerPoint users. It also assumes too much from the reader and gets into technical PowerPoint jargon without considering if the readers knows what it means.

One of my friends on the PowerPoint newsgroup was not too happy with this book, but I disregarded her opinion and got this one based on the opinions from all the other reviewers here. I wonder why these reviews don't say more.

The author is more interested about his own life, events, and contacts than about PowerPoint. Almost everything is unoriginal and the author says that he learned this trick from this friend, and that friend. No wonder all the info comes up as half the info and although the writing style is good, the content is not deep enough. I'm sorry but that's my opinion.

In his introduction, Rick Altman opines that his book attempts to reduce his billble hours by half, because of all the advice he has packed into its 271 pages. In fact, Altman's billings will probably explode because in this book he firmly establishes himself as the leading expert on every aspect of PowerPoint.

It is a remarkable acheivement. The book is packed with tips on the mechanics of creating PowerPoint presentaions. It is also packed with advice on how to make your PowerPoint presentations interesting. I have a number of books on PowerPoint and none are anywhere near as complete as this one.

While Altman covers PowerPoint 2007, his hints and tips are mostly applicable to earlier versions as well.

This is a book that every PowerPoint user, no matter what level of expertise they think they possess, should buy and read every page of. It is truly that good.

Jerry

If you've ever said-even under your breath-"I hate Word," you'll like this book.

The book has answers for dozens of the little aggravations that Word visits upon you. It solves things you thought you just had to live with (though you knew you'd never forgive the programmers at Microsoft who made them this way).

The author writes in an engaging question- ("The Annoyance" by you) and-answer ("The Fix" by him) style that's friendly and yet precise. I would have liked it to be a bit less wordy, but it's okay because the directions are very clear and even, in many cases, contain version-specific instructions for Word 2000, 2003, XP and so on. He also sprinkles the text with occasional helpful tips in little text boxes.

Lots of documents you open frequently? The author shows you how to add a Work menu that will keep up to 9 documents readily available (p. 16). Hate it when Word won't let you put a .jpg or .gif in a document? You can change an option in the Office Setup Wizard. Want to unclutter your menus? Learn how to customize which commands show up.

Boy, this one really annoys me-how about you? Sometimes when I close Word, it asks me if I want to save the changes to Normal.dot. Now, I happen to know that Normal.dot is the default template for new documents. But I don't remember making changes to it! Why is this happening?
To kill this seemingly random prompt, choose Tools -> Options, click Save tab and uncheck "Prompt to save Normal template" box (pp. 9, 14). But it might still happen to you for other reasons-the only solution they say is to quit Word and restart Windows. Sigh.
That #$%^&@# Task Pane

This one I was paying my tech guru to fix for me-but he couldn't find the "next step." I gave up worrying about it but continued wasting time (and putting extra stress on my mouse hand) having to manually close the "new document" task pane that pops up-and stays up-on my screen, hogging valuable screen space. We'd both found the place to supposedly turn this off (Tools -> Options, click the View tab, uncheck the Startup Task Pane box in the Show area, click OK) but, as the author says, it just wouldn't obey! So I'm going to give you this whole fix in case that stupid pane annoys you, too.
If the task pane doesn't obey on your first effort, close Word and create a system restore point. Don't be afraid-this isn't as scary as it sounds. Choose Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> System Restore, click the "Create a restore point" option, click the Next button and follow the prompts.Next, choose Start -> Run, type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
Navigate to the following Registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Common\General (in some versions it may read "...\Office\10.0\..."). Then, right-click the DoNotDismissFileNewTaskPane key, choose Delete from the shortcut menu and click OK to confirm. Choose File -> Exit to close the Registry Editor. Restart Word and you're done. This works like a charm, and I'm thoroughly delighted.

Template magic

Here's a really good tip if your work involves creating many documents of certain basic types, or if you work with others who have to create documents for you that use specific styles. Too bad I didn't read this one before that last big project-I spent hours manually correcting all the headings and fonts in the other writers' drafts because they didn't know how to use styles!

To create a template for each type of document you need, choose File -> New and in that task pane on the right that we mentioned earlier, click either "On my computer" (Word 2003) or "General templates" (Word XP). Up comes the Templates dialog box. (In Word 2000, choose File -> New to get there.)

Highlight an existing template, click Template at the bottom, and click OK. Save the .dot file with a name you'll remember. Then lay out and format the document (fonts, headings, etc.) as you want all final documents to appear. You can even enter text that you want to have in all documents based on this template.

You can create AutoText and AutoCorrect entries for boilerplate text (your company info, etc.) that doesn't specifically belong in any template. Save the changes to the template and then close it. To create a new document based on the template, open the Templates or New dialog box, select the template and click OK.

To create a template from an existing document, choose File -> Save As, select Document Template in the "Save as type" drop-down list, specify the name and click the Save button. Templates and documents look pretty much the same except for the file extension.
File gigantic?

Ever had your file be too big to send by email-even after you've deleted everything but a paragraph? That's enough to make you crazy. The author goes into a long-drawn-out explanation of why this happens-get the book if you want to read it. Otherwise, just turn off the culprit (fast saving). Choose Tools -> Options, click the Save tab and uncheck the "Allow fast saves" box.

Got a bunch of documents open and want to save them all? Shift-click the File menu and click Save All. Then, to close them shift-click File and click Close All. Easier yet (as you may already have discovered from having to shut down because Word just hangs there), just close Word and it saves and closes all your documents for you.

Home document security

Ever notice in Windows Explorer that someone else originated one of your documents? Maybe you asked your friend to help you draft something. If you want to be sure the other person's name doesn't appear when you move your cursor over that document in Explorer, remove the personal data (metadata) from the document.

Choose File -> Properties and manually delete what you want. In Word 2003/XP, choose Tools -> Options, click the Security tab and check the "Remove personal information from file properties on save" box. Then, save the document to preserve your changes.
HTML malfunctions

Writing HTML pages in Word? First piece of advice, don't-if you can help it. Word's HTML code is so wordy and clunky that your page will take longer to load and, heaven help you if you want to make changes outside Word. You'll be trying to change a font and end up with some of the strangest behaviors.

If you must use Word for HTML, save as "Web Page, Filtered" for pages you want to put on your web site. That cuts out a small amount of the messy code, but not much.
Potpourri of pleasantries

Want to stop those ridiculous "Shall we report this error to Microsoft" prompts? Who crammed all that useless code in there anyway? Just turn it off. You'll find out how on p. 30.

I don't know about you, but sometimes when I'm pasting from the web the formatting is way off, even if I should accidentally remember to use Paste Special. The author tells us how to fix this-sort of. Choosing Edit -> Paste Special and selecting the "Unformatted text" option should give you plain text. If not, paste the text into Notepad first, then copy it and paste it into Word.

Ever get something someone copied from an email and it's full of spaces or >> signs at the beginning of each paragraph with a first-line indent? I knew this, but it's a good tip to share with you in case you don't.

Use Find and Replace. In a later fix he tells you all the symbols to indicate formatting in this dialog box. Replace ^p (paragraph mark) and four spaces with ^p and a distinctive string - for example, ^pfirstlineindent. Then replace firstlineindent with nothing but the paragraph formatting that you need: delete the contents of the "Replace with" box, choose Paragraph in the Format drop-down list, specify the indentation level, click OK and click Replace All. (Alternatively, once you've deleted the whitespace, you can use a style to apply a first-line indent to all of the paragraphs.
Learn how to reformat WordPerfect documents on pp. 32, 78.

Here's a big question for most of us I bet: How do I correct automatic numbering in numbered lists? You know you're not going to be happy with the answer when a guy starts his response with "Bad news" and it's four pages long (pp. 80 to 84).

Do you ever get aggravated that when you're selecting text with the mouse, it keeps grabbing more than you want? The author says this is Word's smart-selection feature.

Choose Tools -> Options, click the Edit tab and see whether "When selecting, automatically select entire word" and "Use smart paragraph selection" boxes are checked. If so, try unchecking them and see if you prefer the resulting selection behavior.
Do you have to count your words sometimes? I like this one: Instead of using Tools -> Word Count each time, do this: Display the Word Count toolbar; go to View -> Toolbars or right-click any displayed toolbar and click the Word Count item. To force a recount, press Alt + C or click the Recount button.

Sometimes have to type web or email addresses and don't want the auto-hyperlink? Read all about it on p. 94.

I've never been good at using Compare and Merge Documents-like when someone else has made changes and you want to see where they are. Here's a cool tip for comparing multiple versions:

Open the original version and choose Tools -> Compare and Merge Documents. In the Compare and Merge Documents dialog box, select the first of the other versions of the document, click the drop-down arrow on the Merge button, and choose "Merge into Current Document." Word merges the documents and marks the changes with revision marks. If the results look okay, repeat the procedure with the next version, etc.
Hate how Word's columns act when you need to change the width of one of them? Try clicking Shift as you drag it. This makes Word keep the columns to the right the same, but it does mean that your table's overall width will change.

How do I convert a long list of names or other data that are separated with regular old spaces instead of tabs? He says it's easy.

Choose Edit -> Replace and replace ^w (whitespace) with ^t (a tab). Select the list, choose Table -> Convert -> Text to Table, make sure the Tabs option is selected and that the "Number of columns" box shows the right number of columns, and click the OK button to perform the conversion.
All told, I'd say get this book if you experience periodic aggravations with Word. Don't try to go through the whole thing. The index is pretty good, so just keep it next to your computer.

When it comes to word processing programs Word is so predominant in the marketplace as to be ubiquitous. Unfortunately just because it is everywhere doesn't mean that there are not a lot of problems with it. Learning how to deal with all those annoying problems is the purpose of this book. The author covers installation problems, dealing with multiple versions, moving Word to another computer, dealing with long startup times, when it runs slowly, when it takes a long time to close, modifying the toolbar, saving all open documents at once, keeping separate versions of the same document, dealing with crashes and document corruption, transferring your auto-correct entries to another computer, the myriad problems of working with styles and layouts, printing problems (and there are many of these), mail merge, and even dealing with problems specific to the Mac OS.

Written in a question and answer format it contains all the most commonly asked questions about how to get Word to work the way you want. I've worked with Word for years and still found a couple of tips in this book that I really appreciated. If you use Word for anything other than an expanded notepad you will want a copy of Word Annoyances.

Does Word annoy you? If it does, buy this book? Why you ask? Because, author Guy Hart-Davis has done an outstanding job of making Word less annoying in this book.

Hart-Davis begins by prompting you to prevent Word from demanding the installation CD, or installing multiple versions of Word on the same PC. Next, the author exploits the power of templates to minimize the annoyances of creating and saving documents at home or at work. Then, he deals with common annoyances in Word's views. The author continues by getting the mysterious "Normal template" under control and changing its settings. In addition, the author next shows you how to prevent users from accessing certain parts of a document, by forcing them to fill in the rest with suitable data. He also shows you how to deal with printing annoyances, add faxing capabilities to Word, and scan hardcopy text and graphics into your documents. The author next shows you how to make a table appear at the start page, and how to get a table away from the start of a document when it's stuck there. Next, the author shows you how to record macros, edit them, and write them from scratch, with examples of specific VBA-quashable annoyances and generic approaches that you can turn on your own annoyances. Then, he shows you how to minimize annoyances with object linking and embedding (OLE). Finally, he shows you how to deal with crashes and performance annoyances on the MAC.

With the preceding in mind, the author has done an excellent job of focusing on Word for Windows; because, that's what most of you are using. At the end of the day, you'll see hundreds of concentrated annoyances with solutions that will calm your colleagues, impress your friends, and confound your enemies.

This book is a guide to making Word work your way. Users are advised on how to get rid of Word's greatest annoyances, such creating hyperlinks the user doesn't want, and how to turn off automatic paragraph numbering, among others. It provides solutions to common and unusual problems in editing, formatting, printing, faxing, and scanning. There are hundreds of customizations, fixes, workarounds, and instructions which show you how to make Word work your way. You can save a lot of time by using the advice in this book.

Because I spend most of my time programming and not writing reports and such in Word, I just figure that certain quirks of Word existed because I was too dumb to know better. While that may still be the case, I now have a way to make my Word time more productive and less annoying... Word Annoyances by Guy Hart-Davis. This is a *really* good book for anyone who uses Word (although Microsoft may tend to disagree)...

Contents: Installation, Repair, and Configuration; Creating and Saving Documents; Text Entry and Editing; Formatting and Layout; Forms, Revising, Proofing, and Finalizing; Printing, Faxing, and Scanning; Tables, Columns, and Text Boxes; Automate Annoyances Away with Macros; OLE, Mail Merge, and Office Applications; Mac Word Annoyances; Index

If you've never had the pleasure of reading an Annoyances book before, here's how it works. The author gathers up a large number of questions and "annoyances" from regular users of the product. Then in an irreverent question and answer format, he (or she) proceeds to show solutions and workarounds to allow the reader to bypass those irritations. Since this book deals with Word, you'll learn all sorts of interesting stuff on how to "fix" auto-formatting, how to change your default template, and dozens of other gems that will quickly make this one of your favorite Office books (much to Microsoft's chagrin). I'm sure they'd like you to believe that their software doesn't have any annoying features, and that everything is very helpful and well-implemented. Not! Even things that I didn't give a second thought to before now stand out as things I don't have to live with.

Obviously, not every tip in this book will apply to your needs or situations. You'll either never use a particular feature, or you've already figured out how to fix the behavior. But there are far more instances where you'll say "so *that's* how you get rid of that!". So get a copy of this book, sit down in front of your computer, open up Word, and start reading. The "Eureka!" moments will start coming fast and furious...

So far so good. Realy well laid out. Just starting to explore it

I purchased this book to learn the basics of autocad map... a very similar program. The book is very easy to follow and detailed. Sykes does a great job of explaining all the autocad jargon and the step-by-step projects are perfect for becoming familiar with autocad tools. I haven't made it through the entire book yet, but I selectively read the chapters I needed to get me going within about 8hrs. Not too bad. Be sure to get the CD with the book as well as the reference card. I wished there would have been more info on how to layout the drawing for print and how to insert legends, scale, etc. but I suppose that is what the advanced book is for.
Overall, a very user friendly book if you want to become familiar with a not-so user friendly program. I look forward to purchasing the advanced book.

Pura vida.

For a student this book is the best. The step by step approach is excellent. I like the graphics and the pictures of what the screen looks like when I do the commands. Easy to follow and Sykes takes a difficult lesson and make it easy to understand.

This book is excellent! The step by step procedure, clear detailed graphics and the multimedia CD are all linked to each other which allow reader of any level to understand AutoCAD without any difficulty.

This is truly a step by step approach. It starts with the fundamentals. The progression from basics to advanced is very orderly. I have used this book to learn AutoCAD 2000 and now I highly recommend it as a text or a reference. I reach for this book when I need information or help with a command or sequence of commands that I have forgotten. The examples and exercises develop real understanding.