Microsoft Books

This book is definitely a must have for anyone who plans to deploy a Windows 2008 (or even 2003) based Certificate Authority/PKI infrastructure. The author not only fully masters the subject, he also has found the rare balance between the necessary theory, legal aspects, discussing design aspects and diving into technical information. On top of that, the book contains an awful lot of real life scenario's and implementation examples.
So before you even start installing AD CS, read this book. You won't be disappointed.

this book provides comprehensive overview on new Windows 2008 Certificate Services. Book has been written in best traditions in continue to Win 2003 Certificate Services. I would recommend it to every IT staff involved on any security or/and PKI projects, this book is really useful guide. Brian, thank you!

This book is a significant and very worthwhile update on the 2003 version. The new edition is considerably larger than the previous one and covers the new features of Windows Server 2008 PKI including the new Advanced Cryptography Support (Suite B), OCSP and SCEP (among others).
The book also includes details of the Microsoft Certificate Lifecycle Manager (CLM/ILM 2007) product.
This book is the best reference for Windows PKI.

Hi, I bought this kit for my certification plan.

It's a great kit that helps me to learn the new features of Windows Server 2008.

Giuseppe

I've received my books on time in perfect condition
Keep up the good work!

I already bought in the past the 2003 resource kit and this one is still as it is/was for 2003: Great!
Thanks all
Nicolas

This book is really great for someone with limited computer experience. It very clearly explains how to do all that good stuff in XP. I highly recommend this book for those wishing to know how to get the most from one's computer.

Simple, concise, to the point, very easy to follow. Several times this book has helped me to find something in 2 minutes that would have taken me 1/2 hr or more trying to figure it out myself. A great time-saver and headache-preventer. Grab it.

Having just bought a new pc with Windows XP installed I thought it would be a good idea to get a book or two about the operating system or software I'm going to use. A problem I've found with computer titles is that they frequently handle, what is essentially a visual subject, with words, words and more words. An instructional screen shot and caption can save an awful lot of text. I had a quick glance through several titles dealing with XP, they were either:
1. Huge, definitive, expensive thousand-page jobs, all right for experts but not me.
2. Lots of colorful screen shots and captions but too simple and too expensive
3. Small, cheap, pocket-sized and text-crammed with a few screen shots and very boring to look at.

I think I've found the ideal title with this `Windows XP: Visual Quickstart Guide'. It is basically a reference book with step-by-step numbered instructions and tips with screen shots (in black and white) presented in two columns on each page. You can see some of the pages by clicking on 'see inside this book' under the cover picture above. The writing is simple, straightforward and in nineteen chapters I find it very comprehensive. It is aimed at the beginner and intermediate (that's me) pc user, so if you are just starting out you'll be pleased to find that chapter one begins with `Logging on'. Another good test for a pc book is the quality of its index (I even looked at two that had no index) and this one has nineteen pages.

I think that Chris Fehily's `Windows XP' is an absolute bargain but if you do want something basic and colorful have a look at `Windows XP plain & simple' by Jerry Joyce and Marianne Moon. Each page has plenty of screen shots and short numbered captions. It's a nicely designed landscape book aimed at the beginner and published by Microsoft but certainly not as comprehensive as the Visual Quickstart Guide.

I found this a very comprehensive book on Windows XP. It was written in such a way that the beginner would not have experienced too many problems in understanding each section,yet at the same time,it gave the more experienced computer user the knowledge to undertake and rectify problems which could arise.

I first checked this book out from my local library and found it so straighfoward and to the point re: the how to's and whatfor's that I was compelled to buy it. I've only been using XP for about a month now but this book has pretty much helped make me a pro. Excellent training guide.

This book presents Windows XP Home Edition with Service Pack 2 installed. It presumes that you have some understanding of and probably have use some earlier edition of Windows. As such it talks mostly about the differences rather than giving a 'this is a window, this is a mouse' type of introduction.

Note Service Pack 2. There were several major changes made in SP2, particularly in the general area of security from viruses, and the like. If you don't have SP2, download it from www.microsoft.com.

Much of the information in this book also applies to Windows XP Professional. The two versions are basically identical except that Professional has some additional built in features such as a web server. These extra features are not covered.

I think the thing I liked best about this book is the nearly 100 pages on getting help, updating, and two chapters called 'Keeping Windows Healty and Happy,' and 'Troubleshooting Common Problems.' XP is a lot more stable than the earlier versions of Windows, but it's not perfect.

Unless you're a complete and total desktop OS geek, there's a good chance that you'll run into things you want to do but can't figure out in Windows XP. I received a review copy of a book that would definitely assist in those cases... Windows XP MVP by John Barnett with Curt Simmons, Alan Simpson, and David Dalan.

Contents:
Part 1 - Configuring and Personalizing Windows XP: Configuring the Windows XP Interface; Managing Programs; Installing and Configuring Hardware; Managing Power Options; Customizing Startup and Shutdown; Customizing and Using Folders; Managing Files and File Type Associations; Compressing and Encrypting Folders and Files; Organizing Archiving and Remotely Storing Files and Folders; Personalizing and Managing User Accounts; Fun Tools for Customizing Windows XP
Part 2 - Internet and Networking with Windows XP: Creating Internet Connections; Configuring and Customizing Internet Explorer; Configuring and Customizing Outlook Express; Using Windows Manager; Wired Networking; Wireless Networking and Virtual Private Networking; Managing Network Security and Access; Sharing Resources; Configuring and Using Remote Desktop and Remote Assistance
Part 3 - Multimedia Solutions with Windows XP: Organizing and Managing Digital Photos and Video Files; Using Windows Media Player 10; Making Movies with Windows Movie Maker 2; Printing Digital Photos with Windows XP; Custom Projects and Fun Activities with Digital Photos
Part 4 - Hacking Windows XP: Hacking Your System; Expert Tips and Tricks; Scripting With Windows XP
Part 5 - Securing and Troubleshooting Windows XP: Managing Local Security; Keeping Your Computer Safe on the Internet; Managing Disks and Drives; Taking Care of Windows XP and Automating Tasks; Using Event Viewer and Performance Monitor; System Information, System Restore, and Windows Help; Tips and Tricks for Speeding Up Windows XP; Recovering from a Crash or Other Serious Problem;
Appendix: A Primer on Registry Editing; Index

As you can see from the contents, there's not a whole lot that's left uncovered. The book is packed with plenty of step by step instructions on how to accomplish whatever task you need to do, such as sharing folders and drives or learning how to make a video with Microsoft Movie Maker. In fact, I just played with that software this weekend, and I'm looking forward to digging into it a bit deeper with this material. If you've got even a smattering of computer savvy, there's not much in this book that should intimidate you. And if you're more into messing with areas not normally messed with, Part 4 (Hacking Windows XP) will give you plenty to enjoy.

Personally, this is the type of book I need with me when working with Windows XP. As a software developer, I just want my OS to work without having to worry about it. And since I don't spend a lot of time having to deal with things at that level, I don't get the day-to-day exposure and repetition to remember how to do some of this stuff. As a result, Windows XP MVP ends up getting a lot of use as my own personal guru.

This book is directed towards a sysadmin, or even a user, who only has a slight acquaintance with Microsoft Windows XP. It clearly explains a lot of the needs that many users might have.

For instance, they might desire to customise Internet Explorer. This has a slew of options for doing so. But many users could find these forbidding. So the text takes you into an understanding of what can be tweaked. You might want to pay close attention to the explanations of the security settings and the defaults. IE lets you customise numerous privacy options.

Ah, there is one option that I have to mention. The book shows how to tell IE to block pop-ups. If you have ever been aggravated by some website that gleefully chucks up an underending parade of these, then you will appreciate being able to cut these miserable entities off at first base.

Needless to say, the book discusses far more than just IE. But for many of you, IE is your access to the Web, so the above remarks should give you some idea of the book's efficacy.

Other popular usages explained include the playing of audio and video. Plus the handling of digital photos. Microsoft is heavily emphasising using XP as a media centre, and the text offers you an appreciation of what is available here.

This is a fine, answers-based book that covers a lot of the same ground as other Windows books, but boasts a superior focus on solutions. Maybe that's because the lead author is a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional specializing in Windows XP help. This book is very well organized, with all of the information oriented toward accomplishing a task. Most of the marginally useful fluff that you find in most XP book is absent here, and the information is of top quality throughout. I've already put this to good use in fine-tuning my networked small office setup. An added bonus in the book is a slew of great MVP tips and techniques from the author and his team of high-qualified pros. This is a worthy addition to any XP library. In fact, once you have this book I predict that you'l start going to it regularly, and certainly before any of the others.

I have been a huge fan of NTFAQ since NT3.51 / 4.0, as it has always provided rich source information that enables you to distinguish from being just a professional to being an expert. This book is of no exception. By the title I was sceptical that one book should attempt to cover both XP and Win2k, but the title does not do the content justice. It is also goes much further with easy reference answers relating to Active Directory as well as supplying you with the expert tips Microsoft don't tell you. This book is a must for anyone administering, managing, or deploying Windows 2000 or XP.

Finally, Microsoft has merged Windows 9x and the NT series into something called XP. Took long enough, eh? From their standpoint, this greatly simplifies their development, instead of having to maintain two huge codebases. But sysadmins will still have problems. Always! So this book arose out of a website run by the author, windows2000faq.com. The website is tremendously successful, garnering over a million hits a month, and widely recognised, including by Microsoft, as having authoritative answers. The latter is crucial. If you are going to be doing delicate and perhaps irrevocable things to your computer, you want some reassurance that the suggestions you are following are credible. (Which is why some sysadmins prefer only manuals from the manufacturer.)

The book instantiates over 1000 tasks faced by sysadmins of MS Windows 2000 and XP. These are tasks of all levels of complexity.

The book has three great virtues. First, of course, is its comprehensiveness. The sheer sweep of the tasks is staggering, from the trivial "What is the history of NT?" to the "How do I perform an unattended installation?" (slacker) to the "How do I recover a lost Administrator password?" (naughty naughty). Naturally, you will never need to ask the latter!

The second virtue is that you have random access to the tasks. Wait a minute, you might say. "Of course I have random access. I can turn to any page I want. It's a book, isn't it?" Yes. But it is not a textbook. You do not need to read the earlier pages to understand a task. Crucial if you need an emergency fix NOW.

Its final virtue is the contents pages. The tasks are grouped into 38 chapters, for that number of broad topic clusters. Within each, the tasks are listed as questions. How do I do such-and-such? Gets to the point. You can quickly find your fix.

Part of the reason for the heft of this 1275 page book is that the author has been generous in providing screen captures of appropriate windows. Not, I hasten to add, merely to beef up the book. If you have done any sysadmin duties, you will know the value of a good screen capture of what you should be seeing or doing.

The toughest question about this book is "Why buy it?" It is derived from the author's website. So why can't you just go there? Of course you can. But what if your computer won't reboot, and no nearby computer has net access? What if your crashed computer was the gateway? (You're in deep doo-doo now.) Or maybe you only have one computer (it's your one and only home computer). Even a tyro sysadmin soon learns that it is good to have hardcopy manuals within reach. Consider making this one of those manuals.

This book is excellent! This is probably one of the best XP books I've read. Very to the point, no fluff. This is very easy to read and is a great reference and how-to book. It covers everything I've needed since I got it and I use it almost daily now to look up how to do something. I also like to just go through several sections just to learn something new (or refresh my memory on things I don't do often. I would recommend this book for about anyone at about any level, it's a great reference to have around.

I don't have 2000, but everything for XP has been very accurate...

To tell the truth, I have only browsed this book. But, if you are like me and have ever wondered what the purpose of the password is on a Windows 95 or 98 computer, this is the best place to start learning. The only other place I seen this discussed is in the Microsoft Windows 95 Resource Kit, a huge 1300 page volume. The book is mostly oriented around a computer running Windows on a network. If you are the only user, your concern is with a "stand alone computer" application which Stacey Anderson-Redick does address.

The strong part of this book to tell the reader the security holes of System Policy Editor itself. If anyone knows the hole he knows how to secure the network. Due to System Policy Editor's limitation it needs to use third party software, the writer suggested.

The week part is, the writer suggested something in one chapter and the same thing to other chapter. Duplicate suggestioning. First few chapters details the System Policy and it's implementation. Rest of the chapters details each template files structure. As to implement the policy a Network Admin don't need the unnessary details. It could save some pages and price would drop.

Though it's limitation I like the writer's expert writing style and give the book ALL STARS.

I have been trying to use system policies on our Win98 systems for several months with some success. This book helped me to not only improve my existing Win98 policies, but to solve some very annoying problems. The troubleshooting pages were very helpful, as was the chapter on other ways to increase Win98 security. Hopefully there will be a second edition including Win2k before I'm ready to upgrade our systems.

your book is really interesting one not only for me but also for my wife and children. especially the cute pictures which were attracted all of my family's member and also which I decided to scan and insert them in my computer project.

lots of my thanks and best regards

your book is really interesting one not only for me but also for my wife and children. especially the cute pictures which were attracted all of my family's member and also which I decided to scan and insert them in my computer project.

lots of my thanks and best regards

your book is really interesting one not only for me but also for my wife and children. especially the cute pictures which were attracted all of my family's member and also which I decided to scan and insert them in my computer project.

lots of my thanks and best regards

I learned X-Windows programming from this many years ago. Please bear with me as I set up the scenario here. As an independent consultant, I was in a situation where--in order to win a juicy federal contract--I had to represent that I was sufficiently expert in X-Windows to (a) build a toolkit of custom widgets; (b) build tools that allowed users to choose from a set of predefined "color palettes" such that (b-i) only certain classes (let's call them "Brand Q") of applications followed those palettes, other applications following the standard system palette, and (b-ii) the palettes interacted with the window manager such that, when the last Brand Q application was iconified, the standard system palette was restored, yet, as soon as any Brand Q application was deiconified, the user's chosen palette was reinstantiated; and (c) build tools that enabled a Certified Professional Ergonomist, or CPE (!), to experiment with widget appearances and parameters so as to craft an optimal set of palettes and then represent those palettes in such a way that X applications would properly follow what was visually intended. Oh, on top of all that, it had to interact with a visual GUI builder called UIM/X that implemented a whole set of "shadow widgets" that paralleled Motif widgets and let you edit their properties--rather like a Java "bean editor" one might find useful nowadays.

Well, I had to learn enough to write a thick, highly literate design document within a couple of weeks, and then go out and build some 40K lines' worth of applications code (in C, of course) and 15K lines' worth of "system" code (I'd define as "systems code" software that (a) interacts with the window manager vis-a-vis iconification and deiconification semantics; (b) communicates complex data structures via interning atoms with the X server; (c) tortures strange color mapping behaviors from an outdated NCR monitor that could only physically display sixteen colors at a time [thus having to rely on dithering and related visual effects to achieve other "colors"] and offers tools for related colormap management tasks) within a handful of months.

Now, I'm not complaining about the level of effort--given the six-figure consulting fee that lay at the end of the rainbow. But without Young's outstanding book, I'd have been dead in the water. Oh, of course I had access to the O'Reilly series of seven or eight books--which were occasionally useful for stealing a handy application that could quickly be incrementally modified (e.g., I needed quick code for a dialogue box managing three green buttons, and one of the O'Reilly books illustrated the code for a dialogue box sporting four yellow buttons). But Young taught me enough about X that I was soon empowered to write my own functions to populate recursive pull-down menus; to write the internals for a widget that borrowed functionality from two other widgets and used cutesy memory management tricks (akin to mainframe-lingo "lookaside buffers") that let me sequentially stack up their respective resources; and to learn how to take advantage of some interesting internals facts, e.g., that the XmN family of symbolic constants are defined as strings identical to their names (a la #define foo #foo).

Bravo, Mr. Young! You taught me much, and you taught me well.

This well written book, with numerous coded examples (that work!) is one of the best computer reference book I've encountered. Although it has not been updated to included Motif 2.1, most applications are still being written in Motif 1.2 anyway. It also includes the necessary Xt and X11 background to write GUIs. I went from zero experience with windows programming to writing full featured X-windows applications solely with the aid of this text and elementary knowledge of C. The author, who worked at Silicon Graphics, went on to write the Open Inventor library (which unfortunately is in C++). Great book!

Once upon a time, when I moved from Windows programming environment to X-Windows.. I found things were so diffiult for me.

Lucky me, one day I went to the library and found this book. It helped me to get start with X programming in s considerable short time. The step of this book is quite easy to follow, and not difficult to understand. At least it made X more friendly to me. Although it was Japanese edition and my Japanese isn't that good. (And I will buy the English edition soon).

If you want to program in X, this one is a must, Along O'Reilly X Reference Series (which I think is the best of X-Ref).

I loved it

I was desperate to find an easy to follow book on Access and this book was perfect! If you need a guide that will show you the quickest and easiest way to learn Access without a lot of computer programmer jargon and time, this is for you!