Microsoft Books

I have never seen such a complete book in Data base. I am hoping to find a good book related to SQL Server like this book.(Anyone can help me?)

Very nicely written. Lot of care has been taken to make things as clear as possible.

The book provides an excellent understanding of Access97. You read and it seems you haven't learned much, yet you can do alot. The split up on each day makes the reading process easy and on a schedule. The book also covers the basics which form the complete advanced sections of Access97. Finally, the book covers the program well and allows the reader to know what has to be done and then has the option to use help to figure how to do it.

If you really are new to Access, look no further for a book to aid you.. Paul Cassel teaches the way you want to be taught, by example. The best $23.00 I could have spent to learn something.

If you want to learn how to use Access 97 this is a great way to begin. You can work your way through the book at your own pace. Each "day" teaches a new concept. When you are done, you will have a good basic understanding of how to use Access.

...with regards to COM+ before I read this book. A definite eye-opener! Very well written, explains in a concise manner both the big picture but most importantly IMHO the little details, those little holes that prevent you from fully understanding what is going on, what is happening, when, where and why.
I had considerable plain-vanilla-COM experience when I read it, but I believe it can be of immense help even to COM novices (I wish I had read that amazing explanation of COM apartments as a thread affinity issue a couple of years back).
This book is so good, I would gladly buy a second copy!!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you Tim!!!

I'm a professional software engineer with twenty years experience, so I've read my share of computer books and dipped into hundreds more.

This is quite simply one of the best computer books I've ever encountered. A classic.

So many computer books are just rehashes of vendor documentation, vague or misleading or wrong in all the same places the vendor documentation is. This book is different. The author clearly has tested every assertion with his own "spelunking" code. He explores every nook and cranny of COM+, and every sentence is carefully considered, clearly stated, and as far as I can tell, absolutely accurate. There's no "hand-waving", no BS, it's just absolutely solid. Crystal clear, razor sharp.

It's a shame, really, that the title is "Transactional" COM+. I had the book for quite a while before I got around to reading it, because the title misled me into thinking that if I wasn't using transactions then it didn't apply to me. Wrong! This book covers COM+ generally, not just transactions, with particular emphasis on the elements of COM+ that are most likely to affect scalability of middle tier applications. Want to know what threading models to use in components called from ASPs? Want to really understand why? This is where to find out.

It's a serious work and really deserves to be studied with some care, but whatever effort you put into studying it will be amply rewarded.

If only all computer book authors were as smart, as conscientious, and as intellectually honest as Tim Ewald. Bravo!

...What the hell is the IMarshal3 interface?

The previous reviewer seems to be disappointed that most of the book's sample code is written in C++. Alas, at this time (and until the moment, perhaps in the second release of .NET, when the COM+ component services are implemented in managed code) a significant part of the COM+ infrastructure is simply inaccesible from Visual Basic.

As the title and the preface state, the book's focus is on transactions in the COM+ environment of Windows 2000. Perhaps a list of "requirements", and don't take these too serious, will decrease the number of disappointed readers:

The reader should:

-know the basics of COM

-be comfortable reading C++ code (Although VB or JScript is used now and then)

-know, or read up on, the ATL util classes (CComPtr, CComBSTR)

-same thing for OLE DB (& the ATL consumer wrappers)

What the book does not cover (and again, this is stated in the preface):

-LCE (COM+ Events) and QC

-CRMs

-Security topics

The structure loosly resembles "Essential COM". (that's a compliment :-) )

In my opinion the book delivers on it's promises.

One of the great book. Every COM+ developers should keep a copy

Clear, concise and honest this book is for the advanced programmer/architect. It shows all the inners of COM+ and everything is based on serious theoretical background that too many of the developers today are missing.
Excellent.

I thought this book was excellent for those who have some idea of what programming is all about, but for the complete lay-person who wants to jump into programming, this book could be a challenge, but is entirely possible for anyone semi-experienced with computers. Probably the best VB5 book so far. Would be equally as useful in learning VB6 (except the new features of course).

I learned VB for the past two years and had acquired for more than 10 books for introductory of VB. It is the best book that I have ever read for novice VB programmer. I highly recommended it to all person who are interested in Visual Basic.

Unfortunately, I'd already spent close to $200 on other books before I came across this one. I needed a step-by-step, well-written, easy to follow workbook type of text which would approximate a training course, and this book is it! All other books I tried were too dry and technical, boring me to death while simultaneously confusing me. Only wish I could find more titles in this series. Warning - "homework" assignments assume you have VB installed. If you've got VB and a little programming knowledge, BUY THIS BOOK AND GET BUSY WITH VB 5! =D

I am fairly new to Visual Basic Programming, and was looking for a good introductory book. I found it! This book covers just about everything you'd want to know about the foundations of VB5, every event & object. GREAT BOOK!

This book is not really a tutorial. I thought it was meant more as a source of reference, but I sure learned a heck of alot.

I took a VB class this year and this was the book that my teacher had recommended. During the class, we had to use a crappy book called "VB made easy". I read the whole book and still didnt know didly about VB. Then I bought this book!!! If you want a book that teaches you hard concepts of PROGRAMMING, and doesnt hold your hand through step by step projects that dont teach you how to think on your own...buy this book!!! I actually thought it deserved a 4.5 since a couple chapters could have been improved. But what book can teach you everything perfectly? So I curved it up comparing it to all the others i seen. Cause it sure came close. Now I do mostly programming at work with what i learned from this book. My next one will be "Profession VB 5.0 business objects" Check out the reviews on that one!!!

I found this book to be extremely helpful as a novice in the world of Visual Basic. Mr Davis's use of graphics took a great deal of the guess work away and demonstrated what the forms and properties should look like.

This is a great book for beginners. His explanations are clear and concise. The source code downloads were excellent and allowed the user to compare their projects and judge your progress. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to know more about Visual Basic.

This book is for the novice / beginner with basic computer skills and no real programming experience. The visual approach to teaching used by the author (particularly the extensive illustrations, graphics, and code examples) provide an easy, structured approach to learning. The book assumes that you have a connection to the Web to download code - no CD is included. If you are just trying to "get your feet wet" and find out about what can be done with Visual Basic, this is the book for you.

For me, the main limitation of this book is that it is intended for the beginner and treats most topics superficially. It is not a particularly good reference text. I was trying to author a simple medical calculator, and ended up purchasing a more extensive book (Visual Basic 6.0 by Halvorson) because the information was not extensive enough in this book. If you 1) want to create a full-fledged program that could be used at work or home, 2) have experience programming macros, or 3) otherwise are beyond the "beginner" category, I would buy something else.

I've bought other VB books that are more detailed, but they are often tedious for beginners. This book perfectly balances ease of use with enough explanations for you to understand what you are doing as you learn by hands on example. The best way to learn VB is by doing it hands on. This book has tons of exercises so youre not just learning the fundamentals of VB programming, but you are seeing it all in action, building small mini-programs as you go along. Very easy to use, well explained, great graphics on almost every psge. If you desire to really be a master programmer, of course you will need a more detailed reference book afterward, and lots of hands on practicing to keep your skills sharp. But there are many books out there for that after youre done with this one. By the time you finish this book it will give you a real sense of what it feels like to construct programs in Visual Basic, and you'll be ready to take your learning experience to the next level. If I could give this book 6 stars, I would. Good luck to you all

A good book for the beginner. I can read in less than 5 days. It covers perfectly most of the basic visual controls: button, dialog, menu, combo list, text box, timer, data control, status bar, MDI, SDI, set up control, environment ... The codes in the examples are short and simple, but they are good enough for your learning. If you have experience with other programming languages in a less friendly environment like unix, then this book is a quick way to catch the main idea of this language by learning the GUI quick.
It mentions no OOP, ADO and has no cdrom, you should look in other books. In fact, this book covers all the main concepts that you will learn in the introduction course of vb at the college, except it will take you 15 weeks and you can do a little more coding. If you have some programming experience and need a quick learn the controls of vb, this is the book for you. You will not regret for < [money]. Other books will be the next. This book will not make you sick by the size and lengthy words. I wish I can find some similar for visual c++. Thank for any hint!

If you want to sit down and quickly get an understanding of Visual Basic, this is the book.

It favors readers who have limited programming experience, but it is not too simplistic. Readers who are experienced in other languages will find that they can just move through it a bit more quickly.

You start writing Visual Basic code on the first pages, and subsequent exercises build on what you have learned. As you go through the chapters, it provides enough clues to help beginners remember to change the name of new forms they create without boring more experienced programmers with endless step by step repetitions of how to start a new form!

Having ready many "How to..." books on Oracle, Access, Linux, WindowsNT, etc. I had become pretty frustrated about how much the books cost and how little I learned (largely because they were too poorly written to stick with them for even a couple of days). This book is a great value, and you really can learn how to program in Visual Basic from it!

I used this guide for my Word Expert exam and passed. It's comprehensive enough to double as an intermediate course in Word. Unlike other study guides, it will definitely increase your productivity in Word. That said, the authors did leave me scratching my head over at least three objectives--they have a bad habit of skimming over advanced features, like forms, for which you'll need a third-party manual to figure out properly. That certainly detracts from one's confidence. The handling of Word's graphic/drawing features is only cursory and they stop short of suggesting logical solutions that would definitely come in handy during the exam--using tables to line up graphics next to bulleted lists, for example. For something as specific as an exam study guide, this is crucial. Also, though it wasn't a problem for me, there are no practice documents provided (the small download from the Sybex site is a joke) and they fully expect you to have to hand a cache of unformatted Word documents of all varieties as you work through this book--this wastes a lot of valuable study time. A major oversight on the publisher's part.

We have used this book for over a year and have found it to be not only a study guide, but a good reference book. Our students have obtained results that we are proud of. I recommend this book if you are serious about taking you MOUS and Master certification.

I thought this book prepared me for the MOUS exam very well. The information is direct and exact. I look forward to other books by Gini Courter.

This Microsoft approved courseware is the ticket to achieving certification in either the core or expert Word 2000 exams. This book covers everything from using styles and templates to creating macros and generating reference documents. The information is clearly explained, logically sequenced, and surprisingly concise! You will find a comprehensive list of Mous objectives needed to pass the exam, and advice on how to best prepare for the test. No matter what level user you are, working through the exercises in this book will give you the confidence and know how you need to breeze through the exam. Even if you think you are a proficient user of Word, after reviewing this study guide you will likely find that the methods you have used are neither the most efficient, nor the most effective. Thus, I would recommend this book simply as a tool for improving your Word skills, regardless of whether professional certification is your ultimate goal.

After reading this book cover to cover and doing the hands on excercises, I passed both MS exams. If you know everything in this book, you KNOW Word. I wish every Office 2000 application had a Study Guide from these authors.

The book got to me in a timely manner. I'm very pleased and hope to do well on the exam.

I used this book together with the corresponding Training Guide, by the same authors (this was redundant because the two books essentially repeat each other - I could have just used the Training Guide.) I think these authors are amazing - they have ability to present everything in such an easy understandable way, that I didn't just memorize the stuff for the exam but actually understood it. Now my next one is 70-229 - SQL server exam, I wish Kalani had a book for that one as well...

This book is pretty good at explaining the needed topics. I only used this book to pass the exam and found it compact and accurate.

Two bad notes are since coriolis was bought out it is tough to get errata for this book and there are a few problems. The securit section is a bit weak so read some online stuff to fill it in.

Good luck ZoOnI

I skipped reviewing the Microsoft study guide and used this book as my primary reference in passing the exam. Each component on this exam (web services, windows services, enterprise services) has its own architecture and interface. This book did a great job of distilling that information in a way that was easy to understand. I especially liked how the chapters were organized to introduce a concept, and then show you the code for implementing it. I simply wrote my own example for each chapter and did well on the exam. I didn't get much use out of the study guide or CD, but the practice tests in the book are very useful.

This certification study-resource from Author Amit Kalani, served as a rather indispensable part of the revision portfolio for Exam 70-320 (XML Web Services and Server Components with C# .NET ).

Simply put, it is a very useful & sound comprehensive reference for Exam 70-320. It served me greatly in gaining both an overview of all the elements that would appear on the 320 exam, but also served well in my overall review and revision endeavours for the 70-320 Exam.

using this resource got me to the place where i felt i had covered the core objectives for the exam and was ready to move on to the next phase ie: having a go at tackling past question scenarios.

i was glad i bought it.

what i liked about this book :
- it is a comprehensive read at 344 pages -(ie: the 2 Testing chapters non factored)
- there are exam questions after every chapter, relating to that chapter and the exam objectives the chapter tackles
- Answers with explanations are provided with every question featured in the book.
- there is a CD with questions set in an application that simulates the exam room scenario
- The CD also comes with a .pdf, e-version of the book.

I purchased the book in question as a pair with the companion Exam Training guide -(equally written by the same authors: Amit Kalani + Priti Kalani) from Que press ISBN: 0789728249; and i basically have'nt looked back one second since taking that decison.

the two books complement each other very well and provide a very fine balance between the need to train & equip the reader with the strong hands-on .NET XML Web-services development skills he/she will require in order to thrive as a C#.NET web developper; whilst at the same time fully framing these necessary hands-on expertise , in the context & framework of the exam the reader probably seeks to take at the end of working/ploughing his/her way through the book.

Amit Kalani is a very good author. he is well known in the C#.NET world. and he has a way of making a typically difficult material to teach, clearly explained, and he reinforces this with ample examples and practise, so it sinks in and becomes proper knowledge. So for those starting out on C#.NET or others looking for a place to start the preparation for the MCAD.NET with C# or 70-320 exam, these Books could easily serve as the spot to take it from.

However, i would add but the small proviso that depending on where you are along the previous "C#" programming-experience scale, i'd say you'd do well to buy yourself a good companion C# programming language text to accompany you on your journey.

There are lots of books on Amazon that would serve you well in this function/capacity . the text i used to give me a helping hand is called the: "C# Bible" by author: jeff ferguson (et al); it has for ISBN:0764548344.i found this easy to read and got through the first 20 chapters of concise, easy to follow, C# language basics, with relative ease.

After working through the 70-320 ExamCram resource in question and using the Training guide counterpart to acquire deeper hands-on practise to cement the interface between :( knowledge of the .Net Framework1.0 XML Web-services development concepts as treated in the books), with that of proper programming competence;(ie:knowing your stuff); I was ready for the next phase ie: going on to tackle past exam questions

using Transcender and the Testking more than sufficed to ensure & assure success at the exam;

Take & Ace the exam with ease: 150minutes & 43 questions.

Success at the exam-level is assured by appropriate preparation; ie: tackling past questions regarding .NET programming & C# XML Web-services development related problem scenarios in order to sharpen your wits about choosing the right solution in any given problem scenario. this is the crunch of it. do that ,and u pass.

End of.

The passing mark is 700 ie: 70%. i sat the exam on Tuesday (31st October 2006); scored 98% ie: 984.

MCAD.NET requirements accomplished!

Good luck.

cheers :-)

This book has saved me a lot of time that I would have otherwise spent combing through huge Exchage reference books. As an Exchange Administrator, I have already found this book to be an invaluable asset in my reference library. Answers to many common administrative questions and "How To's" are easily found in this handy little volume. You gotta love its size.

Out of all the Exchange 2000 Server books I purchased, this one is the only one I used regularly. I have since purchased Stanek's Exchange Server 2003 book and it is equally as good if not better. For admins, it provides the essential details with clear, precise steps for implementing common features. For devs, it provides the cut to the chase info you need to get in there and get out quickly. I would recommend this very highly.

I bought this book for our Exchange admin when we were moving to Exchange 2000 from 5.5. Two months later I was going to be the one implementing Exchange and this book came to the rescue in a big way. As a total Exchange newbie I learned everything I needed (and now know) about Exchange from this book. Sure there are bigger books but not better books. If you are a Exchange guru, this book will be a little on the basic side for you. However, if you are anything less than a guru or if you are a new I would highly recommend this book.

I had a need to quickly resolve a problem with Exchange 2000 Server, having never worked with it before. This book was an excellent resource for that purpose. Not because it gave me the exact answer I needed (which I doubt many books would do) but because it clearly and concisely explained what you can do with Exchange 2000 Server and how to do it. It showed how to do things properly and from that it was fairly easy to deduce what was wrong.

Because the book is well structured (no excess verbage, no "chattiness") it's easy to read, clear and to the point. It gets to the point and stays on target.

All in all an excellent reference you'll use over and over and, I think, an excellent place to start learning Exchange 2000 Server. I find that this book tells what Exchange 2000 Server can do and how to do it. With that knowledge I think you'll be better grounded if and when you go for more in depth understanding of architecture and the like. After this book, if you want more in depth information you can move on to other (bigger) books but I think you'll get the biggest bang for the buck from this one..

This is excellent when used for quick reference and only for the experienced and knowledgeable. This is inappropriate for beginners since Exchange is intertwined with Active Directory. Without knowing all the implications of performing the various tasks outlined in the book, it can be detrimental to a company.

This book was invaluable when trying to upgrade our companies RIS server from Windows 2000 to Windows 2003 and then to WDS from there.

This book is a great resource for helping to plan the deployment of XP. I've been able to use many of the ideas and tips from the book to help redesign my deployment plan for my own company. A great job was done by Jerry in writing and explaining the different ways to deploy XP. Excellent Job, Excellent Book!!!

The "Desktop Deployment Resource Kit" is exactly what I have been
looking for. Standardizing all of my desktops to Windows XP will be a challenge and the most challenging part seems to be honing in on what my team needs to know.

This book lays it out so you can read through topics quickly while keeping the big picture in play. When I begin my project I am sure it will be a constant companion to help me though some of the tough spots.

Thanks Jerry!

I write this review partially evaluating the information it contains, but also how it has held up over time. This book came out in late 2003 and it is now early 2006. A successor to Windows XP is already known, but that doesn't mean that Windows XP is on the way out or that companies will not just now be deploying that OS either for the first time, or redeploying as a refresh to encompass service packs, hotfixes and larger updated application suites, such as Microsoft Office. In short, a competent title covering the deployment of XP is still needed.

In short, everything you need to know about preparing Windows XP for deployment using the Microsoft approved and supported tools and methods is found inside. The authors cover in-depth the planning one should take within the environment to configure, deploy, and manage a desktop. You are instructed on the proper way to prepare the desktop for mass distribution, configure and run the utilities to ensure that the final OS image is not deployed duplicating network identification data, as well as running user state migration to transfer settings between builds. Distribution technologies, such as RIS and SMS are covered, although any commonly used third party utility, such as Symantec Ghost is not. There are also chapters dedicated to reviewing service pack and hotfix management, group policy management, as well as software updates (to Microsoft products, such as Microsoft Office 2003). And lastly, you are given a few different syntax guides to such things as SysPrep and Administrative Templates.

I believe, however, that this title could use a second edition. Even when it was released, some of the services covered were on their way out, and two years later, entire chapters of this book are now useless for many. For example, chapter 17 deals with distribution of XP via Microsoft SMS 2.0. Today, SMS 2003 is the standard and deployment of desktops and servers can be done using a feature pack. As the bulk of the Windows XP preparation has not changed, adding the SMS 2003 information would add a great deal of value. This book also talks about using Windows PE as a management OS for deployment. In 2003, WinPE was not available to many (and is still not, although that availability is on the rise and this book does point you to WinPE alternatives), although it is included and licensed in SMS 2003. The current WinPE section is still very informative, but a refresh overview to cover the changes in the more widely available version would be nice. The different service packs released for Windows XP also bring about new components of the OS as well as new generations of deployment tools, such as SysPrep. Again, although the current information is still very useful, a second edition could cover those changes to the OS and tools.

All things considered, this is still an excellent title and for the most part is as relevant today as when it was released. Administrators looking for an informational source on configuring and packaging the OS itself will find great value here, whereas those looking for information on the deployment mechanisms may need additional books / material in addition to what is presented here, especially if you are not planning on using Microsoft technologies.

If you are planning a massive desktop deployment than this is book you should use. I had no previous experience in doing an unattended install and this book walked me through the entire process following the distribution sample provided in Chapter 7. Mr. Honeycutt has left no stone unturned. His book gives you in-depth technical information and tools to deploy and manage Microsoft Windows XP Desktop. With it, you get prescriptive guidance to help choose the best deployment method and tools for common scenarios; perform attended and unattended installations; automate the deployment process, control policy and profile settings for desktop operating systems and applications; automate deployments for Office and other programs; and more. The book comes with a CDROM containing extra documentation, tools, sample templates, and scripts. Just add your Windows XP I386 files and half the battle is done. This is a great book and well written. Thanks Jerry for writing something for my simple mind!

Sherwood's book changed my email life at work. For the first time I feel like *I* am in control of my email world rather than its piteous slave.

Sherwood's book is funny and immensely helpful to me both on the receiving end of email and the sending end. I have never been more grateful for a practical book. It will change your email life significantly and instantly. It's also a great new-job warming present.

Ms. Sherwood's wit and friendly writing style make this book an enjoyable read. The information, advice, and tips she presents make this book essential. I have gained countless valuable tools from Overcome Email Overload. I came back from vacation to 186 e-mails all sorted, categorized and prioritized. In less than 2 hours I was completely caught up! I am amazed daily with how much time this book has helped me save.

Kaitlin Sherwood's Overcome Email Overload With Microsoft Outlook 2000 And Outlook 2002 is a refreshingly simple, effective guide to using Microsoft Outlook 2000 or 2002 to speed up your email traffic and cut hours from time spent on correspondence every week. Perfect for the novice computer user, Overcome Email Overload features numerous black-and-white illustrations of screens from the Microsoft Outlook programs, the better to walk readers step-by-step through what Outlook has to offer. However, Overcome Email Overload is not primarily a software manual, but rather a practical guide to organizing and prioritizing messages, moving through messages quickly, how to spend less time on responses, how to make one's messages more legible, and so on. An appendix covers scripts in Visual Basic. Overcome Email Overload pays for itself and is an absolute "must" for any worker who relies on Outlook 2000 or 2002 to process vast amounts of email - the strategies herein are superb time-savers! Also highly recommended for Eudora 5 users is Overcoming Email Overload With Eudora 5.

In today's society, the use of email has become standard practice. With this newly developed technology comes the burden of how to manage your email. With the ease of sending and receiving email comes the problem of ensuring you don't spend wasted time viewing obsolete mail.

In the pages of Kaitlin Duck Sherwood's OVERCOME EMAIL OVERLOAD WITH MICROSOFT OUTLOOK 2000 AND OUTLOOK 2002: GET THROUGH YOUR ELECTRONIC MAIL FASTER there is hope for the weary email user. From page one, readers will quickly gain the knowledge to help eliminate countless hours spent sorting through email to determine which requires their immediate attention. This book explains all the advanced techniques that are often left out of general computer classes. The easy to follow language and illustrated graphics allow novice users to quickly grasp the many helpful tips and tricks and put them to effective use within minutes.

Kaitlin Duck Sherwood's book was helpful in teaching worthwhile techniques which I was able to effectively use in my current occupation. Having worked fifteen years in an office environment email has become the primary means of communication. Often, I have felt overwhelmed with the daily struggle of finding ways to manage hundreds of email messages. Ms. Sherwood's simple and helpful advice has been helpful in allowing me to regain the precious time that has been consumed by email. This book has found a permanent place beside my computer. For anyone who is looking for a way to save time, money, and help relieve stress, this book is a must read.

I live on the Internet and e-mail is my communication tool of choice. As a computer professional I read dozens of technical books on all kinds of topics. "Overcoming Email Overload" is one of those rare books that combine technical expertise with pure fun. I have tried various schemes to handle the abundance of email that I receive daily. A few of the suggestions that Ms. Sherwood made in this book I had already incorporated into my daily routine. But I did not have an overall consistent strategy, which, thanks to this book, I now have. When I first picked up this book I expected some simple quick fixes about using folders to store various types of mail and how to set up rules. I was blown away with the depth of material in this one small book. Not only does it teach someone unfamiliar with Outlook 2000 or 2002 how to effectively use the product, it also teaches us how to reduce the amount of emails that we receive; how to write clearer, concise emails; how to convey the right emotional tone; how to get people to read and understand our message. It is a real "How To" manual for everything related to email and effective communication. One danger in buying this book is that you will come to realize how many truly bad emails you receive each day. I recommend to people, on a daily basis, to buy or borrow this book so they can improve their use of email. Really, it is so that I will no longer have to read such poor writing. If you use email, you need this book.

Simply put, read this book and you will definitely be able to produce excellent movies.
The book can be read from start to finish or just dip in to where the specific information is. The book is written so both ways work.The clear instructions enable even a novice to be proud - even amazed at what they can do.
Two days after reading this book I put a mini movie on the internet! If I can, you can!

As an owner of the author's Pinnacle Studio 8 book, I waited to buy what I anticipated to be his Pinnacle Studio 9 Plus book. But wait no more. A supplemental chapter covering the 9 Plus features - PIP, Pan and Zoom, and Chroma Key, is avaiable at http://www.doceo.com/studio9.html under "Click here to download free chapter on new features of Studio Plus", and now I have the equivalent of the Studio Plus 9 book.
I agree with the other reviewer's comments and no point in repeating them here, except to say that for me the best parts about the author's presentations are the illustrative examples.

Pinnacle's Studio 9 is a love it or hate it package. At $99 (retail price) it is very inexpensive for what you get. The problem, people report, has been getting it to work on their system -- I also hear that the newest release of the package is much, much better. It also seems to work better with Intel Pentium CPU's than with AMD and it also likes memory, say a gigabyte.

But as for the book, this is one of the Visual Quickstart Guides. They're great. They use a format of having two columns on each page with the outside column being text and the inside being pictures. Each page is devoted to some small task and handles that task completely. You can start at the front of the book and go all the way through and you'll get a pretty good tutorial on the software. Or you can use the index to skip around and quickly get to the particular detail you are looking for.

Jan Ozer is an excellent writer. He starts out with the statement "you have the manual for the software" and then goes on from there. This is not a manual of how to, this is a what and why kind of book that explains what it is that you are trying to do and then goes on to tell you how to do it. The manual tells you how to do a J-Cut and an L-Cut. This book tells you what they are.

I've read numerous technical books on many subjects and have never sailed through the software as smoothly as with this book.
If you're looking for a tutorial that can whiz you through the subject matter with ease and accuracy this is it! No matter where you wish to refer back to, you can do it without reading the whole chapter (as with other tutorials). Quickstart is the name however I feel it should be named Quick referrence.
Best investment I've made in a while. I'm making movies that are in awe at my office. I've been told they have been made professionally.

This is probably one of the most informative books on video editing that you can buy. The author is an expert in the field and has the ability to not just tell you how to do something, but make you understand what is going on and thereby enabling an intuitive feel for using the program. His "Studio 8 for Windows" carried me from the depths of ignorance to a level of competence that allows me to knock out complicated projects in record time; this new Studio 9 version will do the same for you plus. This book will enable the beginner to successfully edit productions with minimum heartache....but READ before you start clicking madly away.