Sebastopol, CA--With each successive version, the Windows operating system has become a friendlier place in which to work, with Windows XP prevailing as the friendliest yet. As the result of the unification of Microsoft's corporate series (Windows NT and 2000) with the home series (Windows 95, 98, and Me), Windows XP offers rock-solid stability and a fresh new look. And while it offers much that is pleasing to its users, there remains one area where Windows continues to disappoint: it lacks a printed guide to its new features and terminology. Fortunately for users, Windows XP Pro: The Missing Manual by David Pogue, Craig Zacker, and L. J. Zacker (O'Reilly/Pogue Press, US $29.95) neatly fills the documentation void, offering friendly, authoritative coverage of every feature that will help the entire range of users, from those using XP Pro on a corporate network to those on their own PC.
"Windows XP Pro: The Missing Manual" uses wit, technical insight, and scrupulous objectivity to light the way for first-time and intermediate PC users. The book reveals which features work well and which don't, such as the Remote Desktop software that enables people to connect to the office from home, the encryption file system that protects sensitive information, and the Windows Messenger that enables real-time text, voice, and video communication. Contents include:
Getting started: the book's early chapters cover using menus, finding lost files, reducing window clutter, and taming the new, multi-column Start menu.
Mastering the network: special chapters help readers navigate the corporate network, dial in from the road, and even set up a small-office (peer-to-peer) network, step-by-step.
Understanding security: user accounts, file encryption, and the NTFS file system keep your private files private, while still offering network access to coworkers you specify.
Flying the Net: This part of the book demystifies Outlook Express 6 for email, Internet Explorer 6 for web browsing, and the new Windows Messenger for voice, chat, and video conferencing.
"Windows XP Pro: The Missing Manual" wasn't written for system administrators or OS theory geeks, but for the novice or budding power user who wants to master the machine and get down to work. Yet, anyone who uses XP Pro (including hardcore techies) will find this new system much easier--and more fun--to digest with this new Missing Manual. This is the crystal-clear, jargon-free book that should have been in the box.
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Windows XP Pro: The Missing Manual
David Pogue, Craig Zacker, and L. J. Zacker
ISBN 0-596-00348-x, 658 pages, $29.95 (US), $46.95 (CAN), 20.95 (UK)
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