By Ed Bott, Carl Siechert and Craig Stinson
- Publisher: Microsoft Press
- ISBN: 9780735626652
- Price: £39.49 (UK) $49.99 (US) Recommended
Price
- Available From:
O'Reilly Media
Book Cover reproduced with
kind permission of Microsoft Press
The Windows operating system is getting more and
more complex; gone are the days when a simply guide
would tell you all you needed to know about the
operating system you were currently using. Because
of Windows 7's complexity it is now, more than ever,
important to have an indepth reference book to guide
you through the many facets of Microsoft's latest
brain child.
A quick perusal of your local bookstore will
quickly render a multitude of titles on the Windows
operating system, including Windows 7. However, not
all Windows 7 titles are written by authors who are
experts in their respective fields.
Windows 7 Inside Out by Ed Bott, et al, is
probably the most comprehensive reference book on
Windows 7 in the market place today. Comprising a
total of 976 pages (Excluding the index) the book
comprises six parts and two appendices as follows:
- Getting Started: Chapters 1 to 7
- File Management: Chapters 8 to 11
- Digital Media: Chapters 12 to 14
- Security and Networking: Chapters 15 to 19
- Tuning, Tweaking and Troubleshooting:
Chapters 20 to 23
- Windows and Your PC: Chapter 24 to 26
The appendices cover:
- Windows 7 editions at a glance
- Working with the command prompt
The largest section of the book is dedicated to
getting your new Windows 7 operating system set up.
The actual installation of Windows 7 is only lightly
touched, as is to be expected with the books'
targetted readership. As the book progresses the
reader is introduced to the further internal
workings of the operating system.
At each stage you are able to get further details
regarding a particular process from the Inside Out
box out sections. These Inside Out sections provide
a timely insight into how certain features work
within Windows 7. You also gain insight from the
numerous other sidebars which provide helpful tips
and tricks.
As with any new operating system common problems
always occur and Windows 7 Inside Out has addressed
some of these in the form of Troubleshooting
sidebars. Here you can find solutions to some of the
more common problems which you are likely to
encounter.
For those readers who need to know what features
are available in each version of Windows 7, the
authors' of Windows 7 Inside Out have provided a
comprehensive list in the first appendix of the
book. From the details within the appendices pages
you can quickly decide which version of the
operating system will be most suited to your needs.
Verdict
Windows 7 Inside Out is pitched at an
Intermediate/Advanced readership and, as such, is,
like many reference books, more suited to dipping
into than reading from cover to cover. As I stated
earlier the book has been written by three authors'
who are experts in their field, and believe me when
I say that this expert knowledge really shines
through.
Reading this book is a joy. Yes, the book is
somewhat technical in its approach but the writing
has an easy manner and it doesn't blind you with
science like many reference books do; the authors'
genuinely want you to be as knowledgeable about
Windows 7 as they are.
Like I said at the start of this review a
multitude of Windows operating system titles exist,
however, if you want the best Windows 7 title then
go for Windows 7 Inside Out, you certainly won't be
disappointed.
Rating
- Ease of use: 8.0
- Features: 9.0
- Value for Money: 9.0
- Overall: 9.0