- Publisher: O’Reilly
- ISBN: 978-1-449-32664-7
- Price: £7.50 (UK) $9.99 (US) Recommended
Price
- Available From:
O'Reilly Media
Book Cover reproduced with
kind permission of O'Reilly
Windows 8 is one of those operating systems you
either love or loath; sadly there is nothing
in-between these two options. I personally like
Windows 8, but, from the amount of forum posts I see
on a daily basis, there appears to be a growing
number of users that subscribe to the loath
campaign.
However, much of the propensity to loath the
product is simply due to the ignorance of not being
able or willing to adapt to the large number of
changes made to Windows 8 by Microsoft.
In other words, because we don’t like the changes
being made we are dismissing the product as inferior
to previous versions and thus deeming it useless
even before we have given it the chance to show us
exactly what it can do and, more importantly, what
new features it has to offer.
Fortunately, Windows 8: Out of The Box by Mike
Halsey helps to uncover these latest changes in
Windows 8 and, as a result, makes Windows 8 a more
user friendly product than one first imagines.
Windows 8: Out of The Box is divided into 12
informative chapters. The book begins by describing
the main new features of Windows 8 and generally
guides the reader around the new interface. As you
progress through the book which, incidentally, is
only 124 pages in length, the author describes how
to use email and the internet; how to share files,
photos, music and video; how to download apps and a
host of other useful features. The final chapter
comprises a list of useful tips for using Windows 8.
Because Windows 8: Out of the Box is a book
written for the beginner to Windows 8, each chapter
begins with a list of top tips from that chapter and
ends with a concise summary of what the chapter has
discussed.
Each chapter is informative and well laid out
with relevant screenshots to illustrate how the
features of Windows 8 work. The author also tells it
how it is without pressing his opinions, as so many
author do, on the reader.
You will, however, notice that the books'
instructional base does have a tendency to revolve
around the touch screen - and tablet - rather than
mouse and keyboard. This can give the user the
impression that one can only use Windows 8 if one
has a touch screen based PC. This is rather
misleading because Windows 8 works just as well with
a mouse and keyboard as it does with a modern touch
screen.
I have to say that Windows 8 can be a rather
confusing operating system when first encountered.
However, with the help of Windows 8: Out Of The Box,
the user can quickly get to grips with the
fundamentals of Windows 8 and start using it to its
full capacity.
Verdict:
Windows 8: Out of The Box is a book which should,
in my opinion, be included with every new PC running
the Windows 8 operating system. It quickly gives the
user insight into how Windows 8 works and what you
can and cannot expect from the operating system. As
always Halsey has written this book in simple
language rather than bombarding the reader with the
usual technicalities. For someone new to Windows 8
this is an ideal first book. It is clear and concise
and its price will certainly not break the bank!
I found it an interesting read. It is light
hearted in its outlook and written with the beginner
in mind. Having said that, however, it is wise to
have a PC running Windows 8 in front of you to get
the full benefit of the instructional character of
the book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and
found it most entertaining.
If the book has a fault it is the absence of an
index at the back of the book. An index would have
made it far easier to locate selected hints and tips
quickly rather than having to re-read specific
chapters. Putting the lack of an index aside
though, I highly recommend this book.
Rating
- Ease Of Use: 9.0
- Features: 9.0
- Value for Money: 9.0
- Overall: 9.0