Comments about O'Reilly Media Windows 7: The Missing Manual:

As one of the older ganeration with limited computer experience, I have found this manual invaluable. After three years using XP on a laptop I thought I was getting the hang of things, then my new PC arrived with Windows 7. Looking for help from within the system was more than difficult, it just tells you how good it is, not how to use it. David Pogues' book has been a saviour for me. Easily understood instructions, relaxed style of writing, takes all the stress out of learning a new system. It may not suit the young geeks who have had computers at thier finger tips all their lives, but for older mortals who want to get on terms with Windows 7, this is the Manual for you. The simply explained troubleshootng advice has even saved a few payments to the local Tech man.

Comments about O'Reilly Media Windows 7: The Missing Manual:

This Tome really helps; When mounting W~7 on wifes machine a real boost to carry on with confidence. Less fear of what's past the wait time; will what started really happen. Looking forward to my evening read.

Comments about O'Reilly Media Windows 7: The Missing Manual:

"Windows 7 is the best-reviewed, best-loved Microsoft operating system ever. It brings you security, speed, good looks, and several trillion new features – but it still comes without a single page of printed instructions. Fortunately, award-winning author and New York Times columnist David Pogue is back, ready to serve as your clear, funny, expert guide to the world of Windows 7." So says the back of this wonderful book on Windows 7 Despite being an experienced Windows user and having spent much time using Windows 7, I learned a lot while reading this book.
The book begins by teaching you a basic understanding of the Windows 7 interface and goes all the way through to maintenance and high-level tweaks. Every user will gain something from this book. It is a worthwhile purchase and read for all levels of understanding. I give fair warning to more experienced users. Portions of the book will bore you. Despite this, "Windows 7: The Missing Manual" is a great resource. You don't need to read this book cover-to-cover. You can just read the sections that are relevant to you.
Of special interest to me were the appendices. Appendix A teaches you the different ways you can install Windows 7 and how to move your data and settings over to the new install. Appendix B shows you how to perform some very cool registry tricks to spice up Windows 7 and make it run more your own way. Appendix C helps you find all the items that you loved in previous versions of Windows that have disappeared in Windows 7. Appendix D takes you through a review of common keyboard shortcuts as well as several new ones that are very helpful.
All in all, I think "Windows 7: The Missing Manual" is a very worthwhile purchase and I highly recommend it.

Comments about O'Reilly Media Windows 7: The Missing Manual:

Just got a Windows 7 machine then these is ideal to show you the capabilities and tips and tricks to get you used to this new operating system in super quick time.
Aimed at someone just starting this is a great overview on what's on offer and some helpful hints and shortcuts along the way.
If you have been using Windows 7 for some time don't expect to be riveted by the book as a lot of this will be covering things you will have learnt along the way using Windows 7 but for the new user especially if you have gone from XP to 7 then its a good buy to get you up to speed much quicker.

Comments about O'Reilly Media Windows 7: The Missing Manual:

This is my least favorite Windows book ever purchased. It wasn't helpful and for often seemed to be paraphrased from help docs. I'll even go so far as to say online help was better lot of the time. Least the help docs didn't have stupid (and useless) side comments. If you are looking for a book to learn Windows 7 this isn't it, keep looking. I can't recommend it and I returned it after 2 frustrating weeks. Thanks for nothing!

Comments about O'Reilly Media Windows 7: The Missing Manual:

I regularly read David Pogue's tech columns in the New York Times and even had a chance to exchange a few mails with him. However I had never read any book from the missing manual series that David created. It's now a done thing with "Windows 7 the missing manual".

What stroked me first was the casual tone of the writing. I've rarely seen a book about computers that is so easy to read. It actually feels like you're having a conversation rather than concentrating on reading a technical book. What I liked a lot then were the very factual explanations. David clearly tells what is great about the system but he doesn't hesitate to mention the things that could be better. In the end it feels he's telling the truth and it makes the book even more interesting.

Now borrowing David's style in his column about the iPad I'll review the book content with 2 different readers in mind.

For the beginners, I'd say the book really takes you by the hand. Everything is explained and detailed in a very understandable manner. If you're unfamiliar with a technical topic, be sure it is explained to you first before doing anything else. Hence you never feel lost when a sequence of instructions is detailed to perform a task. You know what you're doing why you're doing it and which steps to follow. Once the basis of the system is covered mainly from a features and customization point of view, the second half of the book is what can bring the curious to the next level with some day by day PC administration good practices and howtos. You're worried about configuring your network or installing a new printer driver? Don't be the book will guide you through it.

To the more advanced users, I'd tell the book is full with the details you'll love. Windows is a complex system it has a lot of tools and commands under the hood. There always are many ways to do each thing some ways more efficient than others. The first 4 parts are easy and fun to read. Even if you believe most of the concepts exposed are obvious, don't be fooled. There are still a lot of details to learn from plus of course the description of Windows 7 new features. Then the second half of the book will fulfill your need for more geeky subjects and actually provides quite an extensive coverage of the system. For sure you won't be a Microsoft certified professional system admin after reading it all (it's not the point of the book anyway) but definitely it'll help you do the job at home personally or even professionally in your home / small office.

To conclude I'd say Windows 7 the missing manual by David Pogue succeeds in fulfilling both the beginners and intermediate to advanced users needs. It's easy and fun to read so beginners won't feel lost while advanced users will get a lot of information out of it. It's the best book I've read on Windows 7 yet, definitely a highly recommended read.

Comments about O'Reilly Media Windows 7: The Missing Manual:

Pogue is a Mac guy and I usually give him the benefit of the doubt when it comes to Windows topics but this one never should have been published. Never in my life have I read such a poorly written tech manual. Sure, it has cute anecdotes but beyond that? Nothing special, nothing it all. I feel I wasted my money. This is 900 pages of nonsense.