PC Mom the Mother of All PC Books

This is a book to be read from cover-to-cover. The authors' unique writing style (you love it or hate it) made reading this book a pleasure for me. There is no doubt in my mind that Barry and Woody collectively know more about the ins and outs of Win98 than anyone outside (and probably more than many inside) of Redmond. If you want to know Win 98 BUY THIS BOOK! and then READ IT from cover to cover. Twice.

I love the presentation of the material. The authors are obviously very knowledgeable about Windows 98 and PC's in general, but they present their ideas in a readable fashion. Moreover, they present opposite points of view when applicable to give a balanced approach and let the reader decide. This book has helped me become an expert in Windows 98 faster than any other means I can imagine. I wish they had similar books on other subjects - like Excel!

The Mother of All Windows '98 Books is a great reference. It answered most of my questions, including where to find and install Microsoft Fax (it's hidden deep in the CD). Woody and Barry also provide great tips on customizing Win '98, such as the full benefits of the Quick Launch Bar and extra actions to add to your context menu.This book is well-written, and the humour keeps it from getting dry. My only criticism is that the humourous headings (carried over into the Table of Contents) sometimes make it difficult to locate a topic.

I bought and read "The Mother of All Windows" when I bought my first PC with Windows 3.1. I bought and read "The Mother of All Windows 95" the day it came out. I was bugging our local book store weekly for a copy of "The Mother of All Windows 98", because there are no other Windows books like them and I knew MOM 98 would not disappoint. And it didn't! The MOM books are the only computer books I've read cover to cover. They are packed with information available no where else because they are all based on the real shipping version of the Windows product and are written based on real-time testing and experience. MOM98 is not only packed with information Microsoft does not even publish or publishes inaccurately, but it communicates that information in a manner that is simple, straight forward, honest, and wrapped with humor. The portion of MOM98 I find most valuable is the in depth look at everything you ever wanted to know about the Windows 98 registry. The "Fast Track" section is also an important and quick way for the experienced Windows 95 user to get a handle on the differences between Win95 and Win98 and decide if the new features are worth the upgrade. I must point out though that past readers of MOM95 will notice a significant amount of duplication of data between MOM95 and MOM98. But despite the duplication, there is still a ton of new data unique to Win98 to be gleaned from the pages of MOM98. MOM had to duplicate the data to make the book a complete reference for those new to the Windows world. One thing I missed with MOM98 was the CDROM. MOM98 has no CDROM, but does now have its own dedicated web site with an electronic newletter which MOM98 readers can subscribe too. I've already received two copies of the newsletter and found them to be significant supplements to the data in the book. They will provide new and late-breaking information on Window's 98 to help you keep up with the inevitable changes. All in all, MOM98 is a must have in my opinion. I've recommended it as the primary Windows resource to any and all of my co-workers. They all agree it is great!

Woody Leonhard and Barry Simon have made a habit of writing excellent, "insider's look" books about a variety of software. This, their third book about the Microsoft Windows operating systems continues and expands on this tradition. Beginners will benefit from the comprehensive, understandable text and diagrams. Intermediate users will find a wealth of information they didn't know existed, and Experts will find the guts of Windows 98 exposed for their perusal. As a librarian, I am pleased to have this book as part of my collection. As a Windows 98 user, I am grateful to have this resource available to answer my questions.