Windows XP Pro: The Missing Manual

The title is right! This is the book that should have been included in the basic box with XP Pro. It is set at just the right level for the average user trying to come up to speed on a new operating system. While the basic user interface is more or less the same as the previous windows operating systems, the underlying code structure is based on NT rather than the older DOS/Windows. This book isn't for system administrators or advanced readers. It's aimed at the average user who wants to master the machine well enough to get down to work or to look up something without having to call for support. It is basically crystal-clear, jargon-free (well, computers are still the subject, how about nearly jargon-free). This edition is up to date to include Service Pack 2, which changed a number of screens and philosophies in the security area.

I have bought too many 'helper' books, manuals etc. over the years - and mostly found them cumbersome and hard-to digest. NOT so with the David Pogue & Zacker "Missing Manual". I can relate to several questions that needed explanations - and every time I check them out in this publication - I get the answers that serve my curiosity - and by that, tremendously improve my XP experiences and work. This Manual is for us, who are 'non-geeks' and like to improve our skills. Thank you, guys!

This is by far the most understandable XP Pro book I've found. It takes the position that there's nothing wrong with witty, polished prose in technical writing. In fact, the excellence of the writing makes learning far less of a chore than you find in geekier books.As for the gripes by previous reviewers: Good grief! It says right on the cover that the book "isn't for system administrators or OS theory geeks; it's for the novice or budding power user." It's clearly intended for people new to XP Pro, or even intermediate users who'd like a crystal-clear explanation of, say, understanding how file encryption is different in XP Pro and XP Home, or how to dial into your PC from the road using a laptop, or how to set up a home network, step by step.(And to whoever wrote that you can find the same information in the online help--get real!! Microsoft's online help for XP Pro is opaque, humorless, loaded with jargon, and free of illustrations. And above all, it NEVER mentions bugs and problems and workarounds, as this book does.)Bottom line: If you're a network administrator, it's true that you'll be much happier with a much thicker, more technical (and dry-as-dust) book. But if you're a home user, or maybe you've been issued an XP Pro box at work and you want to get the most out of it, this book presents a complete, entertaining, and easily understood a picture of the beast they call Windows XP Professional. HIGHLY recommended.

Simply put- BUY THIS BOOK!!!!! If you own Windows XP Pro*, this manual is a must have, invaluable resource tool. Easy to read and filled with helpful tips on maximizing the efficiency of your system; Pogue and Zacker got it right! You'll save yourself so much time on completing your tasks that it'll pay for itself as soon as you get it. My only question is why didn't we get one of these when we purchaced Windows XP?? *I use it on XP Pro and Home editions

The best quality of this book is that it combined the best of everything: it harnessed the best aspects of a step-by-step method with that of a detailed exposure. A welcomed combination! It is a hard-to-resist text if your goal is to conquer "Windows XP Professional" without any skin-pain.This is one of the few books that presented a well-balanced information: not too much, but never too little. Everything about it is comprehensive. Its authority is unquestionable. Indeed, this is the type of manual that users would have loved Microsoft to include in their 'XP' package.Only if Mr Gates would listen to us!