Windows XP Home Edition, The Missing Manual - Take Two!

Have you ever wondered why Windows XP never came with an instruction manual? Maybe there is just so much stuff inside it, the folks in Redmond didn’t want to bother with putting it all down on paper. Well the folks at O’Reilly have done that and a little more. The newest member of the Missing Manual series is Windows XP Home Edition, Second Edition and it is even better than the first.

Windows XP Home Edition: The Missing Manual, Second Edition continues where Microsoft never started. Think of it as your guide for every little nook and cranny inside your favorite operating system. No longer do you have to search for hours online to find things that should have been given to you on day one. This book does the job when it comes to delivering you the best technical information on Windows XP Home Edition.

Don’t roll your eyes just yet, though. This isn’t a book written for geeks, by geeks. This is a book written for everybody from the person who is starting on computers today to the guy who has three running networks set up in his basement. There is something in this book for everyone to learn from. Each page delivers guides, answers, and tutorials on some of the key features of Windows XP Home Edition.

What makes the second edition of the book better than the first? The second edition covers some of the newer features that came after you installed Service Pack 2. They go into how Windows XP now provides a better protection for your system, and how to get the most out of the new features you have at your fingertips. Here are some other topics they cover in the book.

Getting started: Early chapters cover such basics as using menus, finding lost files, and taming the new, three-column Start menu; they also include guidelines and instructions for installing SP2 on one PC or across a network of computers.

Figuring out what’s what: The book covers every software crumb of Windows XP - every control pad, accessory, and troubleshooting tool.

Mastering networks: Windows XP makes it easy to connect several PCs so that they can use the same files, printers, and an Internet connection simultaneously.

Flying the Net: Pogue demystifies Outlook Express 6 for e-mail, Internet Explorer 6 for Web browsing, and the new Windows Messenger for voice, chat, and video conferencing. The book also covers SP2, adjusting a firewall, and keeping a PC free from spyware and viruses.

Deeper XP: new tutorials in this edition cover Bluetooth file sharing, wireless networking, editing the Registry, Windows Media Player 10, and much more.

In my little office here, this is one of the computer books I actually have near me so I can look something up at a moment’s notice. My other computer books have gone towards holding the left side of my desk up. That is the next best thing about this title. After you are done reading it, it is always there for you to act as a reference for all your problems you might run into while using Windows XP. Even the most experienced computer user has a problem every now and then. This book is the solution.

So what are you waiting for? Pick up this book and find out what you have been missing out on. You will appreciate all the technical tips, tricks, and shortcuts that will make your life so much easier. It is the defining book on Windows XP, and a guide that all others should be based on.