Windows 7 Step by Step 1st Edition

This course book digs a lot deeper than the more highly illustrated books available which don't seem to cover much more than installation, mouse movements, and rudimentary file management. It covers these plus what most learners still need to know for a much more enjoyable and productive use of the new Windows Operating System interface.After looking at the newest iteration of these, Windows 8, I decided that it was not worth upgrading my three Win7 PCs as none were tablets and I saw no comfort value in a touch based interface. Until I actually see the perennially boasted faster startup speeds lasting longer than six months of program additions and internet use I will dismiss that as hype after all the prior disappointments. Deciding that, it would then behoove me to better learn the system I had, the search began for a book like this.I had learned a prior version through this Microsoft Press "Step by Step" system and was quite happy with the results. This book comes with a CD that has the files needed to work within the course lessons and that makes it much easier to get the hands on feeling the reader needs for a sense of accomplishment to continue each lesson. This is still written so the neophyte as well as more experienced Windows users can easily grasp and achieve a deeper understanding of the subject. It covers installation of the system as well as managing it's components like user accounts, your home network, files and folders as well as Internet Explorer 8, personalization and themes, and some hardware installation as far as getting Windows to recognize it and work with the new component. Step by Step is a big book but has a lot of content. The pictures you might miss from other publications are largely taken care of in the accompanying CD so you have a lot more to learn from.As for Cons, I wish Microsoft or someone would go back to the older loose leaf lay flat course books that were so much easier to handle. This fat edition can be a real handful when trying to keep a page open and using the PC at the same time.

The book is well laid out by authors Preppernau and Cox (name change?). What I like about it is besides detailed table of contents and index, it has black text, light blue titles and section titles, gray screen shots and menu pictures, tips in blue, chapter at a glance at the front of the chapter, and key bullet points at the end of the chapter. YOUR EYES MOVE QUICKLY AROUND THE PAGE, 20 percent or more white space in a 492 page book. The side edge of the book has tab markings for chapters, Obviously one does not want to read the WHOLE book. There is a CD-R of practice files which I loaded but have not messed with. I sent the book to my 86 year old mother and we have worked out a few things out over long distance by going to the same page. My biggest point, if your tired or a little ADD, you get what you need to know and move on. If your a hip shooter, then Google for the answer; but, what if your internet is down?? If you want a comprehensive desk reference, this is a good one. Hope that helped.

I had to purchase this book, as I had never used a computer before. I purchased my first computer in February five years ago at a local store.I got the computer home and thought I would be able to read the book that came with it. I was wrong, no book had to go online to get the manual.I was living in the dark ages, no computer and no internet. I was very happy without a computer but for the last two years I had no access to my pay stubs (they went with getting them online) and had to trust they did not short me on my time. Then the company decided to go online to get my end of year w-2s. I was up a creek without a paddle.The month before purchasing this book I had a cheap phone to get to understand how to use web, and that was not difficult but very small. I had the computer less than one day and the hubby had me call up and get the internet added to our home. I said I don't know how to use this computer stuff and this could be a waste of time.I got the internet and was able to find my way around at least to amazon and my email. Then I knew I could find a way to learn how to use the windows seven even better.I still to this day go back to this book for all sorts of questions I have. I can keep reading this book over and over. I was glad to find this book.One thing is true, an older person can learn from this book. I am an old school kind of person and this book has been very useful. Through this book I have been able to use windows eight and windows ten. I have taught my hubby how to use the computer also.

This is a very detailed self help book that contains far too much writing on many aspects of Windows that the average user would know. It does not contain specifics of what Windows 7 can do for you. I was franakly disappointed in the book and subsequently purchased another book which was not all that great either. For example I had seen the "split window" in ads published by Microsoft however to this day I can't find that subject in the book. It is though posted on the internet and now I have the use of a "split window" for some projects.I expected the book to give me a lot of specifics on what Windows could do and how it differed from Windows Vista or Windows XP.The book was written way before Windows 7 was released to the public and it is possible the writers didn't really completely explore all the "bells and whisltes" that Windows 7 has.You can more than likly learn a lot more about Windows 7 by reading articles as they appear in the monthly magazine publications.