Windows Vista: The Missing Manual

Windows Vista for Starters: The Missing Manual

By David Pogue (Pogue Press/O'Reilly, 2007)

Buy and read these books before you boot your new Vista computer—or your old computer with Vista newly installed! They will save you much frustration, keyboard-beating, and hair-tearing.

Missing Manuals

Remember the early days of computing, when every application, operating system, or piece of hardware came with a set of hefty manuals? Now nearly every piece of documentation is on a CD or the Internet.
The trouble with this, of course, is that unless you have two computers, your computer problem may prevent your accessing the online documentation. This is especially true of operating systems: what good is the CD-based trouble-shooting section if you can't read it?
Fortunately, in 2000, David Pogue created the Missing Manual Series to fill the gap. Published by O'Reilly, which is renowned for its tech books, these manuals do a good job of replacing the manuals that used to come with the software, and are, in many (most?) cases, better written.

New Series: For Starters

Now there is a new For Starters Series. A For Starters book seems analogous to the smaller book in the old software packages—the Quick Start Manual of 75-200 pages which often accompanied a heftier User Manual. For Vista, at least, it serves as an abbreviated version of the Missing Manual, with the sections carefully chosen to help the user get up and running as quickly and efficiently as possible.
I read somewhere that the Starters Series is aimed at beginners. Yes, it does have a page of "Mouse and Keyboard Essentials," and the screenshots are larger, but, having taught "newbies," I find it hard to picture one managing with it as the sole introduction to Windows.
For the somewhat experienced user, however, it is wonderful! It offers a succinct overview of the various features in Vista, explains clearly how to use them, and offers comments—sometimes caustic, often humorous. It is so readable that you might benefit by perusing it away from the computer. This has the added benefit of allowing you to "get over it" when you learn that Microsoft has made a change you'll hate.

Getting Up to Speed

The book tells how to make the most efficient use of Windows' many features:

• The Desktop and how to use it
• The way Vista works with Programs and Documents
• Internet Explorer, Windows Mail, and other aspects of going online
• Printers and other Devices
• The Help System and Troubleshooting
• Setting up and using a Network
• Using the new Search facility, clearly describing the file and folder system
• A guided tour of the Control Panel
• How to restore some familiar 2000/XP interfaces

There are a multitude of helpful Tips, Up to Speed boxes, and Frequently Asked Questions, all contributing to a greater understanding of the new Windows.

User Account management is even more important in Vista than in XP, and Pogue does an excellent job of explaining both how and why to use this vital security system.

Some chapters have the potential to save much anguish. For example, Pogue explains the use of Vista's Gadgets, odd little semi-applets which include Stocks and Notes, to name two. It is so important to realize that, in Pogue's words, "Any time you close a gadget, you lose all the data you had typed into it. When you reopen Weather, it always shows Redmond...when you reopen Notes, the sticky notes are always empty..."

A Few Imperfections

The book is not perfect, and I found some surprising errors and areas of disagreement. Pogue recommends the "Install updates automatically" option, which differs from the advice many computer experts give. In one place Pogue clearly defines icons and their purpose, yet in another he conflates the symbol with what it represents: "...each icon's location on your hard drive" and refers to the "icon's path." This could be confusing to the neophyte. There are also several cases of singular-plural subject-verb disagreement.

But these are quibbles. This is an excellent book to begin your exploration of Vista.

The Missing Manual: Full Edition

At 400 pages, is Windows Vista For Starters not sufficient? Not really...Windows Vista: The Missing Manual offers much, much more. It is a valuable, clearly written 800-page reference (which holds more than twice as much information as Starters, since the print and pictures are smaller). It goes into much more detail on how to use, configure, and cope with Vista and its many features.
The sections on security, networking, account management, and collaboration are much more extensive and detailed than in the For Starters book.
The instructions on managing network connections are clear yet concise. This information is bound to come in handy sooner rather than later...
This book can serve as a valued reference for any user of Vista. For each feature, Pogue indicates the version(s) of Vista to which the discussion applies. There are tips and notes to expand on the text, plus boxed information for Power Users. The book is replete with information on customization, both basic and esoteric. It has special sections about installing/connecting new hardware and using such mobile devices as tablet PCs. The book is thorough, including computer maintenance and tweaks as well as information about the operating system itself.
The layout of this book is superb, making it easy to use as a reference. Each page has a bar at the top indicating the topic. Each section has a clear heading, and boxes of additional information are set apart. The index seems excellent, although I would like to see an index, by box topic, of such features as Workaround Workshop, Up to Speed, Nostalgia Corner, and Power Users' Clinic.

Valuable Appendices

The appendices are valuable. Installing Windows Vista is a good place to start if you're considering installing Vista on a machine you currently own. In addition to information about Vista's requirements, it gives websites which offer software to evaluate your computer. It then describes how to perform the actual installation and subsequent transfer or restoration of old files.
The Where'd It Go? appendix can save you much frustration; you may not be happy to learn something is gone, but at least you won't waste time looking for it. The Master Keyboard Shortcut List is priceless.

However, the book is not flawless. As a long-time fan of both Pogue and O'Reilly, I was astonished to find what I consider a major error. Pogue states, "If your computer is currently running anything but Windows XP, you have to buy the full version of Vista and perform a clean install." Having earlier explored the possibility of upgrading a possibly competent computer from Windows 2000 Pro, I hastened back to Microsoft's website.
Sure enough, Microsoft states: "If you are currently using Windows 2000 Professional or Windows XP Professional x64, you are eligible for an upgrade copy to a corresponding or better edition of Windows Vista, but a clean installation is required." The Microsoft website even explains how to do this.

Both Books Recommended

Mary Ginsburg, NYPC Treasurer