Special Edition Using Microsoft(R) Windows XP, Home Edition

**An updated version of this book is available! Click on `All Editions` on this product page, or search for Special Edition Using Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Bestseller Edition by entering the book's ISBN, 0789728516 in the search bar!

Special Edition Using Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition is the only book you need to help you get your Windows XP Home system configured and optimized for maximum performance.

Written for humans by humans! While many authors spend time trying to overwhelm you with their technical expertise, Bob and Brian drive right to the point with the clear, natural language that you have come to love and expect.

Hands on, roll-up-your-shirtsleeves advice! Bob and Brian don't just tell you how to use the Windows features and point you elsewhere for networking or hardware advice. Instead, they help you choose, install and configure hardware and software that work in concert with Windows.

Build your own network at home! Turn two PCs and a ball of cable into the ultimate network for high-powered gaming, sharing files, and backing up essential data! Use XP's simple and reliable networking features to network your home for gameplay, sharing files and printers, as well as sharing broadband Internet connections.

CD-ROM Includes: 45 minutes of video from Brainsville.com. This unique video package is a new, innovative feature in computer books and video courseware, which brings Bob and Brian right to your desktop. This personal seminar flattens your learning curve, introduces you to Windows XP and demonstrates how to use it while you watch. Topics covered range from mastering the new XP user interface to setting up and fine-tuning your local area network.

User review
Okay
This is probably okay for average or slightly above average home user - not for Dummies or advanced users.

User review
Great Intoduction to Concepts with Plenty of Detail
I sat down and read its 950+ pages from cover to cover. It is well written and organized and is successful in 2 ways. First, it offers an excellent overview and explanation of arcane and cryptic things like the Windows registry, disk partitioning, and Network Address Translation in a way that suffices perfectly for the educated but causal user who wants to know more about his computer. Secondly, it provides detailed descriptions of specific thing a user can do, from monitoring CPU usage to sharing files across networks to configuring the desktop. There are also numerous troubleshooting sections where you can learn what to do when things inevitably go wrong. I have been using Windows for 5 years and XP for 4 months, and only just decided to educate myself about all it can do. This book added tremendously to my knowledge, and I feel inspired to learn even more. Now I can diagnose problems more easily, plan new computer projects, and save money on software, since a lot of software that is available does things that Windows can do already. Highly recommended for anyone who is not already a power user.

User review
Great Intoduction to Concepts with Plenty of Detail
I sat down and read its 950+ pages from cover to cover. It is well written and organized and is successful in 2 ways. First, it offers an excellent overview and explanation of arcane and cryptic things like the Windows registry, disk partitioning, and Network Address Translation in a way that suffices perfectly for the educated but causal user who wants to know more about his computer. Secondly, it provides detailed descriptions of specific thing a user can do, from monitoring CPU usage to sharing files across networks to configuring the desktop. There are also numerous troubleshooting sections where you can learn what to do when things inevitably go wrong. I have been using Windows for 5 years and XP for 4 months, and only just decided to educate myself about all it can do. This book added tremendously to my knowledge, and I feel inspired to learn even more. Now I can diagnose problems more easily, plan new computer projects, and save money on software, since a lot of software that is available does things that Windows can do already. Highly recommended for anyone who is not already a power user.

User review
Not for the experienced user
This book is probably good for a new or infrequent user, but for anyone who uses Windows heavily/frequently, this book just does not offer enough information. I wanted to find out the details of how user account management works, especially shared files and special directories like My Documents, My Pictures. While this book shows how to access these, it does not tell enough about how these features really work (or don't work - i.e. why My Documents is named `My Documents` for me, but `Laura's Documents` for my daughter Laura's account,,. and why I cannot rename these folders.

Or, how does XP pick the `Special` applications to run when you insert a audio CD or picture CD, or data CD, and why can't I add my own custom application to that list (i.e. Sonique instead of
Windows Media Player?)

The key to a good user interface (which I'll admit XP is getting there) is that it needs little or no documentation, and this book does not really add much that can't be inferred from the interfaces directlly or learned from the on-line help (which I'm glad to say is also improved in XP.)

I wish there was more depth on using/owning XP and less coverage of the obvious aspects of using Windows that anyone who uses Windows regularly knows.

User review
Anything you want to know, and some you don't,,.
I bought this book as a resource and an overview of XP Home Edition. I got much more than I bargained for. I read the entire book, cover to cover (skimming parts that didn't apply to me, of course); and over-all I found the book to be written in understandable language and in a tone that will appeal to many lay readers of computer literature. The authors have done an excellent job of relaying technical information in a way that is not stuffy and actually holds the reader's attention (most of the time). This is worth the money.