Platinum Edition Using Microsoft Windows XP

While most Windows books concentrate on a ground floor approach, Platinum Edition Using Microsoft Windows XP takes an entirely different approach - one that assumes the reader is a bona fide Windows black belt who wants or needs to manage multiple users in a networked environment, turbocharge a Windows installation with registry tweaks or stop hackers in their tracks. This book doesn't waste time telling the reader how to simply live with Windows - it tells the user how to squeeze every last drop of performance from it.

The CD contains one hour of video from Brainsville.com! This unique video package brings Bob and Brian right to the reader's desktop. This personal seminar digs deep into the guts of Windows XP and is a valuable addition to any power user's bag of tricks.

User review
Comprehensive and Very Redable
If you know XP Home and XP Pro, but you either need to know more about it for home use, or more for tech support, this book is a great item.
Covers all conceive-able aspects, and then some,,.; very good section on networking in a wireless environment, especially if you are combining a wired and wireless home network that you need to lock down.
Now all I have to do is find out where the resource sharing sections are ( As in shared devices ),,,, lots to do, now even more; gives excellent scope for expanding your ideas for a better home network.


User review
Comprehensive
I have been a little overwhelmed with the various options, utilities, etc. and Windows XP Pro and was looking for a book that provides a comprehensive overview. I think this book is what I was looking for and am confident that if I have a question about XP Pro, I'll find the answer within its pages. The authors also strike a good balance between focussing on XP Pro out of the box and the various third-party utilities, etc. available to make your life easier.

tmr

User review
Covering all versions makes it a valuable book.
Recently I was doing some consulting for a company and performing a Windows XP Professional Rollover and upgrade. I was also teaching a class for A+ and the new objectives which has XP questions. This book while not a certification specific book, handled both jobs very well.

What this book is is more than how to configure the desktop and change the background or setup XP to look like the `Classic` windows interface. While it does all that it also takes you through security and networking and what I found to very interesting is that it discusses the Home and the Professional versions as well as the 32 and 64 bit versions.

There are step by step procedures throughout the book to help you learn to perform different operations, such setting up the ASR process, dual booting Windows 9X and XP and how to do searches for people, computers and more.

There is a great deal of pictures and diagrams in the book; however I think that some of them need to be in color in order to completely understand the full meaning the photo.

There is also a cd included which has an additional chapter that the book does not cover. It also has over an hour of video to show you how to perform certain technical functions.

Overall the book is very comprehensive and for those wanting to add to the knowledge they have or possibly use this book for certification exams you have a very good source of information.