Book Description
The Hamster Revolution is a timely solution to both the widespread problem of email overload as well as most people's inefficient (or nonexistent) systems for categorizing and storing email messages. This book provides the practical steps needed to deal with these problems and become more efficient in our work.
Customer Reviews:
Quick Read Can Make a Diffference in Managing Email.......2007-09-26
Taking cue from The One Minute Manager, Zapp!, Fish! and Who Moved My Cheese?, The Hamster Revolution uses a parable to show how to better manage and organize e-mail and information. The hamster represents people endlessly running on the wheel of e-mail. Right away, I start using concepts from the 90-minute book. Considering I'm an organized person, that says something.
In the story, Harold the Hamster receives a visit from an information coach to help him with e-mail and information management. Harold is a person who turned into a hamster because e-mail and information trapped him on a figurative hamster wheel.
Harold and his coach think aloud as they explore his e-mail habits and inbox to find the problem areas. The banter between the two gives the reader insight into why something doesn't work and how to fix it. Their comments mirror what many of us think when we're drowning in messages. Though cheesy at times, the story quickly explains the how, what, and why without confusing readers with dry writing.
I was eager to discover the secret of COTA, the concept for creating folders named Clients, Output, Teams and Administration. COTA also represents the order of priority. The Clients folder receives top honors on the hierarchy than Output. Administration gets thrown to the bottom of the pile where it belongs. But this concept isn't as foolproof as the authors make it sound.
They state that you won't run into a situation when an email or document belongs in two folders. However, if that should happen -- then the document belongs in the one higher up on the COTA ladder. Furthermore, the system serves departments and teams best.
COTA won't work well for personal use (the authors apparently have another system for this, but information isn't available yet) or a small business like mine where I'm a freelancer working on a computer that houses both business and personal information.
Furthermore, not everyone will know what some things mean such as EOM (end of message) or NRN (no reply needed). These require teaching others and a team setting would adapt to that better than a lone person who must explain it in many individuals. EOM and NRN should become as standard as smilies, but they're far from there.
Some advice might sound common sense or old news to some people, but the authors share lesser known or new concepts. The book has had positive impact on my e-mail habits, and for what it is worth, that opinion comes from a long-time e-mail user (the days of BBSes -- pre-Internet).
Great new tips for email.......2007-06-20
Purchased the audio tape for the car. Easy listening and great tips on productivity for managing email overload. Makes you think before you send an email, sculpt it, use categories for easier identification/prioritization and shows new system for filing and finding anything anytime. It worked for me and can warmly recommend to everybody! Join the Hamster Revolution!
I want my 90 minutes back........2007-06-13
If you have any system of organizing your email already in place, don't bother reading this book.
First of all, this book is written in a "For Complete Morons" "Who Moved My Cheese?" style which I found to be a complete turn-off.
The first half of the book tells you what's wrong with your email style, which is news only to those that don't know how to conduct business communication in the first place. "Is the content of your email appropriate and professional?" I should hope so. Then it goes on to say you should convert your coworkers to the wonderful time-saving methodologies you've learned in this book, and direct them to the book web site. Any student of human nature can tell you, you can't really force anyone to do anything they don't want to do, you can only set an example and hope that they want to emulate it. If you are the boss, I suppose you can order people to follow the guidelines in this book, but otherwise it suggests giving your peers critiques of what's wrong with the email they've been sending you, a technique that's sure to make you near and dear to their hearts.
The second half of the book, which I eagerly anticipated, makes suggestions, then breaks its own rules, resulting in a confusing set of directions that aren't ultimately very useful. For example, the book states that you should be able to sort any email you receive into one folder, without wasting time deliberating over the decision between folders. You are supposed to organize your emails into Clients, Output, Teams, and Admin folders. If something falls into two folders, for example, some Output for a Client, it goes into the first folder in the COTA order-- the Client folder. But when would you ever create output that doesn't have a Client? And Clients in this case includes external AND internal customers. If your organization has a lot of output that isn't created FOR anybody, you have bigger problems than email.
Some of the other suggestions are obvious but presented as epiphany, such as, use subfolders within the COTA folders. Has it ever occurred to you that you could use email subfolders? Does your organization already use instant messaging for asynchronous messages? Guess what, you don't need this book.
In a FAQ at the end of the book, there is a tip that was not new to me, but which has worked for me. Turn off your email notifications (popups, sounds, etc.) and check your email about twice a day for a dedicated block of time. Otherwise every time you receive an email, you are interrupted from your flow of work.
What will happen with email? It is indeed a growing problem, I can't argue with that. I hope that Outlook develops better search technology, like that embedded in GMail. If you are one of the many Outlook users, you know that when your folders reach a certain size, an advanced search can take 15 minutes or more. However, creating a new folder structure isn't likely to do much for you, except cost you the time it takes to reorganize all of your mail.
A must-read for everyone who uses email.......2007-05-28
Getting overloaded with emails over the last 3-4 years. So decided to buy some books on the subject to improve. Bought 3 books from Amazon - Emails, Conquer Your Email Overload and Hamster Revolution. Find Hamster Revolution the best. I can see Hamster in me with over 500 emails in my in-box and having problems in relocating some of the infor later. This book is NOT about how to use Outlook. What I like is the story-telling method the authors used to bring across, otherwise a dry and technical subject, with interesting, lively and useful ideas. Strategy 1 is an eye opener for me. So simple and yet so useful ! Find it so enlightening and useful that I am thinking of asking the company to engage them for an in-house workshop ! Well done, guys !
It's a parable for a practical email management course which really works.......2007-05-19
If email is demanding more and more of your business time, it's time to take in THE HAMSTER REVOLUTION, which tells of an HR director who meets an efficiency coach and learns a simple management system. It's a parable for a practical email management course which really works, includes a case study showing how over 2,000 Capital One associates cut their email time by 23 percent, and tells how to add quality into email management strategy for optimum results. Busy managers in particular will relish its advice, making THE HAMSTER REVOLUTION especially recommended for business libraries.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Average customer rating:
- Excellent book on Microsoft anti-trust trial
- An excellent analysis of the case
- whiny
- Save Your Money
- Wow, What a Thoroughly Great Book
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Pride Before the Fall: The Trials of Bill Gates and the End of the Microsoft Era
John Heilemann
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The Search: How Google and Its Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture
ASIN: 0066621178
Release Date: 2001-01-09 |
Amazon.com
Like other "totemic firms" of recent years, Microsoft attained astounding power and profitability in stunningly short order--along with a slew of rivals who desperately wanted it broken into less threatening pieces. Few really believed it would happen when the U.S. Department of Justice first began looking into its operations, however, which made the eventual judgment against the company even more significant. "The humbling of Microsoft is the last great business story of the 20th century and the first great riddle of the 21st," writes John Heilemann in Pride Before the Fall, his insightful examination of the epic antitrust battle that began as a Wired magazine cover story. "There are fancier ways of putting it," he adds, "but the riddle is: how did it happen?" In the pages that follow, Heilemann examines the behind-the-scenes machinations that drove United States v. Microsoft, based largely on exclusive interviews he conducted with Bill Gates and his top lieutenants, Justice Department prosecutor Joel Klein, special trial counsel (and lead Democratic Florida recount litigator) David Boies, Intel chief Andy Grove, Sun Microsystems' Scott McNealy, and various "unknown soldiers" who arguably played the biggest role of all. With Microsoft's future still uncertain, Pride helps reset the tone in a case that will shape our high-tech future. --Howard Rothman
Book Description
John Heilemann's Pride Before the Fall uncovers the secret history of the antitrust trial that shook an economy: United States v. Microsoft. Drawing on years of reporting -- including extensive interviews with Gates and other top Microsoft executives, Justice Department trustbuster Joel Klein, superlitigator David Boies, Intel chief Andy Grove, Sun Microsystems CEO Scott McNealy, and scores of lesser-known but pivotal players -- Heilemann lays bare the chaotic confluence of forces that shattered Microsoft's aura of invincibility and the climate of fear that held an industry in thrall.
Based on an acclaimed Wired magazine cover story, Pride Before the Fall is packed with rich personalities, dramatic scenes, and explosive revelations. It tells the stories of the largely unknown men and women who turned their opposition to Gates's company into a crusade, laboring for years to persuade the government to indict Microsoft for its monopolistic practices. Pride Before the Fall explains in compelling detail how the high-tech kingpins whose businesses Gates had tried to destroy or strong-arm (Netscape, Apple, Sun, and even Intel) worked in secret to help the Justice Department bring down Microsoft. It explores the lasting damage the trial has inflicted on the first great empire of the Information Age. And Heilemann offers a vivid and sometimes shocking portrait of Gates himself -- describing a man who in 1993 told his friends, "I have as much power as the president," only to be thrown into rage and depression a few years later, when he discovered just how wrong he'd been.
Like a figure from Greek tragedy, Heilemann writes, Gates sowed the seeds of his own undoing. From lengthy visits to Redmond before, during, and after the trial, Heilemarnn paints a picture of a culture that can only be described as the Cult of Bill, a culture that had few limits when it came to eviscerating the competition, a culture that grew out of Gates's fiercely single-minded determination to keep Microsoft from meeting the fate of a company that he had studied, admired, rivaled, and then surpassed: IBM. But when that culture came under scrutiny on Capitol Hill, in the halls of the Justice Department, and in the courtroom of Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson, it provoked a verdict far harsher than anyone could have predicted -- and guaranteed for Microsoft the very fate that Gates had struggled so desperately to avoid.
With Pride Before the Fall, John Heilemann confirms his reputation as one of Silicon Valley's most talented and respected journalists. Years of inside access to the Valley's boardrooms have given him a unique understanding of the technology industry, just as his years as a reporter in Washington have informed his grasp of the political currents that swept the U.S. government into a battle it never wanted to fight. But what sets Pride Before the Fall apart isn't simply Heilemann's mastery of the dynamics of business, public policy, and the law. This superbly gifted writer has also given us a revelatory tale of human ambition and human frailty -- a timely saga of arrogance, ruthlessness, and revenge.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent book on Microsoft anti-trust trial.......2007-05-21
This book puts out a lot of factual information while keeping the read interesting. I've used this in a college ethics class, and most students liked it. I know of an attorney's office that used it to familiarize their staff with the case.
The book is biased against Microsoft, but shows enough of their side that it doesn't come across as a shallow review. Lot's of interviews keep the book interesting.
An excellent analysis of the case.......2001-08-26
Heilemann has done a fabulous job with this book. The Wired article was really gripping and the full length book is just as difficult to put down! It really makes you wonder what they're thinking in Redmond - at the end of the book I couldn't help feeling that Gates (as Heilemann presents him) seems a lot like Mr. Burns in the Simpsons episode where Lisa teaches him about recycling and he ends 'recycling' all the fish in the sea for livestock feed. He couldn't figure out why he was wrong and Gates seems to have the same difficulty.
whiny.......2001-06-09
This book is more of a whine session than an informative look into the microsoft case. Poor writing and questionable facts make this book impossible to read. Save your money!
Save Your Money.......2001-05-15
This book was more than "based on" the Wired article, it was the Wired article. I read both the article and the book, and in my opinion there was very little added to the book. I would suggest buying the Wired Magazine that had this article, ... .
Excluding that, the book was well written and entertaining, but somewhat disappointing. The amount of access the author had provided great visibility into the trial, but I felt the author squandered that information. There was very little analysis, and often the author missed humorous/interesting snippets that other books/articles had picked up (e.g. in "The New New Thing" and Upside's news coverage of the trial).
This book felt more like a synapse or a chronology, and it left me wanting more...
Wow, What a Thoroughly Great Book.......2001-05-11
No superlative is adequate to describe the high quality of this incisive reporting. How did this author ever stitch all of this story together? Incredible sources, great insights, and to think Gates almost pulled off the monopolistic crime of the century! Thank you U.S. government for protecting us from this abuse. Thank you John for taking time out of your busy schedule to clue the rest of us in to how this proud giant was humbled, for his own good.
Customer Reviews:
Timeless book.......2006-07-06
I believe I first read this book in the mid-1990's when I was working as a product manager for a software application. You will not find a better book to start your journey about understanding requirements. It is a great foundational book before you dive into sophisticated methods like Quality Functional Deployment (QFD). It was an amazing book to read at the time. I just picked up the book today to read a few sections. It's still a great read, it is timeless.
Premier Book on Requirements Exploration.......2006-04-06
Note the distinction, this is not about Requirements Management, but understanding how to generate and explore requirements for goodness. I love Weinberg because he always makes you think. He takes an unconventional approach and I have never yet read a book of his where I didn't come away with an epiphany, and a completely different understanding of the fundamental problems. Sections 9.2 and 9.4 are classic and worth the price of the book! If you read these and still can't understand why the requirements problem is Hard, change profession.
Time To Stop Printing.......2005-11-10
I buy a lot of books from amazon, and I rarely make any comments. The material and style of this book are outdated, and it is vague on content. The authors should make a revised version, or the book should no longer be printed.
Bottom line, do not buy it! I am returning my copy.
A "must read" book for anyone who designs systems.......2003-08-10
In a world where there is strong emphasis on project management skills and design skills, this is a welcome book that emphasizes that requirements must come first. The process of defining requirements is vital to success and, with good requirements, quality is assured. I recommend this book to anyone who works on solving problems or in building systems of any kind. Gause and Weinberg are excellent in presenting complex concepts in an entertaining and informative way.
There is a human tendency to want to rush into solutions as soon as an opportunity surfaces. And... the result is usually not what was needed. Then, there is a rush to "add quality" to the result by fixing the flaws. This is costly and often fatal to the project. This book takes the reader down a different road. A road of first defining the objective that is to be attained and being sure that all parties understand and agree to the requirements. If you only have a few books in your business library, this should be one of them. I shared my copy with so many colleagues that I finally had to buy another copy.
Should be 6 stars!.......2003-01-03
Like Weingerg's other books (and I have read them all -- most more than once), "Exploring Requirements" is about human nature, the way we react as individual beings to problems we encounter. Anyone looking for a canned methodology or "step-by-step" process to enable a system definition or design may be disappointed. But anyone who reads this will never react to any type of communication the same way again.
This is definitely not a technical book, nor even an IT book. It should be required reading for anyone whose job involves communication -- and that's just about everyone in business today. I have recommended it to all my managers and direct reports over the years since it was first published. I have also recommended it to trainers in public speaking and executive presentation skills. The writers' style is at once entertaining and instructive. Unless you are looking for a "cookbook," you won't be disappointed.
Book Description
A day-by-day review guide for the Cisco Networking Academy Program student
The features of the book empower you to fit exam preparation into an otherwise busy schedule:
- Visual calendar summarizing each day’s study topic
- Checklist providing advice for preparation activities leading up to the exam
- Description of the 640-801 CCNA exam and how to sign up for it, including how to use a course voucher
- Strategies to be mentally, organizationally, and physically prepared for exam day
- Conversational tone, which makes your study time more enjoyable
If you have completed or are about to complete the four courses of the CCNA version 3.1 curriculum in the Cisco Networking Academy Program, you are ready to make your knowledge official with a CCNA certification. 31 Days Before Your CCNA Exam offers you a personable and practical way to understand the certification process and commit to taking the 640-801 CCNA certification exam while the course material is fresh in your mind.
Use the day-by-day guide and checklist to organize, prepare, and review. The best motivation for studying is scheduling an actual test date, so sign up and declare, “I am going to take the CCNA exam in 31 days, and this is what I will do to prepare leading up to the exam.”
Each day in this guide breaks down an exam topic into a manageable bit of information to review using short summaries from relevant parts of the four Networking Academy CCNA courses.
Customer Reviews:
Great Study book.......2007-03-25
I am using this book as a help for my students to get ready for the CCNA. I love it.
31 Days Before Your CCNA Exam: A Day-by-Day Quick Reference Study Guide (Cisco Networking Academy Program).......2007-01-09
Its more a booklet than a book with just references to where you actually go over the material. Just like the name implies, just a reference guide.
Its better to have an actual review book that goes over the different topics itself.
A Detailed, Formal, Review of the Four Courses.......2006-12-17
OK, so you've taken the four courses required for the CCNA exam. You know you need the piece of paper. You have one more task, Take The Test. Now what.
Now what you have to do is go back to all those courses and pull out what you need to review so your memory will be fresh, and of course unfailing.
This book is a guide to the review you need to make in the last 31 days before the test. It is broken down by days, with each day having six or seven pages of material you'll need to know. If you read these few pages and have no problems remembering the background and understanding in full what they are saying, you're in good shape.
But more important, it it brings up a subject that sounds like a foreign language, you'll know where to go back in the various text books to find the details. Remember this is not the course, this is a review of what you need to have gleaned out of the courses.
If you know what's here you'll be well on your way to passing the test.
Great Book - Must Buy.......2006-11-03
I bought this for my son to help with his prep for the CCNA exam. He raves about the book and how it clears things up and helps him to understand stuff that his teacher wasn't very clear on. I am so relieved to have found something to help him prepare and give him some confidence in the difficult material. I think the 31 Days idea is a great way to make it seem less overwhelming too. This book is a must buy for anyone getting their CCNA!
The Must Get Reference Guide for CCNA!.......2006-11-01
31 Days Before Your CCNA Exam is written exclusively for the Cisco Networking Academy student who is preparing for the CCNA exam. It is organized such that the student can break down important concepts into understandable chunks to study for the exam. This book does a very good job of preparing the reader by giving them a timetable to study and then finally take the exam.
Each day in this guide breaks down an exam topic into a manageable bit of information to review using short summaries from relevant parts of the four Networking Academy CCNA courses.
The author does a great job summarizing the important concepts for the exam, but this should not be the sole book to study in order to take the exam. The book refers the user back to the Networking Academy curriculum for reference and study help.
The author includes a section called "Getting to Know the CCNA exam" that explains how the test is laid out, including types of questions that could be asked. He also includes a section titled "Exam day and Post-Exam Information" that gives exam-takers guidelines on what to expect after the exam, as well as what to do if they do not pass on the first attempt.
The diagrams and tables in the book are standard Cisco artwork. Coverage of the OSI model is complete, as is the section on IP addressing. Wildcard masking is touched on to some extent; coverage could be more complete in this area. Coverage of LAN switching is also lacking.
Overall, 31Days Before Your CCNA Exam is a true gem. It really is for the Cisco student that has some experience and not just coming in "blind". The book really needed to have simulation software bundled with it since that is a major point of the Cisco CCNA exam. Use the day-by-day guide and checklist to organize, prepare, and review.
The best motivation for studying is scheduling an actual test date, so sign up and declare, "I am going to take the CCNA exam in 31 days, and this is what I will do to prepare leading up to the exam." Buy the book, it will definitely help you!
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Reference Material.......2007-09-01
This book explains the basics (and some more advanced concepts) of good graphic design without overwhelming the reader with technical terms nor "dumbing down" the vocabulary for the novice. There are plenty of colourful examples and the book follows its own advice! This book lacks, however, the specific steps to accomplish the different design goals, but this is probably due the many publishing packages available. It assumes the reader will figure that out for himself (or herself.) The book is a compact 200 page document that is filled with useful information from cover to cover and is a great addition to any designer's reference library.
Another successful design book from Before & After.......2007-06-13
Yet another great book from the folks at Before & After. I have the Before & After Page Design book and subscribe to the PDF magazine. Even with all that, I still liked the addition of this book. It covers the usual business situations like newsletters, stationery, logos, forms and charts. The ideas illustrated and dissected here were found to be light bulb creating. I was able to apply a few of the tips right away to some projects I was working on at the time.
Some of the nuggets I enjoyed most were the comparison and discussion of what typefaces are best for what text that can be applied to all sorts of type, logo creation and thought process and the charts. The charts were not just your average pie charts, but great design elements.
Again, I'm impressed by another Before & After project. The illustrations and explanations help new and intermediate designers improve the craft. I'm sure seasoned professionals can pick up a few tips too.
Excellent.......2007-03-09
This is a concise, easy to read book that seems to cover a large variety of publications and projects. I can open it up to any page and get new ideas and insights on projects I'm working on.
Great book for effective work.......2005-11-21
I am a former graphic worker and I now teach this matter to students who have no ideas of the state of the art.
The book is professionnal and easy to use, and all examples are so helpfull to any people who need advices in business graphics.
A great resource for ANY business.......2005-11-09
Before & After is one of my favorite design magazines. The project examples, step-by-step guidelines and practical articles have always been excellent resources for designers of all education and experiences levels. With Graphics for Business, author, designer and teacher John McWade teaches the reader how to make their business look great. The book is not logo or corporate identity specific. In addition to logo design, McWade covers the creation of newsletters, stationery, sales pieces and forms, and charts, reports, calendars and maps. Still, the logo and identity section of the book (44 pages of the volume) explains logos very well and provides great examples of how to design lettermarks, wordmarks, monograms, ligatures and other forms of identities. Playing with type, words, shapes and illustrative elements are all presented in fun and well-illustrated manner. The book will be a great addition to the design library of anyone interested in producing a strong image for their business, or that of a client. - Jeff Fisher, writer of bLog-oMotives and the "Logo Notions" column at CreativeLatitude.com
Average customer rating:
- Before&AfterPageDesign-Great Book!
- Dated but Useful
- Great tips.
- New to design?
- Good material for the starting designer
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Before & After Page Design
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ASIN: 020179537X |
Book Description
Before and After magazine's focus on clarity and simplicity and its insistence on approaching design not as mere decoration but as an essential form of communication have won it legions of fans. If you're among them, you'll welcome the first book from B and A's founder and publisher. John McWade walks his own talk, bringing you a beautifully clear, cohesive, and elegant primer on page design. You'll learn by example how to design single-page and multi-page publications, brochures, and advertisements, applying the principles design professionals live by. You'll also learn how to choose the right font for your project, why one typeface works better than another, and lots more. Best of all, you'll discover how to think visually--transforming the images in your head into documents that communicate effectively on the page.
Customer Reviews:
Before&AfterPageDesign-Great Book!.......2007-09-30
This is a great and helpful book for graphic designers, beginning and advanced. It is a thin book, paperback, not heavy to carry around with you. It's also easy to read and understand. Also a great price/value. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about design. :) :)
Dated but Useful.......2007-07-24
Would rather recommend their beautiful magazine and/or PDF publications which come out irregularly. Every issue is a treat. Take caution however; sadly their customer service treats subscription problems with contempt.
Great tips........2007-06-29
I subscribe to the before & after website and decided to buy this book based on my satisfaction with that membership. The book has great design information. It's so helpful to have the here's what it looked like before and here's how it could be better aspects. It really helps me in my design work.
New to design?.......2006-07-09
This book is wonderful for designers new to design. It teaches you the basics rules and gives plenty of examples (before and after) of how to arrange elements and type.
Very "eye catching" solutions! I am an illustrator & this is a wonderful way to enhance and round out my creativity in my illustrations. A definite must for someone new.
Good material for the starting designer.......2006-02-27
Good book, teaches you the basics of desing this book should be purchased by people that are barely starting.
Book Description
When Windows works properly, it's relatively easy to ignore; you can concentrate on the work you're trying to do and forget about the plumbing inside your computer. But when something goes wrong, it often requires an experienced guide to solve the problem and restore the computer to working condition. Everybody who uses Microsoft Windows eventually has to deal with cryptic error messages, frozen screens, and other more or less dramatic problems. Windows troubleshooting is the set of tools and techniques that can identify the source of a problem and find a solution.
It's Never Done That Before is a guide to Windows XP troubleshooting for people who don't spend their lives fixing computer problems. It includes basic troubleshooting techniques, specific instructions for solving the most common problems in Windows XP, and more general information for finding and fixing more obscure ones. It also provides pointers to explanations of BIOS beep codes and blue screen errors, instructions for using the troubleshooting tools supplied with Windows XP such as Safe Mode and the Recovery Console, and advice for dealing with device drivers, the ROM BIOS, and the Windows Registry. Viruses, spyware, and Internet connection problems are all included, along with advice for getting the most out of the Microsoft Knowledge base and other online information resources, and dealing with help desks and technical support centers.
Customer Reviews:
Good advice for the basic user.......2006-09-25
What a great book title and if you've worked with Windows XP you are sure to have heard it or thought it many times. If you are tired of the strange things that Windows XP does at the most inopportune times then this text is for you. If you are not already a power user with good technical skills at troubleshooting Windows problems but are not afraid to try things yourself then you will find this book one of the best places to start when you have problems.
The author starts with the basics of troubleshooting including common problems, black screens, blue screens, error messages, startup problems, safe mode, and recovery console. From there he then looks at the all too common device driver problems, using the Microsoft knowledge base, and working with the BIOS and registry.
Of course those are just one the many different types of problems that may occur. John Ross also examines other types of problems that may be introduced from the outside including things like viruses and spyware. Each of these subjects is examined and the author details how they affect your system as well as what to do to get rid of the most common ones. Of course the all too common network problems including Internet connections as well as LAN problems are covered as well.
The book ends with a section on troubleshooting and replacing hardware. This text is too basic for the power user but hits the target very well for the new or average user who is unafraid to try to fix problems their self. It's Never Done That Before is a recommended read as a good first level resource for the home user.
Solid troubleshooting information..........2006-07-05
I can think of a number of times over the past few years I could have used this book... It's Never Done That Before! - A Guide To Troubleshooting Windows XP by John Ross. This is a solid volume on figuring out what just happened to your computer...
Contents: Troubleshooting Methods and Tools; Types of Windows Problems and Failures; What to Do When Windows Won't Start; Black Screens and Blue Screens; Solving Device Driver Problems; Using the Microsoft Knowledge Base and Other Online Resources; Using System Restore and Other Rollback Techniques; Underneath It All - The BIOS; The Windows Registry - Here Be Demons; Dealing with Individual Programs and Files; Service Packs, Patches, and Other Updates; Viruses, Spyware, and Other Nasties; Internet Connection Problems; Local Network Problems; Dealing with Hardware Problems; Troubleshooting and Replacing Hard Drives; Troubleshooting and Replacing Other Hardware; If All Else Fails... Call Tech Support; Cutting Your Losses - What to Do When Nothing Else Works; Things to Do Now, Before Your Computer Crashes; Device Manager Error Codes and BIOS POST Beep Codes; Free and Inexpensive Security Programs for Windows XP; Index
The nice thing about this book is that it's completely focused on fixing problems. It's not just an add-on to a larger book on how Windows works. As such, you end up getting much more troubleshooting detail that you might see in other books. Ross writes in a conversational style, so you end up with information that doesn't intimidate at the same point in time that you're already stressed out to start with. Even better, it's enjoyable enough to read *before* you end up with problems that bring your computer to it's knees. There's good defensive information contained in there, such as how to back up data and create restore disks (which I still need to do). This can help you minimize the damage in case things go completely south...
I've rebuilt my Windows OS enough times now that I'm not quite as freaked out as I used to be when things went wrong. But a book like this would have been a lifesaver the first time I got a blue screen of death that wouldn't go away. If you don't have any Windows troubleshooting titles in your bookshelf, this might be a good place to start.
Plenty of troubleshooting techniques and tips for resolving common XP programs .......2006-07-03
If you're frustrated with Windows XP, turn to John Ross' It's Never Done That Before! before calling in the techs. Chapters offer plenty of troubleshooting techniques and tips for resolving common XP programs and many an obscure detail as well. From using XP's built-in troubleshooting tools to handling problems with device drivers and even registry issues and viruses, reach for this before the telephone when troubleshooting: it'll save you a bundle.
Book Description
Tips for sending effective and professional emails that are effective, polite, and informative are outlined in this comprehensive reference guide. Because a poorly or sloppily worded letter has the power to affect careers, damage relationships, or cause legal trouble, this guide trains users to present themselves in email as polished professionals who understand the importance of etiquette and write effective emails that get the desired kind of attention.
Book Description
BradyGames’ Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie’s Revenge Official Strategy Guide includes the following:
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A complete walkthrough of this bizarre adventure.
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Expert boss strategies to defeat the entire freakish cast of characters, including Oogie Boogie.
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Extensive maps of the more than 25 levels.
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Detailed listing of Jack Skellingtons alternate forms, Santa Jack and the Pumpkin King.
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Game secrets revealed!
Platform: PlayStation 2
Genre: Action/Adventure
This product is available for sale worldwide, excluding Japan.
Customer Reviews:
nightmare before christmas strategy guide.......2006-11-10
I was very pleased with the results of my order. It had arrived in decent time and in great condition, an he price was really reasonable as well. I wanted to thank you for the great customer service and service that i had received.
Midniyt.......2006-01-29
The book gives great descriptions and walkthorugh for the entire game. Plus gives character info for all that you run into,and descriptions for each costume Jack turns into. Bradygames brand is a good name in general.
Book Description
- Through stunning four-color images that demonstrate how nondescript "before" situations gradually become astonishing "after" results, this book offers readers simple steps to achieve unique outcomes
- Readers learn how to incorporate the latest Web-building techniques on their sites, redesign a site for optimum usability, limit user bandwidth needs, keep user experience consistent with CSS, and manage content
- The medley of makeovers includes: full-site makeovers (user speed, color themes, improved accessibility), page makeovers (page sizing, working with tables), text makeovers (font selection, graphic alternatives), image makeovers (incorporating text with images, file sizing), navigation makeovers (improving navigation bars, menu additions), content makeovers (better Web writing, enhancing the home page message), and an extreme makeover (combining several smaller makeovers into a major site overhaul)
Download Description
Through stunning four-color images that demonstrate how nondescript ""before"" situations gradually become astonishing ""after"" results, this book offers readers simple steps to achieve unique outcomes Readers learn how to incorporate the latest Web-building techniques on their sites, redesign a site for optimum usability, limit user bandwidth needs, keep user experience consistent with CSS, and manage content The medley of makeovers includes: full-site makeovers (user speed, color themes, improved accessibility), page makeovers (page sizing, working with tables), text makeovers (font selection, graphic alternatives), image makeovers (incorporating text with images, file sizing), navigation makeovers (improving navigation bars, menu additions), content makeovers (better Web writing, enhancing the home page message), and an extreme makeover (combining several smaller makeovers into a major site overhaul)
Customer Reviews:
Okay for a basic introduction to web design. .......2007-10-21
I just came from Borders after having flipped through this book and I absolutely agree with a previous reviewer who said the author doesn't provide much, if any, detailed descriptions. For example, he will tell you that fonts are important to web design but does not goes into detail about size, spacing, color, etc, other than showing that tweaking them can make a difference in the overall look--hence the "before/after" approach. Well, duh! Tweaking anything will make a difference but as a reader I want to know not only what to tweak, but how much to tweak it. It's the "how much" part he often leaves out. When he touched upon a topic of interest, I needed to look through other books to get more information on it.
This is definitely not a how-to book. Echoing the other reviewer, this book is for inspiration and is targeted to fairly novice users. Having had my own blog for two years, I am pretty familiar with the basics and tweaked them at one time or another. I now want to step it up to the next level of design sophistication.
I need a book that will tell me in detail HOW to make it better not just WHAT to make better. I am passed the "what" stage.
Not to knock this book too much. It did point out a few things I could have designed better, so I do think it is useful as a quick reference. I'll buy a used copy of it because when it comes to web design you can never have enough ideas.
Disappointing.......2007-10-19
I had high hopes for this book until I started trying to work through the ideas/examples. I was disappointed. For one, the book's illustrations of code examples are so small as to be illegible without a magnifying glass, and even with one the illustration highlights obscure some of the code. For two, having downloaded and unzipped the companion files I found these were often redundant, unnecessary, and/or didn't represent what showed up in the book illustrations. It seemed like the author dumped the kitchen sink from his files into the zipped groups. And for three, too often the background/explanation of why to use this or that code snippet was missing. For instance, essential background information about how to size layouts with CSS was woefully absent. I tried to follow the example in the text on a website I was working on, and failed miserably. Nonetheless, the book did stimulate my thinking, and sometimes provided useful information, about how one might make improvements to a website.
Best Web Design Book Ever!.......2006-07-29
I am only 10 + 1 years old and I managed to create my own site with cool frames CSS and everything from scratch. Great for kids, as it is easy to read and understand, unlike some cheesy guides I've come across. Great price, too!
An amazing item for kids and novices.......2006-07-29
I am a novice, and a kid. I have my own site, where I parody things and found this book a great tool to give my site a total makeover. This is a must for those web-obsessed kids like me!
Some good stuff to improve your web interface..........2006-06-13
I'm always on the lookout for books that can help me improve my lackluster interface design skills when it comes to web development. I found a lot to like in the book Web Design Before And After Makeovers by Richard Wagner.
Contents:
Makeover Essentials; Page Layout Makeovers; Navigation Makeovers; Page Element Makeovers, Text Makeovers, Image Makeovers; Image Performance Makeovers; Home Page Makeovers; Content Makeovers; Form Makeovers; Add-On Makeovers; Site Makeovers; Extreme Makeovers; Index
The focus of this book is to take ordinary pages and redo them using standard CSS and JavaScript techniques that add the polish to make the site look more professional. Some of this is more "under the covers", such as using CSS and div tags instead of tables to lay out your form. But tricks on how to round the corners of your boxes, changing the default look and feel of forms, and more professional spacing and layout are definitely more visible and obvious. The tool of choice for his coding is Dreamweaver and Photoshop for image manipulation. But in most cases, you can pretty easily figure out how to do the same thing in your own toolset (if it differs from him). You shouldn't expect a lot of "how to" on the CSS end. He shows you the CSS that he uses to do the coding, but this is *not* a tutorial on the subject. If you didn't know any CSS, you might struggle a bit. For me, the book was worth it for a Firefox developer tool tip that shows the div layouts of your page. I have a coding project coming up, and I think that will be the tool that saves my hide...
If your page design skills haven't progressed much past 1998, you would do well to spend some time here. Most of the information is not overly complex, and it can make a world of difference in your sites.
Books:
- The History of Management Thought
- The Industrial Revolution, 1760-1830 (OPUS)
- The Lean Manufacturing Pocket Handbook
- The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More
- The Rose and the Shield
- The Science of Getting Rich
- The Six Sigma Handbook: The Complete Guide for Greenbelts, Blackbelts, and Managers at All Levels, Revised and Expanded Edition
- The Social Life of Things: Commodities in Cultural Perspective (Cambridge Studies in Social & Cultural Anthropology)
- The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
- The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century
Books Index
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