Book details of 'Windows XP Power Hound'

Title	Windows XP Power Hound
Author(s)	Preston Gralla
ISBN	0596006195
Language	English
Published	September 2004
Publisher	Pogue Press

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The Virtual Bookcase Reviews of 'Windows XP Power Hound':

Reviewer Rob Slade wrote:
The introduction assumes that the reader already has some experience with Windows XP and the author simply intends to throw a bunch of tips at you. The book is somewhat structured by topic, but otherwise each tip stands on its own. Having said that the book isn't going to tell you how to log on, it is strange to find that chapter one is about Startup and Shutdown. However, the content doesn't walk you through the process, but rather tells you how to do various customizations. (Some of the text is less than helpful: a section on eliminating the graphical startup screen tells you that the task can be accomplished from the command line and sends you to page 103. Page 103 doesn't say anything about startup options: it just lists the filenames for various utilities so that they can be invoked either by the Run box or from a DOS box.) The latter tips don't have much to do with starting or stopping: they deal with sounds and graphics options. Various customizations for the desktop are listed in chapter two. The use of Windows Explorer is covered in chapter three, although I've seen sets of tips that were a lot more useful or advanced. Chapter four describes a number of the utilities in Windows XP--and suggests a number of shareware alternatives. Chapter five isn't about XP as such, it's about Microsoft Office applications, and random tips for them. Most of the material to do with the Internet, in chapter six, relates to security issues. (The tip on how to turn off Windows Messenger is possibly worth the price of the book all by itself.) Ostensibly, chapter seven is about Web browsers in general, but the bulk of the content deals with Internet Explorer. Similarly, most of chapter eight is about Outlook or Outlook Express, rather than email per se. Chapter nine's outline of networking has some useful tips, but it doesn't give you enough information to set up even a home network. (I was very interested in the suggestion on how to set up alternate IP configurations, since the system that I use is cumbersome. Unfortunately, Gralla's procedure doesn't work.) Miscellaneous items to do with hardware are given in chapter ten. Chapter eleven looks at various ways to speed up your system, concentrating on having sufficient memory, and monitoring CPU usage. (There is no mention of turning off virtual memory, which generally results in both better performance and improved security.) Security is discussed in chapter twelve, but mostly in terms of Windows updates (patches) and encryption. There is no mention of getting rid of unneeded and possibly dangerous services (prime among which should be DCOM). The use of System Restore, without much in the way of detail, is described in chapter thirteen. Chapter fourteen has some brief documentation for Windows Media Player. A basic explanation of the Registry is provided in chapter fifteen. This book will provide much helpful information for those at an intermediate level of Windows use who want to get deeper under the hood. It doesn't have the depth of Karp's "Windows XP Annoyances" (see reviews), but still can be a useful resource. copyright Robert M. Slade, 2004
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Book description:

Windows XP can be a great tool, but it is all too easy to trip over Windows XP's annoying traits more often than you leverage its productivity. Windows XP power-users troll online resources, documentation, and the expertise (or lucky finds) of friends for valuable tips and tricks--a keyboard shortcut here, an undocumented double-click there--to eliminate annoyances, save time, and take control of their Windows XP. But what if there was an easier way? This new book presents literally hundreds of problems and solutions, amazing power tips, cool tricks, and clever workarounds in one clearly organized, easy to use, and portable resource. Truly insightful and amusing, Windows XP Power Hound gives Windows XP users practical hints for everything from the desktop to Office programs to the registry, and includes documented (but little-known) tips as well as previously undocumented tricks. Windows XP Power Hound moves far beyond mere productivity and explores what's possible with Windows XP--including cool things you probably never thought of doing. An understanding of Windows XP basics will get the job done. But discovering the most useful I didn't know that! tips and shortcuts will make using Windows XP a far richer and less frustrating experience. The practical, concise format of Windows XP Power Hound makes it easy to dip into for a quick tip from time to time; the warm, jargon-free tone makes it easy to read cover to cover. Anyone who wants to smooth out Windows XP's speed bumps and get some serious speed to accelerate through the bottlenecks will find that even a handful of these useful, to-the-point tips will make Windows XP Power Hound worth its weight in chocolate.