Jeste li ikada prošli kroz knjižaru ili javnu knjižnicu i zapitali se zašto postoji toliko knjiga koje pokušavaju objasniti softver i hardver? Za to svakako postoji razlog. Tiskani priručnik je, uglavnom, izumro. A ljudi još uvijek žele znati kako stvari funkcioniraju. Prije nekoliko godina, Microsoft je objavio neke od najboljih korisničkih priručnika u poslu. Paradoksalno, kako je njihov softver rastao i uključivao sve više i više značajki, priručnici su se smanjivali, sve dok danas nemate sreće da dobijete Vodič za brzi početak^{(Quick Start Guide)} . O'Reilly Media ' Windows 7, The Missing Manual' pomaže popuniti jaz između onoga što Microsoft isporučuje sa sustavom Windows 7^{(Windows 7)} i onoga što ljudi stvarno trebaju znati.

Nedostaju priručnici

Knjiga počinje uvjeravanjem onih koji prelaze sa Windows XP na Windows 7 da će biti dosta pomoći (i postoji). Postoji kratki pregled različitih verzija sustava Windows 7 i odjeljak koji bilježi što je dodano u Windows 7 i koje su aplikacije iz prethodnih verzija izbrisane. A onda možete istražiti Windows 7 kroz sedam dijelova, bezbroj odjeljaka i četiri dodatka.

Knjiga to izlaže

Svaki dio 'Windows 7, The Missing Manual' jasno opisuje što se promijenilo u prijelazu sa sustava Windows XP^{(Windows XP)} i Windows Vista , a svaki naslov odjeljka navodi verzije sustava Windows 7na koje se informacije odnose. Postoji mnogo bočnih traka u cijeloj knjizi - od kratkih objašnjenja pojmova koje ljudi možda ne znaju ("do brzine") do bilješke o sjajnim značajkama s kojima ljudi možda još nisu upoznati ("dragulj u grubom stanju") . Druge bočne trake pomažu ljudima kojima se svidjelo kako je nekada bilo da vrate neke od klasičnih značajki ("kutak nostalgije") ili odgovore na često postavljana pitanja. Kao i kod mnogih tehničkih knjiga, bočne trake su nešto što čitatelj može preskočiti, ali gotovo svaka sadrži nešto zanimljivo, pa su vrijedne čitanja.

Mnogi dijelovi priručnika koji nedostaje

Prvi dio je Desktop . Njegovi odjeljci su " Početak rada^{(Getting Started)} , Radna površina^(Desktop) i izbornik Start^{(Start Menu)} " , " Explorer , Windows i traka zadataka^(Taskbar) " , " Pretraživanje^(Searching) i organiziranje datoteka^{(Organizing Your Files)} " , " Uređenje interijera Windows^{(Interior Decorating Windows)} " i " Dobivanje pomoći^{(Getting Help)} " . Drugi dio^{(Part Two)} je Windows 7 softver^{(Windows 7 Software)} . Njegovi odjeljci su " Programi^(Programs) , dokumenti^(Documents) i gadgeti^(Gadgets) ", " Freebie aplikacije^{(Freebie Apps)} " i " Upravljačka ploča^{(Control Panel)} " .^{(Part Three)}Windows 7 Online . Njegovi odjeljci su "Priključivanje na Internet ", " Internet Security ", " Internet Explorer 8 ", " Windows Live Mail " i " Windows Live Services ". Četvrti dio^{(Part Four)} je Slike, glazba i TV^{(Pictures, Music and TV)} . Njegovi odjeljci su " Windows Live Photo Gallery ", " Windows Media Player " i " Windows Media Center ". Peti dio^{(Part Five)} je Hardver i periferni uređaji^{(Hardware & Peripherals)} . Njegovi odjeljci su " Ispis^(Print) , faks^(Fax) & skeniranje^(Scan) " "^(Hardware)Prijenosna računala^(Laptops) , tableti^(Tablets) i zasloni osjetljivi na dodir^{(Touchscreens)} ." Šesti dio^{(Part Six)} je PC Health . Njegovi odjeljci su " Održavanje^{(Maintenance)} i podešavanje brzine^{(Speed Tweaks)} ", " Poglavlje o disku^{(Disk Chapter)} " i " Sigurnosne kopije^(Backups) , vraćanje sustava^{(System Restore)} i rješavanje problema^{(Troubleshooting)} ." Sedmi dio^{(Part Seven)} je Umrežavanje i kućne grupe^{(Networking & Homegroups)} . Njegovi odjeljci su " Računi^(Accounts) i prijava^(Logging) ", "Postavljanje radne grupe^(Workgroup) ", " Mrežne domene^{(Network Domains)} ", " Dijeljenje datoteka^{(Sharing Files)} na mreži^(Network) ",Daljinsko upravljanje^{(Remote Control)} ." Dodaci^(Appendices) su " Instaliranje^(Installing) i nadogradnja^(Upgrading) na Windows 7 ", Zabava^(Fun) s registrom^(Registry) , " Kamo^(Where) je nestalo?" i " Glavni popis prečaca na tipkovnici^{(Master Keyboard Shortcut List)} ". Kao što možete vidjeti, u ovoj knjizi postoji zapanjujuća količina informacija. Proći kroz nju odjeljak po odjeljak, ovaj pregled bi bio dugačak gotovo kao i njegov predmet. Stoga ću općenito govoriti o 'Windows 7, The Missing Manual' , njegovim plusevima i minusima.

Na pozitivnoj strani

Glavni plus je, naravno, to što ju je napisao stručnjak za sve strane David Pogue . G. Pogue^{(Mr. Pogue)} je jasan i zabavan pisac i definitivno poznaje svoju temu iznutra i izvana. Stvorio je seriju Missing Manuals upravo zato što zna koliko se ovih dana ne isporučuje sa softverom. Budući da 'Windows 7, The Missing Manual' sadrži informacije koje bi se nekada nalazile u velikom, debelom tiskanom priručniku uključenom u operacijski sustav, nijedna značajka ili naredba se ne zanemaruju. Svaki odjeljak sadrži snimke zaslona koji čitatelju pokazuju o čemu se raspravlja. Pomoć koja se nudi ljudima koji nadogradnju sa Windows XP -a je opsežna, a Microsoftove promjene^(Microsoft)napravio između prethodnih verzija sustava Windows i Windows 7 detaljno su objašnjeni. Svaki dio sadrži dovoljno informacija da educira početnika i zadovolji stručnjaka. Ljudi poput mene koji ponekad više vole način na koji su stvari radile prijašnje verzije sustava Windows nisu omalovažavane. Bočne trake skreću pozornost na mnogo zaista korisnih informacija. Kao relativni novajlija u sustavu Windows 7^{(Windows 7)} koji je koristio gotovo svaki prethodni Microsoftov^(Microsoft) operativni sustav, naučio sam nešto novo u gotovo svakom odjeljku i definitivno sam lakše s novim značajkama Windowsa 7^{(Windows 7)} nakon čitanja knjige. Knjiga je logično postavljena i opisuje Windows 7korak po korak, na način na koji bi mnogi ljudi napredovali od svog prvog pogleda na to do finijih točaka umrežavanja i rješavanja problema, tako da je lako pratiti.

Sa strane minusa

Međutim, to je knjiga od 850 stranica s indeksom od 30 stranica. Za mnoge ljude ovo bi moglo biti previše informacija^{(Information)} . Iako je stil pisanja gospodina Poguea^{(Mr. Pogue)} jasan i zabavan, mnogo se puta činilo da se usredotočio na zabavu, a ne na informacije. Mislim da se knjiga lako mogla urediti za trećinu, a da se pritom ništa ne izgubi. 'Windows 7, The Missing Manual' izvrsna je referenca, ali u pokušaju da se sve objasni i prilagode sve razine vještina možda nikome neće biti u potpunosti zadovoljavajuće. Možda se mogla podijeliti u dvije knjige, jednu za korisnike od početnika do srednjeg, a drugu za korisnike srednje i napredne.

Presuda

Ovo je definitivno slučaj kada je "probajte prije kupnje" zajamčeno. Budući da je knjiga prilično skupa, a izdanje e-knjige ne košta puno manje, ima smisla pogledati ovu knjigu u lokalnoj javnoj knjižnici i pregledati je da vidite je li to referenca koju želite imati pri ruci. Ako želite knjigu koja detaljno opisuje svaku značajku sustava Windows 7 , onda 'Windows 7, priručnik koji nedostaje'^{('Windows 7, The Missing Manual')} zaslužuje mjesto na vašoj polici.

Book Review - Windows 7, The Missing Manual

Haνe you ever walked through a bookstore or a public library and wondered why there are so manу books thаt try to explain software and hardware? There's definitely a reason for that. The printed manual is, for the most part, еxtinct. And peoрle still want to knоw how things work. Years ago, Microsoft рut out some of the best user manuals in the business. Paradoxically, as their software grew and included more and more features, the manuals dwindled away, until today уou're lucky to get a Quick Start Guide. O'Reilly Media's 'Windows 7, The Missing Manual' helps fill the gap between what Microsoft supplies with Windows 7 and what people really need to know.

The Manuals are Missing

The book starts off by reassuring those who are moving from Windows XP to Windows 7 that there will be plenty of help available (and there is). There's a quick rundown of the various versions of Windows 7, and a section that notes what's been added to Windows 7 and which applications from previous versions have been deleted. And then it's off to explore Windows 7, through seven parts, myriad sections and four appendices.

The book lays it out

Each part of 'Windows 7, The Missing Manual' clearly describes what has changed in the transition from Windows XP and Windows Vista, and each section heading notes the versions of Windows 7 to which the information applies. There are plenty of sidebars throughout the book - from short explanations of terms that people might not know ("up to speed,") to the note about great features that people might not yet be familiar with ("gem in the rough,"). Other sidebars help people who liked the way things used to be get some of the classic features back ("nostalgia corner") or answer frequently asked questions. As with many technical books, the sidebars are something the reader can skip over, but nearly every one contains something of interest, so they are well worth reading.

The many parts of a Missing Manual

Part One is Desktop. Its sections are "Getting Started, Desktop and Start Menu," "Explorer, Windows and the Taskbar," "Searching and Organizing Your Files," "Interior Decorating Windows," and "Getting Help." Part Two is Windows 7 Software. Its sections are "Programs, Documents & Gadgets," "The Freebie Apps," and "The Control Panel." Part Three is Windows 7 Online. Its sections are "Hooking Up to the Internet," "Internet Security," "Internet Explorer 8," "Windows Live Mail," and "Windows Live Services." Part Four is Pictures, Music and TV. Its sections are "Windows Live Photo Gallery," "Windows Media Player," and "Windows Media Center." Part Five is Hardware & Peripherals. Its sections are "Print, Fax & Scan," "Hardware," and "Laptops, Tablets & Touchscreens." Part Six is PC Health. Its sections are "Maintenance & Speed Tweaks,"The Disk Chapter," and "Backups, System Restore & Troubleshooting." Part Seven is Networking & Homegroups. Its sections are "Accounts & Logging On," "Setting Up a Workgroup," "Network Domains," "Sharing Files on the Network," and "Windows by Remote Control." The Appendices are "Installing & Upgrading to Windows 7,"Fun with the Registry," "Where'd It Go?" and "The Master Keyboard Shortcut List." As you can see, there's a staggering amount of information in this book. To go through it section by section would make this review nearly as long as its subject. So I will talk in general terms about 'Windows 7, The Missing Manual', its pluses and minuses.

On the plus side

The major plus, of course, is that it was written by all-around expert David Pogue. Mr. Pogue is a clear and entertaining writer, and he definitely knows his subject inside and out. He created the Missing Manuals series precisely because he knows how much is not supplied with software these days. Since 'Windows 7, The Missing Manual' contains the information that once would have been in a big fat printed manual included with the operating system, no feature or command is overlooked. Each section contains screen shots to show the reader what's under discussion. The help offered to people upgrading from Windows XP is extensive, and the changes Microsoft has made between previous versions of Windows and Windows 7 are explained in detail. Each section contains enough information to educate the beginner and satisfy the expert. People like me who sometimes prefer the way previous versions of Windows did things aren't slighted. The sidebars draw attention to a lot of really useful information. As a relative newcomer to Windows 7 who's used just about every previous Microsoft operating system, I learned something new in just about every section and I'm definitely more at ease with the new features of Windows 7 after reading the book. The book is laid out logically and describes Windows 7 one step at a time, in the way many people would progress from their first view of it to the finer points of networking and troubleshooting, so it's easy to follow along.

On the minus side

That said, however, this is an 850-page book with an index that is 30 pages long. For many people, this may well be Too Much Information. While Mr. Pogue's writing style is clear and entertaining, many times it seemed that he focused on entertainment rather than information. I think the book could easily have been edited down by a third without losing anything in the process. 'Windows 7, The Missing Manual' is an excellent reference, but in trying to explain everything and accommodate all skill levels it may not be wholly satisfying to anyone. Perhaps it could have been split into two books, one for beginner-to-intermediate users and another one for intermediate-to-advanced users.

Verdict

This is definitely a case where "try before you buy" is warranted. Since the book is fairly expensive and the e-book edition doesn't cost much less, it makes sense to check this book out at your local public library and go through it to see if it's a reference you want to keep on hand. If you want a book that goes into detail about every single feature of Windows 7, then 'Windows 7, The Missing Manual' deserves a space on your bookshelf.

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