Windows Vista Accelerated

A SCUG Review - by Gregory West, SCUG Editor
Windows Vista Accelerated
Author: Guy Hart-Davis
Published: 2007
YoungJin.com
ISBN: 978-89-314-3438-5
Pages: 314
Versions of Vista covered in this book:
Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, and Ultimate Editions.
US $24.99 CAN $24.99

A must have for all Vista users.

Even though you may be quite proficient with Windows XP and can manage Vista enough to get things done, Vista offers so much more. This book guides you from start to finish as you learn all about Vista in plain language. The book progresses you in a series of steps from "Getting Started" to Networking, Hardware Management, Security, and "Using the Windows Vista Ultimate Features". In between, the usual topics such as: emailing, connecting to the Internet, customizing, and music-video-DVD and TV are all discussed in full detail.

One of the things I truly enjoyed while working with this book is the unlimited amount of screen shots. You are shown exactly what you should see when you click where the book instructs you. For example, most people get Vista already installed on their computers, but if you are like me and have to have the next new operating system you will need to know how to do the upgrade. This is covered at the onset of this book.

These step-by-step lessons, with coloured screenshots, found from cover to cover, takes the sting out of the learning process. You see what is supposed to be on your computer screen before you click to the next command. Each screenshot is fully explained in concise, short, detail, in plain english so you do not need a computer dictionary on standby. The book is laid out in 12 chapters. Each chapter leads into the next chapter, thus taking you a text and visual tour and a complete "how-to" with your new Vista. I suggest following along from start to finish, covering all 12 chapters to get a complete overview of the Vista operating system. After that you can go back and fine tune any parts of Vista with the assistance of the steps and screenshots. Using the book in this manner affords you some of the very helpful inside tricks and tips that Vista users are offered. You will also see how much this operating system has improved over Windows XP in its security. In fact, Chapter 10, "Securing Your PC and Windows" covers all you need to know about using your new operating system safely.

If you need to set up your Internet (Chapter 5) or configure a Network (chapter 8) it is all here. Chapter 11 has some very interesting and most helpful troubleshooting helpful items that everyone should read...This section will definitely help you out of jam and certainly help you save money on needless tech calls.

The tutorials in this book are easy to follow, the screenshots help guide you along without feeling lost at anytime in this book, and both the beginner and expert can benefit from a copy of Windows Vista Accelerated. I thoroughly enjoyed going through this book and will keep my copy on my desk for reference.

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