About the Book
This compact and comprehensive book systematically unveils what resoluteusers of the new Windows XP operating system should find interesting and useful, with little-known details, utility programs, and configuration settings all captured in a consistent reference format. A hands-on guide, it aims to cut through the hype and give practical details of use every day. At the heart of the book is a reference section titled "Windows XP Applications and Tools," containing: detailed information on most of the commands and utilities available with Windows XP, including Start Menu accessories, command prompt tools, hidden system administration utilities such as the Registry Editor, Microsoft Management Console, and TweakUI; a comprehensive "Where to Find It?" section designed to give Windows 9x/Me and Windows NT/2000 users a guide to the XP counterparts to previously familiar features, plus information on installing and upgrading; and a task and setting Index, which provides users with quick access to locations of the hundreds of settings in Windows XP, organized alphabetically; and a complete reference to the command prompt - not only covering the basics of the command line and the different ways to use it, but also the advanced commands and scripting features at Windows XP's disposal.
The book also contains numerous tips and tricks, while warning of potential pitfalls, and should enable anyone to get the most out of all the resources available in XP.
Table of Contents:
Part I The big picture: the lay of the land, the big picture, what's new in Windows XP, Windows XP Home and professional editions, Windows update; using Windows XP - the desktop, point and click operations, starting up applications, styles and consequences of styles, Windows and menus, keyboard accelerators, common controls, files, folders, and disks, the command line, online help, shutting down. Part II Alphabetical reference; the user interface; Windows XP applications and tools - using the command prompt, alphabetical reference to Windows components; task and setting index; the command prompt - using the command line, command prompt choices, wildcards, pipes, and redirection, alphabetical reference to DOS commands. Part III Advanced topics: networking - networking terminology, general procedures; the registry, what's in the registry, adding and deleting registry keys and values, organization of the registry, hives, backing up the registry, exporting and importing registry, data with patches, ten cool things you can do in your registry; the Windows script host - what is WSH?, additional resources, executing scripts, creating a script, VBScript, object model, Wscript object, shell object, registry routines, shortcuts, popup, network object, network printer-related functions, fileSystem object, textStream object, object browser, database example, messaging MS-DOS batch files. Part IV Appendices: installing Windows XP; migrating to Windows XP; keyboard shortcuts; power toys and TweakUI; keyboard equivalents for symbols and international characters; common filename extensions; services.
About the Author :
Tim O'Reilly is founder and president of O'Reilly & Associates, publisher of the X Window System series and the popular Nutshell Handbooks on UNIX. Tim has had a hand in writing or editing many of the books published by O'Reilly & Associates. He is also the author of a book about science-fiction writer Frank Herbert. Tim's long-term vision for the company is to create a vehicle where creative people can support themselves by exploring interesting ideas. Tim graduated cum laude from Harvard in 1975 with a B.A. in classics. Troy Mott is an associate editor for O'Reilly & Associates. He has played an integral role in managing many Windows books through the publishing process, from conception to release. He has degrees in English from California Polytechnic University and Sonoma State University. He is also a freelance writer for a Santa Rosa-based finance company and enjoys writing fiction in his spare time. David A. Karp, a graduate from the University of California at Berkeley in mechanical engineering, is a specialist in user-interface design and computer-based training. He currently consults on Internet technology, web site production, and software engineering. He has written for a number of magazines, most recently for Windows Sources. He created the Windows95 Annoyances web site, the catalyst for this book. David initiated the web site as an early beta tester of Windows95, and by the time the product was released, the site was widely cited as one of the best technical resources on the Web. Noted recognition includes PC Computing magazine, Yahoo! Computing, Windows Magazine, and the San Francisco Examiner.
Review :
"...it's packed with useful information, tips, tricks and screenshots, all clearly explained. ... An excellent resource." Windows XP, August 2002 "This book is an essential addition to any XP enthusiast's library. Its aim is simple: to chronicle as many undocumented features as possible. It won't tell you much about things that you already know or can find out easily, but it will reveal just how deep XP goes... If you're after an introduction to XP, look elsewhere. If you want a companion to Windows XP Inside Out, or something that will appeal to someone with at least six months' XP experience, then you've struck gold." "If you want to delve deep into Windows XP, take this book with you..." - Nick Peers, PC Answers, September (Platinum Award) "O'Reilly have long had a reputation as the professional's choice when it comes to computer books, and volumes in their 'in a nutshell' series are the next best thing to an original supplier's manual. They contain at least as much information and usually in a more accessible format. And this book is no exception to the rule. At over GBP20 this book isn't cheap, but is is a comprehensive and easy-to-use guide to XP. If you only ever buy one Windows XP Book, you could do a lot worse than this one." - Ian Barker, PC-How To Windows XP, Issue 26
