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List: $49.99
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for $39.95, and Save: $10.00 (20%)
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Paperback - 1344 pages 5th Bk&cdr edition (December 8, 1998)
IDG Books Worldwide, Dimensions (in inches): 2.30 x 9.27 x 7.44
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I really don't know how to start this review other than to say:
"I love this book!"
by David Pogue, Joseph Schorr
David is a long time writer, musician, visionary and columnist for Macworld Magazine.
What I like best about the Mac Secrets book is the way David's levity works its way
into every page until you're actually reading it more for the fun of reading than
gathering specific information. But don't let that fool you. Information is the name
of the game in Mac Secrets -- info you need, info you want, and info you’ll treasure.
You know, it would take several pages of review for me to even touch on the goodies
in this book. If you know me, then you know I'm not going to endorse any product
in this manner unless I'm 100% behind it. So, you can stick with me and get a glimpse
into this masterpiece -- or, if you're one of those who don't read lengthy reviews
just take my word for it and go quickly to the User Group Bookshelf (www.user-groups.net/ugbookshelf/
) and click on Mac Secrets. I'll give you the Amazon discount without the spam and
you can get on with what you were doing.
. . . I have actually read 855 of the 1284 pages and
Mac Secrets finds its way into my hands when I have a spare minute at home. Don't
read it cover to cover if you don't want to. Just select a page. Any page. Open the
book and start enjoying. If you have specific questions, then dig through the extensive
table of contents, or jump back to the index and find what you're looking for. If
you're a read-it-on-the-screen kind of person, then load up the online PDF file (included
on the CD-rom) and do a quick find. This is a must-have book for any and all Mac
users... any where, any age, any time, any experience level. Apple should include
one with each Mac sold. They'd have a lot fewer support calls.
. . . Here, I'll show you what I'm talking about. Let's
select a random page. . . Ahhh here we go... page 265. David is discussing enablers,
installers and Apple Extras. Here we find explanations of MS Preference panels, Scripting
Additions and os/8.5 Scripting. Hey here's a boxed item. "Laser Printer from
Hell" -- a great story that happened to the wife of a famous director when she
made the wrong selection in the Print Monitor. Whoa!!! So that’s what happened to
me the other day! Good stuff.
. . . The information goes on and on in David's own
charming way. Many times I've laughed out loud at David's wit. Here we go, Page 632
is the opening of a chapter on using PC disks in the Mac, and running PC programs
on the Mac. Good... I need that tomorrow at work. David doesn't just give you the
boring facts... he also gives you a peek into seldom seen nooks and crannies of the
Mac world that you will find fascinating. For instance, did you know there's a program
you can password protect, but will later accept bullets to gain access? Do you know
how to show and hide programs with a single keystroke? Did you know you could install
your own personality into the Mac Voice module? Do you know how to use a Ram disk
to speed up your web surfing? Do you know how fast your SCSI port really is? (Not
what Apple tells you.) Do you know how to get QuickTime's Pro features without buying
the upgrade, and it's perfectly okay? Did you ever learn what the extension "A/Rose"
is for??? Do you know about Gerbils? Wha??? David says: "You can't go through
life claiming to be a true Mac user until you've tried Gerbils!" I could ramble
on and on.
. . . Besides the cool stuff and the fun stuff Mac Secrets
has a full accompaniment of spec sheets on every single Mac made, a complete department
on PowerBooks (the best I've ever seen,) a strong beginners primer on QuickTime (got
me started for the first time,) Ethernet and networking primer, a really helpful
chapter on America Online, a good insider look at MS Word 98, and more than 650 other
tips, productivity pointers and troubleshooting techniques. I love this book. Today
I used the secret ABORT SHUT DOWN technique. It worked like a charm -- halted the
shutdown just in time for me to finish a last detail before leaving for the day.
. . . Don't even get me off on the CD-Rom. All I can
say is you're going to love David's song: "Microsoft" (QuickTime Audio
sung to the tune of Jingle Bells!) and you're going to love the more than 500 megabytes
of very handy shareware including a complete image editing program, numerous games,
a ton of utilities and plug-ins, and last but not least a complete, searchable version
of the book in PDF format. I love this book.
. . . Macworld Mac Secrets is $49. (We'll give you 10
bucks off) It'll be the best money you've spent on that Mac since you got it. And
if I haven't convinced you by now hold a mirror under your nose and see if you’re
still alive.
Hey... check this. . . I just discovered Photoshop 5's secret keystroke list! Bye!
Fred Showker
Don't miss our online interview with David Pogue!
Also see:
The Ibook for Dummies List
Price: $19.99 Our Price: $15.99 You Save: $4.00 (20%)
The Macworld Macintosh Secrets Book
The Microsloth Joke Book : A Satire
Tales from the Tech Line
Hilarious Strange-But-True Stories from Computer Technical-Support Hotlines
The Mac Bathroom Reader; Owen W. Linzmayer
Copyright 1999 The Designers' Bookshelf
and The User Group Network, All Rights Reserved
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