Book Review

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional

By Mike Oliveira, Cyberwalker Media Syndicate

Windows 2000 looks close enough to its predecessors to be somewhat familiar. But, while its interface hasn't changed much, a whole lot has changed under the surface.

For some, that's what made Windows 2000 worth waiting for. But the average computer user is not concerned with the technical additions - just with what's the same and what isn't.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional spares you all the techno-babble and concentrates on what you need to know as a user. If you could care less about its powerful, but complex, administrative capabilities, then pick this book over one of the thousand-page manuals out there. It offers advice on everything from daily procedures to performing maintenance.

It strays a bit from covering just the operating system by discussing what you can do with some of its included applications. It introduces you to the included word processor, graphics tools and then shows you how to get connected to the Internet. A nice bonus is a cutout reference sheet, full of handy keyboard shortcuts to make your life easier.

This would make a great book for the first-time computer user -- it will approach the subject well for beginners or novices. But, while the material is covered well, it's not really new. This book will disappoint anyone with rudimentary knowledge of a previous Windows operating system. It may offer a few new shortcuts or tricks but, overall, what it provides is mostly common knowledge.

Want to create a new folder or change the wallpaper? The average user probably already knows how to do that. It can be argued that Windows 2000 is mainly an upgrade for power users but, even then, the book would more appropriately be targeted to Windows users in general. To call it a guide to Windows 2000 is a little misleading since most of the material isn't exclusive to the new operating system.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional is a friendly, easy-to-read computer book. At just under 400 pages, it's reasonably thin, which makes the read less intimidating for beginners.
If you are even reasonably comfortable operating Windows, this book will seem old hat. But if you're tired of asking your niece or nephew for instructions on how to do almost anything with your computer, this is the book for you.

Reviewer's rating: 3.5 / 5

Comments: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional is an inexpensive, helpful book for the new computer user with Windows 2000. The material is only a review for anyone with previous experience with Windows.

Title: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
Author: Paul McFedries
Publisher: QUE
ISBN: 0789721295

Price: $19.99 US, $29.95 Canadian