Despite Microsoft’s claims that their vaunted “focus groups” and client experience consultants have allowed them to offer us painless computing, you and the rest of the world know it isn’t true. Waiting for Windows XP or Vista to boot up and shut down certainly are irritations in themselves worth a hack or two.
As you can imagine, this is a large book. <grin> That is not just the number of pages (650) but also the format — of the fold-flat variety. This big book of hacks is easy to work with physically.
The editorial review on this page describes the contents well except that I would alter “contains more than 100 hacks” to “contains almost 200 hacks.” Quite a difference.
The writing is clear and informed. I’m sure you have read many of Gralla’s magazine contributions over the years. Be sure that the book is not all text. There are plenty of illustrations and even photos (for the hardware hacks) to guide you. The hacks themselves are directed at all versions of Windows, with the focus on XP and Vista.
Consider this book a compendium of all those tips you always rip out of your computer magazine s
Bigger, better, and broader in scope, the Big Book of Windows Hacks gives you everything you need to get the most out of your Windows Vista or XP system, including its related applications and the hardware it runs on or connects to. Whether you want to tweak Vista’s Aero interface, build customized sidebar gadgets and run them from a USB key, or hack the “unhackable” screensavers, you’ll find quick and ingenious ways to bend these recalcitrant operating systems to your will.
The Big Book of Windows Hacks focuses on Vista, the new bad boy on Microsoft’s block, with hacks and workarounds that also work for Windows XP. You can read each hack in just a few minutes, saving countless hours of searching for the right answer. The step-by-step instructions let you apply the solutions in no time. This book takes you beyond the operating system with hacks for applications like Internet Explorer 7 and Office 2007, and hardware such as the Zune, your wireless router, and the PC itself.
The Big Book of Windows Hacks includes:
* Expanded tutorials, new background material, a series of “quick hacks”, and informative sidebars
* Security hacks, including protection at wireless hotspots, hacking Vista file permissions and user account protection, and more
* Efficiency hacks, such as tweaking your PC hardware, troubleshooting hardware problems, and speeding up system performance
* Fun hacks, like building a custom Media Center PC or turning a PC into a digital video recorder
* “Beyond Windows” hacks for running Linux inside Vista, dual-booting Linux/Windows or XP/Vista, or emulate classic video games on your PC
In all, this remarkable book contains more than 100 hacks so that the power user in you never again needs to be at the mercy of systems and hardware run by Microsoft’s omnipotent Vista and XP operating systems.
About the Author
Preston Gralla is the author of Windows Vista in a Nutshell, the Windows Vista Pocket Reference, and is the editor of WindowsDevCenter.com . He is also the author of “Internet Annoyances”, “PC Pest Control”, “Windows XP Power Hound”, and “Windows XP Hacks”, Second Edition, and co-author of “Windows XP Cookbook”. He has written more than 30 other books. He has written for major national newspapers and magazines, including “PC Magazine”, “Computerworld”, the “Los Angeles Times”, the “Dallas Morning News” (where he was the technology columnist), “USA Today”, and several others. A well-known technology expert, Preston has also appeared on many TV and radio programs and networks, including CNN, MSNBC, and NPR. In addition, he’s won a number of awards for his writing, including Best Feature in a Computer Magazine from the Computer Press Association. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
