This book probably has just about anything anyone would want to know about Vista. It's big and thick and I assume that, because it's published by Microsoft, it's accurate. But because it's published by Microsoft, it's biased; you'd never find anything critical of Microsoft in the book, which only advises the use of a non-Microsoft software alternative if it's a situation that the Microsoft product just absolutely cannot handle.

In general, the attitude of the book is that Microsoft software has no flaws; if you can live with that, you will find the book useful because (shorn of the cheerleading) it's the most complete reference on Vista you can find.

This Tome of 1100 pages by Bott, Siechert & Stinson, offers comprehensive guidance in the application of the myriad of facilities offered by Vista, to those who do not need to be a Geek!

Windows Vista Inside Out
I didn't really need the book, just the eBook is just fine. I won't even need to open the book. I woul have rather have gotten just a CD which would have been a lot less expensive.

Well I decided to bite the bullet and give Vista a go. I'm glad I picked up this book, because I've learnt alot from it. I've found it to be well written, easy to understand and a very useful resource to have by my side when I need to work out how to do something in Vista.

I highly recommend that, unless you're a software novice, to wait for the hardbound Deluxe Edition. Very short on useful technical help for stability problems, error code fixes and glitches that are endemnic with this OS platform.

Please, please, please, Microsoft; release SP1 for the general public. As I wrote, unless you have never worked with operating system problems--save your money for the next edition. If you can't figure it out on your own, it is not in this book. I've hardly cracked it because it is so not helpful.

Believe it or not, this book has a LOT of information that's over my head; but, then, I'm NOT very computer literate.

I've found that, when I have a problem and try to locate a solution in this book, there is nothing similar to the problem. (This has been indicative in other computer manuals I've owned.) Maybe, I don't know how to locate a problem solver in the book because of the terminolohy I envision in my mind?????

But, I own the book JUST IN CASE!!! I feel a bit more secure. Maybe, I'll find what I need in the future.

As far as using the book as a reference on the Vista operating system, it is very satisfactory. It's the problem solving that's difficult.

The book is very well written and contains in depth information about the Win Vista Operating System. I use it as a reference always near at hand when I am on the computer. Thanks for an informative publication.

I have bought this product for my work. We are switching from XP to Vista, and I needed a good book to make the switch into a professional one. I really enjoy the book, it is plain and easy to use. You can search very good through the content. It is also easy to read. They have made it into a story (as good as it can be a story). I can recommand the book to other users of Vista as a "wanahave" because it really helps you to find you're way through a complex system.

Rutger Warta

I use computers all the time. In fact, I'm a programmer and develop software on XP. That said, I'm still getting a lot of useful info about Vista out of this book. Plus, the PDF version of it on the CD makes searching extremely easy. I'm very happy with this book. Lots of screen shots as well.

I'm not very good at fixing or upgrading computer programs.. I usually ask my friend to do it for me. His father is Mr computer fix-it. With this book i was able to do it myself. The book was clear on details and step by steps. If you don't know how or need more information this is the book for you. It contains websites to help you with programs that are and arent compatible with vista. 5 stars!

Windows Vista Inside Out
This is an excellent manual for Windows Vista. It is well written, easy to understand, and manages to cover the various versions of Vista in a clear manner. It identifies the differences between Vista and earlier versions of Windows in a manner that is very helpful to users transistioning to Vista.

I am a novice with computer stuff. I could understand and follow the book easily. The book is very well written.

Windows Vista Inside Out

I have found this book to be a very good learning and reference book for Vista

George High

fairly good, did not have some of the advanced info I would like.
I still don't know how to turn off the Turn-on-computer sound.
It is NOT the control panel, sound, deselect sound.

Windows Vista Inside Out
I am in my early 70s and can still remember that a farmer whom I worked for at the time would not buy a tractor, because it would be less cost effective than the horses he used. I found this book very useful, practical and easy to understand. It tells you more than you will ever want to know, however, where is the glossary? With the overwhelming quantity of acronyms, though well explained it would from time to time be handy to be able to just look the meaning up in a list rather then to have to back track in the text. Great book nevertheless.

New Vista users here is a great Reference and help with the little problems..A bit bulky but covers it all.

If you enjoyed Windows XP Inside Out, you'll also enjoy this book. Its full of helpful hints.

If you're a beginner, I wouldn't suggest this book. If you're an advanced user you probably will learn a few new things. But if you're an intermediate user this is right up your alley.

Perfect Condition. CD is a great help too. Great tool for intermediate users.

Vista isn't very hard to use, but there are little things that I need to look up on occasion. I love the fact that I can install the eBook on my computer so I always have it with me. (I use a TabletPC and carry it to home and work and on trips.) Having all this information available to me at all times is great. People ask me a question (I do tech support), I search for the answer, tell them what they need to know, and they think I know everything. Having it on the computer makes all the difference to me.

The response was quick and would recomend buying books from Amazon when other need arised.

I have used Windows for several years. I bought a computer with Vista installed. I got Inside Out hoping to find new tips and tricks and didn't. The illustratins about changing colors are in B/W. The print in illustrations is too small.

If you're an administrator and are looking for a title to give you an edge on configuring, managing, deploying, etc. Vista, this title isn't for you; the Windows Vista(TM) Resource Kit is what you're looking for. This book is for average users new to Vista who want to familiarize themselves with the new OS and the bundled applications.

For the most part, the first 9 chapters cover the basics of Vista insofar as the user experience is concerned, concentrating on configuration, getting your plug and play hardware to work, understanding and using the embedded software, and using the provided support tools to help yourself and your friends. The coverage in this area is very complete, well written and easy to follow, with very little missing insofar as things "you should know". Although separated by a few chapters, chapters 15 thru 19 continue this coverage with information about the digital media (pictures, video, and music) tools included (Windows Media Player, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker, Media Center, and DVD Maker).

Chapters 10 thru 14 deal primarily with security and in-home networking. These sections include understanding what viruses, worms, and spyware are, reviewing the security tools and utilities in Vista that can protect you from these kinds of threats, and keeping your system updated. This is followed by an overview of local account management and parental controls, and finally setting up a peer to peer network and sharing resources. Again, all these sections are very well written and make it easy for those that might be uncomfortable with these areas to read and implement successfully.

The remaining chapters step up the technical level to include information on system maintenance, system tune-ups, troubleshooting tools, service management, as well as the registry. Many of these topics, if not properly explained, can cause the reader to have issues with their system when not properly implemented, but the authors have done a good job of explaining the what's and how's, as well as providing good recommendations on when to not do something.

If you're looking for a good end-user book to teach you the basics of Vista and then advance your skills on the OS, this is an excellent and inclusive read that won't leave you looking for additional materials later on.

This book is not nearly so helpful as the previous books for Win XP. The author spends too much time explaining the cutsey additions to Windows (in Vista) and hasn't experience with the real problems folks have with the changes between XP and Vista. Such as the restore point where Vista decides how features should be used, but the imposed choice may not be what is needed.( like how do you find how to creat a restore point and how to find the point needed.

Excellent book full of detail to come to terms with a new operating system. Vista has so many options available to customise it for your use, with some of the defaults not being helpful, eg setting a recover point, set off. Could be made better by use of colour in diagrams. A needed reference book because of the differences from XP.

As with all new toys...manuals are a necessity unless you are the type that breaks them to learn how to fix them. The authors have used the Inside Out format successfully to make the transition to this new OS a more user friendly experience. I personally feel that it is well written, easy to understand and clarifies a lot of the mysteries that come with the new platform...overall a good read and an excellent resource book.

This book has some very good detail about just about every aspect of Microsoft's new client operating system. I've been playing with Vista since the betas and thought that I'd pretty much discovered everything new. I was wrong. Some of the detail seemed directed at a first time user of Vista. I would have liked to see some more command line stuff. Perhaps there will be an update.

This book was useful in answering some of my questions about Vista file and folder security. It was more elementary than I expected, and somewhat hype-laden re Vista features such as Media Center. But generally, accurate.

It's a good book for a start if you want to know more about Vista. It gives some essential tools to manage and use vista properly. If you're a regular vista user, this could give you some tricks and tweaks to maximize your vista experience.

Any 1,000+ plus page book is not for the novice but this is a great shelf reference if you need to understand Vista. The book is well organized so you can focus on an area. In my case it was valuable to focus on networking because it has changed dramatically. I could skim by the movie features until I have a need to know.

All questions answered and then some. The only book you'll need on the subject.

I was plesantly surprised at the readability and depth of information this book delivers without boring the reader to death.

The book also comes with a CD containing the entire text in a fully searchable ebook, plus other useful things.

The authors are to be highly commended. If you want to make your migration from earlier versions of Windows to Vista relatively painless, this is the first book I'd buy.

The book is great! I am very happy!
Thanks.
Paulo Cesar Aiub de Albuquerque.
Mineiros-Goiás
Brasil

The ones who will benefit from this title are those who are already extremely familiar with Vista and consider themselves gurus of the product. For them, there is much here to enjoy.

The problem appears when anyone else reads it.

Bott and company leave so much to the imagination. So much is knowledge is assumed that there is no way a beginner can comprehend the instructions in spite of the cover's promises. The difference between this and a more traditional Windows book, such as Sams Teach Yourself Microsoft Windows Vista All in One (Sams Teach Yourself) for example, is that this one is written in a cryptic style.

I believe there is much value here but the wording doesn't lend itself to that.

The wording SOUNDS as though the author did little more than take an XP version of this book that was for advanced users, changed the title and some screen shots, eliminated all background and preliminary material that anyon new to each topic would need, and what we have left is the result.

I'd stick to more traditional titles if you want to REALLY know how to get the most from Vista.

The book is the usual Microsoft tome about an operating system, and since I have not read it, I cannot comment on the value of the contents. I write these few words to warn readers that they must have very good eyes to deal with this volume. While the text in the book is large enough to read, diagrams, charts, and illustrations contain print that is too small to read without a magnifying glass. (I have 20-20 corrected reading vision). The accompanying DVD provides a chance to enlarge any page or any given illustration, but it is nearly impossible to control the cursor movement to either go or stay where you want it. Sequential reading is extreemly difficult on the DVD so it does not resolve the readability problems I find with the book. (The Windows XP book is not quite so difficult to read but could have still benfited from larger type in the illustrations). Maybe Microsoft should have published this huge and unweildly book in two volumes, increasing the print size, and making it easier to handle. It's a shame to pay big bucks for an essential resource but one so hard to use.

Great thorough book for those who need to know the nitty gritty on Vista. This book is for tech savy people who want to get past the surface newness of Vista but really learn what the OS can do to chnage your computing.
Take it slow, theres a lot to read.

I recently purchased the book.. Windows Vista Inside Out
I'd like comment about the readability of the book.

I'm using my reading glasses to read the book, but it's not
easy to read for long periods of time as I can with other
books that have larger print. This book would be so much
better if the font was one or two sizes larger. I can
read the print but the size is too small which makes it
fatiguing to read for long periods of time. I think a font
that is too small also reduces the reading comprehension.

A major reason why I buy a book on Windows is for the
diagrams and screen images of a Windows screen. Almost
every example of a computer screen image or window in
this book is not readable without a magnifying glass.
This is insane to have to use a magnifying glass to read
every other page of your book where a Windows diagram
is shown.

The info in the book is fine but what good is it if
the format of the text is so small that it fatigues
and frustrates the reader? Most people don't have
a magifying glass so most of the diagrams end up
being a waste or just skipped over.

I ordered this book from online, but if I had seen it
in a bookstore I would have passed it up due to the
small fonts and diagrams that need a magnifying glass
to read.

---pete---

This book is required reading for those who plan to install and run Windows Vista. I consulted it constantly during the initial installation and subsequent personalization of Vista on my computer (e.g., setting up shared folders, etc.).

The ultimate tool for the Vista convert or newby - read it twice before you tackle Vista. Thanks Ed!

Had lots of detail info about the inner workings of the system. Helped me with some problems that I was having.

Two books I consider as "Must Have" books for Windows Vista users are Windows Vista (Missing Manual) and Windows Vista Inside Out. I found most of what I needed to know in Windows Vista (Missing Manual), a great book to help one get up and running with the new Windows Vista operating system. I find the more technical information that interests me and allows me to keep learning even after I become a comfortable and competent user of Windows Vista in Windows Vista Inside Out. I would not be without either book.

Windows Vista Inside Out is and in-depth and comprehensive reference. Buy it. If you are technically oriented and enjoy continuous learning, this book will assist and guide you along. If you are like most Windows users, and I consider myself like most Windows users, you will not learn everything available to you in this book right away. As you use Windows Vista and need or want to know something more along the way, you are likely to find the information you need or want in Windows Vista Inside Out. I used Windows XP Inside Out and would not be without Windows Vista Inside Out.

Another great tech manual from these guys. Depth of info and readability are excellent. Don't want to imagine life without it. For anyone managing a Vista environment it's a must have.

I have been in the IT field for over twenty years and have used the inside XP book lots of times so when i saw the inside vista i jumped on it. I've been using vista since the longhorn beta days and use ultimate everyday as my personal computer for learning mainly. I still need this book, things this book helped me with. #1 the dreaded you sound device is not configured properly and it sure looks like it is. read the book and in 10 minutes problem solved. #2 Buy a new dell with vista on it and right out of the box you get a driver conflict error, this is not a one time fluke either i've seen it at least a dozen times read the book problem fixed.
Do I need to go on. I was @ a customers site doing vista training and he saw my book and presto he had me go online and get him one too. This is not just for the it professional but anyone who is having trouble with vista or just wants to know more.

I would highly recommend.

This a pretty basic book. I didn't find it very useful.

Rest assured the content of this book is every bit as good as "XP Inside Out." Visually, however, the book is very disappointing. The entire book looks as though it was printed in "draft" mode to save ink. The blue highlights, figures, and even the text is very light. Compare the VISTA and XP books side-by-side and it looks like each page of the VISTA book used one-half the ink used in the XP book.

Content - 5 stars.
Readability - 1 star.

They've done it again. Those who have read Windows XP Inside-Out should proceed straight to Checkout because this Vista edition is the encore of that performance. Suffice it to say this book will fill your heart with the same joy and happiness you got from the last edition and so there is no need for you to read beyond this paragraph.

Multiple authors should be able to produce a better product than a lone ranger, and while that is not always realized, these authors have managed that achievement. The authors spent over three years on the book and solicited input from dozens of developers and technical professionals at Microsoft. The result is a tome that is thorough and comprehensive.

Windows Vista Inside-Out covers all features of all editions of Vista and indicates differences with XP - new or dropped features. The Inside-Out titles are not aimed at Grandma, and so it is presumed the reader is proficient at basic computing. After the basics, you can ride this tome to Power User status or higher.

No book has, or will ever be published to address every, or even most problems. The best a book can accomplish is to explain the subject so that one can resolve his own problems. As comprehensive as it is, this tome is not definitive on Vista. The definitive work on any version of Windows is the Resource Kit. Yet no matter what one reads, there is no substitute for hands-on troubleshooting. That's how Expert status is earned. Those not seeking expertise will learn enough here to become self-sufficient so that you won't have to call anyone for help.



ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Given the pain and suffering I have endured with many IT books, I'd like to thank Microsoft Press for the effort you put into your publications. Kudos to the editors for making this book easy to read and understand. All the authors' knowledge would amount to half if the book couldn't be comprehended by the reader. Thank you for running your manuscripts through a spell-checker and requiring that your editors be proficient in English. My condolences to readers of some presses!

Lord have mercy!

They've done it again. Readers who have read Windows XP Inside-Out should proceed straight to Checkout because this Vista edition is the encore of that performance. Suffice it to say this book will fill your heart with the same joy and happiness you got from the last edition and so there is no need for you to read beyond this paragraph.

Multiple authors should be able to produce a better product than a lone ranger, and while that is not always realized, these authors have managed to achieve that objective. The authors spent over three years on the book and solicited input from dozens of developers and technical professionals at Microsoft. The result is a tome that is thorough and comprehensive.

Windows Vista Inside-Out covers all features of all editions of Vista and indicates differences with XP - new or dropped features. The Inside-Out titles are not aimed at Grandma, and so it is presumed the reader is proficient at basic computer skills. After the basics, you can ride this tome to Power User status, Technical Support, or higher glory.



ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Given the pain and suffering I have endured with many IT books, I'd like to thank Microsoft Press for the effort you put into your publications. Kudos to the editors for making this book easy to read and understand. All the authors' knowledge would amount to half if the book couldn't be comprehended by the reader. Thank you for running your manuscripts through a spell-checker and requiring that your editors be proficient in English. My condolences to readers of some presses!

Lord have mercy!

Definitely a must-have book for anyone with Vista. Anyone. I especially appreciate all the warnings of cautions of what will happen if you do "x", not to mention recommendations of more powerful third-party software included throughout. The authors are well-known for their critical honesty toward Microsoft and their knowledge of Windows operating systems. Just buy it; you can thank me later.

Like XP Inside and Out before it, this book covers -- superbly -- every major aspect of Windows Vista. Major topics include setup and startup, personalization, security and networking, digital media, and system maintenance and management. Subtopics include Vista's new Aero look, the new start menu, the (awesome) new search features, the new and improved Windows Explorer, Internet Explorer 7, Media Player 11, the new security features (including a persuasive defense of Vista's new UAC feature), and the new system maintenance and performance tools. It is essential reading for all things Vista.

The book is chock full of practical information and advice on how best to install, configure, operate, and maintain Vista. If there is one way to do something, they tell you the correct way. If there is more than one correct way, they tell you that, too. They often make recommendations about what method you should choose. I was particularly interested in the sections covering how to get the most out of the new performance tools such as the revamped Task Manager and new Resource Overview tool. If you regard yourself as a power user, you are going to love these new tools.

In sum, this book is your instruction manual for how to get the most out of Vista. This is regardless of what Vista edition you use or whether you are a beginning, intermediate, or advanced user. As an extra bonus, the book also comes with a CD containing a searchable edition of the book and a few other goodies. You can install it on your hard drive and use it as a online guide. If I was going to buy only one Vista book, this is it. Just as the XP Inside and Out book was before it.

This exactly what ever IT tech needs for Vista along with "Windows Vista Administrator's Pocket Consultant". Even though they where gong to delay the release of this publication to revise it for the actual released version of Vista, it is jammed full of professional IT info. When the next release and updated version of "Windows Vista Inside Out" is published I will be buying immediately. It is a must have for experienced computer enthusiast's and professional IT technicians.

Dennis K
Best Buy Geek Squad IT technician