By David A. Karp
First Edition
October 2002
Pages: 586
Series: Annoyances
ISBN 10: 0-596-00416-8 |
ISBN 13: 9780596004163
(Average of 7 Customer Reviews)
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O'Reilly's popular series for troubleshooting Windows comes to the rescue with Windows XP Annoyances. This book is not designed to complain or criticize, but to acknowledge the problems and shortcomings of the operating system in order to overcome them. Complete with a collection of tools and techniques, this book allows users to improve their experience with Windows XP and establish control of the machine--rather than the other way around.
Full Description
- Understanding the Windows Registry, including the use of the Registry Editor and advanced topics such as finding the right Registry Keys and restoring a corrupted registry
- Customizing the interface beyond Microsoft's intentions, including many undocumented tweaks
- Mastering Windows built-in networking capabilities, including advanced technologies such as Internet Connection Sharing, Remote Desktop sharing, and virtual private networking
- Repairing Windows XP now that the DOS safety net is gone
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Book details
First Edition: October 2002
Series:
Annoyances
ISBN: 0-596-00416-8
Pages: 586
Average Customer Reviews: (Based on 7 Reviews)
Featured customer reviews
Windows XP Annoyances Review, February 24 2004
Excellent publication. I have no qualifications or training, just 'hands on' experience. I found the book to be informative & technically understandable. I have found my XP 'bible'
Windows XP Annoyances Review, October 08 2003
I liked the book a lot. The only real shortcoming I found was in the chapter
on networking where little or no attention was given to the problems caused
by firewalls when setting up networks. This has become a hot topic on the
internet forums. I would hope future additions pay more attention to this
important matter.
Overall it's the best presentation on XP I ever read.. and I read a lot of them
David Karp has obviously done his homework on this one.
Windows XP Annoyances Review, August 01 2003
I love this book! It helped me overcome several things that have been
bugging the hell out of me about Windows XP. Just browsing Appendix A,
the list of settings and where to find them has led to some pretty deep
revelations.
My biggest XP Annoyances?
- that annoying box that shows up whenever you hover over an image in
Internet Explorer.
- windows updates always interrupting my work. I can get my updates on
my own, thanks ( and check out other people's experiences with them
before I blindly install them )
- No way to get a printout of a directory without doing a printscreen
and printing the image.
The book addressed all of them. It thoughtfully explains why things are
as they are in Windows and how they could be better. My copy is
weatherbeaten and underlined and highlighted because I was reading it
like a novel, on the bus, at lunch, in bed.
One of the nice passages was the discussion about NTFS and the other
windows file systems and what each of them can and can't do. Also the
security information helped me take some further steps in securing my
home computer. The performance section is indespensable if you installed XP on any computer with less than oh, say 512 MB of RAM.
The section on the registry was worth the price of the book, in my
opinion. It taught me how to find the registry key that governs the
setting I am looking for, how to add registry interfaces to my
applications, and how to create, apply and edit registry patches, all of
which have added to my productivity.
In the file encryption discussion, he warns that some applications, when
editing files, open the file, erase the original and and replace it with
a copy. I don't doubt that it is true, but gee, I would like to know
some of the programs that do this because it sounds kind of crazy.... The encryption (and who knows what else) is lost. There is a workaround that the book explains.
The book missed a couple of things: For one, Windows XP that can act as a webDAV client. WebDAV is not the most intuitive thing in the world and I think a short section on it would have been useful to a lot of people. I saw no mention of WebDAV in the book.
Like most information in the book, the part about how Microsoft's
firewall is "feeble" is very informative, but the list of third party
firewalls he lists as alternatives leaves out the best one: Zone Alarm. He should have listed it or explained why he didn't.
The only other complaint I have is that while he offers a
lot of great security tips and settings, he could have taken the
security section a little further. For instance, he shows how to
run netstat from the command line and get a listing of all your open
ports. Then he says, "patch them up" without really telling you a good
way to do this. If I closed all those ports, half
of my applications would stop working. He should have detailed the work
needed to track down each of those ports.
In sum, this book has several things you shouldn't ignore and lots of
things that make operating Windows XP much more pleasant. Also,
following the remedies will make you more adventurous and confident as
you learn Windows XP.
Review by Tim McGuire
Windows XP Annoyances Review, August 01 2003
I love this book! It helped me overcome several things that have been
bugging the hell out of me about Windows XP. Just browsing Appendix A,
the list of settings and where to find them has led to some pretty deep
revelations.
My biggest XP Annoyances?
- that annoying box that shows up whenever you hover over an image in
Internet Explorer.
- windows updates always interrupting my work. I can get my updates on
my own, thanks ( and check out other people's experiences with them
before I blindly install them )
- No way to get a printout of a directory without doing a printscreen
and printing the image.
The book addressed all of them. It thoughtfully explains why things are
as they are in Windows and how they could be better. My copy is
weatherbeaten and underlined and highlighted because I was reading it
like a novel, on the bus, at lunch, in bed.
One of the nice passages was the discussion about NTFS and the other
windows file systems and what each of them can and can't do. Also the
security information helped me take some further steps in securing my
home computer. The performance section is indespensable if you installed XP on any computer with less than oh, say 512 MB of RAM.
The section on the registry was worth the price of the book, in my
opinion. It taught me how to find the registry key that governs the
setting I am looking for, how to add registry interfaces to my
applications, and how to create, apply and edit registry patches, all of
which have added to my productivity.
In the file encryption discussion, he warns that some applications, when
editing files, open the file, erase the original and and replace it with
a copy. I don't doubt that it is true, but gee, I would like to know
some of the programs that do this because it sounds kind of crazy.... The encryption (and who knows what else) is lost. There is a workaround that the book explains.
The book missed a couple of things: For one, Windows XP that can act as a webDAV client. WebDAV is not the most intuitive thing in the world and I think a short section on it would have been useful to a lot of people. I saw no mention of WebDAV in the book.
Like most information in the book, the part about how Microsoft's
firewall is "feeble" is very informative, but the list of third party
firewalls he lists as alternatives leaves out the best one: Zone Alarm. He should have listed it or explained why he didn't.
The only other complaint about the book I have is that while he offers a
lot of great security tips and settings, he could have taken the
security section a little further. For instance, he shows how to
run netstat from the command line and get a listing of all your open
ports. Then he says, "patch them up" without really telling you a good
way to do this. If I closed all those ports, half
of my applications would stop working. He should have detailed the work
needed to track down each of those ports.
In sum, this book has several things you shouldn't ignore and lots of
things that make operating Windows XP much more pleasant. Also,
following the remedies will make you more adventurous and confident as
you learn Windows XP.
Review by Tim McGuire
Windows XP Annoyances Review, April 12 2003
This title continues a long tradition of outstanding works from O'Reilly dating back to the Annoyances in Windows '95, erea.
The book is well designed and pack with many 'tid bits" of usefull information which would take one many hours of surging the net to locate.
As with all of the previous titles in the Annoyances series solutions are offered for the many annoying pit falls that Windows XP has given us, thought it, "XP," is by far the best "GUI" based operating system brought out to date. The web sits "www.annoyances.org" only serves to enhance the titles many useful solutions, and thanks to the many individuals both provesstionals and "powers"users," is an excellent place to exchange information concerning a Windows XP Annoyance.
I reccomend this title to any one who is a series Windows XP user and or an IT support professional needing a quick reference point to resolve an Annoyance.
Just a footnote, I am not a piad reviewer for anyone nor hold any kind of financial internest in O'Reilly but happen to like the titles and method of presentation for the product they, O'Reilly, brings to the market place.
Windows XP Annoyances Review, February 12 2003
A well-written and useful book is spoiled by numerous typographical and other errors. The proof reader should be fired.
Windows XP Annoyances Review, January 14 2003
I just bought Windows XP Annoyances to solve a pesky internet sharing problem on our network. I've spent a week trying to solve this SOB and another $100 book didn't provide a solution. I had it figured out 5 minutes after opening Windows XP Annoyances by David Karp. He knows the subject exceptionally well and writes for me, an IT professional. The gnarly toad on the cover is great too.
Thanks for making my life better.
Media reviews
"Karp...shows you ways to work around them and to fashion an environment that you like. Along the way, he even points out helpful features that you might not have noticed...I have paged through this book and seen dozens of changes I want to make to my system (probably not the Internet-enabled fish tank, though)...Don't be fooled by the title; this is a very useful book. If you use Windows XP, you need it."
--Richard Mateosian, IEEE, January-February 2003
"His book is designed to turn Windows XP into the user-friendly, customizable interface it was meant to be for you. I think it is especially helpful to those, like me, who have worked their way through the previous generations of Windows to get to this point of the Windows Evolution...This book talks to me and has already served me well."
--Dick Reaser, Tuscon Computer Society, April 2003
"If you are tired of waiting for a pesky splash screen to disappear so you can get to the program, frustrated about solving an error message, or unable to access a program with a single click, this book is for you. It will save you a number of dollar trips to the repair shop."
--Bettie C. Cook, SW Indiana PC Users Group, March 2003
"Perhaps you're like me-you either really like an author's writing style or you don't. I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed reading David Karp. It made everything else much more enjoyable...I have personally learned a lot from this book..."
--Thad Craig, Memphis PC Users Group, May 2003
"Although Windows XP brought some dramatic changes in Windows computing, numerous quirks and enigmatic settings can wear on a user's patience. XP users can find relief in this new book from the popular series for troubleshooting Windows by providing a thorough reference to the tools to customize and otherwise fix annoyances."--Office Solutions, April, 2003
"This is another excellent technical reference manual from O'Reilly. My partner claims it's the ugliest book cover image she's ever seen, and wanted me to finish reading it as soon as possible. But I found I was learning something useful on nearly every page. It's also very good value for money."--Roy Johnson, mantex.co.uk, Feb 2003
"Long-distance surgery on my father's XP installation 2000 miles away has cost me about $100 in phone bills over the past two months. I now know a lot more about XP than previously, but it would have been cheaper to buy the book...Choosing 'Windows XP Annoyances' is a case of pay now or pay later. Ask my Dad."
--Jack J. Woehr, Dr. Dobbs Journal, March 2003
"The Annoyances titles are the best Windows troubleshooting guides you are likely to find...a well-organised, practical discussion of solutions...Regardless of your level of experience, if you are running WinXP--or are thinking of installing it--this book is probably the best investment you can make. It has the potential to save countless hours of frustration, and puts the user in charge. And it is a good read."
--Major Kearny, Book News, Dec 2002
"Suffice it to say, I strongly recommend 'Windows XP Annoyances,' by David Karp, for users who wish to improve their XP skills."
--Dennis Schulman, Tampa Bay Computer Society, December 2002
"Every Windows XP owner should also own this book."--Joyce J. Evans, January 2003
"Fortunately, it is possible to work around some of the more annoying features of Windows XP, something power users in particular will appreciate. This book...gives workarounds for a number of annoying things in Windows XP. The book also provides an excellent guide to some of the more obscure features of the operating system."
--Netsurfer Digest, Nov 22, 2002
"The principal computer book of the month is by David A. Karp, 'Windows XP Annoyances,' O'Reilly. This is a truly important book, and like all the 'annoyances' books from O'Reilly addresses, documents, and gives fixes or work-arounds for literally hundreds of major and minor Windows XP problems. Tired of the 'personalizations' that are a 'feature' in Windows XP? Here?s how to turn them off. File deletion, Internet Connection Sharing, hundreds of other features and annoyances, all explained. If you run Windows XP or will have to, get this book. Highly recommended."
--Jerry Pournelle, Chaos Manor, Nov 2002
