In every PC user's life, there's a point when desperate measures must be taken. Some push their PC off a pier or chuck it into a landfill. Others turn their former computing ally into a planter box. But don't give up on your PC yet--help is at hand. This easy to read, accessible book from PC World expert Steve Bass covers the waterfront of PC gripes and gremlins, with fixes for everything from Windows glitches to browsers that won't browse. These tips and tricks are served up in bite-sized portions for quick reading and even quicker fixing. Among the topics covered:

• Windows--King of Annoyances! You'll learn how to kick Windows in the rear, get past glitches, take charge of the interface, live with the dreaded activation, and more.
• Conquer your email, from Outlook to Eudora! Beat back spam, get inside info, avoid mailing lists, send big files, manage folders, and more, for a half dozen email programs.
• Master Microsoft Office. From little-known right-click wonders to backing up the unbackable to automating data entry, you'll find workarounds for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Wrassle with hardware--and win! Learn to wake up your DSL, tame your notebook, shut up your PC's fan, save your data, and save paper.
• Internet knots untied! Shake up IE, stop Flash, outsmart defaults, control Favorites, add the Google toolbar to Netscape, and more.

Plus, you get access to more than one hundred utilities that will help you squash bugs, enhance your email, untangle a system snarl, and much more. If your PC has ever annoyed you (do we see several billion raised hands?), PC Annoyances is for you. With the flip of a page or two, you can fix that faux pas and have your PC purring again.

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PC Annoyances Review,  January 12 2004
Submitted by Donna (Mid-Hudson Computer User Group)   [Respond | View]

You’ve probably seen the internet video of the man beating up his computer and finally knocking it to the floor. Or the internet video entitled “Bob Gets a New Monitor” starring Bob and his twelve-gauge shotgun. If either of these two characters could ever be you at one time or another you need to buy this book.

“PC Annoyances...” has a lot to offer on several levels. Besides being a valuable resource, this book is fun to read, is loaded with files to download, and the author is as interesting as he makes the book itself.

As a resource, “PC Annoyances...” has appeal for all levels of users. In the first chapter you will find out about issues with email programs such as fighting spam and how to eliminate the millions of > symbols from messages before forwarding the message for the millionth time. You will find answers to questions about attachments and how to back up email messages and address books. Although the focus is on Outlook and Outlook Express, he includes AOL, Eudora and Hotmail. I don’t use any of these programs, but I still found the chapter to be an easy and interesting read. My favorite gem from this chapter is where to get a free virus removal program called Stinger. Stinger is not a substitute for an antivirus program. It’s a useful tool for eliminating a virus from an already infected system.

The next chapter addresses Windows, primarily Windows XP. Topics include advice on screen resolution, using a laptop, windows updates and service packs. Bass provides a very informative and easy to understand explanation of the “hot” topic of product activation.

Chapter 3 deals with the Internet and includes information on browsers, dealing with those ubiquitous pop-up ads and spyware, as well as instant messaging. The focus is on Internet Explorer but Netscape and Opera are included when appropriate. My favorite part of this chapter would be the tips on using Google.

In chapter 4 you’ll read about short cuts, tips and tricks for using Microsoft Office —mainly Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. If you are a seasoned Office user, you probably won’t find anything new in this chapter. However, it you are new to any of these programs, I’d be very surprised if you can’t find an “a-ha, that’s how to do that” in this chapter.

The next chapter covers Windows Explorer and tips for dealing with files, folders. filenames, and file associations.

The next to last chapter, ‘Music, Video and CDs” focuses on RealOne and Windows Media Player. Fluctuating volume and videos that won’t play are addressed. Among the tidbits in this chapter are tips on mp3s and capturing video streams. I have 2 favorites from this chapter - how to turn off RealOne’s message center ads and turning off SuperCookie tracking in Media Player.

The last chapter, “Hardware,” provides information about modems, DSL, AC adapters, monitors, printers, and fixing PC noises. I found the information on digital camera auxiliary power packs to be most enlightening.

With a wide range of topics, there has to be something in this book that makes it worthwhile for you. Besides being a valuable reference when you have a specific annoyance, this book is also fun to thumb through. After the first couple of pages, you’ll want to continue thumbing through to the end. Download junkies will be delighted at the quantity of addresses for numerous files, utilities, reference tools, add-ons, and patches, etc. that are found throughout the book.

If you are not familiar with the author, Steve Bass is a contributing editor of PC World magazine. He started the Pasadena IBM Users Group in 1982 and followed that by co-founding the Association of Personal Computer User Groups. He was a licensed family therapist and met his wife while performing in a magic show.

Thanks go to O’Reilly Publishing for providing a copy of this book to MHCUG.




PC Annoyances Review,  November 23 2003
Submitted by Linda Gonse   [Respond | View]

The problem with trying to tell anyone about this book is that there is so much to tell! But, the short version is, it's one of the best darned all-around pc books I've seen in a long time.

A couple of points potential readers of all levels of expertise might want to know is that there is no "canned" tips and tricks feel to to this book. You'll find lots of things that haven't been published and passed around already. Plus, with Steve's easy writing style, you'll feel like you are sitting alongside an experienced friend at the computer and discovering these things.

The humorous cartoons and screenshots in the sidebars allow you to read this book by flipping from here to there, or they can help lead you into related subjects right on the main text pages. It's a little like choosing an appetizer from a tray, or sitting down to a main dish.

One of the outstanding features of the book is that all the little utility, freeware, and helper programs Steve tells you about have been gathered together and can be downloaded from one URL mentioned in the book.

As the editor of a computer user group newsletter, I am recommending Steve's book to our group members -- for themselves and for Christmas gifts.


PC Annoyances Review,  November 16 2003
Submitted by Joanna   [Respond | View]

Thank you Steve!

How can I ever repay you? I've had problems with my pc that had bothered me for years. Real headaches I could not get rid of. All amazingly solved in a few fairly simple moves after reading your book! Now that is what I call a must-buy.

P.S. If you ever come to Greece, I want to do my famous belly dance for you as a thank you!




PC Annoyances Review,  October 31 2003
Submitted by Adrian Fabersheim   [Respond | View]

Finally, the book I've been looking for!!

I'm always looking for information I can really use. Steve Bass knows what's bothering the typical PC user and has the solution. Straight to the point and easy to understand -- no techno-babble here. Bass's wit makes this a fun read.

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