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28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
Great Resource
I purchased this book due to my enjoyment of Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte's Windows Weekly podcast. The book covers virtually everything in Windows 7, and should be considered the ultimate resource/guide on the OS. This is a great tool for newcomers, as well as those who have been running Windows 7 since the beta release. Even amidst the more simple sections, such as...
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Published 1 month ago by Gary T. Gafford
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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
Secrets? No - More a nicely done general introduction to Win 7
I am systems developer and have purchased hundreds of computer books in my life, and this one has the same problem that it seems to me all of these very large books of this type have: They are too large and heavy for the way they can be effectively used. This is most definitely not a reference book, but rather a well done general introduction to Windows 7. Due to the...
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Published 8 days ago by Dave
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A great learning guide and resource for Windows 7, October 10, 2009
By B. Wilson (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews
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Paul Thurrott and Rafael Rivera have written an excellent guide to the new Windows 7 operating system. Windows 7 Secrets provides step by step instructions (with screenshots) on how to install and use the many features of Windows 7. The book starts out with a summary of the features of Windows 7, and then moves to a chapter on determining which of the 12 product editions of Windows 7 is right for you. This chapter informs you of the differences in the features of each product edition and informs you of the options for purchasing Windows 7. (To make it more complicated, Microsoft has Upgrade versions and Full versions of the product editions, which are discussed in Chapter 2.) There is also a big recommendation that you select the 64-bit Windows 7 rather than the 32-bit version.
Chapter 2 gives step by step instructions on how to install Windows 7. However, the authors clearly state that the simplest way to get a working copy of Windows 7 is to purchase a new PC that already has Windows 7 installed. Note that if your computer has Windows XP (or an earlier version of Windows) you can't perform an upgade installation over your existing copy of Windows--you have to do a clean install. However the authors tell you how to use the Windows Easy Transfer tool to help migrate your XP settings and documents (but not your applications) to the new operating system. Only Vista users can perform an in-place upgrade to Windows 7, but the authors recommend that you do a clean install of Windows 7 instead. One of the big secrets included in this chapter is an undocumented method of performing a clean install of Windows 7 using the Upgrade set-up disk (rather than the Full version) without having to insert the set-up disk of an earlier version of Windows to prove that you qualify to use the Upgrade. Info on installing Windows 7 on a Mac is also included.
After you finish the installation, there are nearly 900 more pages that tell you how to use Windows 7. This includes information on software and hardware compatibility, the new user interface, security features, networking, digital media, games, etc etc. There are too many features to cover in this review, but I do recommend the Windows 7 Secrets book to you.
There is not a CD or DVD included with the book, but the Preface lists the websites that provide more information. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent reference guide, October 7, 2009
By Book and Dog Lover (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews
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I'm a Windows XP user - never went to Vista, never wanted to go to Vista. I don't consider myself to be a novice user - I'm comfortable using my computer, but I'm not a programmer.
I found this guide to be just the right level of information for me. This is not the guide to get if you want a high-level overview book - something that will make you comfortable (for example, a "for dummies" book). This is a reference guide (at over 1000 pages, you don't want to sit and read this book). If you want to look up how a specific feature works in Windows 7, this is the book for you.
It has lots of graphics (something that helps me when I'm trying to learn). It also has tips and secrets all over the place (which sometimes can make it hard to read). As others have said, I didn't find there to be too many "secrets" - it was basic useful information.
It has an excellent index and is organized well - information is organized into sections - Surviving Setup, the User Experience, Security and Networking, Digital Media and Entertainment, Mobility, Windows 7 Online, and Power User Information.
Overall, an excellent reference guide. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
wordy, some incorrect info, but also some good stuff, October 7, 2009
By GameMaker (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews
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I'm really looking foward to Windows 7. I seem to be one of the many people who have come to loath Windows Vista and so am looking for something more "XP-like" in terms of reliability, performance, and usability. So getting a book or two on the subject is important to me.
This book starts out "get out the pom poms and say how everything about windows is outstandingly awesome" fluff chapter. Having to endure such a chapter really didn't do anything for me other than make me wish I had those 15min back, and make me wonder how the author's distorted view of Vista will taint the other info in this book. But then the meat of the book begins. There is a very helpful and relevant chapter on upgrading to Windows 7. The best part of the chapter is that he has extensive tables comparing the features of all the different version choices, and he gives some suggestions on how to go about it. He also talks about the mechanics of actually doing the upgrade, hardware and software compatability, and the like. On the downside, he talks about how one can only upgrade from certain versions of vista to certain versions of Window 7, which, according to what I've been able to glean off of the Microsoft website, seems to be completely wrong. I think he confused the "free upgrade" policy that certain PC manufacturers are having for people that buy machines close to the release, with Microsoft's general policy for the "rest of us" who will be buying our upgrades. Anyhow, it's dissappointing that he spends countless pages on this and in the end gets it wrong.
Most of the book is devoted to using Windows 7 once it is installed. There are sections on the UI, file system, customization, networking, digital media, making backups, troubleshooting, and a lot of other random topics. The book is well organized, so I think it will be very useful as a reference, but like I mentioned in the title it also seems like it is needlessly wordy in places. "Why say it in 1 paragraph when you can say it in 3" seems to be the author's motto.
Like some others mentioned, the title of this book is misleading. One might think that this is a book for power-users, giving them obscure and useful tricks to use once you have mastered the basics of the operating system. This really is not the case however. It's more of an all-inclusive, general info type of book, and I'd say it tends more to the novice side than the advanced side. You'll use this book to figure out things like "how do I burn a dvd in Windows 7?" Or "how do I backup my machine?". Things like that.
The bottom line is that while the book seems to have some good info, I feel there are probably better books out there for Window 7. I know I'll be looking for them... Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
Why do we have to have so many Windows Secrets?, October 6, 2009
By terpfan1980 "Barry" (Somewhere near Washington DC, United States) - See all my reviews
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Over the years one might think that there wouldn't be many, if any, secrets left to cover about Microsoft's Windows operating systems, but sadly things really haven't changed all that much with Microsoft's way of doing business and computer users continue to find that when they buy the latest operating system and install it they are left not knowing how to do something that they used to be able to do, or they're not aware of how to take advantage of some new feature that makes common tasks much easier to handle. That's exactly the niche that Paul Thurrott, with partner Rafael Rivera, has filled in writing the series of Windows Secrets books, and on past experience with those books alone I could easily advise buying this book, never mind the fact that this book, just like the others, is an invaluable resource for both experienced and novice Windows users.
Thurrott's Windows 7 Secrets book is a hefty tome, loaded with tips that gently guide you through just about any task you'd undertake in using Windows 7, from Installing the operating system to personalizing your experience with it, to handling common tasks and even how to help keep your data safe and secure.
As an experienced Windows user and regularly employed system administrator I might wish for more in the area of advanced tips in this book, but the authors have tried to, and mostly achieved, a balance of providing information that is useful for novices as well as advanced users. If the material is too advanced than of course the market for the book is smaller and the number of readers that could benefit from the material drops dramatically. On the other hand, if the material is too 'light and fluffy' then it really doesn't benefit anyone and the book just becomes another 'dummies guide' that helps someone get their feet wet, but in reality doesn't provide any long term benefit.
Windows 7 Secrets is well worth the purchase price, and will be a useful resource for most buyers. Get a copy in advance of Windows 7's release date and read ahead if you can, though as the days tick down to the release of Windows 7 the opportunity for that to happen slips away. If you're reading this review after Windows 7's 'birthdate', the purchase is still recommended as you find yourself wondering where to turn (besides friends and the internet of course) to figure out how to accomplish things when using Windows 7. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent readable and accurate guide to Windows 7, October 3, 2009
By James F. Strasma "strasma" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
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When I first saw this book, I though OMG, how will I ever get through a 1,000 page manual? Then I started reading, and noticed the pages just flying by. The text is well illustrated, with lots of white space for notes, and the important parts clearly labeled. Though I've used Microsoft products since DOS 2.11, this book is equally approachable for beginners.
Having written several computer manuals myself, back in the Commodore days, I'm particularly impressed with the accuracy of Windows 7 Secrets. I've only found one tiny typo so far ("01" should be "10" at the end of line 4 of page 172.)
I'm very impressed by the relevance and applicability of the topics covered. This is not just regurgitated Microsoft help messages, but rather key facts and tricks selected by long-experienced experts -- things I as a Windows 7 user need to know. Having used Windows 7 daily since January myself, I'm surprised how much I've learned from this book.
The authors don't intend folks to read this book cover to cover. Rather, we can dip into topics as needed, aided by an excellent index. Personally, I do expect to read the whole thing (currently on page 231), as it is that well written and useful.
All I miss is a searchable PDF copy, for which reason I may buy a second copy for my Kindle.
I'll update this review when I'm done reading, but with Windows 7 hitting the market October 22, and this book such an excellent resource, I want to add my "Highly recommended" now. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Very readable reference guide on Windows 7, October 3, 2009
By Martin S. Brown "Marty B" (SF Bay Area, California) - See all my reviews
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There are a couple of challenges in reviewing a book that describes a new operating system. First, until you actually have the operating system, well, operating, a lot of the book content is pretty esoteric. As well written as Windows 7 Secrets is, some sections just cry out "Try this! You'll see what we mean!". I wasn't one of the few lucky million beta testers of Windows 7, so a lot of this book will become far more meaningful to me when Amazon ships me my upgrade to 7.
The second challenge is to concentrate on the book and not the product that the book covers. Windows 7, from this long time computer user's vantage point looks great. I skipped Vista entirely. It looked like a dud when I first saw it and had no reason to upgrade from XP. I didn't want Hollywood or the RIAA looking over my shoulder at my file collection and withheld my money from Redmond for one whole OS. I just purchased a refurbished Dell for my wife that came with the dreaded Vista OS and it's far less responsive and intuitive than XP. So as anxious as I am to install 7 on my trusty two year old Dell Vostro, it is the BOOK I'm reviewing here and not the Operating System.
Windows 7 Secrets is a huge volume - just over 1000 pages of text. There is a very detailed and well organized index that makes it easy to find your topic du jour. The book's content is well designed, too, taking you through a natural progression of selecting the right version of the operating system, installing it the way you want it, discovering what is new and unique to 7, then helping you organizing your data and programs to fit your style. There are rich sections on security, home networking, digital music and photo collections, entertainment features, and using tons of features that make computing in the new millennium better than we ever imagined.
The writing style is entertaining. Every section starts with a general top level discussion of the topic and draws you in to actually want to read the whole chapter. This ain't Elmore Leonard, but the writing is compelling and interesting. I don't know the two authors' prior work, but they have divergent opinions about their subject matter that you can discern as you read. When you read a section, then a few paragraphs later, hear a different perspective on the same topic, that is either Paul disagreeing with Rafael's point of view or vice versa. It's not distracting - it leaves with you a Fox News fair and balanced understanding of the subject matter.
The book is chock full of screen shots and charts, perhaps excessively so. (How do you think they got it to 1,000 pages?) I'm not sure why I need a half page chart that shows all the editions of Windows XP, but it is there, in a three page discussion of the evolution of operating systems that preceded Windows 7. There is a whole chapter on the Zune, for goodness sake! My English History professor would have marked me down a full letter grade for padding this much. The quantity and quality of the screen shots is impressive. This is the kind of book that I'll give to my father-in-law, as it provides excellent step-by-step procedures for accomplishing almost every new trick in the OS. That is, once I'm done with it! Nice book. Get your hands on a copy.
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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
Secrets? No - More a nicely done general introduction to Win 7, October 3, 2009
By Dave "Dave" (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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I am systems developer and have purchased hundreds of computer books in my life, and this one has the same problem that it seems to me all of these very large books of this type have: They are too large and heavy for the way they can be effectively used. This is most definitely not a reference book, but rather a well done general introduction to Windows 7. Due to the large number of screen captures in the book, it reads very very quickly and would be a nice book to flip through while lying in bed. But it's tedious to hold.
As for the 'secrets'... no, they aren't secrets, though if you are new to Windows and 7 specifically, there may be things that you don't know. Paul Thurrott certainly knows Windows, but this book feels just slightly dumbed-down for a general audience. I also get the feeling that the publisher required that there be 'secrets' at certain minimal intervals because some of them are almost embarassingly trivial and obvious.
If you are comfortable with Vista, this book will probably disappoint. If you are are using XP, then you may find it very useful.
But - don't buy this book if you fall into the category of someone who has been working with Win 7 (as many people have since the free beta and RC) expecting to find much.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
Perfect for Power Users, September 30, 2009
By Timothy Walker (Orlando, Florida USA) - See all my reviews
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Reading Windows 7 Secrets filled me with a sense of nostalgia, as it targets an audience largely ignored by technical publishers these days: intelligent PC users. I wonder if it will be a commercial success, with IT pros heading straight to the Windows® 7 Resource Kit and novices intimidated by a 1,000 page computer book opting to go the Windows 7 For Dummies route instead. Hopefully it will not be overlooked, as both newbie and veteran alike would benefit from this book.
Windows 7 Secrets has a chatty tone, making it easy and pleasant to read. It is organized as follows:
Part I discusses selection and installation of the right version of Windows 7 to meet your needs.
Part II covers changes to the Windows user interface, with lots of quality screen shots.
Part III addresses networking and security from a home user perspective. Techs will be left wanting more, but average users should find everything they need here.
Part IV is all about multimedia, even containing coverage of the Xbox 360 and Zune.
Part V deals with notebooks, netbooks, and anything else portable with a Microsoft logo on it.
Part VI presents a user's guide to IE 8 and Windows Live tools.
Part VII closes the book with a brief look at backups and troubleshooting. Again, it is important to remember that this book was written for end users, not technicians.
Bottom line: if you're the sort of person likely to read only one book about Windows 7, this is probably the perfect book for you. IT professionals whose duties include end user support should consider it as well. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
Terrific all-in-one resource for Windows 7 users, September 27, 2009
By William W. Davis "famousdavis" (Boca Raton, FL USA) - See all my reviews
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I selected this title because I'm eager to learn more about Windows 7. This book fulfills that goal. I wish I had it when I was doing some light beta testing of Windows 7. But since, as of this writing, Windows 7 is less than a month away, that's plenty of time for me to peruse the chapters of this book that will help me get the most out of Windows 7.
The book is huge, if you gauge it by the number of pages -- it's got over 1000! But the book is filled with tons of screenshots and charts, so it's actually pretty easy to read through the book. Not that this book is intended to be read cover to cover -- it's not, and the authors say that explicitly. It's meant for you to jump around, and so that's what I did to prepare this review. The book is surprisingly light for being 1000 pages, and yet the paper isn't thin.
First thing, I was surprised that this book is much more than just Windows 7. There's a chapter on Windows Home Server, which is something I've been very interested in since buying an Acer Home Server. There's also a chapter on Zune, Internet Explorer 8, Windows Live, and more. So, while the book centers on Windows 7, it covers with some level of depth companion technologies and tools that complete Windows 7 or are complimentary to it.
Reading the book is surprisingly easy to do. The writing style is very casual and straightforward. I found the language to be easy to understand and follow. The authors lace the writing with humor. For example, on describing the End-User License Agreement, they quip, "We're not lawyers, but we think it says that Microsoft exerts certain rights over your first-born and your soul." But this isn't written like a "Dummies" book, so the humor doesn't get in the way of the information they provide.
Although it says on the back cover that the intended audience is Intermediate to Advanced, I think that even a Beginner could read this book. Sure, it'd have to be a beginner who was really enthusiastic about computers and learning Windows 7, but I thought the authors didn't presume very much when they explained things.
The book has lots of "secrets" interspersed throughout. Sometimes they're things you probably know, but many other times they share information tidbits which are really helpful. When I read over the chapter on Parental Controls, I learned quite a bit of what's new in Windows 7, and how to deal with the changes to the way it works in Windows 7. When I read the chapter on upgrading to Windows 7, there was a lot of good information, including how to install a fresh, full copy of Windows 7 from an Upgrade DVD (not a Full Version), which without the "secret" it can't be done. They're not sharing hacks, rather, they're sharing how to work in ways that either aren't obvious or functionality that Microsoft has intentionally obscured. So, the "secrets" are condensed explanations of how Windows 7 works -- and having a collection of these bound and printed is a sweet way of learning this operating system.
They've got a VERY helpful chapter on upgrading to Windows 7. Very helpful explanations of the many different flavors of Windows 7, and they give their own recommendation for which version might be right for you.
A book this big needs a good index. I went there a few times and found what I was looking for.
It's not a perfect book. I've always had issues with laptops and power management, and I can't tell by reading this book if any substantive improvements have been made to the the way that Windows 7 implements power management. Their description of the differences between Power Saver, Balance, and High Performance still aren't satisfactory enough to know what, REALLY, these settings are doing. And when they covered Windows Home Server, they neglected to say that you can have only 10 user accounts (they note a 10 computer limit, but the problem I had was when I tried creating an 11th user account). So, this isn't the definitive explanation of every possible Window function and feature -- if it were, it would be a multi-volume set and no one would buy or read it.
Instead, the authors have put together a fine book that highlights all that's new in Windows 7 so you know what to expect, what's there. Skim through it to find the major functions you're interested in, and carefully read to understand those functions. They often compare/contrast Windows 7 to Vista and/or XP, so if you know how to use a PC-based Windows computer, they've reached out to you to help bring you aboard the Windows 7 juggernaut.
In short: Highly recommended!!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Useful to read before you install Windows 7, September 27, 2009
By L. Kornblum (Tempe, Arizona) - See all my reviews
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Yes, this book is over 1,000 pages, but the authors assure you that it's not meant to be read cover to cover. Instead, you will want to read just those sections that are important to those features you will use in Windows 7. I read this book about a month before Windows 7's debut, and I started at the beginning and continued reading straight through it about 30% to the end. It contains excellent and easy-to-understand information that will help prepare for the upgrade from Windows Vista.
The authors give clear explanations of the options for moving to Windows 7 from Windows XP and slightly less clear for Windows Vista. The path from Vista is the only one that includes an in-place upgrade, which the authors describe in detail but which they do not recommend; I would have rated the book 5 stars if they had included detailed instructions for their preferred method for upgrading from Vista, but the inference seems to be that users should use the same method they recommend for XP users. I hope that method will indeed be an option for Vista users.
The last two-thirds of the book will be useful once Windows 7 is up and running on your computers and you want to set up networks and learn more about what Windows 7 offers for music, photos, videos, portable computing, Web browsing, and Windows Live services. A perusal of those chapters shows that their content is as clear and detailed as the sections on installation and setup options.
Among the useful things I learned are:
- You may only use your copy of Windows 7 on one computer; if you have a desktop and a laptop, you'll need to purchase multiple copies or a family pack of 3 (I have not been able to find anyone selling these online).
- You will want to run Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor on your current PC before deciding to upgrade to Windows 7 and examine closely all the software and hardware listed as incompatible. I hadn't noticed before that Windows Live Onecare will need to be uninstalled before upgrading.
- Windows 7 will not contain anti-virus software. Those of us who use Microsoft's Windows Live Onecare will need to find another antivirus solution.
- An in-place upgrade from Vista to Windows 7 will be easy but very lengthy and may result in an unstable system; it will be better to take all your data off your Vista PC and perform a clean install of Windows 7.
- A new system of "Libraries" will change the use of the (My) Documents, (My) Pictures, etc., folder structures we have been used to in XP and Vista. The explanations in this book are very clear and helpful.
As this is the only book I've read on Windows 7, I am not in a position to compare it, but I can recommend it as a very good preparation for the upcoming release of Windows 7.
