Mac OS X: The Missing Manual (Missing Manuals): Amazon.co.uk: David Pogue: Books

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Paperback, 8 Dec 2001

Book Description

Publication Date: 8 Dec 2001 | ISBN-10: 0596000820 | ISBN-13: 978-0596000820 | Edition: 1

For personal computer users of every stripe, Mac OS X is a whole new ballgame. It combines Apple's trademark visual elegance with the underlying stability of UNIX, which adds up to a rock-solid, gorgeous operating system.

Unfortunately, learning Mac OS X is also whole new ballgame. As author David Pogue notes in his introduction, "Mac OS X" is a misnomer--it isn't really the Mac OS at all; there's scarcely a single line of code in common with the tangled, ancient code of the older Mac OS. Hundreds of features have been removed, added, or moved around.

Few in the world are more qualified to guide Mac users through the undocumented jungle of Mac OS X than David Pogue, triple-award-winning former Macworld columnist and author of the best-selling Mac OS 9: The Missing Manual. His new book shines light on both the broad strokes and the fine points of Mac OS X version 10.1, including understanding its UNIX-like folder structure, setting up an office network, capitalizing on its rich Internet features, and even hacking the real power of the UNIX underbelly by summoning the command-line interface. Mac OS X: The Missing Manual also covers each of the control panels and bonus programs that comes with Mac OS X, including iTunes, Mail, Sherlock, and Apache, the built-in Web-server.

For Mac users who have become accustomed to the older Mac OS, Appendix A, the "Where'd It Go?" dictionary, may be worth the price of the book all by itself. It's an alphabetical listing of every feature that was once in Mac OS 9, complete with an explanation of what became of it in Mac OS X.

Through it all, Pogue shows off the refreshing humor, technical insight, and crystal-clear, plain-English prose that made number one best-sellers out of his other books in the Missing Manual series, including Mac OS 9, Windows Me, and iMovie 2.

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Product details

Paperback: 600 pages
Publisher: Pogue Press; 1 edition (8 Dec 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0596000820
ISBN-13: 978-0596000820
Product Dimensions: 23.1 x 17.5 x 3.8 cm

Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)

Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,571,287 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Product Description

Amazon Review

Widely esteemed Mac authority David Pogue weighs in on the latest offering from Cupertino with Mac OS X: The Missing Manual. It's a fact-packed romp through the operating system and the extras that come with it, made resoundingly more readable by the depth of Pogue's knowledge, his familiarity with Mac history, and his eagerness to engage novices as members of the Mac user community. Unlike most books about Mac OS X, this one explores its Unix-like underpinnings (the Apple implementation is called Darwin) pretty thoroughly. However, on the logic that if you wanted to use Unix, you would, Pogue emphasises the traditional, graphical Mac interface over the Terminal window.

Pogue, who's written about Macs for years writes about Macs at the user level with clarity. He's also quite good at dealing with the numerous options and variations that apply to Mac procedures, and makes very good use of sidebars for clarifying details. In a section on printing, for example, Pogue explains why there's no longer an option to turn off background printing (true multitasking has rendered the option obsolete). There's also good coverage of the online iTools, tailored to people unfamiliar with integrating remote resources into their personal computing environments. --David Wall

Topics covered: Apple Mac OS X for people who will use the operating system, either on a standalone computer with Internet access or on a computer that is part of a home or organisational network. Running applications (in Classic mode as well as in native Mac OS X mode), printing, networking, multimedia, security (including Keychain), and utilities are all covered.

Review

".....This book covers all the stuff that Apple leaves out of its skimpy 30-page introduction to Mac OS X." -- Charles Stross, Computer Shopper June 2002

"....Mac OS X: TMM is a must-have book not just for new Mac users, but grizzled old "Power Users" as well...." -- Chuck La Tournous, RandomMaccess.com, July 2002

"...If you need Mac OS X or are planning to use Mac OS X, you need this book. Otherwise you’ll spend a lot of time cursing the dark." -- Space Port Users Group, April 2002

"A superb grounding in the system—from installation to fonts to customization.2 -- MacWorld, May 2002

"Here is a book that truly lives up to its purpose—to teach the Mac OS X system to the Macintosh user, be he or she new to platform or a true Unix geek....." -- Lynn E. Poos, Silicon Mountain Macintosh User Group, May 2002

"This is the first book I reach for when I have a Mac OS X question or problem. Most highly recommended." -- Elsa Travisano, News Break, Macintosh Users Group, Oneonta NY, June 2002

...a simple book that makes up for the fact that one can shell out $2,000 for a Macintosh computer and get only the scantiest of instructions. -- James Coates, Chicargo Tribune, Feb 2002

A fact-packed romp through the operating system and the extras that come with it... -- Emazing Tip World, Feb 25, 2002

All in all, this is one
outstanding reference work and well worth the
$34.95 price tag -- John Suda, Apple Cide User Group, June 2002

All in all, this is one of the most painless and easiest ways to learn the Macintosh there is. I highly recommend it. -- Timothy Arends, Bytelines, Feb 2002

I recommend getting and studying 'Mac OS X: The Missing Manual,' from O'Reilly, and then take the time to explore. -- Stewart Brand, Whole Earth, August 2002

I strongly recommend obtaining a book to tackle
mastering Mac OSX...I can give an unqualified
thumbs up on this one. -- Peter Blum, Imacination, Jan 2002

If you are going to purchase one book on Mac OS X, buy this one... -- David Weeks, Mymac.com, Feb 2002

It really does cover aspects of using OS X that are essential but may not be immediately obvious. -- Mark Sealey, thinksecret.com, Jan 2002

The tone of the writing is light and Pogue has a good sense of humour and at the right dose. -- Eugenia Loli Queru, OS News, March 2002

There is a series of "Missing Manuals' which
are so good , I believe Apple should include
them with every new macintosh. -- David L Daviis, macnj.org, Feb 2002

This O'Reilly book made all the difference in the world. I found the lists of keyboard and mouse shortcuts to be the most helpful chapter. -- Dave Tabakin, Williamsburg Macromedia User Group, June 2002

This book does an excellent job of filling the documentation
void left by Apple, and I highly recommend this book to
users of OS X. -- Stephen Becker, Macease, Jan 2001

This book may save you a lot of pain and suffering moving from mac classic or Unix to Mac OSX. -- Brian D. Foy, Perl Review, March 2002

This is the best reference manual I have seen for a Mac operating system, and is among the best of reference manuals for any type operating system. -- Clark Morledge, Williamsburg Macromedia User Group, May 15, 2002

‘....This is one of those books that belongs on everyone’s bookshelf who is thinking about MacOS X....." -- Monte Ferguson, Grand Rapids Area Microcomputers Users Group, May 2002

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Much needed guide for regular apple users 20 May 2002

By A Customer

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Despite one of the reviews on this page saying that the book was for people with little or no knowledge of Mac, I decided to purchase it and see for myself. I consider myself an experienced apple user, and it was precisely this reason that made the brand new OS X system so awkward to get to grips with. I found the book very helpful, with everything explained concisely and clearly. I would recommend it to anyone as a time saving way to get to know your new Mac. Its fun to read and there's something to learn for everyone of all ranges.

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31 of 31 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The painless way into Mac OSX 18 April 2002

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

This is an excellent introduction into the strange world of OSX, written with knowledge and more than a sprinkling of the Pogue wit (he memorably describes memory allocation in terms of a playground scrap, for example).
For those migrating from OS8 or 9, and those who like me know nothing about the arcane world of Unix and are not particularly techie-minded, the chapters on this new underpinning of the Mac OS are well-nigh indispensable.
The book covers all the programs that come with Mac OSX.1 - iTunes, Mail, iMovie etc - as well as explaining the difference between Carbon and Cocoa programs and what exactly happens when you run your old pre-OSX programs in Classic mode.
There's also an informative chapter on where all those extensions and control panels that seem to have disappeared actually went.
The book doesn't come with a CD - which is why it's cheaper than most compter manuals - instead, you can log into the book's site at the O'Reilly website where you can pick up the free and shareware programs Pogue mentions as well as other freebies, updates and corrections.
OSX works totally differently from previous Mac OSes and it really helps to have a guiding hand. Luckily for non-techies, Dave Pogue provides a hand which is both informative and entertaining. Highly recommended.

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55 of 56 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The ultimate practical and friendly guide to OSX 12 Jan 2002

By Archie R. Reid

Format:Paperback

David Pogue has a rare ability to make a complex subject understandable. He did it with his 'Missing Manuals' Guides to System 9 and iMovies but had the good sense to wait until OS Version 10.1 before giving us the definitive step by step guide to the new system.

The language is non technical but each aspect of the system is clearly explained and more important how each can be used. To this he has added valuable hints and tips and for the more technically curious some explanation of the underlying Unix System.

This is a generously illustrated book which can sit by the computer as you follow the steps beginning with the new layout and going on to explain how to use every aspect of OSX. It is structured to lead both first timers and System 9 converts into the new OS with an opening chapter which takes the reader through the new way of dealing with windows, folders and desktop. This is complimented by an appendix which explains where familiar parts of the former system are now located.

This leads to a chapter 'Organising your stuff' which demonstrates the day to day operating of the system before going on to examine the new Desktop, the Finder Toolbar and the content of the Applications and Documents folders. Each of the programmes provided is analysed and considerable space is devoted to iTunes, iMovie, iTools and Quicktime. The structure of the book provides a step by step journey through the use of OSX but also allows the impatient to dip in and find answers or check the Troubleshooting resource.

From my experience of David Pogue's earlier books I awaited this one before jumping into the new system and I am very glad I did. Other books I looked at are much more superficial and the early ones are now out of date. There are two other reasons for buying this as the only OSX book you will need. Go to the publisher's site [...] and you can read a sample chapter and decide before you place an order with Amazon. On the site you will also be able to download all of the shareware programmes mentioned in the book and save the cost of an added CD.

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