Rating: 
Summary: still missing
Review: ......................................................................
This book is as much an advertisement for OSX as it is help. Pogue starts by introducing OSX as "the best personal-computer operating system on earth" - which it very well might be - and keeps on singing his ode to Apple on the remaining 750 pages of the manual.
Don't get me wrong: I am an Apple fan myself. After having used Windows for over a decade, two years ago I finally got myself a G4 Powerbook and I swear by it. I am now a walking ad for Apple, short of tattooing one on my forehead. I have learned to use OSX without a manual and decided to get myself one just to be on the safe side.
I spent a whole day reading through different OSX manuals in the store before picking "The Missing Manual" and, unfortunately, as of today do not have an alternative recommendation. I am also aware of how hard it must be to write a good manual. However, in absolute terms, this one still sucks.
OSX is mainly self-explanatory and, where it is not, this book rarely helps. It is not useless, just very incomplete, full of praise and poorely organized.
I use my Powerbook for video-editing, I network, use AirPort and a few other gadgets and usually manage with the help of my regular genius brain and Apple's resources. I did learn a few tricks from this manual as well. However, I would need a manual that helps me (just a tiny bit) with troubleshooting. This one does not.
I am glad I bought this volume and it may very well be the best on the market. But who cares? The fact that there may be no better book out there does not mean we have to waste all our stars on this one. If you find the manual we are still missing, please let us know your name - the place on my forehead is still vacant.
Rating: 
Summary: Mac aint so easy and this book helps
Review: Contrary to popular belief, the Macintosh operating systems is not so intuitive, especially Mac OS X.
Fortunately, David Pogue comes to the rescue with Mac OS X: The Missing Manual. This is a very helpful reference.
Rating:
Summary: MyMac.com Product Review
Review: David Pogue has definitely gotten the Missing Manual format down pat. His latest endeavor, the fourth in his Mac OS series, Mac OS X: The Missing Manual (Panther Edition) has built upon his previous versions and takes the reader through the "joys" of OS X Panther. From install to Terminal use, Mr. Pogue walks you through the process of getting down and dirty with Panther.Starting with what one sees when they first start up Panther, Mr. Pogue takes the reader through the basics of the Mac desktop; folders and windows, organizing things, the Dock, the Sidebar, and how to arrange and rearrange things to suit your own tastes and needs. Experienced Mac and OS X users may find things slow at the beginning, but Mr. Pogue does provide the whys and wherefores of Panther in a well-written, easy to understand manner that does make it a pleasure to read through every section. Mr. Pogue makes excellent use of hi-lighted boxes bearing titles of Frequently Asked Questions, Up to Speed, Nostalgia Corner, Gem in the Rough, Power Users' Clinic and Troubleshooting Moment to explain and add emphasis to what is being covered in that chapter or section. The screen shots also add to explaining things as you go along. As you read through the book, you are shown OS X programs, the use of OS 9 in the scheme of things "X", and then the components of OS X that are available with the software. You are also shown the free programs that come with OS X; Font Book, iCal, iTunes, iSync, Safari, Sherlock, QuickTime Player, to name a few, and how to make use of their capabilities. Want to import pictures from your digital camera to your Mac? Page 288 will show you how, and then show you how to share them, print them and finally email them out to friends and family. Mr. Pogue then takes you into the technology of OS X and its UNIX underpinnings. Administrator and Standard accounts are shown, their setup and usage, signing in, logging out, Fast User switching, Networking... the list just goes on. Every aspect of the OS is shown and explained, from A to Z. Best of all, Pogue does it with humor, wit and a writing style that doesn't bog you down or put you to sleep, particularly when you get into the aspects of UNIX. For new users of the Mac or new converts to OS X, Unix and the use of Terminal is geek-speak to the nth degree. Bash, tcsh, pwd, Is, cd, mv, rm, srm, using man; they're explained and their usage is also shown. While you might not want to use them, it's good to have the knowledge available just in case you have to use it somewhere down the line. I was a bit surprised at the amount of little gems that I picked up as I read through the book. Access to the Character Palette, keyboard viewer, storing Apple Software Updates... how many of you know that you can save that Software Update by choosing UpdateÆInstall and Keep Package? Want to play a game of chess but have no one to play with right now? Why not try playing against your Mac by going into your Applications folder, double-clicking on Chess and then choosing new game. Have a microphone available? Try using the voice-recognition feature and tell your Mac what moves you want to make where. Are you a new convert from an older Mac OS and you've just switched to OS X and you're not sure what happened to some of your favorite Mac features? Not to worry as Appendix C provides you with a complete guide as to what stayed and to what disappeared. Oh, and for the new Mac users who have switched from Windows, don't worry, Appendix D will provide you with a handy-dandy listing of what does what in OS X. Oh, by the way, when you first open the book, there on the inside cover is a drawing of the Missing CD-ROM that didn't come with the book and that just saved you $5.00 off the cost. Not to fear, you are directed to go to http://www.missingmanuals.com and click on the Missing CD icon. Once there, you will find links to 22 sites containing additional software that Mr. Pogue covers in the book. I really enjoyed reading this book. It is well written and covers what a Mac user needs to know to work with OS X Panther. As has been stated in the past with Mr. Pogue's other Missing Manual books- this is what should have come in the box with your Mac. But since it didn't, run, don't walk, to your nearest bookstore or online book seller and get yourself a copy of Mac OS X - The Missing Manual (Panther Edition) This is a definite must-have for Mac OS X users! Highly Recommended! My Mac Rating: 5 out of 5
http://www.mymac.com/showarticle.php?id=1313
Rating:
Summary: Full of rich suggestions and insights, enjoyably written
Review: For Jaguar (Mac OS 10.2) I purchased Ray's "Unleashed" volume. I wanted a different take this time around, especially for hints about undocumented features in Panther - because although I routinely peruse the MacNN forums, there are SO many new shortcuts and features to keep track of I wanted it in a book. David has not disappointed - within minutes I found several tips on Mail and Safari that were well worth the modest Amaz price. I've been using Macs for nearly twenty years, so there's obviously a lot here that's not new to me - but there's a lot that is! The "Missing Manual" had doubled the value of my having upgraded to Panther (OS 10.3). It has made it easy for me to start taking advantage of system features that I never took the time to figure out. The section on the Terminal and Unix command line is brief, but still a very helpful intro to the complete newbie for understanding whether/why one would want to learn more about those power-tools within your Mac. If you really want to get deeply into that, you'll probably want to go with something like O'Reilly's "Learning Unix for Mac OS X" (ISBN 0596003420 ) after reading David's intro. As with David's "iMovie Missing Manual" the writing is very comfortable - clear and pleasant, lightened with occasional humor (but without the obsessive lame jokey-ness of some computer guides "for dummies"). This does not FEEL like reading a manual... but is incredibly helpful as one!
Rating:
Summary: Full of rich suggestions and insights, enjoyably written
Review: For Jaguar (Mac OS 10.2) I purchased Ray's "Unleashed" volume. I wanted a different take this time around, especially for hints about undocumented features in Panther - because although I routinely peruse the MacNN forums, there are SO many new shortcuts and features to keep track of I wanted it in a book. David has not disappointed - within minutes I found several tips on Mail and Safari that were well worth the modest Amaz price. I've been using Macs for nearly twenty years, so there's obviously a lot here that's not new to me - but there's a lot that is! The "Missing Manual" had doubled the value of my having upgraded to Panther (OS 10.3). It has made it easy for me to start taking advantage of system features that I never took the time to figure out. The section on the Terminal and Unix command line is brief, but still a very helpful intro to the complete newbie for understanding whether/why one would want to learn more about those power-tools within your Mac. If you really want to get deeply into that, you'll probably want to go with something like O'Reilly's "Learning Unix for Mac OS X" (ISBN 0596003420 ) after reading David's intro. As with David's "iMovie Missing Manual" the writing is very comfortable - clear and pleasant, lightened with occasional humor (but without the obsessive lame jokey-ness of some computer guides "for dummies"). This does not FEEL like reading a manual... but is incredibly helpful as one!
Rating:
Summary: This is all you need
Review: I bougt this book because I bought an ibook and i didn't know anything about Mac OS X, so if you are a windows user and you want to know how to use mac OS X like a pro, all you need is this book.
Rating: 
Summary: A Big Book
Review: I have been using Macs since OS 6 was the operating system. Now, several years and many operating systems later, I finally broke down and purchased this "how-to" Mac book. It's gigantic and I certainly wasn't going to sit down and start reading. I put it on the night table and one night I looked up a topic and there was the answer to my query! That was encouraging. Then the next night, I picked up the tome again and started leafing through the topics in which I was interested. To my surprise and chagrin, I was learning new Mac stuff. You think you know it all and then another system comes along and screws with the status quo. Oh well...
Rating:
Summary: A Must Read for Mac Users
Review: I have read several mac manuals, and since I have been using macs since 1985, with my first mac being an Apple iic, I have read tons of manuals and consider David Pogues one of the best if not the very best. David puts everything step by step right at your fingertips. I can tell if the book is well written by looking for certain simple questions to be answered and David does this. You wouldn't believe how many other authors leave the simple rudimentary things out. This will drive most new users nuts. Simply put, if you don't understand what David Pogue writes than you need to spend more time with your Mac, because, this is the manual that should have came with the Mac
Rating:
Summary: An Easy to Understand Computer Book
Review: I reference this book again and again, in fact it's been able to answer all the questions I've had with Panther. If only I had found out about this book as soon as my Dad upgraded my iBook, it would have saved many a headache! My problem with most computer "how to" books is that I either can't understand them or they are written for "dummys". This book, however, is written in an easy to follow style and uses simple language. I recommend this book to anyone who has upgraded to Panther, is thinking of upgrading to Panther, or may some day in the future upgrade to Panther. It's just that good!!
Rating:
Summary: Another home run from David Pogue
Review: I'm pretty experienced with OS X, but I knew there were a lot of changes with Panther, so I figured this book was a good buy. I've read previous "Missing Manual" stuff by Pogue (as well as some of his other books) and went into this one expecting no less. And I was not disappointed. I've been using Panther now since November, and picked up this book at the same time. And it still sits on my desk as a reference, because I haven't been able to commit all the tips and help to memory. This is also a pretty good book for users new to OS X, but as an experienced user, Pogue points out all the little tips and tricks that make OS X a dream to use.
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