Rating: 
Summary: Excellent
Review: Cowart's book is extremely useful; it's well organized, funny, and very thorough. It has a great index and easy to use. I refer to the chapters on advanced internet and networking regularly.
Rating:
Summary: Mastering Windows 98 Second Edition
Review: Excellent Book, super guidance for Windows 98 se
Rating:
Summary: Everything you need to know.
Review: Excellent book. Couldn't put it down after I started reading it. The authors not only cover every area of W98 but also give you some background on W95. Not to mention their sense of humor and straight forward recommendations and opinions. From the ubiquitous technical mercenary (utm) The Computer Channel
Rating:
Summary: Impress the techs
Review: I asked one the techs in my office what book I should get for my new computer and he suggested Matering Windows 98. Now when the other techs see the book on my bookshelf they're impressed that I have such a great reference. This book has answered every question I've come up with as I learn this new operating system. And the best part is -- unlike the techs here -- it's always available when I need it. Special thanks to Robert Cowart for writing such a comprehensive and user-friendly book.
Rating: 
Summary: With 1700 pages, we covered everything!
Review: I based this book on the ever-popular Mastering Windows 95 and Mastering Windows 3.1, so I believe it will be very helpful and easy to read. As of last count we have sold over a million copies of Mastering Windows in its various incarnations. Now this new Windows 98 edition has worn out my fingers. (Just kidding, but it is about 1700 pages long.) I've written eleven books on Windows over the last ten years, and I believe this is the best one yet. For this book, I worked with Windows 98 for nine months, watched the operating system evolve, talked with other testers, and did a ton of experimenting. Then I brought in several other expert writers to help out. Between us we designed a book to provide coverage of all Windows 98 features, from upgrading and installation through using a DVD drive or converting to FAT32. But mostly importantly, I tell you how to survive using Windows, and how to get typical everyday work done. After all, that's what most people do with their computers -- whether on a single computer or on a network. The first part of the book presents the basics of using Windows 98, so that beginners are not left out. You'll learn to run your programs, organize your work, print out your documents, and use all the supplied accessories. Of course we covered the fancy stuff like watching TV on your computer, networking, email, remote access, using USB, ACPI, and all the other newly supported technology in Windows 98. Among the advanced topics, you'll find: * How to create, post, and get your web sites served * How to use the new Windows scripting host * Extensive coverage of gaming * Tons of networking know-how, including to Windows 95, NT, and Macs * Info about fastest Internet connections, using Outlook Express and Internet Explorer, and all the supplied Internet utilities such as NetMeeting, ComicChat, FTP, Tracert, etc. * Multiple monitor and multiple modem support * Multimedia upgrading * Active Desktop, site subscriptions, channels * Emailing, Newsgroups, and Web browsing * Sharing your machine with other users * Converting to and from FAT32 ....and a whole lot more. There are numerous Tips, Tricks, Notes, and Warnings sprinkled throughout. Also a huge index, and many illustrations. Then, we put the entire book on CD (in Adobe PDF format) and included that in the back of the book. This is good for fast searching and display on screen. Take the CD with you on the road and leave the book at the office. The second CD has an extensive collection of popular and useful Windows 98 shareware programs. I think you'll find this book indispensible in your use of Windows 98. Sincerely, --Robert Cowart
Rating: 
Summary: Master User-guide, not internals material
Review: I bought this book looking for internals information. My
mistake. The book is very good for someone who can't figure
out user interfaces and needs a book to help them do so, but
there wasn't any material *I* was looking for -- like internals
of DLL's, registry, and such. I just chose a wrong book. I would fault the book for being so wordy -- at 893 pages, it
would be a heft manual for a user who wants to just use
windows to sit down and read. Sample questions answered from inside back cover:
How do I:
1) Start up the computer?
2) Start a program?
3) Move or resize a window?
4) Switch between programs?
5) Find documents I worked on before?
6) Customize the view and sounds of my computer?
7) Copy files to removable disks?
8) Search the internet?
9) Check email?
10) Turn off the computer.
----------
Perhaps those questions give you an idea of the intended
audience. If that is where you are at -- go for it, it is
thorough, but if you want something deeper -- well, I'm still
looking.
Rating:
Summary: Master User-guide, not internals material
Review: I bought this book looking for internals information. My
mistake. The book is very good for someone who can't figure
out user interfaces and needs a book to help them do so, but
there wasn't any material *I* was looking for -- like internals
of DLL's, registry, and such. I just chose a wrong book. I would fault the book for being so wordy -- at 893 pages, it
would be a heft manual for a user who wants to just use
windows to sit down and read. Sample questions answered from inside back cover:
How do I:
1) Start up the computer?
2) Start a program?
3) Move or resize a window?
4) Switch between programs?
5) Find documents I worked on before?
6) Customize the view and sounds of my computer?
7) Copy files to removable disks?
8) Search the internet?
9) Check email?
10) Turn off the computer.
----------
Perhaps those questions give you an idea of the intended
audience. If that is where you are at -- go for it, it is
thorough, but if you want something deeper -- well, I'm still
looking.
Rating:
Summary: Extensive content, very practical.
Review: I found this book extremely helpful in analyzing and correcting conflicts due to software upgrades and new installations in windows 98. It offers much hardware and software advice we used for setting up a new network. The notes, tips, and actual screen views are there just when they are needed.
Rating:
Summary: Registry & Troubleshooting Lacky
Review: I found this book helpful in many ways to understanding the intermediate functions of Windows 98. What I found this book lacking was the most intregate part of W98, the Registry. There wasnt even a few pages dedicated to the most crucial function of the OS. The other problem was no troubleshooting section. This book was misnamed from the start. Nothing "Mastering" about this book. That is unless you want to learn how to "point" and "drag" your way around. This book clearly should have been named "Basic"Windows 98!
Rating:
Summary: Everything you ever wanted to know about Windows 98
Review: I found this book to be incredibly complete. Not that it tediously breaks down every entry in the registry or file in the \system32 directory. What it did was take me from the basics of Windows right through internetworking with NT Server. I see that another reviewer claims that the book is mostly dialog boxes. Hey, it's important to know what dialog boxes say <before> they surprise you. Besides, there's plenty of meat. The author's style is both tight and easy to read. There are tons of useful tips. The advanced sections offered plenty of information about the myriad means of getting on the internet, setting up ISDN, planning my local area network. There were 75 pages on windows scripting host; strong networking chapters, including NT and Netware coverage, RAS, and virtual private networking. Maybe most important of all, I found the registry editing section explanatory and useful. And there were 60 pages covering network gaming--something I rarely see in a Windows book. Also, the book's CD contains the whole book, making it highly searchable. Given that there are more than 1600 pages, I think that's a good thing. Beleive who you want, but do you really think a 1600 page book is likely to be too shallow?
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