Macworld Mac Secrets

Rating:
Summary: The REAL Macintosh Bible
Review: Are you looking for the ultimate guide to all things Macintosh? Then look no further! This is definitely THE BEST BOOK EVER WRITTEN about Macintosh computing. Why?

First, there is the wonderful, easy to read writing style of David Pogue (who wrote the hilarious and amazingly informative Desktop Critic Column for Macworld for years) combined with the technical know-how of Joseph Schoor (who wrote the excellent Secrets Column for the same magazine). When you put two computing giants like them on a project like this, you know you're in for something special.

Then, there is the actual content of the book. Complete is too insufficient a word. All-encompassing is more like it. This book covers every version of the Macintosh Operating System, Every Macintosh, and every major program ever made for Macintosh Computers.

But what kind of information is covered exactly? The good kind. In addition to command references, shortcuts, time-savers, and the like, you will find plenty of weird, funny, or just plain cool secrets.

This book should be required reading for Computer Science 101. It covers the basics of pretty much all things computing, from internet and digital video to page-layout and word-processing. You just might learn how to do something completely new that you have never tried before.

To summarize: This book is the best available on Mac Secrets, and a definite must have for any serious Macintosh User. It has saved my life numerous times in the past because excellent info it has on what to do when things go wrong. And you know what, this book is a lot of fun to read.

Wait...I forgot to mention the cool cd included full of software programs! Well, it's a nice extra, and yet ANOTHER reason to buy the book.

Rating:
Summary: a little bit disappointed
Review: Eventhough it's a truely excellent book, I was a little disappointed about how little it adds to previous editions. In other words, would I have stuck with edition 5, I wouldn't have missed out on much.

Rating:
Summary: I need basic info, not cute tricks
Review: I attribute the wide acceptance of these Mac books to the fact that thoroughgoing software manuals are apparently not provided by manufacturers anymore. I bought the 5th edition of this series when I acquired an iBook a couple of years ago. I hoped to learn more about deploying the basic capabilities of my OS 9.1 software than the little help screens provide. In the two years I've had the book, I've found almost nothing I needed to know to solve a real problem. The book seems to try to deal with several versions of Mac software and is actually a grab bag of "look at this cute trick" features, which may not even be achievable by my particular version of the OS. It may be that I bought the wrong book, but it seemed the most likely one on the shelf.

A case in point occurred when I recently began to suspect that the MACRO function could be combined with an IF function in a spreadsheet to do some format or color changes on the fly. However, this book offers precious little about macros, let alone other spreadsheet functions or the technique for combining them, if indeed that is possible, as it is in other spreadsheeting software. Perhaps this sort of information is not considered a "secret" and thus not appropriate for this book. Unhappily, I know of no other resource for it, so it remains a secret to me.

Rating:
Summary: I need basic info, not cute tricks
Review: I attribute the wide acceptance of these Mac books to the fact that thoroughgoing software manuals are apparently not provided by manufacturers anymore. I bought the 5th edition of this series when I acquired an iBook a couple of years ago. I hoped to learn more about deploying the basic capabilities of my OS 9.1 software than the little help screens provide. In the two years I've had the book, I've found almost nothing I needed to know to solve a real problem. The book seems to try to deal with several versions of Mac software and is actually a grab bag of "look at this cute trick" features, which may not even be achievable by my particular version of the OS. It may be that I bought the wrong book, but it seemed the most likely one on the shelf.

A case in point occurred when I recently began to suspect that the MACRO function could be combined with an IF function in a spreadsheet to do some format or color changes on the fly. However, this book offers precious little about macros, let alone other spreadsheet functions or the technique for combining them, if indeed that is possible, as it is in other spreadsheeting software. Perhaps this sort of information is not considered a "secret" and thus not appropriate for this book. Unhappily, I know of no other resource for it, so it remains a secret to me.

Rating:
Summary: Another great from... you guessed it, David Pogue
Review: I live this book! Thanks David and Joe! You guys are the best! As always, another great update. It's hard to believe how far we moved in these 2 years. An innovative idea is the six free chapters online! I LOVE the contest, but I may be biased about that... I won this year! Wow!

Jason

Rating:
Summary: From Mac Novices to Apple Experts
Review: I own the 3rd, 4th, and 5th editions of Mac Secrets, and in my opinion, if you're an Apple Macintosh lover, or if you're learning the ropes, this book is for you! This book will tell you things about the Macintosh that Apple wouldn't dare reveal, including speed tips and tricks that you wouldv'e never thought possible. Detailed displays and advanced guides, and well as some comedy to lighten the mood. Networking, Internet, Setups, Programs, Applications, and Utilities, it's got it all, and it's the BEST Macintosh book I have ever seen. It's definately worth the buy!

Rating:
Summary: MacWorld MacSecrets 6th edition
Review: The book is great as far as it goes. It has only general information on Mac OS X. The authors promise additional "unlimited edition" chapters; however, the website where these chapters are supposed to be available no longer exists. Hungry Minds publisher was bought by Wiley and Sons, but the website was not acquired by them.
For OS 9 and previous systems the book can't be beat.

Rating:
Summary: The Mac reference book you don't want to miss
Review: This book is sort of like a gift from the gods to us Mac users; it's the book I've been waiting for. After waiting two years for an update to the book (so much has happened in the Mac world during these two years), it's finally here.

Covering every new Mac model, including my Titanium PowerBook G4, I also learnt a lot of new facts about the OS's that were released. On the new products and new content coverage: at least a third to a half of what was on the book were things I never knew about.

If you've been 'staying out' of the Mac world for some time (or haven't been well informed for quite a while) and need only one book to replenish your knowledge and to bring you up to date, this would be the one. Worth every penny!

David Pogue and Joseph Schorr should be congratulated for starting this masterpiece and keeping it alive and updated.

Rating:
Summary: The best in the Mac community, but outdated now.
Review: This book, like almost everything else by the insanely great David Pogue, is an extremely handy Macintosh book. As someone who does some part-time Mac repair and support, it's handy to have on hand. Not only does it go over the important things you'll need to know, it's also chock full of easter eggs and other fun hints.

However, the last major edition release was in 2001, and this book has become extremely outdated now that Mac OS X is the primary Mac OS. If you're looking for a good book on your Mac OS X computer, I'd recommend "Mac OS X: The Missing Manual" by the same author. "Mac OS X Hints", edited by David Pogue, is also a good book.

If you're a Mac fan, this book is still perfect for you. But if you're an OS X user who couldn't care less about OS 8 & 9, older Macs, or tips for old software, then buy some of the author's newer titles.

Rating:
Summary: A Good Mac Book
Review: This is a very thorough and well-written book covering just about every aspect of the Mac that could interest you (except supporting a large number of Macs, perhaps). I am quite glad that I have it for a reference in my work as an IT support person. The only problem I had with it was that some of the illustrations and graphics seemed to be in the wrong place (this is the 6th edition). There are 2 graphics on the back cover, and one has NOTHING to do with the text there that refers to it. That is the only complaint I have, though. And the virtual CD idea is GREAT, in my opinion.