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Rating: 
Summary: [poorly written]
Review: ... we used this for a textbook spring semester. the book is very poorly written, and needs an edit badly. chapter 2 makes 3 attempts to explain the boot-up process. one attempt would be adequate if english were used. the analogy to an auto is cute, but worthless. it explains nothing. andrews uses the words "recall" and "remember" over and over and over. the book attempts to cover too many subjects. for example, leave networking to networking books. explain how a computer works, and that'd be more than enough, if clearly written. also, the book should be restricted to the current windows edition, for example, windows xp. and windows 3x, and 9x should be put into an appendix. it's just too confusing to newbies to attempt to explain the history of operating systems while the real task at hand is explaining how a computer works and computer repair.
Rating: 
Summary: Good, but Out-of-Date
Review: .
If you have a chance to pick up a copy of this 3rd Edition, you'll find it very well written, nicely illustrated, and RICH with relevant technical information... You'll also find it very much out-of-date... This 3rd edition was published in 2001, which means most of the material in it is vintage 2000 (FOUR years old!)... Okay if you are still using Windows9x or NT4 and just need a very good architecture based desk reference... But, the material in the 3rd Edition maps to the 2000 A+ exam, NOT the 2003 A+ exam, and is consequently unsuitable for current A+ certification preparation, especially the software component, that focuses heavily on supporting Windows XP and is NOT included in this 3rd Edition... The 4th edition of this textbook was published in 2003, and the latest edition (at this writing), the 5th edition, has been available since February 2004 (I have it; it's EXCELLENT!)... ALL editions are also available, at extra cost, with a Lab Manual, a PC Pocket-Sized Troubleshooting Guide (EXCELLENT!), Computer-Based A+ Training CDs (HIGHLY recommended), an A+ Course Prep Study Guide (MUST HAVE if you're prepin' for A+), and a 22-piece Basic Toolset including a Digital Multi-Meter, that is good, very reasonably priced, and you'll need if you have zero tech tools... If you're lookin' for a very good architecture based desk reference for Windows9x or NT4/2000 only, try to find this one used... BUT, if you are looking for an architecture based desk reference that INCLUDES Windows XP, Pentium4, 800 MHz buses (NOT 133) and a more updated mapping to the 2003 A+ exam, buy the 5th edition... You can find it at course dot com/pcrepair... Oh yeah, almost forgot... The CD that accompanies this 3rd edition does NOT have a free copy of 'Nuts & Bolts' on it even though the textbook says it does...
Rating: 
Summary: Great for beginners
Review: COMPTIA has started to update the A+ Exam and the new exam will be out in the first quarter of 2001. Having a book that gives you the newest objectives is certainly a plus and Jean Andrews has delivered the first book I have seen to cover the newest set of objectives. The 1200 page book can be used as a self-study manual or in a classroom setting. Starting off with computer concepts and how software and hardware works gives the technician a great base to build on. Andrews then covers the topics of system boards, memory, storage devices and troubleshooting the hardware side. This covers about 40% of the book. Andrews makes sure that the laser printer process and laptops get the needed coverage devoting chapters to each topic. The networking sections are excellent and each area is covered with enough information to make sure that you can pass the exam. The software topics of Windows 9.X, NT and 2000 Professional are also given their due with excellent attention to detail. With tables, figures, diagrams, review question, key terms, hands-on projects you have every objective covered and the best chance of getting a leg up on the rest of the IT community. The cd-rom included has a 120-day eval of Nuts and Bolts and a discount voucher is also included. Again, Jean Andrews is leading the pack in making sure that future technicians are given every opportunity to climb the IT ladder. About the only thing left out is the software practice test, but overall this is an excellent place to start.
Rating:
Summary: Oh yeah, I forgot to mention....
Review: The author refers to tables and diagrams that are consistently several pages back so they got you flipping back and forth through the book. The tables/diagrams are nice, but if you really want someone to comprehend what you're explaining while giving them a visual... put them on the same page!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: "Enhanced" A+ Guide... Ha
Review: The class I'm taking uses this book, and well I'm less than impressed with it so far. The book does a very poor job of providing thorough definitions for a variety of technical terminology (i.e. page fault or virtual machine). Instead the author likes to use analogies to help put it in perspective I guess for the "non-technical" individual, but it really doesn't help. I mean if someone is using this book it's most likely going to be because they already have some kind of technical backround... you would have to in order to understand it. I personally appreciate more comprehensive definitions as opposed to cute analogies (i.e. like driving a vehicle and whatnot). On the flip side of that, while they try to appeal to the beginner "techie", they also uses some acronyms that they do not even include in their glossary much less explain them at the time they mention them in the book. They don't seem to be consistent in the way they define things.
Rating:
Summary: A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC(3rd edition)
Review: This book has a lot of materials but lacks totally any sense of pedagogy. In order to do the review questions, the user has to flip back and forth within the chapters. I used this book in a course but hesitated to buy the book for myself because of the out-dated materials and the lack of pedagogy.
Rating:
Summary: Oh yeah, I forgot to mention....
Review: This is my txtbook for Spring Semester. It IS good, and explains things to my satisfaction, eliciting ah hah!s and Wow!s once in a while -- BUT.....the glossary and the index both fall short of what I expect. How can the author justify putting in an entry such as "Static VxD" in the Glossary without an entry in the V section explaining what VxD is??? AND.....is VxD in the Index?? No!! So I have to put aside this 1000+ page...book and do a search on the Internet to find out what VxD is! This seems to happen too many times in this book. A Glossary and an Index should work together, especially to help make things clearer for the student. When I encounter something about RAT and DTR in this book -- why are they both lacking entries in the Glossary AND the Index? The same thing goes for --IDE and ATA -- common terms which deserve a space in the Glossary -- why are they missing? This textbook has over 1000 pages -- does the author expect me to flip thru them to find what I'm looking for??? The next edition should have a much more generous-sized Glossary AND Index to thumb through.
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