Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #550 in Books
• Published on: 2007-12-07
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 912 pages

Synopsis
With Leopard, Apple has unleashed the greatest version of Mac OS X yet, and David Pogue is back with another meticulous "Missing Manual" to cover the operating system with a wealth of detail. The new Mac OS X 10.5, better known as Leopard, is faster than its predecessors, but nothing's too fast for Pogue and this "Missing Manual". It's just one of reasons this is the most popular computer book of all time. "Mac OS X: The Missing Manual, Leopard Edition" is the authoritative book for Mac users of all technical levels and experience.If you're new to the Mac, this book gives you a crystal-clear, jargon-free introduction to the Dock, the Mac OS X folder structure, and the Mail application. There are also mini-manuals on iLife applications such as iMovie, iDVD, and iPhoto, and a tutorial for Safari, Mac's web browser. This "Missing Manual" book is amusing and fun to read, but Pogue doesn't take his subject lightly. Which new Leopard features work well and which do not? What should you look for? What should you avoid?"

Mac OS X: The Missing Manual, Leopard Edition" offers an objective and straightforward instruction for using: Leopard's totally revamped Finder; Spaces to group your windows and organize your Mac tasks; Quick Look to view files before you open them; The Time Machine, Leopard's new backup feature; Spotlight to search for and find anything in your Mac; Front Row, a new way to enjoy music, photos, and videos; Enhanced Parental Controls that come with Leopard; and Quick tips for setting up and configuring your Mac to make it your own. There's something new on practically every page of this new edition, and David Pogue brings his celebrated wit and expertise to every one of them. Mac's brought a new cat to town and "Mac OS X: The Missing Manual, Leopard Edition" is a great new way to tame it.

Customer Reviews

Bulky guide but useful
As a new migrant from Windows XP, I had absolutely no idea how clever the Mac OS X Leopard operating system was until I picked up this book. There are so many hidden features that it takes a serious user manual to ferret them out. Unfortunately, Apple provide just a tiny little white booklet and expect you to spend hours online searching their website for tips. Call me old-fashioned but I prefer hard copy to flicking back and forth between help screens and the work I am doing (even if it is easier with a Mac than a PC).

The step by step instructions are particularly useful to those who are sitting in front of a Mac for the first time. There's also some useful information about third party software which can enhance a Mac further; for example, if the user wants to run Windows alongside Mac OS X on the same computer. There's also advice about customising Leopard as well.

Yes, this is a heavy book and, yes, it does become a little anecdotal in places, but I recommend it to anyone who wants to unleash the full power of Leopard.

Makes OS X seem complicated
I have to admit I'm not used to reading this sort of thing, but this author - to me - has gone so far in the 'make it easy to read' plan that it's pretty hard going. I'm fairly convinced that if it had been written properly it would be around a third of the size; there's so much condescending (and misleading) chit-chat to work through that it gets tedious to read page to page, and it's badly enough organised that it's impossible to skim-read to find what you're after. In fact, OS X is rather simpler to get to grips with than the book is - just poke about in the OS until you find what you're looking for.
There is some useful information in there, but it's very well hidden.

Does what it says on the cover
I recently bought an iMac with Leopard pre-installed. Coming from a PC this operating system was a revelation, and even though I was immediately able to get to work on the Mac, some 'education' on the operating system was needed.

I have read this book from cover to cover (leaving out some of the techier sections) although had no intention to do so. This was not a slog even though it runs to over 800 pages - it does not read like a manual and the style is very chatty in a good way - good for what could have been a very dry introduction to this operating system. It really does cover just about everything you are ever likely to need to "make your Mac sing, dance,and stand on its head". It is packed with information about organising your Mac, the free software, controlling accounts, networking etc and is fully cross referenced with additional useful material on the Missing Manual website. An absolute must for newcomers to the Mac, I can unreservedly recommend.