Using Microsoft Windows XP

Special Edition Using Microsoft Windows XP Professional is the de facto Windows XP Pro reference and one you shouldn't fire up your Windows XP computer without! Get the book that PC World magazine reviewer Steve Bass says if he had to choose just one book to help him master Windows XP, "this would be the one."

• Windows Peace Finally, longtime Windows NT/2000 users who have pined for a more usable operating system - such as Windows 95/98/Me - without sacrificing the stability and networking features they've come to expect in NT/2000 can pine no more. Windows XP Professional unites the two operating system camps.
• Your NT upgrade has finally arrived - Looking to upgrade from your aging Windows NT environment? Many corporations eschewed Windows 2000 as it was well known that 2000 (NT 5, for all intents and purposes) was a brief stop for Microsoft, which was already hard at work on XP. If you are viewing 2000 as the XP beta, you can be assured that it's now time-tested and ready to rock!
• Written for humans by humans! While many authors spend time trying to overwhelm you with their technical expertise, Bob and Brian drive right to the point with the clear, natural language that you have come to love and expect.
• Hands on, roll-up-your-shirtsleeves advice! Bob and Brian don't just tell you how to use the Windows features and point you elsewhere for networking or hardware advice. Instead, the help you choose, install and configure hardware and software that work in concert with Windows.
• CD-ROM Includes: 45 minutes of video from Brainsville.com. This unique video package is a new, innovative feature in computer books and video courseware, which brings Bob and Brian right to your desktop. This personal seminar flattens your learning curve, introduces you to Windows XP and demonstrates how to use it while you watch. Topics covered range from mastering the new XP user interface to setting up and fine-tuning your local area network.

Robert Cowart has written more than 35 books on computer programming and applications, with more than a dozen on Windows. His titles include Windows NT Unleashed, Mastering Windows (3.0, 3.1, 95, 98, and Me), Windows NT Server AdministratorÕs Bible, Windows NT Server 4.0: No Experience Required, and Special Edition Using Windows 2000 Professional. Several of his books have been bestsellers in their categories, and have been translated into more than 20 languages. He has written on a wide range of computer-related topics for such magazines as PC Week, PC World, PC Magazine, PC Tech Journal, Mac World, and Microsoft Systems Journal. He has taught programming classes at the University of California Extension in San Francisco and has appeared as a special guest on the PBS TV series Computer Chronicles, CNNÕs Headline News, ZD-TVÕs The Screen Savers, and ABCÕs World News Tonight with Peter Jennings. He is president and co-founder of Brainsville.com, a company specializing in creating multimedia training courses. Robert resides in Berkeley, California.

In his spare time, he is involved in the music world, presenting chamber-music concerts and playing classical piano. He also is a teacher of the Transcendental Meditation technique.

Brian Knittel has been a software developer for more than 20 years. After doing graduate work in nuclear medicine and magnetic resonance imaging technologies, he began a career as an independent consultant. An eclectic mix of clients have led to long-term projects in medical documentation, workflow management, real-time industrial system control, and most importantly, 15 years of real-world experience with MS-DOS, Windows, and computer networking in the business world. Previously, he co-authored Special Edition Using Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional and contributed to several of Bob CowartÕs other Windows books. Brian lives in Albany, California, halfway between the tidal wave zone and the earthquake fault. He spends his free time restoring antique computers (check out www.ibm1130.org) and trying to perfect his wood-fired pizza recipes.