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Comment on MCITP Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-647): Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Administrator Reviews by John R. Muller

John R. Muller — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:37:41 +0000

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

A great study guide and reference source!, July 3, 2008

This review is from: MCITP Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-647): Windows Server Enterprise Administration (Hardcover)

Great study guide and resource!
In many cases, a Self-Paced study guide is mainly useful for preparing for the test and once you have passed the test, the book becomes a dust collector. This is not case with this book. The authors have done a fantastic job of not only covering the exam objectives, but have also written a book you will find very useful as a reference source and for providing real-world guidance as well.

Many IT books are written by individuals who are obviously subject matter experts, but write in such a convoluted fashion that it is difficult if not tedious to read their book. The authors, in this case, have written an easy to read and follow book. They have done a superlative job of presenting complex subjects in an easy to read manner (try talking about NAP to someone that makes it sound REALLY exciting!).

The book is logically broken down to cover all of the exam objectives - in fact a reference chart is included which breaks each chapter and lesson down according to the relevant exam objective. Each chapter gives numerous real-world examples to emphasize the points covered as well as detailed exercises to reinforce the concepts presented. The authors also include numerous references to Microsoft Best Practices - a nice touch that will prove beneficial to many.

All in all - I would highly recommend this book - not only as a study guide for the 70-647 test, but also as a reference source and even a best practices guide.

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Comment on MCITP Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-647): Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Administrator Reviews by MisterStegs

MisterStegs — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:12:26 +0000

59 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

If you've made it this far, you probably know what to expect from an MS Press book, August 18, 2008

MisterStegs (Chicago, IL) -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: MCITP Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-647): Windows Server Enterprise Administration (Hardcover)

If you've used MS Press before, you will experience more of the same in this book. I read the book, used the practice tests, and bought the Self-Test software. I snuck by with a 752 to earn my Enterprise Administrator. The book (and test) focuses on design, and gives you some very nice real-world advice on how to design complex Microsoft-based Networks. It even gives you some managerial advice, which actually gives you a nice sense of pride as you read the book and know what a great certification you're about to earn.

There's no magic to taking MS Exams - my formula for every exam in the Enterprise Admin track was:

1. Read a book. Don't stress over nailing every concept. I used the MS Press books. Just read it leisurely to learn.
2. Go through the practice test CD in the book. Be able to score 80% consistently.
3. Buy a second practice test (I like Self-Test). Be able to score 80% consistently.

For the practice tests, focus on the incorrect answers as much as the correct answers. Know WHY an answer is right/wrong. I don't even use the real cert mode on the tests, I just use the practice mode and learn why the answer is what it is.

Good luck! You'll like the book if you've made it this far.

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Comment on Microsoft 2.0: How Microsoft Plans to Stay Relevant in the Post-Gates Era by Thomas Duff "Duffbert"

Thomas Duff "Duffbert" — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 18:53:59 +0000

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

An insightful look at where Microsoft goes once Bill Gates moves on..., May 14, 2008

Thomas Duff "Duffbert" (Portland, OR United States) -

This review is from: Microsoft 2.0: How Microsoft Plans to Stay Relevant in the Post-Gates Era (Hardcover)

This is a book I've been looking forward to for some time... Microsoft 2.0: How Microsoft Plans to Stay Relevant in the Post-Gates Era by Mary Jo Foley. Given her long track record in covering Microsoft in tech media, I was interested to know how she perceived the behemoth as they come to a critical juncture in their leadership. I personally think she did a very good job in touching on and analyzing all the different facets that make up Microsoft's efforts to stay relevant. Only a minor deduction for an assumption she had to make late in the game that didn't play out as many expected... :)

Contents:
Forward - The Microsoft 2.0 World (According to Mini-Microsoft)
Acknowledgments
Introduction - Microsoft 2.0 - Welcome to the New (Post-Gatesian) Microsoft
Microsoft 1.0 - It Was All about Bill
Microsoft 2.0 - The Buzzwords
Microsoft 2.0 - The People
Microsoft 2.0 - Products on the Near-Term Radar Screen
Microsoft 2.0 - Big-Bet Products
Microsoft 2.0 - Tried and True Business Models
Microsoft 2.0 - Untried but Unavoidable Business Models
Conclusion - On to Microsoft 3.0
Memos, Letters, and E-mails
Annotated Reading List
Index

When you're trying to analyze a company as large as Microsoft *as it is still moving*, it's a difficult chore to commit words to page without having those same words become irrelevant (or even wrong) before the book sees the light of day. Many of the previous books on Microsoft try to tell the story of some past event, and at least have the ability to know that the story isn't going to change much. Foley had to look at the not-so-distant past, mix in the ever-changing present, and try to figure out what it all means for Microsoft once Bill Gates steps away from the company on July 1st, 2008. Given that nearly impossible task in book form, I think she accomplished what she set out to do. She's realistic in where Microsoft has succeeded and failed, without portraying an overwhelming bias as a fan-boy or hater of the company. Although the company would not grant her access to officials for this book, she has plenty of other sources to reveal little-known projects, plans, and experiments designed to keep Microsoft from constant reliance on the cash cows of Windows and Office. But it's painfully clear that Microsoft still continues (and will for the foreseeable future) to rely heavily on those two products to keep the ledger sheet green and to allow them to sink/waste vast amounts of money on other projects that still haven't panned out over time (like IPTV). After reading this book, you realize that Microsoft isn't dead, isn't irrelevant, and isn't going to go away overnight. However, they are at a critical point in their existence, where leadership, technology, and market forces are all combining to make the stakes higher than they've ever been.

To Foley's credit, she doesn't come out and "predict" Microsoft's future. Far too many industry analysts attempt to do that on a daily basis, and continually fail. What she does do is lay out the challenges and offer some insight as to where they *might* go given their track record and past history. That's incredibly useful, and also allows you to go back a couple years later to see how those forces actually played out. The only nit I had about the book surrounds the Microsoft-Yahoo proposed merger. Obviously, that event happened *very* late in the writing of the manuscript. An event of that magnitude could not be ignored without the book looking dated before it was even printed. However, the outcome of that event seemed to have different treatments as the book went along. Earlier in the book, she apparently made the decision to assume the merger would transpire and wrote as if it had. Later on, it was more of an "if the proposed merger occurs" stance. I understand she had to do something with it... It just so happens that it didn't play out as most everyone expected it to. It still doesn't negate or lessen the value of all her other insights and analysis.

You can quibble over whether she's right or wrong as much as you'd like. That's life in the tech world, as we all have our own "expert" opinions on how technology will absolutely play out. What I don't think you can argue over is whether she did her homework on this book and delivered on what she set out to do. She did... Nice job.

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Comment on Microsoft 2.0: How Microsoft Plans to Stay Relevant in the Post-Gates Era by B. Ford

B. Ford — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 18:31:21 +0000

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

Not for Tech News Geeks, September 16, 2008

B. Ford -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Microsoft 2.0: How Microsoft Plans to Stay Relevant in the Post-Gates Era (Hardcover)

After reading Microsoft 2.0, here are my thoughts:

If you are a geek that reads Slashdot, Digg, and other technology news sites, it is most likely that this book is going to bore you to death. It's filled with information you most likely already know. I usually enjoy reading tech-related books, but this was the first time I was completely bored reading. I don't blame the author, she could only work with so much.

This book seems targeted at people that don't keep up with the tech industry.

Also, the author lacks the knowledge of Microsoft's gaming division and their XBox Live efforts. One could tell from reading her thoughts on XBox Live that she truly didn't understand the service. However, Microsoft is a big company, and it will be difficult for a person to be knowledgeable in all areas.

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Comment on Microsoft 2.0: How Microsoft Plans to Stay Relevant in the Post-Gates Era by Maxim Masiutin

Maxim Masiutin — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 18:07:05 +0000

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

Valuable information for an analyst, August 12, 2008

Maxim Masiutin (Chisinau, Republic of Moldova) -

This review is from: Microsoft 2.0: How Microsoft Plans to Stay Relevant in the Post-Gates Era (Hardcover)

Mary Jo Foley has made a valuable contribution to investors and stock analysts. This books makes it easier to understand Microsoft's background, which kinds of business models does Microsoft employ to make money, and the future evolution of these models. This book is helpful if you are going to estimate future cash flows and calculate the intrinsic value of the company. Whichever tools do you have to your disposition as an analyst, this one is a worthy addition.

The author has done great job summarizing miscellaneous (and sporadic) sources of information like various speeches, blogs, and articles. She has also used Microsoft's SEC filings like annual and quarterly reports.

First, she introduces the reader to terms used by Microsoft, e.g. what is "eXperience", "S+S", "Office Live" and so on. Rather than copying vague definitions from the website, she really makes the reader to understand what lies behind these terms in a neutral manner.

Then, she focuses on key people of Microsoft, near-term products of Microsoft, and then devotes the most of the book to the business models. She is not a Microsoft insider and didn't have support from Microsoft key people while writing this book, thus she uses neither overly optimistic nor pessimistic voice: she is quite neutral. The fact that she is not an insider is also good because she doesn't have to do any promises that she have to keep.

There is a useful "annotated reading list", which list blogs which you might want to read to keep in touch with Microsoft. This section also lists some books, but they are quite old and are interesting only in historical perspective.

The only disadvantage of this book is that is somewhat small: more analyses and figures would have been useful for better understanding of the business models of Microsoft.

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Comment on Microsoft Wireless Desktop 3000 by Seattle Mom

Seattle Mom — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:55:03 +0000

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

Seriously? I got excited about this desktop mouse & keyboard?, June 17, 2009

Seattle Mom (Seattle, WA) -

This review is from: Microsoft Wireless Desktop 3000 (Personal Computers)

I have to say that I really like this keyboard and mouse....something I would never expect to come out of my mouth. The mouse has a great form-factor and is extremely comfortable due to the rubberized material on the sides. And it does work on any surface! I also am very pleased by the look of the keyboard & mouse - with the piano black finish. It's stylish and doesn't just look like a piece of plastic on my desk. I liked the product so much I felt I needed to write this review.

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Comment on Microsoft Wireless Desktop 3000 by BahGoat

BahGoat — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:51:36 +0000

74 of 86 people found the following review helpful:

Mixed feelings but not too bad, July 11, 2009

BahGoat (Pittsburgh, PA United States) -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Microsoft Wireless Desktop 3000 (Personal Computers)

If you just want a wireless combo that does the job, then this is it. But there are some annoyances.

Extra buttons that work without the software:
1. The calculator button above num lock that brings up the calculator. That is, the one you would find in start -> all programs -> accessories -> calculator.
2. E-mail, internet, and music buttons on the top left. I think if I had MSN messenger this would work too, but I can't get it to open Pidgin without the software.
3. Play/pause, previous track, next track, stop.
4. Volume down, volume up, mute.

Extra buttons that don't work without the software:
1. On the very left, my documents button and my pictures button.
2. On the very left, zoom in and zoom out. I think they're equivalent to ctrl + =, and ctrl + -, but they won't work without the software.
3. The 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, keys which are software customizable as well as the star key that brings up the config for the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 keys.

The F keys may or may not work without the software, I'm too lazy to uninstall and test it.

Things I like about this keyboard/mouse combo:
1. I really like the calculator key above num lock.
2. The keys are kind of halfway between a standard height key and a notebook key.
3. It looks nice on a desk.
4. Wireless range is about 30 feet, but don't expect it to go through 2 walls. No major complaints about connectivity/tracking/etc.

Things I hate about it:
1. The mouse wheel is completely smooth. If I play a first-person shooter, and I want to switch weapons with the mouse wheel, I get no tactile feedback, and what would normally be one click of the wheel translates into me switching from my first weapon to my third weapon.
2. I can't press spacebar, e, and 4 at the same time. For me that is a problem because unlike most first person shooters that use WASD for up, left, down, right, Tribes 2 uses ESDF. Spacebar is to ski, E is forward, and if I want to change to weapon 4 by pressing number 4, it won't happen if I am also going forward and skiing at the same time.
3. The Esc key and the F1-12 keys are way too small. In addition, the space between Esc and F1 is the same as the space between all of the F keys, making it difficult to find the Esc key quickly. On a traditional keyboard, there is extra space between Esc and F1.
4. There's no way to find out by looking at the keyboard if caps lock, num lock, and scroll lock are on. In order to save power, there are no lights for those locks. If you install the software, if you press any of those buttons, a message on the screen will tell you the state of the locks, but after the message disappears, there's no way to tell. It's not a bug though, it's a power saving feature. LOL!

Overall, the keyboard does its job. If you don't play games, the smooth mouse wheel and the fact that you can't press spacebar, e and 4 at the same time won't bother you. The only real annoyance for a standard user would be that the F1-12 keys are small and that Esc is close to F1.

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Comment on Microsoft Wireless Desktop 3000 by David M. Owens

David M. Owens — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:27:45 +0000

69 of 69 people found the following review helpful:

Very nice, solid keyboard+mouse from MS, June 22, 2009

David M. Owens (Worcester, MA) -

This review is from: Microsoft Wireless Desktop 3000 (Personal Computers)

As somewhat of a keyboard/mouse collector (16 mice and 12 keyboards) due to the "unfortunate" quirk of being left-handed and desiring a comfortable mouse, I've tried quite a few over the years. I bought this set because Microsoft advertise that it's Mac-compatible, which is important seeing as I use Macs primarily.

Previously, I'd been using the standard Apple keyboard (slim aluminum), but wanted a keyboard with a few function keys. I scoped out the Logitech G15, as I had the older flip-LCD version and Logitech now supports Macs with their new G-series Profiler software, but I decided against the G15 because Logitech annoyed me with their Desktop Wave Pro set - which inexplicably is NOT supported by their SetPoint Mac software, even though the original Desktop Wave set IS supported. Grr!

This set from Microsoft is my favorite Microsoft set in years. The keyboard is fairly slim for an MS keyboard, which I like, and the keys are somewhat low-profile, which I also like. It took me an hour or so to get used to typing on it, as it has a bit of a weird contour to it - not quite as weird as the Logitech Wave, but a definite contour.

As mentioned by another reviewer, the keyboard is loud. I don't notice anything particularly loud about the spacebar, but the keyboard is most definitely loud in general. This doesn't bother me, as I tend to like the clack of a keyboard, but I can see how other people might be bothered by it. There's no way I could type on this keyboard stealthily while talking on the phone, for example.

For Mac users, the newest Microsoft IntelliType software is fantastic. Swapping a few settings allowed me to set the Alt keys to be equivalent to my Command keys, and the Windows Menu key (next to Ctrl on the right side) to be Alt, which is convenient while gaming - as I have easy access to Ctrl, Alt and Shift. The function keys are all customizable, allowing you to perform special functions, bind them to applications on your system, and so forth. One minor nitpick is that although you can bind a key to open your web browser, you can't bind it to a specific website - so I cannot, for example, bind my Mail key to automatically open my Gmail website. A minor nit, but it may also bother some people.

Another minor nitpick is that the F-keys are insanely small and are right above the standard keyboard, and below the special function keys. It took me a little while to get used to this, and I had to disable the iTunes functionality on the media keys because I kept hitting them while gaming, and popping up iTunes in the middle of a game. Not good! Due to per-application profiling, however, it's easy to disable them when in certain applications.

Apart from the above, I really like the keyboard. It's slim, low, the wristpad is of a material that's comfortable, and the keys are very nice to type on once you get used to them.

The mouse - which I believe is a Microsoft Wireless Mouse 5000 with a special white underside, instead of the solid black - took me a while to get used to as well, but I love it now. The mouse is very tall, which was a definite change from my previous mouse, a Razer Copperhead. It's ambidextrous, which is a big plus for me, and the sides are rubberized and very comfortable and keep it from slipping in my hand, which has been a problem with other MS mice.

The mouse is quite heavy, which I like, though others may not appreciate that. As is usual with Microsoft mice, the scroll wheel is heavenly - it scrolls so perfectly smooth, with just the right amount of tension. The rubber track on the wheel keeps your finger from slipping and gives good traction for scrolling. The scroll wheel isn't a click-wheel, but it's still very easy to scroll only one or two steps at a time, unlike the free roulette-wheel scroller on Logitech's new mice.

Though another reviewer complained about the loud clicks on the mouse, I don't think it's any louder than some Razer mice (Copperhead, Diamondback or Lachesis are the three I own) or Logitech mice (the G7, VX Nano and VX Revolution are about the same loudness), though it is definitely louder than some of Logitech's "squishier" mice, such as the MX610 and MX620, or the LX8.

I can also definitively say that the BlueTrack is amazingly responsive and accurate, especially for a wireless. After using it for a week, I still haven't had any problems with the pointer slipping or ghosting, or just plain teleporting all over. Very nice.

My only complaint - and it isn't a big one since I don't plan to travel with this mouse - is that although the transceiver snaps into the mouse, it's neither a Nano transceiver, nor does it snap flush into the bottom - it hangs out, which means if something brushes it enough, it could flop out. It would take a good bit of brushing, as there are four rubber teeth that hold the USB... Read more

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Comment on Microsoft Windows 7: Essential (Shelly Cashman) Reviews by Cody

Cody — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:04:07 +0000

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Microsoft Windows 7: Essential (Shelly Cashman), July 2, 2011

hrdumagu -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Microsoft Windows 7: Essential (Shelly Cashman) (Paperback)

This book was a great helpful way for me to learn great interesting things about Windows 7 that I never knew. This book helped me get an A in my college class

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Comment on Microsoft Windows 7: Essential (Shelly Cashman) Reviews by hrdumagu

hrdumagu — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:15:31 +0000

get a "full" book instead for the same price, November 20, 2011

Jeanne Boyarsky (New York, NY) -

This review is from: Microsoft Windows 7: Essential (Shelly Cashman) (Paperback)

I wanted to read about what was new in Windows 7 so I picked up the three books my public library had on the topic. I expected all three to be "too easy" but I can skim and return them being library books and all. I read "Microsoft Windows 7 Essential", "Windows 7 No Problem" and "Windows 7 in Easy Steps" and will be reviewing them together.

"Microsoft Windows 7 Essential" - a 70 page workbook that assumes you've never used Windows 7 before. It doesn't cover what is new in the main text of the book and only covers the most basic of features. There is one table that lists what features are in different versions of Window 7, but it seems like an afterthought. I also get the impression this book is part of a large of another book because it is only once chapter long. If you have one chapter, you don't have to say "chapter 1."

"Windows 7 No Problem!" - This book does assume you've used some version of Windows before. But you probably have even if was just at the library or a kiosk somewhere. I liked the emphasis on different learning styles - highlighting, screenshots, encouraging you to think. And I really liked the explicit "take a break now" before each view to remind the reader to absorb as much as possible. The new (and some old) features were well explained and I have a list of keyboard shortcuts to learn. But only because I like keyboard shortcuts. The book is very approachable. The "no problem" thing grated on me a little by the end. Each chapter begins with a list of things you might want to do and says "no problem." Who said it was a problem? But it was only one page in each chapter and easy enough to skip. That was the only thing I didn't like. This book was by far my favorite of the three.

"Windows 7 in Easy Steps" - For the most part, this is a beginner book. It doesn't assume you know the term double click. Except on page 23 when they use regedit as an example of what you might need administrator privileges for. If you don't know what double click means and I have to support your computer, I'd prefer you've never even heard of regedit not going off an experiment with it. (You can seriously mess up your computer by messing around in the regedit program.) I did like the detailed steps and color screenshots. This book covers anti-virus, set up and installing/upgrade well.

In terms of recommending a book, it is between "Windows 7 No Problem" and "WIndows 7 in Easy Steps". I think I feel comfortable saying that you should go with "Windows 7 No Problem" if you've used Windows before and "Windows 7 in East Steps" if you haven't or prefer things to be explained in more detail. If you are looking for technical detail (I wasn't), none of these books are for you. Both focus on doing things "the Microsoft way."

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