Windows XP For Dummies is for everyone who has a clue about what they want to do with their computers. Bypassing the technical hoopla, this friendly reference comes to the rescue when Windows XP stumps you or when you're feeling spunky and want to dig into deeper details of the ever-popular operating system. In either case, you can expect to pick up information on

• Finding the file you saved or downloaded yesterday
• Moving those little windows around on the screen with the mouse
• Making Windows XP run like your older versions of Windows
• Starting and closing programs by clicking the mouse button
• Making Windows XP work again when it’s misbehaving

Beginning with the basics, this book explains all the Windows XP stuff that everybody thinks they already know – until the program starts tossing them stumbling blocks. Windows XP For Dummies clears the way to

• Navigating the new Start menu and taskbar with ease
• Setting up a secure Internet connection
• Having a good time with digital photos, music, and videos
• Personalizing XP for each member of your family
• Fixing common problems using System Restore and online resources

Most people meet up with Windows XP by something other than choice. Their new computer probably came with a version already installed; maybe the workplace introduced a Windows XP update; or perhaps the latest version of their favorite program required Windows XP. Any in case, Windows XP For Dummies helps you adjust easily to the new Windows kid in town – and even enjoy his company!

Amazon.com Review
Windows XP for Dummies does a good job in its role as the flagship of the Dummies line, providing Windows novices with a guided introduction to Microsoft's latest and most feature-rich operating system for everyday computer users. Its treatment of computer, Windows, and Internet fundamentals is among the best on the market, and author Andy Rathbone has an appealing way of writing that's simultaneously fun and detail-rich. If you're a Windows novice--meaning you don't know how to undelete a file that's been sent to the Recycle Bin, or what a Web browser is, or what it means to "cut and paste" text--you will get a lot out of Rathbone's work.

Some aspects of this book could be better, such as the part of the networking chapter that calls for an Ethernet hub without noting that a switch, though possibly more expensive, would do the job better, without any additional hassle. The networking coverage also does an inadequate job of explaining how to share a cable modem or DSL connection among several computers. This is a serious shortcoming, and we're getting to the point in our evolution as a society of computer users at which we can assume that everyone knows what the "Cancel" button does and would rather read about the newer, more exciting things that Windows XP can do. Even the dummies aren't that dumb anymore.

But that said--and Rathbone does confine a lot of the really elementary stuff to a skinny introductory chapter--this book is a boon to people who aren't familiar with Windows XP or its immediate predecessors (including Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me). It's also great for people who have learned a little about Windows on the job or from their kids, and want to expand on what they know. --David Wall

Topics covered: Microsoft Windows XP for people completely unfamiliar with the operating system and other recent versions of Windows. Coverage includes how to run programs, move and delete files, connect to the Internet, and use applications like electronic mail programs, Web browsers, and multimedia players.