Blast Away Your PC Annoyances
Publication date: Thursday, 31 March 2005
O'Reilly Releases "PC Annoyances, Second Edition"
Sebastopol, CA--"I've spent nearly 20 years in front of a computer, and I still fume at some of the really dumb things programs do to us--and our PCs," says "PC World" expert Steve Bass. "And from the email I receive, I know I'm not alone in feeling ticked off, annoyed, and aggrieved."
Bass feels the pain of the billions of users who get totally aggravated with their PCs (and the same billions who email him with their annoyances) and he's here to cure it with his revised and expanded "PC Annoyances, Second Edition" (O'Reilly, US $19.95).
For every user who has ever felt even a twinge of animosity toward his or her PC, Bass's book affirms the frustration (as any good friend would) and then alleviates it (as any solid resource should). "Many people are now realizing that they've been putting up with programs that have downright annoying features and yes, bugs," says Bass. "It's high time they learned they aren't alone, it's not their fault, and, most important, there are solutions and workarounds."
Cranky enough to commiserate--Bass isn't afraid to name products and point fingers--but solution-packed enough to dramatically lower user aggravation level and raise productivity, this edition delivers more than 150 new tips and features more than 150 free utility downloads to put readers on the path to PC contentment.
Unlike some computing books, "PC Annoyances" isn't meant to be "read," warns Bass. "This is a grazing book. My tips and tricks are served up in bite-sized portions for quick consumption and easy implementation. And don't expect the annoyances (or fixes) to be esoteric or even technical. They're common annoyances most people have encountered--but haven't been able to fix."
Have an annoyance? "Fire off an email," says Bass. "I'd be delighted to help you figure out a fix."
The highly entertaining and enlightening "PC Annoyances, Second Edition" includes organized, easily digestible chapters devoted to:
-Email--covering Outlook and Outlook Express, Eudora, AOL, Hotmail, Gmail, and more
-Windows--with plenty of Service Pack 2 annoyances
-The Internet--including Internet Explorer and Netscape
-Microsoft Office--with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint annoyances
-Windows Explorer
-Music, video, and CDs
-Hardware
Quick, simple-to-implement solutions to real world PC gripes and gremlins--from the pesky to the downright rage inducing--help readers zap spam; keep their WiFi networks humming and secure; enjoy iTunes and the iPod as much as any Mac user might; get the goods on Gmail; tame their notebooks; stop cable clutter; and much, much more.
Praise for the previous edition:
"Steve Bass's new book, 'PC Annoyances' is nothing less than a goldmine. Besides the fact that it's a lighthearted, easy read that you can tackle in chunks, it's also jam-packed with serious tips and tricks...'PC Annoyances' won't be gathering any dust on my livingroom bookshelf; it already has a handy home--right next to my PC!"
--Linda Webb, Greater Cleveland PC Users Group
"One of my current favorites is a book called 'PC Annoyances' by Steve Bass...Bass delivers on the book's title by zeroing in on a handful of the most common and most aggravating problem areas in personal computing. Using clear language and everyday examples, Bass systematically tackles such knotty subjects as email, Windows, web surfing, Windows Explorer, digital music and video, and more."
--John Moran, "Hartford Courant"
"'PC Annoyances' is not only about the problems you cross, but also things you may have never even considered...The book's format lends itself to quick and easy scanning with side notes in the light red shaded area on the sides of the pages, useful screen shots, and boxes with tidbits. The book is just 177 pages, enough for you to find the tips you need without the needle-in-the-haystack problem."
--Meryl Evans, Meryl.net
Further reviews of the first edition of "PC Annoyances" can be found at:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/pcannoy/reviews.html
Additional Resources:
Chapter 1, "Email Annoyances," is available online at:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/pcannoy2/chapter/index.html
"Five More Annoying PC Annoyances," an article by Steve Bass, is available online: http://www.windowsdevcenter.com/pub/a/windows/2005/03/28/pcannoyances.html
For more information about the book, including table of contents, index, author bio, and samples, see: http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/pcannoy2/index.html
For a cover graphic in JPEG format, go to:
ftp://ftp.ora.com/pub/graphics/book_covers/hi-res/1.jpg
Steve Bass is available for print or radio interviews, TV appearances, or just to chat about the annoyances you've encountered. Contact him at
PC Annoyances, Second Edition
Steve Bass
ISBN: 0-596-00882-1, 230 pages, $19.95 US, $27.95 CA
http://www.oreilly.com
About O'Reilly
O'Reilly Media, Inc. is the premier information source for leading-edge computer technologies. The company's books, conferences, and web sites bring to light the knowledge of technology innovators. O'Reilly books, known for the animals on their covers, occupy a treasured place on the shelves of the developers building the next generation of software. O'Reilly conferences and summits bring alpha geeks and forward-thinking business leaders together to shape the revolutionary ideas that spark new industries. From the Internet to XML, open source, .NET, Java, and web services, O'Reilly puts technologies on the map.For more information: http://www.oreilly.com
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