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| Mac OS X Leopard: The Missing Manual | 
 enlarge | Author: David Pogue
Publisher: Pogue Press
Category: Book
List Price: $34.99
Buy New: $20.47
You Save: $14.52 (41%)
New (51) Used (8) from $20.46
Avg. Customer Rating:  138 reviews
Sales Rank: 443
Format: Illustrated
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 912
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 7 x 1.9
ISBN: 059652952X
Dewey Decimal Number: 005.4465
EAN: 9780596529529
ASIN: 059652952X
Publication Date: December 15, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand new item. Over 3.5 million customers served. Order now. Selling online since 1995. Order with confidence. Code: B20081121221340T
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| Customer Reviews:
 Imagine- a computer manual that's a great read! December 29, 2007
21 out of 22 found this review helpful
Having enjoyed David Pogue's technology columns at the NY Times, I picked up this book to help me master Mac OS X Leopard operating system. It has been a real pleasure having David Pogue and his team guiding me through this extensive upgrade. He covers every conceivable topic with great clarity, all the while mixing in a delightful array of self depreciating jokes. Whether it is reviewing Leopard's 300 new features, learning how to make smart folders in finder or figuring out how to fax a document, or set up a home network Pogue guides you through the learning process with clear prose and a liberal dose of humor. I like this 900 page tome so much that I've started turning to random chapters just to see what I will stumble upon. Over the past week I've managed to become acquainted with various corners of the software I never would have encountered without David's encouraging and humorous approach to working with technology. I highly recommend this book for both beginners and more experienced users.
 Good General Knowledge, but Trouble-Shooting Help Was Disappointing! May 11, 2008
17 out of 20 found this review helpful
I was able to find information that was generally useful in this tome, but each and every time I attempted to use "...Missing Manual" for trouble-shooting Leopard on a new 2008 Release Mac Pro, I was sorely disappointed. It's strange, but items for which I searched in the Index were never referenced.
I understand that no book will be a hand-holding, interactive trouble-shooter for each and every problem, but this book has - so far - considerably missed in being a trouble-shooting aid.
There is a nice keyboard shortcuts lists on page 863 and explanations for applications that come with Leopard - Dock, Safari, Finder, Dictionary, Expose, etc. I feel it falls short on hard-core trouble-shooting.
I did not get to the website, which is also a very nice feature of this manual - the always updated website of additional information.
I think a person looking for more advanced and detailed information might want to search elsewhere - maybe Chris Siebold's Big Book of Apple Hacks: Tips & Tools for unlocking the power of your Apple devices (In a Nutshell (O'Reilly)), Meyers' and Lee's Mac OS X Leopard: Beyond the Manual (Btm (Beyond the Manual)), Mac OS X Leopard Bible by Samuel Litt and others, or Brian Tieman's Mac OS X Leopard Phrasebook (Developer's Library).
If Mac OS X Leopard: The Missing Manual is targeted to advance users and trouble-shooters, I really, really think improvement is in order. By any chance, the Index is telling and should be revisited.
An essential for Leopard users January 6, 2008
15 out of 16 found this review helpful
I received a new iMac for Christmas and bought David's book to act as a reference for Leopard. I'm not disappointed. First, I'm a fan of David's iTunes video podcast and especially enjoyed "iPhone, the Musical" and I'm a further fan of the "missing manual" series. I figured I could not go wrong. While Leopard is intuitive, there are some nuances that are best discovered through a book like this. In less than a week with my new iMac, David's book has helped me discover several interesting and important techniques for getting the most from Leopard. The book is well-written, has a detailed index and delivers a lot of bang for the buck. I am enjoying browsing through it and appreciate how quickly I can flip to the index to find a fast answer. I've not had a single question that could not be easily answered by this book in just a minute or two. For these reasons, I'm happy to give the book five stars.
Not necessarily the best book on Mac OS X Leopard May 30, 2008
15 out of 16 found this review helpful
I have to agree with LifeFX's review below. There is no doubt a lot of information here, but some of it I found somewhat lacking or misleading, and for me, this was made worse by what I considered to be a distracting hyperactive writing syle.
As an example in the section on FileVault, I got the impression from reading a few pages about it that it was something I should start using as soon as possible if I was going to have any security on my Mac! The Mac OS Leopard Bible on the other hand had half a page on it that I found much more factual and descriptive of what FileVault actually does, from which I concluded that I don't really need to use it.
Some examples of where I found the book a little lacking was in how little other security issues were discussed. I found no discussion of viruses other than regarding security issues if you are running Windows with FMWare Fusion or a similar program. On the other hand the Mac OS Leopard Bible discussed viruses in much more depth and even recommended a few relevant antivirus programs. The Special Edition: Using Mac OS X Leopard by Brad Miser does as well. I know a lot of people would like to think that viruses are not relevant to them since they now have a Mac, but it's really not true, as at this point although there are fewer viruses that directly affect the Mac there still are some and others that do not affect the Mac can still pass them on to others if they are imbedded in a Word doc for example.
Another example where I felt the "Bible" went in to more depth in regards to security issues was in it's discussion of how to monitor open ports which are available to outside hackers, and how the port monitor that comes with Leopard is less effective than a recommended alternative.
I am sure that many people will find the writing style to be entertaining. I can see how they would. The author is no doubt an entertaining writer. The author is also to be commended for presenting such a wealth of information in what for many may be a more accessible style. Although all that is true, I think there are other sources of information that may be better in some ways, but then maybe not in others. In any case, I would certainly not say this is the only Mac OS Leopard book you need, nor necessarily the best, but it is certainly worth having for the tips and information it does provide.
Really Outstanding Book January 1, 2008
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
I am a 20 year Windows "veteran" and an IT consultant. I recently switched to the Mac. This book was one of the most well written pieces that I have ever used. It made the changeover to the Mac far simpler. There is even a section detailing Windows terminology in terms of the Mac. It detailed Windows/Mac networking, etc.
Really outstanding...take my word for it...spend the $20 or so and get this book.
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