Da jeg anmeldte den første udgave af denne bog - Windows 8 trin for trin^{(Windows 8 Step By Step)} - sagde jeg, at det var "den slags bog, du kan have ved din computer som reference, fordi den vil give dig tillid til, at du kan gøre alt rigtigt. Det er en vinder!" Andre websteder, herunder Amazon , hvor anmelderne er notorisk vrøvlede, har også givet den 5-stjernet og 4-stjernet vurdering, og det er en af ​​Microsoft Press ' bedst sælgende bøger i 2013. Så denne nye udgave havde et godt ry at leve i. op til. Har^(Did) forfatterne Ciprian Adrian Rusen og Joli Ballew imødekommet udfordringen med at lave det nye Windows 8.1 trin for trin^{(Windows 8.1 Step by Step)}større og bedre? Lad os tage et kig og se, hvad de opnåede denne gang.

Ansvarsfraskrivelse:^{(Disclaimer:)} Jeg læste nogle af kapitlerne, mens denne bog blev skrevet, men jeg dannede mig ingen mening, før jeg havde mulighed for at læse det hele.

Kom godt i gang med Windows 8.1 Trin^(Step) for Trin^(Step)

Som med sin forgænger antager Windows 8.1 Step By Step , at læseren ser på en pc eller tablet med Windows 8.1 allerede installeret. Da Windows 8.1 er en så nylig udgivelse, ville det for mig give mere mening at lægge instruktionerne til opgradering i begyndelsen, ikke gemt væk i et appendiks til sidst, da mange mennesker vil opgradere i stedet for at se en computer, der følger med Windows 8.1 forudinstalleret. Det indledende kapitel indeholder ikke en note om, at opgraderingsinstruktionerne er i et appendiks^(Appendix) , hvilket jeg betragter som en alvorlig mangel.

Kapitlet Introduktion af Windows 8.1^{(Introducing Windows 8.1)} er beregnet til at være en oversigt, der peger på kapitler, der dækker emnerne mere detaljeret. For det meste virker dette, men nogle dele af kapitlet virker mere overfladiske end andre. Tilgangen til startskærmen^(Start) og skrivebordet^(Desktop) er mærkbart inkonsekvent. Mens du bruger Start -skærmen, vil meget hjælpe nybegynderen med at blive fortrolig med det, uanset hvilken forfatter, der har skrevet dette kapitel, anerkender, at folk vil gøre meget af deres arbejde på skrivebordet^(Desktop) - selv mens de opfordrer dem til ikke at bruge det. Denne tilgang er overført fra den tidligere version af bogen, og efter min tankegang burde den have været revideret.

For at komme forbi det, forklarer det indledende kapitel dog funktionerne i Windows 8.1 klart og med masser af illustrationer. Det ville gøre det ret nemt for en nybegynder at komme i gang med at forstå apps, charms og fliser, før de går videre.

Til app eller ej til app (igen)

Microsoft skelner mellem det, de kalder "apps" og det, de kalder "desktop-apps". Jeg ville ønske, de havde brugt forskellig terminologi, for de to slags applikationer er meget forskellige i stil og tilgang, men navnene er alt for ens. Tilføjelse til forvirringen er det faktum, at du kan lægge fliser til desktop-apps på startskærmen^(Start) , der ser ud til at være næsten identiske med fliser, der bruges til native Windows 8.1 - apps, så det er muligvis ikke tydeligt, hvilken slags app du klikker på, før den gør det. eller skifter dig ikke til skrivebordet^(Desktop) . Windows 8.1 Trin for trin^{(Windows 8.1 Step By Step)} hjælper med at uddanne nykommeren om forskellene mellem de to slags apps ved at fortsætte sit fokus på Startskærm-apps (desktop-apps får en omtale, men det er stort set det). At arbejde udelukkende med disse apps bør hjælpe læseren med at forstå fuldskærmstilgangen og blive mere tryg ved den. Folk, der har brugt tidligere versioner af Windows , ved allerede, hvordan desktop-apps fungerer, så der er mindre behov for at gå i detaljer om dem. Der er gode, godt illustrerede instruktioner til at eksperimentere med indbyggede apps som Fotos, Musik, Videoer^{(Photos, Music, Videos)} og Kort^(Maps) . De ting, der har ændret sig i disse apps mellem Windows 8 og Windows 8.1er også forklaret i detaljer - noget du vil finde gennem hele bogen, et meget velkomment indslag. En nybegynder kan følge instruktionerne og bruge de nyttige øvelsesfiler, og burde få styr på det ret nemt. Dem, der allerede er bekendt med Windows 8 , kan skimme igennem for at finde Windows 8.1- ændringerne og tilføjelserne og opfriske deres færdigheder med de populære apps undervejs.

Bliver seriøs med Windows 8.1

De kapitler, der beskriver File Explorer og Internet Explorer 11 , er lige så gode som dem i den forrige udgave af bogen (den forrige udgave dækkede Internet Explorer 10 ). Nybegyndere i Windows 8- verdenen bør bestemt tage sig tid til at læse disse kapitler. Windows 8 og Windows 8.1 er meget forskellige fra deres forgængere, og de fleste mennesker vil kræve tid og lidt hånd i hånden for at føle sig godt tilpas med den nye måde at gøre tingene på. At have denne bog foran dig og arbejde dig igennem øvelserne (med øvelsesfilerne, tilgængelige på Microsofts^(Microsoft) websted, ved hjælp af URL'en^(URL)og instruktioner fra begyndelsen af ​​bogen) burde lette næsten alle til filhåndtering og internetbrowsing. Windows 8.1 introducerer nogle ændringer i bibliotekerne^(Libraries) , som jeg ikke er sikker på, jeg er enig i. Jeg har været fan af konceptet biblioteker^(Libraries) siden længe før Microsoft inkluderede dem i Windows . Folk, der har vænnet sig til Windows 8 's måde at håndtere biblioteker^(Libraries) på, vil finde forklaringen på ændringerne, og forslaget til en god måde at lægge tingene tilbage på det meste, som de var (hvis du vil), meget velkommen.

Windows 8.1 Step By Step fortsætter sit fokus på de moderne apps ved at opfordre læseren til at bruge fuldskærmsversionen af ​​Internet Explorer 11 , selvom fuldskærmsversionen beskrives som "minimalistisk" og den er mindre alsidig end desktopversionen^(Desktop) . For eksempel har den ingen understøttelse af udvidelser og værktøjslinjer af nogen art. Når det er sagt, gør bogen dog et godt stykke arbejde med at forklare, hvordan fuldskærmsversionen fungerer, og hvordan læseren kan få mest muligt ud af den. Kapitlet bør være et must-read for folk, der bruger tablets og hybridenheder som Microsoft Surface , fordi denne version af Internet Explorer 11 er meget veloptimeret til touchskærme. SkyDriveer stadig en ret ny funktion for de fleste mennesker, og dem, der ikke har benyttet sig af denne brugervenlige cloud-lagring (eller ikke har udforsket dens muligheder), vil finde masser af værdifuld information, der burde få dem til at få mest muligt ud af skyen på meget kort tid. Som en relativ nybegynder til SkyDrive selv, satte jeg stor pris på dette afsnit. SkyDrive er meget mere end blot en webtjeneste, og det er et plus at have en klar forklaring på alle måder, man kan få adgang til og bruge den på. Det kunne have tilføjet kapitlet at indsætte en kort omtale af den web-only Office - pakke, der kan bruges direkte fra SkyDrive - webstedet. De "sociale" apps får deres eget kapitel. Disse er apps som Mail, People, Calendar, Cameraog Skype . Da flere og flere mennesker køber computere, netop for at de kan komme i kontakt med deres familier og venner, vil dette kapitel sandsynligvis stå højt på listen over must-reads for mange mennesker. Endnu en gang er læseren lettet ind i, hvad der kunne være en ny oplevelse, og forklaringerne burde give næsten enhver selvtillid til at dykke direkte ind.

Windows 8.1 Trin for trin^{(Windows 8.1 Step By Step)} giver ikke bare enkle "klik her for at tale med dine børnebørn"-instruktioner – det leder læseren gennem nogle ret sofistikerede ting som at vedhæfte filer fra SkyDrive til en e-mail, forbinde din Facebook - konto og opsætte kontakter og kalendere, der både vil være enkle at bruge og fuldt udstyrede nok til at være en del af alles hverdag. Og selvfølgelig ville ingen Windows -bog værd sin pris være uden en diskussion om at spille spil, købe apps fra Windows Store, og forstå køb i appen (noget alle skal vide om, så de ikke ender med en regning, der slår deres sokker af). Alle, der er opmærksomme på denne bog, burde være i stand til at sejle gennem Windows Store uden problemer. Der er også klare instruktioner til brug af en Windows 8.1-computer med en Xbox-konsol, hvilket burde være meget nyttigt.

Trygt og sikkert – og mere til

Diskussionen om at oprette forbindelse til internettet via både kablede og trådløse netværk, bruge netværks- og delingscenteret^{(Network and Sharing Center)} og navigere i pc-indstillingerne^{(PC Settings)} er endnu et must-read. Så meget af, hvad nutidens computere gør, afhænger af en internetforbindelse, at det er absolut nødvendigt at få forbindelsen rigtig. Som i forrige udgave leder bogen den nytilkomne gennem processen på en letforståelig måde. Ligesom sin forgænger tager Windows 8.1 Step By Step også sikkerhed meget seriøst. I dag er det vigtigere end nogensinde at holde din computer og dine data sikker og sikker. Microsoft har indbygget nogle fantastiske sikkerhedsfunktioner i Windows 8.1 og er opmærksomme på de kapitler, der diskuterer sikkerhedsproblemer (ogForældrekontrol^{(Parental Controls)} ) er afgørende. Kapitlet At tillade andre at bruge computeren^{(Allowing others to use the computer)} bør indgå i diskussionen om sikkerhed, da det at have separate konti til separate brugere gør alting både lettere og mindre risikabelt. Kapitlet kaldet Holde Windows 8.1 sikkert og sikkert^{(Keeping Windows 8.1 safe and secure)} bør læses. Der er en hel del mere til sikkerhed, end de fleste af os er klar over, og i dette tilfælde er det gamle ordsprog "forvarslet er forearmed" helt sandt. Læseren bør være særligt opmærksom på afsnittet, der omhandler virkelig sikre adgangskoder. Det er et meget kort afsnit, men det indeholder advarsler, som alle bør være opmærksomme på.

Der er også et afsnit, der omhandler de værktøjer, man kan støde på ved brug af Windows 8.1 på arbejdet ( Mobilitetscenteret, Bitlocker^{(Mobility Center, Bitlocker)} og VPN ). Da nogle af funktionerne i Windows 8.1 , som Bitlocker , ikke findes på forbrugerversioner af operativsystemet, er det vigtigt , hvis ens arbejdsplads bruger Bitlocker -kryptering, at have instruktioner til at få det til at fungere korrekt. ^(Bitlocker)Læs vejledningen i Windows 8.1 Trin For Trin^{(Windows 8.1 Step By Step)} , og din arbejdsplads's IT-afdeling vil takke dig. 🙂 Et af mine yndlingskapitler fra Windows 8 Step By Step er blevet revideret og udvidet til den nye udgave: Tips til at forbedre din computeroplevelse^{(Tips for improving your computing experience)}. Der er ingen grund til at snuble rundt i mørket og prøve at finde ud af disse ting, når erfarne forfattere kan gøre det hele så nemt at lære. Endnu en gang er dette sidste kapitel værd at købe bogen i sig selv.

Opsummering

Endnu en gang har forfatterne Ciprian Adrian Rusen og Joli Ballew leveret en letforståelig guide til et operativsystem, der kan virke skræmmende for en nybegynder, uden at nogen nærmest holder deres hænder og går dem igennem det. Da jeg først lærte at navigere i Windows 8 , holdt jeg den forrige udgave af bogen foran mig for at forklare ting, jeg endnu ikke forstod. Som med enhver bog er der nogle ting, der kunne forbedres:

• For eksempel synes jeg, at der burde have været en note, der dirigerede læserne til bilaget, der diskuterer opgraderinger, i begyndelsen af ​​bogen.
• Opgradering fra Windows XP og Windows Vista til Windows 8.1 er ikke dækket i Windows 8.1 Trin for trin^{(Windows 8.1 Step by Step)} , mens opgradering fra Windows 7 og Windows 8 er dækket på en meget detaljeret måde.

Dom

Dette er en stor bog (større end dens forgænger), men den er spækket med nyttig information. Det er en værdig tilføjelse til Step By Step -serien, som altid har haft et velfortjent ry for at levere præcis, hvad den lover. Enhver, der ønsker at komme hurtigt op i fart med Windows 8.1 , bør finde ud af, at dette er lige, hvad de havde brug for. Når du opgraderer til Windows 8.1 eller køber en ny enhed med Windows 8.1 , skal du have denne bog foran dig.

Book Review - Windows 8.1 Step By Step, by Ciprian Rusen & Joli Ballew

When I reviewed thе first edition of thiѕ book - Windows 8 Step By Step - I said that it was "the kind of book to keep handy by your computer for reference, because it will give you confidence that you can do everything right. It's a winner!" Other sites, including Amazon, where reviewers are notoriously cranky, have given it 5-star and 4-star ratings as well, and it's one of Microsoft Press' top-selling books in 2013. So this new edition had quite a reputation to live up to. Did authors Ciprian Adrian Rusen and Joli Ballew meet the challenge of making the new Windows 8.1 Step by Step bigger and better? Let's take a look and see what they accomplished this time around.

Disclaimer: I read some of the chapters while this book was being written, but I formed no opinion until I had a chance to read the whole thing.

Getting started with Windows 8.1 Step by Step

As with its predecessor, Windows 8.1 Step By Step assumes that the reader is looking at a PC or tablet with Windows 8.1 already installed. Since Windows 8.1 is such a recent release, to me it would make more sense to put the instructions for upgrading at the beginning, not tucked away in an appendix at the end, since many people will be upgrading rather than seeing a computer that comes with Windows 8.1 preinstalled. The introductory chapter doesn't include a note that the upgrade instructions are in an Appendix, which I consider a serious shortcoming.

The chapter Introducing Windows 8.1 is intended to be an overview, pointing to chapters that cover the topics in more detail. For the most part, this works, but some parts of the chapter seem more perfunctory than others. The approach to the Start screen and Desktop is noticeably inconsistent. While using the Start screen a lot will help the newcomer become comfortable with it, whichever author wrote this chapter acknowledges that people will do much of their work on the Desktop—even while encouraging them not to use it. This approach has carried over from the previous version of the book, and to my way of thinking it should have been revised.

Getting past that, though, the introductory chapter does explain the features of Windows 8.1 clearly and with plenty of illustrations. It would make it quite easy for a newcomer to get up to speed with understanding the apps, charms and tiles before moving on.

To app or not to app (again)

Microsoft makes a distinction between what they call "apps" and what they call "desktop apps." I wish they'd used different terminology, because the two kinds of applications are very different in style and approach, but the names are far too similar. Adding to the confusion is the fact that you can put tiles for desktop apps on the Start screen that appear nearly identical to tiles used for native Windows 8.1 apps, so it may not be apparent what kind of app you're clicking on until it does or does not switch you to the Desktop. Windows 8.1 Step By Step helps to educate the newcomer about the differences between the two kinds of apps by continuing its focus on the Start screen apps (desktop apps get a mention, but that's pretty much it). Working exclusively with these apps should help the reader understand the full-screen approach and become more at ease with it. People who have used previous versions of Windows already know how the desktop apps work, so there is less need to go into detail about those. There are good, well illustrated instructions for experimenting with built-in apps like Photos, Music, Videos and Maps. The things that have changed in those apps between Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 are also explained in detail - something you will find throughout the book, a very welcome feature. A newcomer can follow the instructions and use the helpful practice files, and should get the hang of it pretty easily. Those who are already familiar with Windows 8 can skim through to find the Windows 8.1 changes and additions, and brush up on their skills with the popular apps along the way.

Getting serious with Windows 8.1

The chapters that describe File Explorer and Internet Explorer 11 are every bit as good as those in the previous edition of the book (the previous edition covered Internet Explorer 10). Newcomers to the Windows 8 world should definitely take time to read these chapters. Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 are very different from their predecessors, and most people will require time and a little hand-holding to feel at ease with the new way of doing things. Having this book in front of you and working your way through the practice exercises (with the practice files, available on the Microsoft web site, using the URL and instructions from the beginning of the book) should ease nearly everyone into file management and internet browsing. Windows 8.1 introduces some changes in the Libraries that I am not sure I agree with. I've been a fan of the concept of Libraries since well before Microsoft included them in Windows. People who got used to Windows 8's way of dealing with Libraries will find the explanation of the changes, and the suggestion for a good way to put things back mostly the way they were (if you want to), very welcome.

Windows 8.1 Step By Step continues its focus on the modern apps by encouraging the reader to use the full-screen version of Internet Explorer 11, even though the full-screen version is described as "minimalistic" and it is less versatile than the Desktop version. For example, it has no support for extensions and toolbars of any kind. Having said that, though, the book does a great job of explaining how the full-screen version works and how the reader can get the most out of it. The chapter should be a must-read for people who use tablets and hybrid devices like Microsoft Surface, because this version of Internet Explorer 11 is very well optimized for touchscreens. SkyDrive is still a rather new feature for most people, and those who haven't taken advantage of this easy to use cloud storage (or have not explored its options) will find plenty of valuable information that should have them getting the most out of the cloud in a very short time. As a relative newcomer to SkyDrive myself, I appreciated this section a lot. SkyDrive is a lot more than just a web service and having a clear explanation of all the ways one can access and use it is a plus. It might have added to the chapter to put in a brief mention of the web-only Office suite that can be used directly from the SkyDrive website. The "social" apps get their own chapter. These are apps like Mail, People, Calendar, Camera and Skype. Since more and more people are buying computers precisely so they can connect with their families and friends, this chapter will probably be high on the list of must-reads for a lot of people. Once again, the reader is eased into what might be a new experience and the explanations should give nearly anyone confidence to dive right in.

Windows 8.1 Step By Step doesn't just give simple "click here to talk with your grandchildren" instructions—it walks the reader through some pretty sophisticated stuff like attaching files from SkyDrive to an email, connecting your Facebook account, and setting up contacts and calendars that will be both simple to use and full-featured enough to be a part of everyone's daily lives. And, of course, no Windows book worth its price would be without a discussion of playing games, buying apps from the Windows Store, and understanding in-app purchases (something everyone needs to know about, lest they end up with a bill that will knock their socks off). Everyone who pays attention to this book should be able to sail through the Windows Store with no trouble. There are also clear instructions for using a Windows 8.1 computer with an Xbox console, which should be very helpful indeed.

Safe and secure - and more

The discussion of connecting to the internet via both wired and wireless networks, using the Network and Sharing Center, and navigating PC Settings is another must-read. So much of what today's computers do relies on an internet connection that getting the connection right is absolutely essential. As in the previous edition, the book walks the newcomer through the process in an easy to understand way. Like its predecessor, Windows 8.1 Step By Step also takes security very seriously. Nowadays, keeping your computer and your data safe and secure is more important than ever. Microsoft has built some great security features into Windows 8.1 and paying attention to the chapters that discuss security issues (and Parental Controls) is essential. The chapter Allowing others to use the computer should be included in the discussion of security, since having separate accounts for separate users makes everything both easier and less riskier. The chapter called Keeping Windows 8.1 safe and secure should be required reading. There is a whole lot more to security than most of us realize, and in this case the old saying "forewarned is forearmed" is absolutely true. The reader should pay especially close attention to the section that deals with really secure passwords. It's a very short section, but it contains warnings that everyone should heed.

There is also a section that deals with the tools one might encounter in using Windows 8.1 at work (the Mobility Center, Bitlocker and VPN). Since some of the features of Windows 8.1, like Bitlocker, are not found on consumer versions of the operating system, if one's workplace uses Bitlocker encryption, it is essential to have instructions for making it work properly. Read the directions in Windows 8.1 Step By Step and your workplace's IT department will thank you. 🙂 One of my favorite chapters from Windows 8 Step By Step has been revised and expanded for the new edition: Tips for improving your computing experience. There's no reason for anyone to stumble around in the dark trying to figure these things out, when experienced authors can make it all so easy to learn. Once again, this final chapter is worth the purchase of the book all by itself.

Summing up

Once again, authors Ciprian Adrian Rusen and Joli Ballew have delivered an easy to understand guide to an operating system that might seem intimidating to a newcomer without someone to virtually hold their hands and walk them through it. When I was first learning how to navigate Windows 8, I kept the previous edition of the book in front of me to explain things I didn't yet understand. As with any book, there are some things that could be improved:

• For example, I think there should have been a note directing readers to the appendix that discusses upgrades, at the beginning of the book.
• Upgrading from Windows XP and Windows Vista to Windows 8.1 is not covered in Windows 8.1 Step by Step, while upgrading from Windows 7 and Windows 8 is covered in a very detailed manner.

Verdict

This is a large book (larger than its predecessor) but it is packed with useful information. It is a worthy addition to the Step By Step series, which has always had a well-deserved reputation for delivering exactly what it promises. Anyone who wants to get up to speed quickly with Windows 8.1 should find this to be just what they needed. When upgrading to Windows 8.1 or buying a new device with Windows 8.1, keep this book in front of you.

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