BKWNDMQR.RVW  941110
 
"Windows 3.1 for Dummies Quick Reference", Harvey, 1994, 1-56884-951-6,
U$8.95/C$12.95/UK#8.95
%A   Greg Harvey
%C   155 Bovet Road, Suite 310, San Mateo, CA   94402
%D   1994
%G   1-56884-951-6
%I   International Data Group (IDG Books)
%O   U$8.95/C$12.95/UK#8.95 415-312-0650 fax: 415-286-2740 kaday@aol.com
%P   162
%S   ... for Dummies
%T   "Windows 3.1 for Dummies Quick Reference"
 
Think, for a second, about the problem of organizing a guide to a GUI
(graphical user interface) system.  You can't use an alphabetical list of
commands, because there are no commands.  You can use the menu items and
jargon, but that does rather eliminate the "ease of use" advantage of the GUI. 
(Quick:  what's a "split bar"?)  OK, now we'll make it a bit harder:  how do
you organize a quick reference?
 
Given the constraints of the task, then, Harvey has done an admirable job. 
This book is designed for the beginner who has at least some Windows experience
but who wants to learn more, quickly.  The book is divided into Windows basics,
application basics, Program Manager, File Manager, Central Panel, Windows for
Workgroups, and a quick list of keystroke shortcuts.  Within a chapter, topics
are listed alphabetically, sometimes by item title, but more often by
description.  Since even descriptive titles may not be intuitive (do you list
"Changing File Attributes" under change, file, attribute, alter, modify, amend,
edit ...?) the index, for a book of its size, is extensive.
 
It is difficult to say that the choice of material is a shortcoming. 
Certainly, a great many options, menu items and dialog box buttons are
described as "best left to a Windows guru".  There is no word on .INI files. 
This book is, however, quite adequate to make a computer-literate non-Windows-
user proficient within an hour or so.
 
copyright Robert M. Slade, 1994   BKWNDMQR.RVW  941110

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DECUS Canada Communications, Desktop, Education and Security group newsletters
Editor and/or reviewer ROBERTS@decus.ca, RSlade@sfu.ca, Rob Slade at 1:153/733
Author "Robert Slade's Guide to Computer Viruses" (UK contact: viv@svl.co.uk)