BKW98ICH.RVW   980628

"Windows 98 Installation and Configuration Handbook", Rob Tidrow,
1998, 0-7897-1510-4, U$39.99/C$57.95/UK#37.49
%A   Rob Tidrow rtidrow@iquest.net
%C   201 W. 103rd Street, Indianapolis, IN   46290
%D   1998
%G   0-7897-1510-4
%I   Macmillan Computer Publishing (MCP)
%O   U$39.99/C$57.95/UK#37.49 800-858-7674 317-581-3743 info@mcp.com
%P   652 p. + CD-ROM
%T   "Windows 98 Installation and Configuration Handbook"

Part one deals with aspects around the installation of Windows 98. 
Chapter one starts at the proper time: before the installation begins. 
However, the information that is provided is pretty basic, and follows
the Microsoft guidelines.  It is primarily concerned with minimum
hardware requirements.  Installation merely follows the setup program
screens in chapter two and lists the components in chapter three. 
Installation over the network is going to require more manual setup
than with Windows 95, and the necessary configuration options are
detailed in chapter four.  Installing new hardware and software, in
chapter five, simply presents the Wizard screens.

Simple configuration and alteration is given in part two.  Chapter six
reviews the general desktop properties.  Properties specific to
monitor hardware are described in chapter seven.  A grab bag of
functions for shortcuts, screen savers, and fonts makes up chapter
eight.  Modifications to the Taskbar and Start menu in chapter nine
are extremely terse.

Part three looks at disks and drives.  The instructions for installing
a hard disk are probably not quite detailed enough for a novice, not
necessary for an intermediate user, and contain minor errors in
chapter ten.  Directions for floppy drives, in chapter eleven, are
probably a bit more useful.  Chapter twelve is primarily concerned
with the sharing, rather than installation, of CD-ROM drives, and with
scaring off potential DVD buyers.  The operation of the backup utility
is reviewed in chapter thirteen.  Various performance related aspects
of drives are listed in chapter fourteen.

Part four's overview of multimedia is more detailed, but basically
follows the same line as for general hardware configuration.  Part
five looks at the modem installation via Wizard, the Internet
Connection Wizard, and settings for Internet Explorer and Outlook. 
The networking content in part six is more detailed than most,
although still missing some material.

Part seven deals with running Windows 98 and DOS programs.  Chapter
twenty seven provides a great deal of interesting information for the
techie or programmer, but most of it is irrelevant to the user.  Power
DOS users may find the content of chapter twenty eight handy for
fixing minor irritants with DOS programs.

Part eight again covers the configuration of different types of
peripherals in more depth, but via the Wizards.

Basically, more documentation replacement.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 1998   BKW98ICH.RVW   980628